Democrats and liberal advocacy groups infuriated over New York Sen. Chuck Schumer’s Thursday announcement that he will oppose the Iran nuclear deal are openly challenging whether he is qualified to lead the party.
Schumer, the number three Democrat who is next-in-line to lead the party, announced during the GOP presidential debate that after “careful thought and considerable soul searching” he had decided to “oppose the agreement,” one of the hallmark deals of the Obama administration.
Now, many are seemingly questioning whether he is fit to lead the Democrats.
Former senior adviser to President Barack Obama Dan Pfeiffer tweeted that Schumer’s decision “will make it hard for him to lead” the Democrats going into 2016.
Senator Schumer siding with the GOP against Obama, Clinton, and most Democrats will make it hard for him to lead the Dems in ’16
— Dan Pfeiffer (@danpfeiffer) August 7, 2015
Jon Favreau, a former White House speechwriter, asked, “This is our next Senate leader?”
Chuck Schumer, who said it was a mistake to pass Obamacare, now comes out again the Iran Deal. This is our next Senate leader?
— Jon Favreau (@jonfavs) August 7, 2015
White House spokesman Eric Schultz retweeted a comment which seemingly threatened retribution on Schumer if he “lifts a finger to get other Dem NO votes.”
Secretary of State John Kerry said, “I obviously profoundly disagree with the judgement made.”
MoveOn’s executive director Ilya Sheyman said in a statement that “no real Democratic leader does this.”
“If this is what counts as ‘leadership’ among Democrats in the Senate, Senate Democrats should be prepared to find a new leader or few followers,” Sheyman said, according to The Hill. “In response to Senator Schumer’s decision to side with partisan war hawks, MoveOn.org’s 8 million members are immediately launching a Democratic Party donor strike.”
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