Clyburn Up For New "Assistant Leader" Position

By AJ Swartwood

A Democratic Caucus source indicated Tuesday that the position of Assistant to the Leader will now be known as simply Assistant Leader, pending a vote in the Democratic Caucus elections Wednesday.

That post, which is expected to be filled by current House Majority Whip Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), would be the third ranking position in the party and would act as a compromise to a Democratic party that is grappling with a shift in power to the House Republicans. Although details on the position’s responsibilities are limited, it was created by party leadership to avoid a potentially divisive struggle for power in the soon-to-be-minority Democratic party between Clyburn and current House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), who is also seeking to be second in House Party leadership as Minority Whip. 

Current Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will likely retain the Democratic Party Leadership role as the Minority Leader. But, despite Pelosi’s declared intention to seek the Minority Leadership, nothing is confirmed until the caucus officially nominates and votes on her bid to become the House Minority Leader. Pelosi has expressed her plans to give Clyburn the number three position in the House leadership.

“Should I receive the privilege of serving as House Democratic Leader, I will be very honored to nominate our outstanding colleague, Congressman Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, to serve in the number three House Democratic position,” said Pelosi in a letter sent to House Democrats.

House Majority Whip Rebukes Waxman’s Proposal To Speed Up Health Care Vote

By Justin Duckham

House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.) does not appear to be moved by House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman’s (D-Calif.) proposal to bypass his Committee’s process in order to bring health care reform legislation to the House floor sooner.

“I have said from day one that I would love to see us follow regular order,” Clyburn said during a press conference Friday, referencing the jurisdiction Waxman’s committee would typically have in the legislation’s formation. “I want us to follow the regular order and I am hoping that is what we will do here. I always advocate and support the regular order.”

Waxman posed the possibility Friday morning in response to continuing disagreements between his Committee’s fiscally conscious Blue Dog Democrats and other Democratic members of the Committee. According to Waxman, the Blue Dogs threatened to side with the Republican members, thus putting the Committee in minority control.

In recent weeks pro-life, blue dog, and progressive Democrats have threatened to oppose the Affordable Health Choices Act if it does not meet their respective requirements. Clyburn, who will ultimately be responsible for rallying the votes, dismissed his party’s infighting, noting that he expected passing health care reform to be “tough”.

“I recognize that we have seven distinct caucuses,” said Clyburn. “We will have these kind of passions being on display on a daily basis.”

While Clyburn could not say when the bill would be brought to the floor, he did stress his desire to see widespread support for the final draft of the bill.

“If we had the votes to pass this bill on Monday morning without consensus, I would much rather wait till the following Monday if I could yield consensus in the process.”

Energy bill goes to the House floor

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and other House Democrats announced an upcoming vote in the House on what they called a comprehensive energy bill. "It's time for an oil changes," said Pelosi. She said that the bill will meet the "all of the above" strategy that House Republicans have called for. Pelosi was joined by Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), and Rep. Rahm Emmanuel (D-Ill.)

Clyburn perhaps had the strongest criticism for his Republican colleagues for their previous "drill here, drill now" slogan calling it the "methadone treatment for oil addiction."

Hoyer, the House majority leader, said that with energy legislation on the floor the Democrats will find out, "if what we are most interested in are solutions or campaign slogans." He explained that Republicans have been calling to let energy legislation on the floor and now that the Democrats have moved their bill they will have the chance to vote on "comprehensive legislation."

Pelosi was also very critical of John McCain saying that given the "fragility of our institutions" it was wrong for McCain to say that the economy is fundamentally sound. "Is a 500 point drop in the stock market sound?" she said as she criticized President Bush as "a bad manager."