Nevada man hopes to carry on powerful Quayle legacy

An old adage says there are two things that everyone thinks they know how to do better than everyone else, and one of them is run a newspaper.

But there's a third thing that everyone seems to think they know how to do better than anyone else — picking vice-presidential candidates.

And so those of you who are convinced that some U.S. senator or other should be on a presidential undercard may want to consult The Hill, which asked all 97 senators who aren't running for prez if they'd accept the second banana job.

Of local note, Nevada's prettiest senator, John Ensign, said "It’s so much a hypothetical it’s not even worth answering," which loosely translates to "Oh god please let it be me please please please please."

In addition to the Dan Quayle precedent whereby splendidly coiffed industrial heirs with magnificent golf swings get to be vice president (pictured, John Ensign version 1.0), several other disturbing reasons why Sen. Hairdo McWedgeshot would make an ideal vice-presidential nominee for the War Party have been inventoried in a prior post.

Meantime, Sen. Harry Reid told The Hill that "I’m looking forward to serving the people of Nevada and leading an expanded majority in the U.S. Senate well into the future," which needn't be translated at all because nobody gives a shit because there's no way in hell Obama would ever consider Reid.

As a living breathing human unit, the lowly Gleaner is just like everyone else: absolutely convinced of personal rightness and infallibility vis-a-vis who should be selected as a running mate. Which is to say when Joe Biden answered "I’m happy being called ‘Mr. Chairman,’" clearly, he was just being coy.

Comments

[scratchvoter]

I'd support Ensign on the Ticket, but only if he gave up his senate seat to do so.

[MikeZ]

10-4 to Gleaner on the VP stuff and Harry. He's out with the nomination, and out sooner with a win. A few of his own allies here dumped him and formed thier own new firm knowing this would occur--they will reap a tidy profit on BO this fall--all the HRC people are out.

Backed the wrong horse senator, now its just up to Joe Biden to decide if he wants Veep or SML and for you to contemplate your retirement.

BO will not support a Reid withhis horrendous, racist record with African-Amnericans over his decades long public career to sit in that exaulted seat.

I still think Joe takes the VP, Durbin gets SML and Harry returns to Searlight and makes nother mint in the private sector.

He's already become a multi-millionaire having never held a private sector job all of his adult life; imagine the money he can make when he leaves!

[texexnv@gmail.com]

Aw, come on Mike, show some humanity here.

Couldn't Boss Reid hang out around the offices there after his forced retirement and tell war stories to all the kiddos about how he kicked Bush's ass? I mean, he has done something other than write those ever so forceful letters hasn't he?

[MikeZ]

Look, you can't be Mormon, hate women, hate gays, hate black people, hate the military, hate choice, and expect to remain the Dem SML when the Lib Wing will take over 1600 and/or grows the Congress this year. That just isn't how it works. The Liberal Wing just hates Harry Reid, I mean they really, really hate that guy, and that we allowed a Mormon to such a high Dem position is patently offensive to them, and even to moderates like myself.

A President Obama simply will not tolerate the likes of Harry Reid as SML.

Harry knows this, the guy is a good parliamentarian, but when rubber meets road, how does any liberal Democrat go home and explain how this guy is our SML?

He was called 'the seat warmer' after we won in 2006, Durbin locked it up shortly after. Again, when was the last time you saw Durbin on TV? Harry knows what's going on behind his back. Again, he will retire before 2010, I will give $1000 to your fave non-political, legit local charity if he is on the Nov 2010 ballot.

Encourage Cortez-Masto, as she is the only Dem in this state who can hold the seat for us. All other Dems fall to Porter even if he does lose this year. Jr Senator will be his consolation prize like CD03 is Dina's in 2008.

We tend to grant consolation wins to big office losers in our party.

Tex, the GOP is still seething about the 2005 senate shutdown shit he pulled and disrespect to the office of president with all those intemperate comments.

He's out, he knows it.

Zahara, if January comes and Reid is still majority leader, will you finally shut up and go away?

Seriously.

[MikeZ]

He may last just past January, and if McCain wins, he may stay put until retirement. There's a way these boys and girls play the game. A Dem loss of 1600 shuffles the entire deck in both Houses and at the DNC right after the election Half the DNC is out on their asses if we lose. If we win, there is much institutional deferences btwn the bodies first. Many Gentleemen's agreements.

We will hold the House but lose a few seats we picked up in 2006, and we should gain in the Senate, but will lose a surprise seat...ie: if MI goes for McCain, Levin could be in trouble. IA is tired of Harkin Stuff like that. There are always surprises.

This is very predictable stuff. Harry being out is easy money if you're a gambler. He's blamed if we lose 1600, and ousted if Obama is the President.

That's just how they play the game in DC.

[Daddy make it stop]

"That's just how they play the game in DC."

How the fuck would you know, Zahara? The sum total of your political life, and maybe your entire identity, consists of arguing with anonymous commenters on a local blog.

[MikeZ]

Been around these people for 28 years, know a lot of them and their staffs, come from a giant org and again, they are a very predictable lot. Few surprises in their conduct of political business.

We like to shuffle the deck and clean house. That's what's in store for 2009.

[Daddy make it stop]

"We" ...? Please, get some help.

[MikeZ]

Pay attention to your American political history, as there are lessons to be learned about how politicians act and react.

We is us as the party. If we win, those who were with our nominee/president will enjoy those spoils, and those who weren't will not. The enormous power of having the president's ear and 4-5 minutes of his/her personal time is political platinum in Washington.

Do you think a President Obama is likely to jump when the phone rings for those who weren't there for him when it wasn't the popular thing to do?

A president signals to his allies whom he would feel comfortable working with, and generally doesn't step on Congress's toes in leadership elections, but leadership knows their party's guy/gal at 1600 is worthy of deference to their other goals.

Basically, what a president wants he/she tends to get.

[theo]

So, basically you're arguing that Obama isn't the "new" politics, he's politics as usual? The same-old hackneyed schoolyard bullshit?

So why, again, should I bother to show up in November?

[texexnv@gmail.com]

Mike, I'd say there is about as much chance of Boss Reid vouluntarily retiring as getting yak butter out of a duck.

First, as you say, he has become a multimillionaire in doing whatever it is he does. So when was the last time you saw a Mormon walk away from that kind of money to teach at UNLV or raise pansies in Searchlight.

Second, he totally owns the Nevada Democratic Party and about everyone in it so exacty who is going to come forward and tell him he's all washed up?

Sure, we'd all like to give this fossil a roadmap to the nearest tar pit but he is going to have to be removed by losing a primary or a general.

I'll have to give some thought to who my favorite charity is but some Vet org will probably be who you make the check out to.

[Clinton gal]

Mike, thanks for confirming what most Clinton supporters have been suspecting - there is no reason to support Obama in November because if you were not with him in the primaries then you are on his team's bad side forever.

No snark - just putting into words what we have all been feeling and suspecting. Obama's team never wanted the regular Dems here and regular Dems would be fools to back him now.

Mike, some folks here don't like hearing what you have to say but I for one appreciate your candor. You don't BS like the rest of the Obama people. You tell it like it is.

[MikeZ]

Look, I think we will win in Nov, and if we do, the shuffling is a natural political process--it always happens.

Nancy Pelosi has all but hired the Goodyear blimp to signal her support for Obama, thus guaranteeing a Clinton/Hoyer mischief Speaker challenge will fail badly. Same with Harry; yes, I think he's out, but it's not like Durbin will place him on some bullshit committee like Indian Affairs, he will likely go over to Chair Appropriations. Those 15 senators supporting Barack today will all move up the food chain after a Nov win. Most important, Claire McCaskill, imo. It takes great political courage to endorse for prez at that level, and the rewards are equally great. But the loser's endorsers aren't banished to the Committee on Tampons and Toilet Paper either.

If all the HRC folks in NV who bet the entire NV political farm on HRC, and organized labor back Harry, I can't see Harry not Chairing Appropriations, or another equally prestigious committee. As the former SML, he will be treated very, very well within the most exclusive club in the world. They know how to take care of their own in both parties.

Same with Schumer and the other HRCers, including Hillary. The new SML will not disrespect they, their seniority, or status…he'll just place his guys first where he wants them.

Nevada could do far worse than Harry Reid Chairing Appropriations as his consolation prize. I will actively and very publicly support his appointment as Appropriations Chair. Bryd is 197 yrs old and can go elsewhere; he will defer to the SML on assignment with a Dem win. Most thought he passed away two decades ago anyway.

All in NV Labor and all of the HRC people here should begin making nice-nice with Durbin, and begin working to ensure Harry is the AC Chair next year as their consolation prize.

An Obama admin will defer to that without question. The will not block an HRC Chair of something either as her prize. Again, this is how they play the game in DC.

[Kickboxermomma]

Biden,Dodd, Webb VP candidates. Reid SML.

[texexnv@gmail.com]

If When Obama wins, Boss is as Mike says - recycled downward at the very best.

And, as Obama is inheriting the very worst international situation since 1939, he will need the very best diplomat as V.P. Which eliminates all names but Bill R. Other Cabinet posts may go to Biden et. al but he absolutely must have the most respected V.P. to strat unsnarling what the Psycho-in-Chief has created.

Obama will award the V.P. and Cabinet slots based on the best-qualified and not on how they can help him win as that is all but in the bag. HRC ends up with one * by her name, a lot of debt, a lot of personal expense, and that's about all.

And 'ya can take it to the bank!

[my turn]

Since everyone else is playing "What If?";

Obama wins White House. Ds that are upset at HRC loss cannot afford to sit on their hands and let McCain win. McCain only needs to appoint one (1) U.S. Supreme Court Justice (yes, one can hope the Ds of the Senate will push for a moderate, but...), and Roe V. Wade is done/over/kaput/fini'! Let alone all the other shit that comes down after Stevens or Ginsburg leave the Court (remember, they are OLD people and no one lives forever).

Women will vote 'Black' in order not to cut their nose of to spite their faces. They are a smart lot (though they fooled me in 2006). White people will realize he is half white and half black and hell, they can live with that (I still chuckle and shake my heads at the outrage of Blacks when a SNL white actor played Obama in black paint: Obama is from a mixed lineage-he's as much Black as White).

Harry Reid has pushed for a close to the race and what he has done behind the scene (Harry's way), is unkonwn to us, but, regardless he will be SML (Harry give up SML with a D in the WH?! Fcuk you gotta be smokin' crack! He'll really be living his dream and official photo with a D in the Big House!).

Biden will not leave the Senate. Big Fish, Big Pond, Big Gavel! Big Ego!

[The Penguin]

mmmmmmmmm, yak butter

[Rich Stafetas]

hey all, it ain't over yet and, if it's a brokered convention HRC can still win. i still think the machine that runs the Democratic Party will give it to the anointed one and HRC is that person. it's a premonition i have.

[Here we go again...]

MZ REPLACES JAL WTF?

"... regular Dems would be fools to back him now."
So Obama supporters are not "regular Dems" and you would be fools to back him? Rather than put aside your sense of entitlement, you want to see McCain appoint a prolife majority to the Supreme Court?
I hope most of the NSDP leadership who backed Clinton when she seemed inevitable--that is before anyone actually voted--will enthusiastically work to elect Obama. If not, well, get out of the way, because the Obama team will ensure that Nevada goes blue.

[MikeZ]

Oh Richie, if only it were so for your sake as you're a good guy. It's not, it's over, and has been since Super Tuesday.

Hillary can chose to be Grand Dame of the party ala Eleanor Roosevelt, or vicious ruiner of the party and a pariah the rest of her life. The clock is ticking.

Harry does not choose anything, he serves at the pleasure of his caucus who will defer to their president in all cases. He should accept Appropriations and be done with it and retire out in 2010, a year both he and Boxer likely lose. (ps, she will back Barack)

Everyone gets a piece of the pie in a winning prez race, only the losers don't get a cherry and whipped creme, and rarely can even chose the flavor.

The winner and his/her people direct the back office shit and that's where all of HRC's efforts should be now; taking care of those who endorsed her, but she's just not there yet and the longer she waits, the less pie there will be for them. They're getting nervous and pissed at her as they all know, the longer she waits, the more they lose. That's why so many of her formers have flipped to date, with many more to come.

Again, that's just how this works, how brutal, take-no-prisoners this really is. In a way I feel sorry for the NV folks who rolled it all on HRC, and have zip now. Some I am happier than shit that they have zip now too!

Vicenta, I was surprised you did not run for eboard or DNC Rep. 64 people I thought for sure you would be trying, and I would have supported you and worked the floor for you.

Dodd too dull & sullen, it's Biden, but a strong group from the Midwest is really pushing McCaskill hard with a terrific pitch that I am listening to.

My final farewell piece as a board member will appear in the RJ on Sunday, and then I will write about these two past goofy years at the NSDP professionally.

It's been fun, interesting and a growth experience for me. Never saw in five other sates in 28 years what I did here in Nevada. I had a ball, but am glad to move on. No one can touch that I delivered the first Finance Committee, the first professional audit of our books, and the major changes that will come to a raucous head in Reno when the shit hits the fan!

Wait 'til you see and read the stuff they will try to force down your throats at opening, then ask passage of Consent and Rules We may lose the floor 2 minutes later.

Should be a memorable wknd!

[Daddy make it stop]

tldr

[dave202]

We would be well served to have John Ensign as a vice president.

But Harry Reid? I think Obama needs a "moderate" Dem to balance the ticket not some far left wacko like himself. Send him back to Searchlight. Elect Rory if that's what you want!

[IronJawed]

OMG, why does anyone pay attention to Mike Z? It's like asking David Bonaduce for tips on humility/sobriety.

Mike Z is the new JLA.