Tidbit: Southern Ohio was once represented by a James G.Polk. A Democrat, he served 11 non-consecutive terms from 1931-59 before dying in office. There is no relation to the 11th President.
By Scott Crass
Some years ago, in my zeal of researching elections and Congressional characters, I came across a remarkable fact.
Of 22 Democrats elected to the House in 1980, 6 were Jewish. Five served in Congress at least 20 years, and until Barney Frank retired earlier this year, three were still around Capital Hill. Why am I pointing that out? Because 6 out of 22 is remarkable for districts that, save Chuck Schumer’s, do not have heavy Jewish populations. In fact, 6 of 22 is almost enough for a Minyan.
Frank may be the most famous, but Schumer may ultimately go down as the most powerful, for at this point, he seems poised to become the Senate Majority Leader after 2016. The other’s elected that year are Ron Wyden of Oregon, Sam Gejdenson of Connecticut, Tom Lantos of California, and Bob Shamansky of Ohio.
Charles Schumer-New York
If one were to guess that the first word to come out of the New Yorker’s mouth was politics, it might not be that far-fetched. Brooklyn could have been the second word, as Schumer may well be Brooklyn’s proudest son since Sandy Colfax
Schumer is as natural a politician as they come, having literally held public office his entire adult life. At 24, he succeeded Stephen Solarz in the State Senate, his boss, future colleague, and eventually bitter rival for a redistricting face-off that never occurred. In 1980, Schumer replaced Liz Holtzman in Congress when she stepped down to challenge Al D’Amato. Holtzman lost but Schumer finished the job 18 years later.
From his earliest days on the Hill, Schumer was a forced to be reckoned with. His seat on Judiciary in both chambers has led him to play a role in a broad spectrum of domestic legislation, and there is virtually no high profile issue either federal or New York related that he lacks an intricate role. The most timely guns and immigration.
Schumer’s strategic keenness and shrill communications ability has endeared him to his Democratic colleagues of all ideologies, who in turn have seen him as paramount to their interests. And he has delivered handsome dividends. Picked to head the Senate’s campaign committee twice, the Democrats went from 45 to 59 seats in two cycles. But Schumer’s zest for partisanship doesn’t exclude him from legislating, as he will spend hours in the sausage factory with polar opposites, seeking to turn a seemingly futile undertaking of converting Republican opposition into a major legislative accomplishment. The bill compensating now sick 9/11 responders was one such example.
For Schumer, the novelty of the business never wears off. He thrives on creative means to advocate for the most ordinary of New Yorkers, always including requests for the state in perfunctory calls. His Sunday morning public service press releases (many times a warning about something) have become a legend in their own right. And his enthusiasm has since been extended far beyond Brooklyn –to the entire state (he once took up a reporter’s request to draw a map of New York’s 62 counties). And The people have reciprocated. In 2004 re-election, he carried every county but lightly populated Hamilton way upstate, and took 71% of the vote.
Schumer’s effectiveness has much to do with a legendary zest for the press. As such, his headline grabbing is often mocked. Bob Dole once said “the most dangerous place to stand is between Schumer and a camera.” Indeed, if the saying is true that there are workhorses and show horses. Yes, Schumer is unquestionably showhorse. But few would argue that he is anything other than the biggest workhorses on the Hill, and he has proven that he knows how to get results. He’s 62, but Schumer will likely continue putting these qualities to use for years to come.
Barney Frank-Massachusetts
Like Schumer, Frank was also a State Senator when he won the Massachusetts Congressional seat being vacated by Father Robert Drinan (likely the only example of a Jew replacing a Priest — enter joke here). Since that win, Frank has survived personal and political hurdles that would’ve been fatal for many less tenacious figures.
In his first term, Frank’s safe district was carved up, putting just 22% of his current constituents in the district where he would run. Frank quipped of his new lines, “if you asked legislators to draw a map in which Barney Frank would never be a Congressman again, this would be it.” But the year was 1982 and while Margaret Heckler was a beloved member, Massachusetts was revolting against Reaganomics. Frank won 59%.
Late in the 80’s, Frank gained fame for becoming the first sitting member to admit he was gay and was reprimanded by his colleagues for writing letters on his official stationary to get a man he was living with, Steven Gobie out of parking tickets (Gobie was also operating an escort service out of Frank’s apartment, of which Frank said he was unaware). The impact had no bearing on Frank’s re-election, and in the ensuing 20 years, he would gain fame through his seat on the Judiciary Committee during the Clinton impeachment and his rewrite of major banking reform laws Chairmanship of the Financial Services Committee.
If Schumer’s highly sought after quotes strike a more serious chord, it’s Frank’s accessibility, quick but penetrating wit, and content to suffer fool’s gladly makes him so appetizing to the press, which in turn has made him among the most recognized figures in American politics. The most recent example was after his rejection for John Kerry’s Senate seat. Asked how he felt, Frank said if “I wanted to talk feelings, I would’ve called Oprah.” Frank has authored several books including, “Speaking Frankly,” and, “A Gay, Left Handed Jew.” Frank retired after 16 terms in January and will undertake, appropriately enough, commentary.
Part II of my feature can be found in the next post.