Kos
recently suggested that the Democrats replace Daschle as Senate leader. Almost every Kossack seems inclined to agree. (I certainly do!) After a few rounds of voting, the two clear choices appear to be Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois and Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York.
I personally think either would make a great leader. Both have a lot of "fire in the belly" and backbone. This summer, Durbin impressed a lot of us when he fought back hard after scumbag Republicans demanded he be thrown off the Intelligence Committee - for having the temerity to seek an investigation of what is now known as the Plame Affair.
Schumer, of course, has been nobly leading the fight against this abominable energy bill. (If you didn't catch it, John McCain said there was so much pork in this bill he could attack, he felt like a mosquito at a nudist colony - he just didn't know where to begin.) And both have been leaders in the fight against the nominations of ultra-extremist right-wing judges.
Perhaps as important, both hail from safe "blue" states. Sure, Schumer could be tagged as some sort of odious New Yorker (the right loves to hate New York), whereas Durbin might be a bit insulated from charges of East Coast elitism. But I don't think this matters - the Republicans get away with having leaders from their safest regions. (Think Lott, Frist, etc.) It would be pathetic to let fear of being tagged as too liberal prevent us from choosing a great Senate leader. At least we didn't let it stop us from choosing a House leader.
In any event, having a Senate leader from a safe state would allow him to speak his mind (and vote his conscious) freely, without fear for his own personal re-election. Those sorts of considerations have undoubtedly hindered Daschle's effectiveness.
Anyhow, who would you like to see replace Daschle? Schumer or Durbin?
