A Democratic leadership aide says it’s less a shift in policy orientation than a concentration of power.
“The balance of power shifts up to Pelosi and [House Majority Leader Steny] Hoyer [D-Md.],” the leadership aide said, “not left or right.”
As Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) chairman, Emanuel recruited most of Pelosi’s “majority makers” who gave Democrats control of the House, and he had a stake in their success. When he moved up to caucus chairman, he built his office around helping those new members. His team helped choose chiefs of staff. His press secretaries helped their press secretaries.
But it wasn’t just staff. Members said he had a phenomenal knowledge of their districts, and he kept up to date well after the campaign ended. Rep. Tim Walz (D-Minn.) said one of his supporters wrote a letter to the editor of a small paper in his district, complaining about his vote on a rewrite of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
Walz mentioned the letter to the editor to Emanuel on the floor and was stunned by his response.
“You mean the one about how you should caucus with the Republicans?” Emanuel shot back. “That’s a good letter. Makes you look bipartisan.”
To this day, Walz is still amazed. “He had read the letter.”
It’s not clear who will assume the role for the 34 freshmen coming in this year. Some figure it will be new DCCC Chairman Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), but he’ll be occupied with the 2010 campaign. Others figure Larson, though he hasn’t been as involved in their campaigns and his support is more broad-based. Leadership aides speculated that there could be a scramble among leaders for the support of the freshman class.
Aides also speculated that Pelosi could pull into the leadership someone like Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.) to replace Emanuel’s business acumen.
Emanuel’s style was not always appreciated in the House. When he ran the DCCC, for instance, he got into fights with the Congressional Black and Congressional Hispanic caucuses over dues and minority hiring. His centrist approach to legislating angered the liberals in his party. Congressional Black Caucus members worried he might challenge House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) on his way up the leadership ladder toward becoming the first Jewish Speaker.
Those concerns seem academic now, as members look forward to better access to the White House, fight over his political base and fill the gaps left by the departure of his outsized personality.
But they might not be. Crain’s Chicago Business blogger Greg Hinz reported last week that the speculation is that Emanuel will want his seat back in two years. He could start up where he left off. Or higher.
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