There's a silver lining in many political losses, and for me, the glint of silver in this year's disastrous Democratic defeat is the ascendency of the Democrats in my home state, New York. And at the top of that pyramid of middle-progressive politicians is the Brooklyn Grinder, Senator Charles Schumer. The Republicans in New York are in wonderful disarray, from Albany on down. And while Hillary Clinton gets the gossip column boldface type and the '08 speculation, Chuck Schumer gets the on-the-ground respect. Evidence: the national party leaned on him this week, got him to give up his potential race for the Governship, and convinced him to hunker down in the Senate, raise money, and fight to take back the upper chamber. I say this without a degree of wishful thinking: now that Chuck's in the job, it's better than even money, and I'm taking mid-term gains in '06 to the bank. Schumer gets credit for a few assets in my book. For one, he always shows up - always. Two, he asks for money and gets it. Three, he works across the aisle. I've met Schumer a few times, in my earlier reporting career, at Fred Wilson's house, at NYSIA events, most recently, at the Al Smith dinner. As I said, he always shows up. Got a dollar? Want to double it? Bet on Chuck.
UPDATE: Fred Wilson references this item and adds some more thoughts on Schumer, all of which I agree with, here.
