Steve Lichtman

Re @ChuckSchumer, I think there is some sentiment in the Senate of "let him enjoy this win and go out on top." Meaning that he is likely to retire in 2028 (he soon turns 76), rather than go to war for his seat against a young, popular, formidable challenger like AOC. 1/

Oh my god someone told Trump to pick DoD Spox and ex-House GOP flak Dana White as Press Secretary and he thought they meant Dana White the CEO of UFC.

There are two possibilities here. One is he’s gone completely unhinged. The other is he no longer gives a damn, and is willing to pull everyone one down along with him. Of course, these are not mutually exclusive.

the Boomer *freakout* about Mamdani has totally backfired. They made it seem like he would open a gulag on every corner and instead he’s like “anybody want free opera tickets?” Completely discrediting to this entire worldview. BTW I suspect the same will happen with El-Sayed.

“I’m not ruling anything out.” —Sen. Slotkin when asked if she’d run for Senate Majority Leader.

I have known Chuck Schumer for 16 years. I worked closely with him and his staff when I worked for Harry Reid. I have a lot of respect for him and have also had my differences over the years. The job of leader happens mostly behind the scenes. The traits that make a good leader are not the same as what makes you good at social media, etc. Reid was famous for saying off-message stuff—lord knows how he would have fared in the age of social media. When you’re in the majority, the job is about setting the agenda and passing bills that help people. When you’re in the minority, you’re at the mercy of the majority in terms of the agenda, so the job is mainly to get back in the majority. By that measure, Schumer succeeded wildly on Tuesday. He oversaw the biggest Democratic sweep in the Senate since Watergate, recruiting candidates who fit their states and putting them in position to win states many had written off long ago. He was an early believer in Mississippi, for example. You can litigate this or that decision, and I certainly didn’t agree with them all—but when you step back and look at the big picture there’s simply no way to argue with this historic achievement. To me, the question of whether Schumer deserves to be reelected as leader after the most dominant performance by Senate Democrats in more than half a century is straightforward, and the answer is clearly yes.

ולכן נחליף אותך.

Asked whether he would support Chuck Schumer as Senate Democratic leader if elected, Mississippi Democrat Scott Colom said: “I don’t like that our party is represented by two people that live in the same borough.” Colom, who was referring to Brooklyn-based Schumer and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, is leading Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith by 49.1% to 48.8%, ~2,500 votes, with 98% of votes counted. The race has not yet been called.

There is a growing disconnect between elected progressives who are supporting Hakeem Jeffries for speaker and lefty social media folks. Here are some progressive members of Congress backing Hakeem Jeffries:

Sen. Van Hollen: Let me say this: there should be no coronation of the next Democratic leader.

Chuck Schumer is legitimately one of the least popular politicians in the country right next to Trump himself. The American people voted for change and that's exactly what we should deliver. To keep the exact same leaders would be to spit in their faces. Schumer has been Senate Majority Leader before, he is extremely experienced, but there is the practical reality of perception and what voters expect from us. Jeffries is going to be the Speaker and I hope he represents us well, but Schumer already has a handful of Democratic Senators, like Elissa Slotkin and Adam Hamilton, questioning his viability.

It is heartbreaking to see antisemitism in my hometown. I was born in Wyncote, near Philadelphia, and it makes me angry and ashamed to see hatred tolerated there. The numbers show this is not an abstract concern. The Anti-Defamation League recorded 465 antisemitic incidents across Pennsylvania in 2024, an 18% increase over 2023. It tracked 189 incidents in Philadelphia and 51 in Montgomery County. These reports include harassment, vandalism, and assault; they are not all classified as crimes. (adl.org, philadelphia.adl.org) Hateful expression harms more than its immediate target. In a 2025 survey of Jewish Americans, 79% said they were concerned about antisemitism, and 52% said they had worried about their personal safety because of their identity. Nearly half reported taking steps to increase their security. A research review also found that exposure to hate is associated with worse psychological well-being, more negative stereotypes, and less trust between groups. (philadelphia.adl.org, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) It takes me back to the racism I experienced in the 1960s: signs throughout the South declaring that Black people could be refused service, along with separate “white” and “colored” signs on bathrooms and drinking fountains,”no niggers”. I remember what that hatred looked and felt like. We cannot accept it in any form, directed at any people. I wish I could be there to stand with those protesting HATE. I am asking elected officials and other leaders in Philadelphia: Where are the clear statements condemning antisemitism? When hateful language is excused or repeated, it can make hostility seem acceptable and deepen fear and division. Leaders should speak plainly and consistently: antisemitism and hate have no place in our communities. What the hell? We have to speak up. Reggie Jackson The Mr. October Guy

Mamdani getting elected and spending a year on extremely popular projects helped Dems everywhere imo. He was supposed to be on the new Mount Rushmore of scary liberals. Saw him on lots of attack mailers. Didn't scare people at all. When I sat down w Mamdani during the 2025 primary he said his model was Bernie in Burlington - the "ooh, scary socialist" mayor who capitalizes on all the attention he gets and makes civic improvements so it stops being scary. And so far that's clearly worked. semafor.com/article/06/12/20…