Democrats turn to Schumer to fix Sanders rift

[LebaneseDude 6,146]

As Hillary Clinton becomes increasingly frustrated with Bernie Sanders’ dogged campaign against the party establishment, Democrats backing the front-runner have recently begun looking to a peacemaker: Sen. Chuck Schumer.

And Schumer has been telling lawmakers in recent days he believes he could be a helpful bridge between the two feuding camps, a Democratic source familiar with the conversations said.

The New York senator enjoys a close relationship with Clinton, whom he helped usher into politics when she served as his junior senator. A Clinton “true believer,” as close allies describe him, Schumer began urging her to run for president three years ago. He campaigned hard for her in her adopted home state last month, and speaks to her regularly on the phone, insiders said.

The future Democratic Leader has much riding on Clinton’s candidacy. Schumer has had a rocky relationship with the Obama White House, one that became more strained after he refused to back the president’s Iran nuclear deal last August. If Clinton assumes the White House next January, the longtime New York senator would ascend to a party leadership role with an ally to work with in the Oval Office.

But Schumer also has longstanding ties to Sanders — both senators are sons of Brooklyn, with the accents to prove it, and were fellow students at James Madison High School in Gravesend. Schumer also helped recruit and coach Sanders for his Senate run in 2006 — and it was Schumer who lured the populist Vermonter to the gilded Democratic donor retreat in Martha’s Vineyard for the annual Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee fundraiser last year, according to insiders.

Despite his closeness with Clinton, Schumer has maintained an open channel of communication directly to Sanders and the two colleagues “talk regularly,” according to a source close to Sanders. Sanders camp called the relationship between the two senators one of “collegiality and mutual respect.” But Schumer's warm relationship with Wall Street has created tensions with Sanders -- and many progressives remain skeptical of him. Those tensions could potentially limit any role he might play.

Former Schumer operative and Democratic strategist Stu Loeser added: “Chuck Schumer is extraordinarily able to find political common ground between people. What’s fueled his success in the Senate is his ability to get political and ideological opposites to agree on issues.”

Loeser said Schumer is the ideal person to bring Sanders back into the fold. Despite Schumer’s base of power in the moderate wing of the party, Loeser said, “he is deeply respectful of the side of the party that Bernie Sanders is giving voice to. He doesn’t see this as an either/or choice for the Democratic party. A navy needs aircraft carriers and it needs battleships. They have different functions, they work differently. But you need both to win a war.”

Read more at Politico
 

[Lara Croft 2,235]

I'm so not in touch with American politics I thought you were talking about Amy Schumer

[LebaneseDude 6,146]

7 minutes ago, G Y P S Y said:

I'm so not in touch with American politics I thought you were talking about Amy Schumer

LOL

[SychosSoChic 9,995]

This would be a good move, a compromise between Hilary and Bernie would only help us all.

[LebaneseDude 6,146]

1 minute ago, SychosSoChic said:

This would be a good move, a compromise between Hilary and Bernie would only help us all.

Yeah. There's bitterness from all sides that needs to be alleviated.

[2020Covid19IsOurs 6,901]

I'd like if Bernie were to hold some important position in the office. He would have some positive influence on the policy making and the image of Democratic party too.