DiFi -- you in DANGER, girl

About time.

She looks completely vacant in that photo.

Who is Ralph Byrd, R1?

Is one of them the father of Larry?

R4 Big time

This old bag of buzzard meat should have been shoved out on an ice floe years ago.

16 current senators are 75 or over. Almost 40 members of Congress are the same age.

Why would they want to keep working? They’re old and this is a job that requires sharpness and vitality I would think.

There were rumors about her for years, but when she nearly slipped Miss Lindz the tongue on the floor of the Senate, she's gone off a cliff.

R7, and those politicians do not have to live with the future consequences of their votes!

Chuck Grassley, in the first blossom of youth at only 89, is the next oldest

Grassley exhibits normal aging, he has shown no signs of dementia. He can function as a legislator. I’m not overly happy about the idea that he may become president pro tempore of the Senate in 2025 and third in line for the presidency but then I’m not happy with Biden’s age either but I don’t think he’s demented.

I read that Feinstein has had shingles over the past month, so maybe it isn't her mind that's the cause of her absence.

[quote]Grassley exhibits normal aging, he has shown no signs of dementia. He can function as a legislator. I’m not overly happy about the idea that he may become president pro tempore of the Senate in 2025 and third in line for the presidency but then I’m not happy with Biden’s age either but I don’t think he’s demented.

Oh honey, Biden is making a truly senile, fool of himself in Ireland.

^^ STFU. Biden is better on his worst day than Trump has ever been or ever will.

Committees- senior positions and seniority. There's actually a functional reason people stay on, and we need old Dems who've done the work and know the rules.

But getting on the news and arrested and Twitter works just as well.

Her resignation would effectively end the Senate campaigns of Adam Schiff & Katie Porter, as Newsom would appoint Barbara Lee as Feinstein’s replacement.

[quote]16 current senators are 75 or over. Almost 40 members of Congress are the same age.

{quote}Why would they want to keep working? They’re old and this is a job that requires sharpness and vitality I would think.

R7 Power, money, getting their clit sucked

[quote] and we need old Dems

And we need new Dems. I've noticed that the Republican Party seems to do a better job of mentoring, drafting, and pushing horrible, new young politicians, while the Democrats want our politicians to hold on until they're 90-years-old.

[quote] I’m not happy with Biden’s age either but I don’t think he’s demented.

Hilarious.

[quote] Why would they want to keep working?

I don't know, but at least in DiFi's case, she's the equivalent of someone who is just sitting at the top of the staircase. Being a physical impediment and forcing everybody else to have to work their way around her.

This Feinstein bitch has got to go!

"I'm going to work — "

"Oh, Di, honey, don't you remember you resigned last week? Here, I'll put on Wheel of Fortune and make you a cup of tea."

"Oh, I forgot. Thank you, sweetheart."

R22, good point. This is a failure of everybody within DiFi's inner circle (family, friends, staffers) who have continued to enable or even encourage this embarrassing situation.

Thanks, r23. I'm not kidding. When my father had dementia I would come over to look after him while my mother took a couple of hours to go to a restaurant, do some shopping, just breathe outside the house.

"Where's your mother?"

"She's upstairs taking a nap. I'm here to keep you company."

"Oh, right."

Age and term limits. NOW.

R16, I like Rep. Barbara Lee, but wouldn't it make sense to appoint a younger replacement? She's going to be 77 in a few months.

It's hell getting old. :-/

Some people are clueless when they don't realize it's time to exit gracefully. Who does she think she is, me???

It's really embarrassing and sours the end of her career. She doesn't know how to give up power gracefully. Somebody needs to kick her and walker down Lombard Street. Metaphorically speaking.

She’s probably so impaired now that she can’t formulate the intent to resign. Are there legal means to forcibly remove her for incapacity?

I love how WE are supposed to work our shit jobs and save up a big pile ($2m at least bro) and have our glorious retirement when these fuckers NEVER go away. Does Rupert Murdoch retire? Does SCOTUS retire? Do these ancient fucks in the senate retire?

Feinstein obviously can't do the job and should resign. The same applies to Fetterman.

It really is rather disgusting that democrats cannot wait another year until Senator Feinstein leaves office of her own accord (not running for reelection in 2024).

This is all about allowing Newsom to hand pick her replacement who would thus be an incumbent and stand a better chance at his/her own election bid.

It's not like CA is in any danger of electing a republican to senate, so what else is there to gain by harassing Senator Feinstein.

No, this is about Feinstein's absence from her Judiciary Committee role which is allowing Republicans to block Biden's nominations to the courts. In an evenly-divided Senate and a GQP-controlled House, the Judiciary is one of the few areas in which Biden can flex a bit of muscle.

At least DiFi has recognized this fact and asked Schumer to temporarily replace her on the Committee. In a move unlike the usual Democrat's modus operandi of shooting themselves in the foot, he's agreed and has said he'll act next week.

R3 - sorry.....thought of the wrong guy.....but you know the senile old fool I was talking about.....

She should have never run for re-election the last time, she was too old and dottering then. I don't get why they can't retire with dignity and grace, freeing up the position for the next generation. Barbara Boxer did it--go spend some time relaxing on the beach or playing with your grandkids. Why would you WANT to stay in DC with all of the bickering and fighting?

[quote]Why would you WANT to stay in DC with all of the bickering and fighting?

For some of them that's what defines their life. The alternative, retirement, just equals death...or worse, irrelevance.

^ yeah

Heaven forfend they take up gardening or golf or pickleball or just play with the grandchildren ... and great-granchildren.

[quote]At least DiFi has recognized this fact and asked Schumer to temporarily replace her on the Committee. In a move unlike the usual Democrat's modus operandi of shooting themselves in the foot, he's agreed and has said he'll act next week.

I seriously doubt Dianne recognized this fact. More likely, her staff had to hound and harass her shitty family to do the right thing. She can't recognize her own self in the mirror.

[quote]And we need new Dems. I've noticed that the Republican Party seems to do a better job of mentoring, drafting, and pushing horrible, new young politicians, while the Democrats want our politicians to hold on until they're 90-years-old.

Democrats are lazy, and stupid. They're going to keep doing this until 1) all the old farts die off and/or 2) the moment it bites them in the ass and they end up losing the house or senate because of this situation.

either way, they don't even have a 2 year plan, much less a 5 or 10 yr plan.

r39 in the *Fox News tea comes spilling out via Dominion Lawsuit* thread:

[quote]All of this comes out about fox news and the only thing democrats can do is joke about it.

[quote]Louis DeJoy still has his job. Trump and all the republicans behind January 6th still walk free.

[quote]Biden decided on day 1 that, America just need to put this all behind them.

Bless your heart, r39.

Until Dems like Schumer shrivel up and die, we will never be able to fight the parasitic right-wing. It should at least be comeone like Sheldon Whitehouse in leadership. Schumer is fucking awful.

someone*

DiFi - dead woman walking. Please resign.

You know…the real people at fault here are the people who keep voting her in…it was a widely known “secret” the last time she ran that she had some form of dementia…but they still voted her in.

R44, was anyone even allowed to primary her? I would say it was the DNC that is at fault. She's establishment and they probably threatened anyone who thought of challenging her.

She ran against another democrat, Kevin de Leon, in the general, r45. And he didn’t do that badly…6,019,422 vs. 5,093,942.

It was way closer than in previous years when she ran against a Republican and the gap was in the millions.

FUCKING RETIRE

R39 Did you miss the whole thing where Pelosi, Hoyer, and Clyburn stepped down from House leadership to allow Hakeem Jeffries and other younger Dems to take over?

I don’t think Clyburn did.

Yeah, Clyburn refused

But the point still stands, the Democrats (at least in the House) are trying to mentor and bring up the next generation.

While still not giving up their fucking seats.

She and her circle are selfish assholes who are setting her up for legacy ruination like RBG.

Another dull, dreary hack terrified of retiring because, "What would I DO?!".

I think she spends her days asking "Where am I?"

I know what's on DiFi's Ipod....

R44, that is a very good point. And it made me wonder: just which Californians keep voting her in? I'd love to hear their reasoning, but I can't seem to find many people nowadays who admit to voting for her in the last election?

R36 makes a good point about Barbara Boxer. She retired before she got too old and it opened the way for Kamala Harris to replace her. If Feinstein had followed Boxer's lead and opened the way for another Dem, this whole situation could have been avoided.

R26, Newsom has kinda boxed himself into appointing a Black person after his previous, non-Black, appointees.

There was an attempt to primary her by the party, but the voters had other ideas.

Reminds me of those cases where a dead person wins the vote.

For god's sake, her daughter has already retired from her job as a Federal Judge.

It's sad when people define themselves by their work and can't imagine having a life beyond that, but given the recent death of her husband and health issues, she may consider quitting as giving up on life altogether.

I thought she was retiring soon?

She was born in 1933. She grew up under FDR, the Great Depression, and WWII! Christ people, that’s ancient history!

Thirsty old coot

[quote] Her resignation would effectively end the Senate campaigns of Adam Schiff & Katie Porter, as Newsom would appoint Barbara Lee as Feinstein’s replacement.

In '21, Newsom commited to picking a Black woman should another opportunity to make a Senate appointment avail itself.

TERM LIMITS!

^ We'd need a constitutional amendment for that for US Senate seats.

[quote]In '21, Newsom commited to picking a Black woman should another opportunity to make a Senate appointment avail itself.

Why is it always a black woman? As if they are the most qualified

Of course we are.

[quote]Why is it always a black woman?

Newsom ruffled some feathers when he chose Alex Padilla to replace Kamala Harris; hence his promise to appoint a Black woman next.

Will there be a lottery?

[quote] Why is it always a black woman? As if they are the most qualified—identity politics

Yes, a whopping TWO black women. The VP and a single SC justice. My goodness, how do you manage to function? Oh, God. I forgot about the WH spokesperson. You want smelling salts?

If only they were as qualified as Palin was or several of the current, white SC justices who have less experience than KBJ or the brilliant Kayley Mcenany and her large, empty binder.

re: Newsom

He makes it all about race.

No, thanks.

R72, did you have a similar issue with Trump picking Pence, in an overt attempt to appeal to evangelicals, a key component of HIS party’s base?

R73 there was never a chance in hell that I was going to vote for Dump, regardless of whom he picked for the VP slot.

That didn't answer R73's question, R74. Go ahead and answer it because I want some clarification on why when the Republican "listens to their constituents" they're doing a great job (despite them wanting the most racist, misogynist, homophobic thing) while the Democrat "panders to their base" particularly when they reach out to their most consistent supporters.

[quote] Why is it always a black woman? As if they are the most qualified—identity politics

When you idiots use "identity politics," how the fuck do you think the Republican party wins? How the fuck do you think a complete imbecile and morally bankrupt racist, bigoted pile of dogshit with less than no qualifications named Donald Trump, became president? His bullhorn hate towards people based on what they were -- that was the moment he ascended to Republican cult leader. He said out loud what most of those scumbags think.

"Identity Politics" is the entire god damned platform of the Republican Party and has been for decades. When Karl Rove got the nomination for Dubya from McCain, he used McCain's "black daughter" to get Dubya that nomination.

"Identity politics" exists because Republicans isolate people based on their "Identity" and demonize those people, so take your "identity politics" bullshit as you watch unqualified white Christian idiots get into power. and shove it up your ass.

[quote] In '21, Newsom commited to picking a Black woman should another opportunity to make a Senate appointment avail itself.

This is the kind of thing that got us Kamala Harris as vice president.

And I'm not speaking ill of Barbara Lee, whom I admire.

Marry me, R76!

R75 I understand the electoral considerations of picking certain people with certain characteristics to fill out a ticket, and presumably help get to 270+ electoral votes. Sometimes that calculus may seem to be correct (Pence? Harris?) while other times it's not (Palin?). I'm sure pollsters and consultants earn many millions of dollars by 'prognosticating' what ticking certain boxes will do for a ticket. I think, generally, reality is more complicated and there is no one-to-one correlation. I find if difficult to believe that many CA voted for Biden over Dump just b/c of Harris. Ditto, many black Americans. But I could be wrong.

Newsom seems to be universalizing this supposed calculus well beyond presidential elections, such that it now seems 'race' is his primary consideration for appointment to any office. I think that is a further corruption or our political process. And I think it is racism.

Barbara Lee is well past retirement age. Why should she get the nomination?

[quote]I find if difficult to believe that many CA voted for Biden over Dump just b/c of Harris. Ditto, many black Americans. But I could be wrong.

You're correct... in that you are wrong. Part of Biden's victory was in fact due to his choice of running mate; perhaps not in California (because many of us lived through Harris' disastrous term as San Francisco DA and tried to warn the rest of the country that she wasn't up to the task), but certainly in other regions of the country.

What I find egregious about your "I think it is racism" for Newsom to openly talk about appointing a black person for the Senate should DiFi retire is that you are dismissing hundreds of years of racism as though Biden selecting Harris or Newsom appointing Padilla sufficiently compensates minorities for centuries of suffering. Forgive me if I can't articulate it will enough, but this is white supremacy on full display.

^ yeah sure

I'm a gay male who was raised by a single mother on public assistance. Surely, I'm showing my white supremacy and privilege.

What's really dumb about this situation are the Dems claiming this 1000 year old woman is being asked to step down due to misogyny and that we wouldn't do the same for a man. What bullshit. Have any of these men stay out for this long and actually holding up appointments and see how it is tolerated.

She and her circle are incredibly selfish putting themselves before the constituents. She alone is causing a hold up on appointments. It has nothing to do with her being a woman and everything to do with her not being able to fulfill her duties as a senator.

The whole misogyny claim with Feinstein is largely BS. She's been out of it for a few years now, I would say ever since she hugged Miss Lindsey during that hearing. The press has even tepidly written a few articles about it in the last year or so. And you know if they are writing stories about it, her dementia is probably 10X worse than anyone knows.

Old wrinkle dick Chuck Grassley, as much as I think he's a POS, mostly seems to still have all of his marbles.

This seems to be the minimum requirement of an elected senator.

Oh, dear.

Where is this bitch, anyway?

Total misogyny and hypocrisy. If they pretend ancient Joe is fit for office and even reelection they can't deny the same about Feinstein.

[quote] Who is Ralph Byrd, [R1]?

The best Dick Tracy until Warren Beatty came along. Everybody knows that.

^ are you fucking kidding me?

Joe is in the office. Where the fuck is DiFi?

I get that it's about being fit to serve and not necessarily about age but I still get a kick out of how Ro Khanna is running 76-year-old Barbara Lee's campaign to replace Feinstein.

Presumably BL is compos mentis, at least for now

but yeah, it's not the next generation

DiFi and RBG are two of a kind. Ego over the good of the party and the country. Self righteous cunts.

from her cold, dead hands

[quote] from her cold, dead hands

If you had pocketed as much from insider trading as Di and her husband you wouldn't be in any hurry to disembark from the gravy train either.

I don't think it's about money at that point. These very old people have more than enough to live very comfortably for the rest of their life. I think it's more about losing the attention, status and power that the position gives them. I'd imagine that most politicians score high on narcissism.

Yeah they delude themselves into thinking they're indispensable. It is narcissism.

She need to go.

The Gray Lady piles on

But also it needs to be recognized that American politics tends to have an undue respect for seniority. It should be more encouraged that people can challenge old or out of touch politicians.

The ROT in Washington is stinking up the whole country.

There’s certainly some anti-Feinstein sentiment that goes beyond her being old and decrepit.

I'm Younger Than Springtime.....

^ crazy never ages

Seven more judges approved by the Senate this week. Apparently they haven't slowed down much if at all, regardless of what the useless Justice Democrat-adjacent Ro Khanna says.

I really don't like him.

R103, bullshit. The GOP is only allowing the ones of whom they approve. Dems can't counter the conservative stranglehold on the courts because certain judges can't get through.

Her legacy is becoming one of wishing she'd dropped dead. She and her team can go fuck themselves for being so selfish. She is no longer serving her constituents. She's only serving her own ego. And it shows how tone deaf she and anyone defending her is by claiming it's because she's a woman when we'd all be saying the exact same thing if she were a man. If a male were not currently serving going on several months now and hindering Dems from doing their job, everyone would be calling for his head.

Im bak bishes

R105 if you told me that was a corpse, I'd believe you.

JESUS CHRIST, RETIRE!!!

Jesus, it's a wonder there isn't someone in a black cloak and carrying a scythe behind her.

This is gross. She was shamed to come back and looks like death. She's a nasty cunt, now. Way to go, old lady.

Heaven forbid she take up knitting or scrap-booking or some other way to fill her last days.

She won't even know where she is - or how she got there - or what she's supposed to do.

She’s stubborn, won’t accept reality, thinks she’s indispensable, and like some others, regards the U.S. Senate as her nursing home.

Her children/grandchildren need to insist she retires now. If her staff are pressing her to stay for selfish reasons, shame on them.

There's no excuse for her to have shingles, the vaccine has been available for some time and I'm sure her physician mentioned to her.

[quote]Her children/grandchildren need to insist she retires now.

I'd bet that even if they did (and maybe they already have) she wouldn't listen to them. She's an example of someone who loves power so much that you have to wrest it from her. It's quite common really, which is why democracies exist to prevent situations like this when unsuitable people won't leave.

[quote]There's no excuse for her to have shingles, the vaccine has been available for some time and I'm sure her physician mentioned to her.

It’s less effective in older people.

[quote]There's no excuse for her to have shingles, the vaccine has been available for some time and I'm sure her physician mentioned to her.

ALL THE SHINGLESH LADIESH!

Diane Feinstein wants to wait until her absence really messes things up, like ruth bader cuntsberg

The democrats knew that roe was going to be overturned, that the case was up before the supreme court and couldn't be fucking bothered to codify it. The democrats don't care. They don't want to work past 5pm. They don't want to do any overtime. They want to do the bare minimum

R114, she should have had it a decade ago.

I'm ready to serve!

R117 it’s only good for about 5 years.

You're full of shit R119. Completely full - of - SHIT

Take it up with the CDC, r120. Shingrix is 7 years. Zostavac is five years.

[quote]In adults 50 years and older who have healthy immune systems, Shingrix is more than 90% effective at preventing shingles and PHN. Immunity stays strong for at least the first 7 years after vaccination.

And that’s for people with a healthy immune system.

At this point we need someone to just prop up her skeleton and tell her when to vote yes so we can get judges confirmed. The situation is the situation.

It's up to 10 yrs

I'm sure you'll disagree

Mine came from the CDC, r123.

If Jerry Brown was 5 to 10 years younger I'd say someone should pressure her hard to resign, appoint Jerry for the rest of her term if he agreed not to run, and then let the candidates now running for her seat sort it out.

But he's 85.

Still, he knows the state.

I think Newsom has committed to appointing a Black woman in DiFi's place if she steps down early.

R127, don't care as long as she's a solid D vote which is all that is needed to fend off the fascist right and to actually get things done without Rs. Those fuckers have done enough damage and DiFi's absence has caused enough delay.

Chuck Grassley is 89 too and re-elected during the last midterms. His Democratic opponent had impressive credentials including distinguished military service.

As a senior, I favor term and age limits. That includes federal judges as well.

DiFi on wheels

Say your goodbyes, Dianne. Give Miss Lindsey another great big ole hug, and then be off to California for retirement.

Miss Lindsey only gets hugs from Dianne. From her orange muffin, she receives much, much more.

We should be protesting the gerontocracy on both sides. They’re the ones causing this shit.

Ro Khanna is so handsome.

The Senate's median age is 65.3 years which is retirement age for most people.

65.3 years old? Shit. They have a 20 good years of insider trading left in them.

Did they dig her out of the grave? She looks decrepit

According to her doctor, she's supposed to take 'a lighter schedule than normal'. WTF does that mean? They roll in her like they used to do for Strom Thurman so she can vote however her aids told her?

Almost like Weekend At Bernie's, R138

Dump her and then dump on her.

QUE ?

Lindsey Graham hugs will convince her to vote his way. There is risk.

Look at this pathetic mess. Her family ought to be brought up on charges of abuse

R143

Her staffers too.

We all know now the Senate staffers love their POWER too.

Insider trading and peddling influence. A bunch, beyond the family, are profiting from DF staying in office.

Senators won’t tell on each other. Same in the House.

All those Senators said she shouldn’t retire, it was the House members calling her out.

Those Senators were also protecting John Fetterman.

She looks 3/4 dead.

Why do Dems feel obligated to announce the race/gender of possible appointees in advance. I’ve never gotten over Elizabeth Warren announcing she’d pick a trans person to head the Education Dept. Just say some mumbo jumbo about diversity. Don’t box yourself in.

How about picking the right person for the job for a change? One who preferably doesn’t steal women’s luggage at the airport.

The woman can even make an F. She spells her surname with a P.

Barbara Boxer knew when to retire. She still does interviews.

Feinstein is way past her expiration date.

girl is demented

JFC.

When she arrived at the Capitol last week after a more than two-month absence recovering from shingles, Senator Dianne Feinstein, Democrat of California, 89, appeared shockingly diminished.

Using a wheelchair, with the left side of her face frozen and one eye nearly shut, she seemed disoriented as an aide steered her through the marble corridors of the Senate, complaining audibly that something was stuck in her eye.

Ms. Feinstein’s frail appearance was a result of several complications after she was hospitalized for shingles in February, some of which she has not publicly disclosed. The shingles spread to her face and neck, causing vision and balance impairments and facial paralysis known as Ramsay Hunt syndrome. The virus also brought on a previously unreported case of encephalitis, a rare but potentially debilitating complication of shingles that a spokesman confirmed on Thursday after The New York Times first revealed it, saying that the condition had “resolved itself” in March.

Characterized by swelling of the brain, post-shingles encephalitis can leave patients with lasting memory or language problems, sleep disorders, bouts of confusion, mood disorders, headaches and difficulties walking. Older patients tend to have the most trouble recovering. And even before this latest illness, Ms. Feinstein had already suffered substantial memory issues that had raised questions about her mental capacity.

The grim tableau of her re-emergence on Capitol Hill laid bare a bleak reality known to virtually everyone who has come into contact with her in recent days: She was far from ready to return to work when she did, and she is now struggling to function in a job that demands long days, near-constant engagement on an array of crucial policy issues and high-stakes decision-making.

In the statement provided after The Times’s article was published on Thursday, Ms. Feinstein’s spokesman acknowledged that the senator continued to suffer the effects of Ramsay Hunt syndrome. Her office declined to comment further for this article, beyond a statement from Ms. Feinstein saying: “I’m back in Washington, voting and attending committee meetings while I recover from complications related to a shingles diagnosis. I continue to work and get results for California.”

....

Her stafferswon’t relinquish POWER!

Fucking unreal. She's basically not present.

At this point, it is cruelty for her staff to be wheeling her around the Capitol. They are more selfish than she has been. The same may be said about her family members.

She looks very unhealthy. It has to be physically painful for Feinstein.

Retire now and go home.

That image at r154 is like a still from AMERICAN HORROR STORY: FEINSTEIN.

[quote] Nancy Pelosi’s Eldest Daughter Is Dianne Feinstein’s Secret Caretaker

Weekend at Bernie's puppeteering until Nancy can get maneuver her own candidate into the office

If Feinstein were to resign now, Newsom would appoint a replacement to serve out her term, and since he's already announced it would be a black woman, it would most likely be Barbara Lee, who's already said she's running for the job at the end of Feinstein's term.

However, Nancy Pelosi wants Adam Schiff to be the next California senator, and she (and Schiff's supporters) are worried that if Barbara Lee gets appointed to the seat now, she'll have a head start over Schiff and he won't get in. So the Pelosi people want Feinstein to stay in the seat until her term is up and there's an open primary, even if she's basically non-functional.

Nobody comes out of this looking very good.

This is really embarrassing. In any other country Ms. Feinstein would have been forced out if for nothing else than good of her party. Instead like RBG and others Ms. Feinstein is going hold on until death apparently.

"Ms. Feinstein flew on a chartered private plane last week to return to Washington, accompanied by her dog, her longtime housekeeper and Nancy Corinne Prowda, the eldest daughter of Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the former House speaker who has been a longtime friend of Ms. Feinstein’s and has been practically living at her house during her recovery."

Shades of Dolores Claiborne!

Pure ageism.

Pelosi showing Gavin she is still the boss

I think Schiff would be a fantastic Senator for California. I hope it shakes down that we get the best person, and not a checked box for the gender or ethnicity of some person less qualified who fits the hemlines of that day.

If Democrats were smart at all they'd be pushing a theme of "The Democratic Party is the best place for white men too!" and show that just because you're a white guy you don't need to be a MAGA asshole!

Pelosi has usually been such a smart politician. Probably the most consequential woman in American politics in the past few decades. But this Weekend at Bernie's thing she's doing with Diane just because she favors Schiff is not a good look.

Also, it's a Senate seat from California. It will always go to a Dem, so why are centrists so afraid of it going to a progressive like Barbara Lee? Completely safe seats like this are opportunities to elect a progressive candidate. It's not like this is some Swing state seat. Not to mention, it's not like Lee is some upstart activist. The woman's a lifer, too, and hardly a spring chicken herself at 76.

Gavin Newsom is partly responsible for the mess. He could have said if the Senate seat becomes vacant, he’d appoint someone who would not seek the seat for the ‘24 election. Also, he needed to have kept his mouth shut about the race and gender of the person he would appoint.

I think she's tremendous!

r167 - that's true. Whether well intentioned or just signaling to the base, you're right that he didn't help the situation. I don't think that negates Pelosi's poor judgment on this one, though.

Isn’t Barbara Lee 76? That’s like appointing DiFi’s replacement with another DiFi.

"Here’s an updated take that will undoubtedly draw some objections: Feinstein holding the seat until the election next year may be the most responsible thing she can do in case of one possible, albeit unlikely, scenario: a vacancy on the Supreme Court. In indulging her stubbornness, her ego, her paranoia—whatever we want to call it—Feinstein may be what stands between a 6-to-3 conservative Supreme Court majority tilting to a 7-to-2 position, or the key to it shifting back to 5-4. Either of those outcomes would be one liberals may regret not having taken more seriously.

One might argue that all that is more reason for Feinstein to resign, and let a younger, healthier Democrat take over her spot on the committee. But that’s not what would be guaranteed to happen. Even if Feinstein were to leave her seat early, allowing California Gov. Gavin Newsom to appoint an interim lawmaker until after the 2024 election, there is nothing ensuring that that successor could be the 11th vote on Judiciary."

It's gotten grotesque.

Ro Khanna has no clue how the Senate works and is just another discredited "Justice" Democrat-adjacent yahoo.

Well he's right about DiFi.

Bitch needs to go. Now.

Pelosi is gonna retire next year, she should not be involved.

Unless she can’t relinquish POWER.

younger than springtime and TWICE as exciting

The entire top rank of the democratic party are people who remember Carter's Little Liver Pills

She needs to find a man. Lindzebelle is not an option.

Chuck Grassley is age 89 also.

His grandson, Pat Grassley,, is Speaker of the Iowa House Assembly.

Guess who replace Chuck when he departs the scene?

I have not laughed as hard as I am at R21‘s post in at least a year. I’m on a plane right now too. Everyone is looking at me wondering what my problem is. LOL

[quote]Gavin Newsom is partly responsible for the mess. He could have said if the Senate seat becomes vacant, he’d appoint someone who would not seek the seat for the ‘24 election. Also, he needed to have kept his mouth shut about the race and gender of the person he would appoint.

He saw how much of a hassle it's been for Biden when he did that and Newsom said, "I'd like some of that please"

It's a stupid thing to promise. Although it did score Biden points, it will not score Newsom any points.

WTF is Hillz talking about? Dems are in the majority in the Senate, so I don't understand her argument.

....

Oh, DiFi

just say 'aye'

There's only one solution.

Joe should make her his running mate. Sorry, Kamala, but the seniors who are too addled to give up or die vote is important to the party's success in '24.

Just replace her without telling her. Fly her to the Capitol a couple of times a month, push her around the halls, let her say hi to friends, tell her job well done and fly her home again.

Grassley is age 90. He was ready to take over Congress in Jan 6 episode. He knew….

Grassley is power hungry and a covert authoritarian but he doesn't appear to be senile.

There is a very sound political reason for having such superannuated senators.

Reelecting them term after term means they eventually, through seniority, get key committee postings.

This was the only way the Democrat senators of the vanquished South, could regain any sort of political power in Washington after the Civil War.

To this day, most states realize the wisdom of reelecting their senators depending on their ability to bring home the bacon. The "pork system" at work!

[quote]most states realize the wisdom of reelecting their senators depending on their ability to bring home the bacon

At this point, DiFi wouldn't be able to locate 'home' on a map, much less bring something to it.

And wasn't she 'relieved' of her committee chair? It was Judiciary, IIRC.

Bacon? Where?

Read this in the Washington Post just now and it was kind of shocking: "Given that the average age of U.S. senators is 65 and the average U.S. citizen is 38, it’s fair to say that old people clinging to power are depriving the country of fresh insights and representation." A gap of almost 30 years. Wow.

Don't get up DiFi, we're just not that into you...

DF’s staff & family need to put an end to this charade. It is obviously a huge physical struggle for DiFi herself. Their judgment looks very selfish.

Why would her staff do that, R194? Not only would they lose their jobs, but think of the power they have with a non compos mentis US Senator boss.

What a sad spectacle.

At least my eyes could follow a balloon.

I don't think 65 is too old to be a senator but the cutoff should be 75.

^ Cut off to run for office at 75

Fuck her staff. They're probably ancient as well. This is embarrassing.

oy

I never thought I'd say this but thank god for Grassley, otherwise this farce would be handing Republicans a great talking point. Their geezer being their oldest and only younger than DF by a few months, they can't really say anything.

But this is the kind of inside the beltway nonsense that just doesn't help.

[quote] I never thought I'd say this but thank god for Grassley, otherwise this farce would be handing Republicans a great talking point. Their geezer being their oldest and only younger than DF by a few months, they can't really say anything.

The better comparison is with McConnell. By all accounts, Grassley seems quite hale.

[quote] Feinstein obviously can't do the job and should resign. The same applies to Fetterman. R32 Is Fetterman back?

On top of everything else there's this, and it's not a good look