Friday, June 04, 2010

White House "Influencing Elections" Number THREE

No, this is not Sestak, nor the Colorado guy.

It's New York State.

The bulk of the stories concerning Steve Israel deciding not to run against Gillibrand are that Steve had an epiphany when Obama called Israel, and asked that he focus on his role in House rather than run for Senate against Gillibrand.

Talk about throwing foofoodust! The real story?

Israel was given an ultimatum: if he proceeded with the Senate race, the White House would go to great pains to shut off every dollar in the state. With Schumer’s help, the administration would make sure all the big Democratic donors and institutional players kept their distance. They would show no restraint, even campaigning against him and raising money in Israel’s own home turf. Obama himself would come out to campaign in New York City, cutting off at the knees the downstate, Manhattan-focused appeal Israel would have needed to run to Gillibrand’s left. And perhaps most damning of all, given whom the math dictated Israel would have needed in his column, Emanuel indicated that the nation’s first black president was prepared to barnstorm through New York’s black neighborhoods hand-in-hand with the junior senator, employing his appeal to African-Americans to a political degree he usually avoids. Oh, and as for Israel having any role shaping policy in the House while all this was going on? Forget it. --NY News and Features

Emanuel will get his wish to return to Chicago. Very soon.

HT: Hot Air

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