Watching everyday the irrepressible Chuck Schumer hog every spotlight and get his face in every picture put me in mind of a famous story, perhaps apocryphal.
As a rule, elected officials politicians, even those of irascible nature, do not generally go out of their way to pick fights with others similarly situated. They’ll fuck with them 16 ways from Sunday, but barring some sort of war, rarely, if ever, publicly stick their necks out against an incumbent office holder of the same party in a primary.
Why then is Chuck Schumer so vehemently opposing the re-nomination of State Senator Martin Connor? Some ascribe it to the 1998 primary for the Democratic nomination to run for US Senate against incumbent Alphonse D‘Amato wherein Connor endorsed Geraldine Ferraro against Schumer.
Connor, then Senate Minority Leader, called the third candidate, Mark Green, to inform him of the endorsement. It was a hard call, as Green was probably expecting the endorsement. A close Connor ally, District Leader Ralph Perfetto, worked for Green, and Connor's home club had endorsed Green.
"Look Mark, it's a leader issue. I have responsibilities, and outside of my home district, I base all of my primary endorsements on what would be best for the interests of my conference.
I try to run Democrats for Senate in every district in the State, but I can't do much for anyone but our "A" candidates, beyond some opponent research. But, when some guy I convinced to run a hopeless race in East Bumfuck calls and asks me to get him a famous speaker for his big fundraiser, I know I can call Geri Ferraro, and she'll be on the next plane, and pay for it herself."
"Well, Marty, if that's the case, you did the right thing. How did Chuck take it?".
"I don't know, he's still on the other line screaming at me"