DNC chair Wasserman Schultz may be on her way out
Democratic lawmakers are giving serious consideration to asking the chairman of the Democratic National Committe, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, to stept down from her position.
"DWS," as she is known in party circles, has had a serious case of foot-in-mouth disease for her entire tenure as party leader. But it was her poorly disguised advocacy for Hillary Clinton's nomination that caused Bernie Sanders to announce his opposition to her chairmanship. And with Democrats casting about for ways to placate Sanders leading up to the convention, DWS becomes an attractive target.
A report published late Tuesday found some members of Congress are giving full consideration to Sanders' recommendation. An unspecified group of lawmakers are considering ousting the Florida representative if she cannot unify the party despite its division between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.
"There have been a lot of meetings over the past 48 hours about what color plate do we deliver Debbie Wasserman Schultz's head on," one pro-Clinton Democratic senator told the paper.
While Schultz has not shared any plans to step down from her leadership position, lawmakers who support the Vermont senator have said Schultz has unfairly advocated for Clinton throughout the primaries.
"I don't see how she can continue to the election. How can she open the convention? Sanders supporters would go nuts," another anonymous lawmaker said.
Democrats defending Wasserman Schultz include Sen. Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida, Tim Kaine of Vermont, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California, House Democratic Caucus Chairman Xavier Becerra of California and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire.
But Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley, the only public supporter of Sanders in the Senate, admitted the DNC chair could do more to bring liberals together since Republicans appear to have their nominee.
"It's very important for her to adopt a role of pouring oil on troubled waters. She did the opposite last week when she poured gasoline on the events that occurred in Nevada," Merkley said.
Sanders has been complaining about Schultz since the beginning of the campaign, especially the debate schedule the DNC published. But the general feeling in the party is that Clinton, who is close to clinching a first ballot nomination, needs to reach out more to Sanders and address some of his concerns.
To that end, key Sanders supporters have been given spots on the Platform Committee, while party leaders have been asking other Democrats to refrain from putting pressure on Sanders to withdraw. Schultz may become a casualty of the effort to unify the party, which would be ironic. For all the verbal gaffes she's made over the years, tilting the scales in favor of Hillary Clinton is among the least of her transgressions.
For Republicans, the prospect of a national election without Debbie Wasserman Schultz to laugh at and make fun of is a disaster. All right-thinking Republicans should immediately write the Democratic National Committee to plead with the party leadership to keep her on through the election. She is a gift that keeps on giving to the GOP.
Save DWS!