Reid, Kerry at odds over choice for board

[NVMojo]

WASHINGTON -- Former presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry disagrees with Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid over a federal appointment, the latest sign of friction between the Democrats.

Aides to the senators said no problems exist between them involving Reid's nomination of Kathryn "Kitty" O. Higgins to become a member of the National Transportation Safety Board.

Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., also is backing Higgins, who is a former member of his staff.

But all 10 House members from Massachusetts and 32 Republican members of Congress have joined Kerry in opposing Reid's recommendation, which was sent to President Bush on Jan. 31.

Besides her link to Kennedy, The Boston Globe reported this week, Higgins also is a friend of the wife of Tom Daschle, who preceded Reid as Democratic leader of the Senate.

Reid aides said Higgins has had a long career in government service, including serving as deputy labor secretary in the Clinton administration and as a former White House liaison on airline crash investigations.

On March 8, Kerry sent a letter to Bush urging the president to pick Paul McCarthy of Marblehead, Mass., for the NTSB slot.

Aides to Kerry and Reid said the senators are not clashing.

more...

http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2005/Apr-01-Fri-2005/news/26196411.html

[Pirate Smile]

1. more

"It's hardly surprising that John Kerry and 10 members of our state's congressional delegation have weighed in to support a Massachusetts leader for the NTSB post," Kerry spokesman David Wade said.

"Anyone trying to invent even a hint of discord between John Kerry and Harry Reid is engaging in pure folly. It's just cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs."

-snip-
At a meeting in February with labor leaders, Reid rejected Kerry's suggestion that Democrats be more aggressive in fighting Bush's Social Security plan and criticized the way Kerry ran his presidential campaign in Nevada, the Washington Post said.

Afterward, Reid said he never had a cross word with Kerry, and Kerry spokesman Wade called the report erroneous.

[loro mi dicevano]

2. "The latest sign of friction between the Democrats"? Or, like, not?

:eyes:

[On the Road]

3. Help -- the Party is Splintering!

Two leaders favor different people for a Transportation Safety appointment!

If that isn't a lame attempt to create drama, I don't know what is.

[blm]

4. Exactly...this is HOW the Repub operatives create news that doesn't exist

and further an impression of the Dems as splintered and chaotic.

Rove must think it's a good tactic to try and pit Reid and Kerry against each other to try and defang them both. Glad to see neither one of them is taking the bait.