Schumer reaches to left
New York Sen. Charles Schumer (D) is reaching out to liberals who are skeptical about his relationship with Wall Street and his centrist approach to taxes, foreign policy and other issues.
Schumer has endorsed expanding Social Security and criticized a 12-nation trade deal being negotiated by the Obama administration.
I think its notable how hes changed his tune in the last week, said Neil Sroka, communications director for Democracy for America, a liberal advocacy group. It clearly shows hes listening to the things that the progressive base is concerned about and perhaps changing his views on them as a result.
It remains to be seen if he ends up being the leader of the Senate how responsive hell be to the desires of the progressive base, Sroka added.
Sroka, whoon Fridaycalled for Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a fierce Wall Street critic, to succeed Reid as leader, said liberals were worried about the New York senators ties to Wall Street and his leery view of negotiating a nuclear deal with Iran.
He has been exceedingly close during his career to Wall Street, Sroka added.
Schumer, the third-ranking Senate Democratic leader, is a virtual lock to succeed Reid, who will retire at the end of next year.
Potential rivals, such as Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.), have thrown their support to the New York senator, and his allies say he has the votes to succeed Reid.
Warren has also given her blessing to Schumer.
She dismissed suggestions Schumer was too close to Wall Street and singled him out for his support of a bureau created to look out for the middle class on financial issues.
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Schumer reaches to left