By Jonathan Martin
Hes riding high in the polls among his fellow Democrats but President Barack Obamas political sway within his own party is about to be tested.
Two House Democrats
Joe Sestak of Pennsylvania and Carolyn Maloney of New York are poised to defy the unambiguous wishes of Obama and challenge incumbent senators of their own party.
Both indicated to
POLITICO that they were likely to run and would do so regardless of what Obama said.
Sestak a second-term Philadelphia-area congressman and retired admiral said he was just over a month away from announcing his intention to challenge Republican-turned-Democrat Sen. Arlen Specter.
I understand the very short-term expedient desire to have the insurance of a 60th vote" Sestak said speaking of the implications of Specters April party switch and why the longtime senator was so quickly embraced by the administration.
But he added of Obama: I believe in his heart of hearts he really wants a real Democrat to win this race and I think he very much respects that we are pretty independent-minded in Pennsylvania and we should have a choice."
Asked directly if a plea from Obama would make any difference Sestak shook his head and said: No."
Maloney a veteran member of Congress who represents much of New York Citys silk-stocking Upper East Side dispatched longtime Democratic consultant and her likely chief campaign strategist Joe Trippi to state her intentions about a potential challenge to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.).
Shes way past all that" Trippi said when asked about how Maloney would respond to a request from Obama to stay out of the race. She really believes the people of New York deserve a choice. Shes not somebody whos going to back down."
The two races illustrate the risks for Obama or any president in trying to play local kingmaker namely the very real possibility that no matter how popular he is he may not be able bend every contest to his wishes and that by trying to do so he risks being defied by his own party.
For Obama theres an added irony that isnt lost on some Democrats that the ultimate insurgent candidate is now in the incumbent-protection business.
In the case of Sestak and Maloney Obama may be reaping what he sowed. While Hillary Clinton wasnt an incumbent in the presidential race she was the establishment figure who many Democratic elites rallied around early on in the primary. But the president proved that an insurgent can win and that Democratic primary voters can buck their elected leaders.
Who do they think inspired these people to run?" asked Trippi. They started this. They took on the established order of the party. If they had listened to the establishment Obama wouldnt be in the White House. Its hard for them to argue with this when they blazed the trail."
Also recently North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper a popular Democrat with rural roots demurred when Obama urged him to take on first-term Republican Sen. Richard Burr according to sources familiar with the recruitment. Cooper was a top recruit of Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) who heads the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee but Cooper decided he just didnt want to serve in Washington the sources said.
But in the Gillibrand race Obama had better luck waving off Rep.
Steve Israels threatened primary challenge to Gillibrand.
He talked about the importance of party unity and said he was interested in my continued House leadership on energy issues" recalled Israel who wanted it known that Obamas appeal persuaded me to forgo my own immediate political desires at this time." (One senior Democrat noted that the White House wouldnt have put Obama on the phone with Israel without knowing the congressman would bow to his wishes.)
But the president has yet to contact Sestak and a conversation Vice President Joe Biden recently had with Maloney appears to have had little impact.
Read more HERE
*This story is from www.POLITICO.com
Sestak a second-term Philadelphia-area congressman and retired admiral said he was just over a month away from announcing his intention to challenge Republican-turned-Democrat Sen. Arlen Specter.
I understand the very short-term expedient desire to have the insurance of a 60th vote" Sestak said speaking of the implications of Specters April party switch and why the longtime senator was so quickly embraced by the administration.
But he added of Obama: I believe in his heart of hearts he really wants a real Democrat to win this race and I think he very much respects that we are pretty independent-minded in Pennsylvania and we should have a choice."
Asked directly if a plea from Obama would make any difference Sestak shook his head and said: No."
Maloney a veteran member of Congress who represents much of New York Citys silk-stocking Upper East Side dispatched longtime Democratic consultant and her likely chief campaign strategist Joe Trippi to state her intentions about a potential challenge to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.).
Shes way past all that" Trippi said when asked about how Maloney would respond to a request from Obama to stay out of the race. She really believes the people of New York deserve a choice. Shes not somebody whos going to back down."
The two races illustrate the risks for Obama or any president in trying to play local kingmaker namely the very real possibility that no matter how popular he is he may not be able bend every contest to his wishes and that by trying to do so he risks being defied by his own party.
For Obama theres an added irony that isnt lost on some Democrats that the ultimate insurgent candidate is now in the incumbent-protection business.
In the case of Sestak and Maloney Obama may be reaping what he sowed. While Hillary Clinton wasnt an incumbent in the presidential race she was the establishment figure who many Democratic elites rallied around early on in the primary. But the president proved that an insurgent can win and that Democratic primary voters can buck their elected leaders.
Who do they think inspired these people to run?" asked Trippi. They started this. They took on the established order of the party. If they had listened to the establishment Obama wouldnt be in the White House. Its hard for them to argue with this when they blazed the trail."
Also recently North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper a popular Democrat with rural roots demurred when Obama urged him to take on first-term Republican Sen. Richard Burr according to sources familiar with the recruitment. Cooper was a top recruit of Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) who heads the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee but Cooper decided he just didnt want to serve in Washington the sources said.
But in the Gillibrand race Obama had better luck waving off Rep. Steve Israels threatened primary challenge to Gillibrand.
He talked about the importance of party unity and said he was interested in my continued House leadership on energy issues" recalled Israel who wanted it known that Obamas appeal persuaded me to forgo my own immediate political desires at this time." (One senior Democrat noted that the White House wouldnt have put Obama on the phone with Israel without knowing the congressman would bow to his wishes.)
But the president has yet to contact Sestak and a conversation Vice President Joe Biden recently had with Maloney appears to have had little impact.
Read more HERE
*This story is from www.POLITICO.com
