Despite Breathtaking Failures At The DCCC, Steve Israel Insists On A Leadership Position

An abject failure at the DCCC, Steve Israel is likely to do even worse this cycle than he did last time. But he's already warning House Democrats that he isn't done with them yet. He's well aware that no one will tolerate another cycle with his inept and catastrophic handling of the DCCC, so he's insisting on another leadership post. He told The Hill that he for all the enjoyment he's had at the DCCC-- failing to take back the House in 2012 while Obama and the Senate Democrats were scoring breathtaking victories across the board-- and on the verge of a far, far worse cycle this year, he refuses to take on the DCCC chair for a third term. "I will support our leadership's decision and choice for DCCC chair as long as it is not Steve Israel."

One Member laughed and told me that he doesn't have to worry about that because no one wants him in the job next cycle other than the handful of Blue Dogs that make managed to scrape by with his assistance.

He plans to grab some other leadership post and told The Hill, "I've always enjoyed being in leadership. I hope to continue to have a voice in leadership. But that's not my decision, that's the decision of my colleagues in leadership and in the caucus. But I've really enjoyed being in leadership." He's led the party straight to hell, electorally and progressives don't trust him on the issues and because of his close relationship with Wall Street and his marked tendency to give banksters whatever they want-- if the price is right. (The top half dozen House recipients of bribes from the financial sector this cycle are all Republicans-- and all over a million dollars each-- but not far behind are the corrupt conservatives that suck up Wall Street bribes-- Joe Crowley, Jim Himes, Patrick Murphy, Gary Peters and Steve Israel, who they bought for $769,050 so far in the cycle, bringing his career-long bankster bribery total to $3,879,524.)

Israel said the biggest challenge the party faces this fall is midterm voter drop-off, and said they were working to counter that by doubling the DCCC’s historic budget on field operations and have 500 paid field staff, the most in the campaign’s history.

Pelosi said he was qualified to be DCCC chair because he's reptilian. He is reptilian and that has worked out extremely well… for the House Republicans. I don't know what Israel's IQ is but it's got to be pretty low-- like his moral character. He never seems to have been able to make the connection between voter turn-out and good candidates. Anti-Choice, homophobic, pro-gun, pro-fracking reactionaries-- like his Ohio lady friend Jennifer Garrison-- are not going to turn out Democratic voters. And her natural constituency already has a candidate: Republican incumbent Bill Johnson.

While Israel ignores enough winnable seats to take back the House, he's prioritizing red, red Arkansas with his wretched Blue Dog conservatives, two of whom, James Lee Witt and Jackie McPherson have no chance to win whatsoever. Polling released by Hendrix College yesterday was not good news for Israel and his candidatesl. Both are losing badly:

Q: In the race for Congress in your congressional district, the candidates are Republican Congressman Rick Crawford, Democrat Mayor Jackie McPherson, and Libertarian Brian Scott Willhite. If the election for U.S. House were today, which candidate would you support?


• 47.5% Republican Congressman Rick Crawford

• 33% Democrat Mayor Jackie McPherson
• 3% Libertarian Brian Scott Willhite

• 16.5% Undecided

Q: In the race for Congress in your congressional district, the candidates are Republican Representative Bruce Westerman, Democrat James Lee Witt, and Libertarian Ken Hamilton. If the election for U.S. House were today, which candidate would you support?


• 48% Republican Representative Bruce Westerman

• 34% Democrat James Lee Witt

• 3% Libertarian Ken Hamilton

• 15% Undecided

I'm sure if Witt and McPherson will they'll vote to make Israel. But they won't win and Israel being leader would pretty much signal the end of the Democratic Party's already strained relationship to anything resembling the party of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt.