CNN: Some freshman Democratic Senators land plum committee assignments

[DeepModem Mom]

Some freshman Dems land plum committee assignments

Washington (CNN) -- Their election victories last Tuesday handed the Democrats control of the senate for the first time in four years. So what committee assignments did incoming Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid reward them with?

Sen.-elect Jim Webb, D-Virginia: Armed Services, Foreign Relations, Veterans
Sen.-elect Jon Tester, D-Montana: Banking, Energy, Homeland and Government Affairs, Veterans, Small Business, Indian Affairs
Sen.-elect Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri: Armed Services, Commerce, Homeland and Government Affairs, Aging, Indian Affairs
Sen.-elect Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio: Agriculture, Banking, Health Education Labor and Pension, Veterans
Sen.-elect Ben Cardin, D-Maryland: Environment Public Works, Foreign Relations, Judiciary, Budget, Small Business
Sen.-elect Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island: Environment Public Works, Judiciary, Intelligence, Budget, Aging
Sen.-elect Bob Casey, Jr., D-Pennsylvania: Agriculture, Banking, Foreign Relations, Aging, Joint Economic
Sen.-elect Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota: Agriculture, Commerce, Environment Public Works, Joint Economic

http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/blogs/politicalticker/index.html

[AIJ Alom]

1. Excellent deployment of talent all around.

And it fits in perfectly with their home states basic needs and issues.

[Patsy Stone]

2. I am as happy as a little girl!

Wheeee! This is going to be a lot of fun.

[liberal N proud]

3. Some of those people will be great in those positions

Brown: labor & pensions... + + +

[ddbaj]

4. Judiciary committee looks amazing!

Full of progressives.

[PSPS]

5. Gee! Genuine, real qualified people for a change!

What a refreshing change from the republican era of only appointing those who are either dedicated to destroying the departments they oversee, or are only in it for the bribes (and sometimes print actual bribe "menus" a la "The Dukester." )

[Cha]

6. I know! Radical!

Surreal concept.. "Genuine, real qualified people for a change!"

[Sgent]

7. Shocking

that the former Secretary of the Navy and Marine Colonel got the "plum" assignment of Armed Services, Foreign Relations, and Veterans.

Could it be because he's one of the most qualified people in congress for those committees?

[Leilani]

12. I can'twait for Armed Services hearings

& Jim Webb asking questions!!!

[MindMatter]

8. The new generation

It is really heartening to see. I'm not saying that every Democrat in the past 20 years has been a spinless weasel, but we certainly have been wanting for patriots who would fight for the true Democratic principals. There is just something wrong when the two strongest, clearest, most passionate voices are Ted kennedy and Robert Byrd. What happened to the generation after them?

This is the start of something very good for America?

[aquart]

9. What's a NOT plum committee?

[Bitwit1234]

10. Klobuchar

I heard her say she would be interested in the Agriculture Committee because of Minnesota.

[krispos42]

13. Yeah, we're still mostly farmland

She's a county prosecuter, too, though. Hennepin County, which contains Minneapolis, so she's been a busy lady.

[texpatriot2004]

11. Thanks. Great List. nm

[cali]

14. And even though he's not a dem, Bernie

will be on HELP, Energy, Environment, Budget and Veterans Affairs.

[DeepModem Mom]

15. Thanks, cali!

[w4rma]

16. link

http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/blogs/politicalticker/2006/11/some-freshman-dems-land-plum-committee.html

[Little Wing]

17. Jim Webb - Former Sec. of Navy appointed Armed Forces, FR, Vets

Not much of a surprise

[SquireJons]

18. He said he wanted to be on those committees

But one of his main issues is economic fairness and he seems to have been kept far away from those committees. That has me a bit miffed. One of his campaign themes was how unfair todays economy is, where such a small percentage of the population is locking up so much wealth. He also has attacked corporations for having the largest profits in history while paying the lowest taxes ever, while at the same time shipping american jobs overseas. I really want that message to get a good airing.

[DeepModem Mom]

19. daytime kick for our new Senators --

[RummyTheDummy]

20. Tester should have been on agriculture

Seems like a no-brainer to anyone but Harry Reid.