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Tuesday, Nov 10, 2009
Democratic presidential wannabes waste no time using their new Senate powers to position themselves for 2004.
Jun 15, 2001 | When did the Senate Commerce Committee's subcommittee on Oceans & Fisheries change its name to the subcommittee on Oceans, Fisheries & the Environment? Just in the last few days, after the Democrats regained control of the Senate and Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., a 2004 presidential hopeful, grabbed the reins of the subcommittee and decided to use it to address issues of more importance. Issues that he cares about. Issues that will contrast him and his green views with the Texas oil man whose job he seeks to take in November three years from now.
All 50 Senate Democrats were overjoyed with the May 24 party-switch of Sen. James Jeffords, I-Vt., whose leap from the GOP delivered control of the Senate into the Democratic Party's hands last week for the first time in more than five years. But few could be happier than those Democratic senators considering possible runs for the presidency -- a list whose most prominent members include Kerry, Evan Bayh of Indiana, Joe Biden of Delaware, John Edwards of North Carolina, Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and Majority Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota. All six, in varying degrees, will now have a much greater opportunity to draw attention to themselves and to their causes -- and they haven't wasted any time getting started.
With Rep. Dick Gephardt, D-Mo., another likely 2004 prospect, relegated to the sidelines as minority leader in the GOP-run House, and with Al Gore all but appearing on milk cartons, Daschle becomes the nation's most prominent Democrat. The low-key, behind-the-scenes former member of Air Force intelligence suddenly stands poised for the evening news, the go-to man for any network seeking a counterpoint to the president's latest idea.
And though Daschle -- like the other possible presidents in his midst -- pooh-poohs talk of a candidacy, his communications shop has been looking for someone with national experience to fill in for his regular spokeswoman, who is on maternity leave. Daschle has just been joined, albeit temporarily, by Anita Dunn, a former Daschle aide who served as communications director for Bill Bradley's ill-fated presidential run last year. Daschle's office has also been in contact with former White House press secretary Jake Siewert about coming on board.
Neither move necessarily means anything other than Daschle wants the best people to help him with his big new job. But one way or another, Daschle's new office will provide him the media attention each of his potential rivals must covet. Still, for most of them, the new majority status will promise them new perks and platforms.
Kerry's case is particularly instructive. Under the previous chairmanship of Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, the Oceans & Fisheries subcommittee's bailiwick was rather narrow, last month holding a hearing on "Individual Fishing Quotas" and scheduling legislative mark-ups on the Cruise Vessel Act and the Maritime Policy Improvement Act.
But Kerry's amended "& the Environment" subcommittee will now turn to larger issues. On Wednesday, Kerry announced that his subcommittee would hold hearings next month on President Bush's proposals for more offshore drilling for oil and gas. One possible witness, Kerry said Wednesday, would be Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who opposes his older brother's plans for drilling off the coast of the Sunshine State.
That's likely to grab a lot more attention than individual fishing quotas.
"Back when it was more of a Democratic committee, back in the early '80s, the focus really was, aside from fisheries, on the environment," says Kerry spokesman David Wade. Wade says Republicans like Snowe kept the subcommittee's attention on seemingly more parochial matters -- ones relevant to Kerry's Cape Cod and Gloucester constituents -- but says that "Kerry wants to do something broader."
Changing committee names is up to the discretion of the chairman, and while not extremely uncommon, it's notable nonetheless. It's particularly notable for Kerry, who is also changing the name of the committee he helms, the Small Business Committee, to the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Committee. "Under the Republicans, the committee focused on the Small Business Administration, but John wants it to be about broader small business issues, like taxes, healthcare and pensions," Wade says.
