NYT/AP: Profiles of New Democratic Leaders

[DeepModem Mom]

Profiles of New Democratic Leaders
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: November 16, 2006

....Speaker of the House-nominee: Nancy Pelosi of California has led House Democrats since 2002 and will be the party's nominee for speaker when the new Congress convenes Jan. 4. She will be breaking one glass ceiling for women with only one or two more above it yet to be shattered, U.S. president and vice president. A self-confident leader and power broker, Pelosi, 66, has demanded party loyalty on key Democratic issues such as health care and education. As speaker, the liberal Democrat from San Francisco has said she will work to curb the power of lobbyists and to roll back GOP tax cuts for higher-income Americans.

House majority leader: Steny Hoyer of Maryland has been the chief vote counter as House whip since 2003. Two years earlier he had lost a hard-fought race for the job to Pelosi, who last week endorsed Pennsylvania Rep. John Murtha over him to be majority leader. Hoyer, 67, is a party loyalist with strong campaign and fundraising skills. He's been the go-to man for some moderate and conservative Democrats who are not as comfortable with Pelosi's more liberal ideology. Hoyer kept up a relentless attack on President Bush and the GOP Congress faulting the president's handling of the Iraq war and harshly criticizing Republican budgets.

House majority whip: James Clyburn of South Carolina will be the highest ranking black member of the new Congress. He also is reaching the highest office in Congress ever held by a black. Former Oklahoma quarterback J.C. Watts Jr. previously held the title, serving as House Republicans' conference chairman from 1998 until to his retirement in 2002. Clyburn was elected in 1992 as the first black congressman from South Carolina since Reconstruction. In 1998 he served as the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. His leadership roles have made him a power broker for Democratic presidential candidates seeking black support in South Carolina's early primaries. Clyburn, 66, helped organize a nonprofit group to help those who fled from the Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Democratic caucus chairman: Rahm Emanuel of Illinois was one of the key engineers behind the Democratic House takeover. As chairman on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Emanuel, 46, helped raise record amounts of money and leaned on safe incumbents to share their wealth with needier candidates. He also actively recruited military veterans to run for office. Before running for public office, Emanuel was a senior adviser to President Bill Clinton on issues including NAFTA and gun control. He also considered running for party whip, but was promised a bigger role in steering the party's communications and outreach operations as caucus chairman.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Congress-Leaders-Glance.html

[Bitwit1234]

1. Steny Hoyer

When I lived in Maryland I had a problem with my social security. The clerk filing it screwed it up royally. I could not get them to make the adjustments. One phone call to Steny Hoyer and with three days I got a letter from social security with it all straightened out. And they sent me a private number in case I had a problem again.

I know it was Steny's job to help residents but he was very helpful. I don't know how he handled other request but on mine he was very good.

Jack Murtha is also a good democrat. He speaks out for us and he also deserved the job. It is a shame that such two good democrats wanted the same job.

[DeepModem Mom]

2. Thanks for posting, Bitwit! nt

[trogdor]

3. Good deal.

I'd say this will be a win-win in the long run. It shows that we have a very deep bench.

[slackmaster]

5. Isn't it great having a Member who gets things like that done?

I've had a few good ones in the past, notably Bob Filner.

[UrbScotty]

13. "It is a shame that such two good democrats wanted the same job."

You mean, it's a shame only one could get the job?

I see what you're saying, but you might have wanted to word it better. It's not a shame that two good Dems wanted the job, of course. It's just a shame that only one could get it.

Anyway, back on point: It is good to know that we will soon have a majority leader who deserves the job. Unlike, say, DeLay.

[thereismore]

4. The whole Hoyer/Murtha thing reminds me of the Brown/Hackett

thing. That one worked out very well too.

[DinahMoeHum]

6. Looks like Rahm Emmanuel got "kicked upstairs"

Still and all, I'm glad he and Howard Dean buried the axe.

:kick:

[trogdor]

8. So am I.

Dean got the job done, and thanks to him, he or the next DNC chairman will continue to get things done. Not only did we take Congress, but our farm system (state legislatures) is stronger, and we now have 28 (count 'em) governors to campaign for the next President of the United States. This is the proof that the 50-state strategy works. Let the Republicans be the "regional" party (of Dixie) for awhile. It suits them better anyway.

[nxylas]

7. Hey, my congessman made majority whip

He's a former head of the state agency where I work, too.

[lander]

10. How did he work out there? n/t

[nxylas]

12. I wasn't there when he was

But people there seem to have fond memories of him.

[lander]

9. Okay, excellent. Beautiful. Just dandy...

...now let's start talking about what we're going to do!

[lander]

11. Average age: 61.25 — comments? n/t

[illinoisprogressive]

14. Great Post

Thanks for printing this. It's nice to have alittle background on our House leadership.
It's best when it's democrats.

[deepthought42]

15. Proud to be a MD'er

Not only do we have Hoyer as House Majority Leader, but Pelosi is a Baltimore native. It was all over the local news here in Annapolis on election night. :thumbsup:

Here's hoping they kick some butt in Congress come January. :spank:

[ross3000]

16. William Gray was the first black whip

1990 or so.

Watts was second; and now Clyburn.

ross3000

[Stardust]

17. Welcome to DU!

:hi: