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DFW

(60,706 posts)

106. Running against Pat Moynihan in the primary was a foolish move

Fri Dec 18, 2020, 05:32 PM

Dec 2020

Pat Moynihan was a brilliant man (more so when sober, somewhat less so when not*), and had few intellectual equals in the Senate. Running against him in his prime in a primary was political suicide. I don't know what made her think she could dislodge him from the nomination, but she was in Fantasyland if she thought she had a chance.

*One time at a Gridiron Club dinner, Moynihan had already had a few, and we were sitting right in front of the podium, where Bill Clinton had already placed his copy of his speech (which was brilliant, of course). Before the Secret Service guy could stop him, Moynihan jumped up to the podium, and grabbed Clinton's speech and started reviewing it. Clinton noticed and blew up at the Secret Service guy, who was already in a foul mood because my dad, who was charged with giving them their code names that night, had called him (out of boredom, we assumed) "Plácido Flamingo."

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Why AOC lost secret ballot for a seat on powerful House committee [View all] NurseJackie Dec 2020 OP

Who could have guessed that in a job where you have to work together that working together FSogol Dec 2020 #1

Another undercurrent that I got from the story was a distinct lack of trust... NurseJackie Dec 2020 #5

Absolutely! The outrage machine is a bottomless pit R B Garr Dec 2020 #45

+1 betsuni Dec 2020 #131

AOC doesn't help her cause when she antagonizes those she needs support. LiberalFighter Dec 2020 #85

Retweets aren't as valuable as building alliances and working to gain trust and respect. NurseJackie Dec 2020 #88

+1000. (nt) ehrnst Dec 2020 #126

That's.great advice Cary Dec 2020 #136

"The vote would have been very different if it wasn't secret." Sympthsical Dec 2020 #2

Real brave people we elect. n/t PoliticAverse Dec 2020 #11

That is just a speculation AmericanCanuck Dec 2020 #39

Doesn't say in which direction it would be different. And that's just the opinion.... George II Dec 2020 #42

I wish she was more of a team player. She'd get so much farther than with her current tactics. catbyte Dec 2020 #3

Completely agree. She could accomplish much if she worked with the Democrats around her. n/t FSogol Dec 2020 #6

AOC has not bothered to make friends. True Blue American Dec 2020 #4

Her colleagues obviously don't comradebillyboy Dec 2020 #14

Good article left-of-center2012 Dec 2020 #7

That part stood-out to me as well. Like a sore thumb. NurseJackie Dec 2020 #10

Well-founded, in fairness. nt Codeine Dec 2020 #20

Good article Gothmog Dec 2020 #8

The game of politics DFW Dec 2020 #9

This StarfishSaver Dec 2020 #32

Or put another way, you catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar. George II Dec 2020 #60

The classic way of putting it DFW Dec 2020 #77

Or you make more friends by Cha Dec 2020 #105

K & R & Thank You Budi Dec 2020 #12

Based on what I read, there's a trust problem. NurseJackie Dec 2020 #15

Yup. And its difficult to restore that necessary quality whether in business or one's personal life. Budi Dec 2020 #24

Absolutely True Blue American Dec 2020 #40

That is the most basic & sound advice one can pass down the line.. Budi Dec 2020 #53

She may be in the house a long time, but she will never be in leadership. redstatebluegirl Dec 2020 #13

There are question regarding whether or not her district will continue to exist after... NurseJackie Dec 2020 #17

Always interesting! redstatebluegirl Dec 2020 #19

I have seen articles about this also Gothmog Dec 2020 #129

that doesn't mean she won't be influential unblock Dec 2020 #28

He was influential because he built relationships with and worked well with his colleagues StarfishSaver Dec 2020 #34

Thank you! True Blue American Dec 2020 #44

He earned that title for reasons listed below. sheshe2 Dec 2020 #101

agreed. i'm certainly not saying aoc is there yet. that's the point, it's only her first term. unblock Dec 2020 #113

Yes she has potential. sheshe2 Dec 2020 #117

The Senate is different, they have won a statewide office treestar Dec 2020 #110

certainly true, though teddy was from massachusetts, when it was strongly liberal unblock Dec 2020 #114

Sometimes people grow more people-smart with age and experience. n/t Ms. Toad Dec 2020 #107

Fighting for the people causes "dislikes." OneBro Dec 2020 #16

John Lewis NurseJackie Dec 2020 #18

Boom! mcar Dec 2020 #22

Good trouble, indeed. OneBro Dec 2020 #26

Smile True Blue American Dec 2020 #46

That's not true. StarfishSaver Dec 2020 #35

EXACTLY. Cha Dec 2020 #123

How right you are. aidbo Dec 2020 #78

What is the "status quo" - I've seen that term and asked a number of times. Never an answer. George II Dec 2020 #81

Why is it needed to be polite to fight for other than the status quo? treestar Dec 2020 #111

lol that everyone is shocked the person with seniority got picked. unblock Dec 2020 #21

At the core of the anti-AOC choir, . . . OneBro Dec 2020 #36

No, you can be very successful True Blue American Dec 2020 #48

That's not even close to being true. When she is taking on Republicans OnDoutside Dec 2020 #50

I disagree. You have to support the party to some degree...and primarying sitting Democrats Demsrule86 Dec 2020 #52

She will have trouble winning future elections when her district is redrawn. NurseJackie Dec 2020 #55

True, but AOC took her seat from a 10-term sitting Democrat. OneBro Dec 2020 #70

There's that anti-democracy sentiment again. We're. Not. Republicans. Sympthsical Dec 2020 #96

This message was self-deleted by its author aidbo Dec 2020 #74

Maxine Waters lapucelle Dec 2020 #130

Same-same. OneBro Dec 2020 #137

"Same-same"? What does that even mean? lapucelle Dec 2020 #138

You're impressed with 20 to 30 year stays, I'm not. OneBro Dec 2020 #139

Why would you assume that I am impressed with something? N/T lapucelle Dec 2020 #140

Isn't that what AOC supporters complain about? treestar Dec 2020 #118

Yeah, seniority is not an absolute, and if anyone should be fast-tracked, it's aoc unblock Dec 2020 #121

Why should she be "fast-tracked"? StarfishSaver Dec 2020 #128

like i've said, she's got great potential. she's doing great for a first-termer. unblock Dec 2020 #132

That all may be true StarfishSaver Dec 2020 #134

"I'm told" is the source? bigtree Dec 2020 #23

So she lost to someone who voted against Pelosi, for an opponent from the right wing of the party. Fiendish Thingy Dec 2020 #25

I believe she lost because of more significant reasons than that. Budi Dec 2020 #27

Not AOC. William769 Dec 2020 #30

... NurseJackie Dec 2020 #37

Define " Right Wing of the Party".. Budi Dec 2020 #38

There is no such thing as the right wing of the party...we have moderate Democrats who win Demsrule86 Dec 2020 #54

Yup. All politics is local. As the saying goes.. Budi Dec 2020 #58

AOC recently said she might leave politics and live on a farm flamingdem Dec 2020 #29

Living on a farm, you have less chance of being stabbed in the back than in politics. marie999 Dec 2020 #33

Yeah, but a farm, well, it's a whole lot of work. Politics CAN be a lot of work, ... JustABozoOnThisBus Dec 2020 #90

But you won't have a large effect treestar Dec 2020 #120

The more I hear about AOC, the more I like what she's doing. aidbo Dec 2020 #31

You mean you like her tweets? AmericanCanuck Dec 2020 #43

💥 NurseJackie Dec 2020 #56

Everything. I like everything she does. aidbo Dec 2020 #61

Post removed Post removed Dec 2020 #62

Ooooh is this a guessing game? Which other leader is it? aidbo Dec 2020 #75

"All the right people" mcar Dec 2020 #89

I meant what I wrote. aidbo Dec 2020 #94

Attacking other Democrats and being in bed with Justice Democrats AmericanCanuck Dec 2020 #41

more attacks on AOC here bigtree Dec 2020 #49

Oddly, the posters who hate AOC with such passion Bettie Dec 2020 #63

Those attacks work both ways. Just sayin.. Budi Dec 2020 #66

That's hardly fair; AOC is the one who starts or encourages treestar Dec 2020 #119

Exactly. The election is over so no need for this obsession R B Garr Dec 2020 #141

Just wish congressional Dems were as good and effective against Republicans as they are with AOC. Yavin4 Dec 2020 #47

I'm currently searching for a list of kudos she's given to the Dems, but coming up short Budi Dec 2020 #68

Here you go. You're welcome. Yavin4 Dec 2020 #73

That's one. Budi Dec 2020 #92

Okay. Here's another one. Yavin4 Dec 2020 #93

Oh, but you see she hasn't heaped enough praise on the old guard. aidbo Dec 2020 #87

Sure. But she wouldn't have gotten it without earning the respect Hortensis Dec 2020 #51

never heard this kind of lecturing against moderates who challenged Speaker Pelosi in 2011 bigtree Dec 2020 #57

This went about as expected. Cuthbert Allgood Dec 2020 #59

Transparency? Newest Reality Dec 2020 #64

I'm fine with the secret ballot on matters like this. It's a committee assignment... NurseJackie Dec 2020 #65

Well, Newest Reality Dec 2020 #67

Thanks for the clarification. NurseJackie Dec 2020 #69

You're welcome! Newest Reality Dec 2020 #71

Politics is persuasion. Happy Hoosier Dec 2020 #72

Time may be running out. If her very safe district is redrawn, she'll be less competitive... NurseJackie Dec 2020 #79

Would we even be talking about her if she wasn't a Rep. In THE major media market? JCMach1 Dec 2020 #76

Your friend is very insightful. NurseJackie Dec 2020 #83

Don't read my response wrong... I like her. I just think there are more JCMach1 Dec 2020 #99

Okay. NurseJackie Dec 2020 #102

It is what it is JustAnotherGen Dec 2020 #80

That's a big consideration, isn't it? NurseJackie Dec 2020 #84

Axios? GeorgeGist Dec 2020 #82

Hang on! Let me check. NurseJackie Dec 2020 #86

LOL@ your Reality Check! Cha Dec 2020 #124

Is there something wrong with choosing Kathleen Rice? What is she, chopped liver? nt JustABozoOnThisBus Dec 2020 #91

Maybe the OP doesn't think Rep. Rice deserves the position own her own merits. Mariana Dec 2020 #127

Neither the OP nor the Axios story implies that "the only reason Rice received it" lapucelle Dec 2020 #133

Those are the natural consequences of her behavior BainsBane Dec 2020 #95

You are absolutely correct in those observations and in your explanation of consequences. NurseJackie Dec 2020 #98

Yes, saying you don't know if you want to be in politics might give the impression betsuni Dec 2020 #103

Those types of smears on the Democratic party (and leadership and candidates) ... NurseJackie Dec 2020 #104

That's the thing, those smears serve no purpose, this has been demonstrated. betsuni Dec 2020 #109

She has the innate intellectual brilliance and seems to have the personality to go either way DFW Dec 2020 #97

That's an excellent observation. Bella Abzug had a flair, but a way of alienating some.... George II Dec 2020 #100

Running against Pat Moynihan in the primary was a foolish move DFW Dec 2020 #106

At the time she was a 3-term member of Congress, that was Moynihan's first try at elected office. George II Dec 2020 #108

I was right there, two feet away from Moynihan when he did that. He was pretty sloshed. DFW Dec 2020 #112

She is brilliant. She needs to cultivate some wisdom though. Lucinda Dec 2020 #115

Not necessarily... time is running short. NurseJackie Dec 2020 #116

This has been a concern drmeow Dec 2020 #122

Hopefully she will take the lesson that her collegues don't trust her ripcord Dec 2020 #125

K&R Jamaal510 Dec 2020 #135