BANGOR, Maine — Independent U.S. Senate candidate Angus King, viewed by many as the favorite to win Olympia Snowe’s seat, is again taking heat for putting off questions about which party he’ll caucus with and suggesting he may not accept committee assignments.
Asked by MSNBC’s Chris Matthews which party King might caucus with if elected, the former two-term Maine governor seemed unconcerned about making a decision anytime soon.
“If you read the Constitution, Article 1 talks about Congress … and the word caucus doesn’t appear anywhere. Neither does the word party,” King said. “And I don’t see how you can necessarily exclude a duly elected United States senator from Maine or anywhere else because they refuse to join one or the other of the party caucuses.”
Matthews then jumped in: “Why don’t you say … I will give up all my committee assignments to maintain my independence.”
King replied: “That is absolutely an option and is one of the options I am considering.”
At least one of his opponents, Republican William Schneider, said King is making a mistake by even considering that option since so much of Congress’ work is done in committees.
“Without committee assignments, Angus King would be half a United States Senator,” said Schneider, Maine’s attorney general and one of six Republicans seeking his party’s nomination. “He would be giving up a huge opportunity to represent Maine’s interests with federal agencies and throughout the legislative process.
“Angus King is apparently willing to sacrifice Maine’s national interests to advance his campaign’s misleading message of independence.”
University of Maine political scientist Mark Brewer agreed that it would be risky for King to avoid any committee assignments, but he’s not convinced that will happen.
“My sense is that he is just saying that for campaign purposes to show people how committed he is to independence,” Brewer said Friday. “He also has said that he will evaluate his options after the election and I expect that’s still the case.”
In fact, King said just that that as his interview with Matthews continued.
“I don’t want to go down to just stand on principle and be a potted plant.” he said. “I’m going to look at all of those options and look at the parliamentary rules and whether they can constitutionally [deny me] a committee assignment.”
That comment was seized upon by the Schneider campaign, too, which pointed out that Senate rules — not the U.S. Constitution — govern committee assignments.
Since King announced his intent to seek Snowe’s seat, many have speculated about who the independent would caucus with if elected: Democrats or the Republicans. Most observers say King aligns more with Democrats but he has been careful to maintain independence so far.
Crystal Canney, spokeswoman for King’s campaign, said political watchers are paying attention to those sorts of things, but Maine voters are not. She shared a story of a recent visit by King to Becky’s Diner in Portland. One patron shouted to King from across the restaurant “I don’t care who you caucus with, I’m behind you,” according to Canney.
“Angus is going to do what’s in the best interest of Maine people,” she said Friday. “It may be that he has to caucus with one of the parties, but that won’t control how he votes.”
Although there are six Republicans, four Democrats and three independents seeking the U.S. Senate seat for Maine, King is the marquis name and that has meant more scrutiny, Brewer said.
Canney said she understands that but she added, “In this campaign, he’s taking nothing for granted. We’re going to work like we’re 20-30 points behind.”
Right?
Most definitely left.
Agreed, I think its quite obvious!
I didn’t mean political direction.
Hope this is all a moot point.
It seems pretty clear to me that by keeping his options open he creates more potential power for himself and he can essentially simply caucus with the side which promises him the most. I am sure that no matter what committee assignments he may get, his general leaning will be democratic, although he will exercise his independence when he feels it best to do so. I wont fault the guy for playing coy now.
Most of the wheeling and dealing in the Senate takes place in the committees. Further, the committee staff is at the disposal of the senators – without a committee assignment, King would have to rely wholly on his personal staff.
Should King be elected, he would like rank lowest in seniority even amongst the incoming class of freshman senators, since former senators and congressman rank higher.
King would do well to learn from the history of 1950’s Sen. Wayne Morse.
anyone the Maine voters send to DC will begin as a freshman Senator
You must be referring to Bruce Poliquin.
His committee assignments will be worthless, as whichever party controls the Senate will make party assignments before tossing the scraps to the independent. Besides, Mr. Big Ego King must get himself elected first and it will be far more daunting than he thinks. Of course, he is already picking out the decor for his Senate office when he really should be on trial for crimes against the wildlife and natural resources of Roxbury due to the destruction caused by building his wind power project.
This a moot point. King will not be allowed to caucus with Republicans. The Republicans wouldn’t allow State Senator Jill Goldwaith when she was an independent State Senator.
Maine’s Bill Cohen, left in-part because the make-up of his party was changing, RI’s Senator Chaffee and PA Senator Spector were driven out, Olympia is leaving because of the collapsing mind-set of — 100% loyalty to the party-over-country, party-before-constituents attitude.
As Will Rogers said: “I’m not a member of any organized political party, I am a Democrat.”
He wasn’t going to caucus with the Republicans anyways. He donated to Obama’s campaign.
He is a Democrat who is running as an Independent because he can’t win a Democrat Primary in any election he runs in. This guy is a fraud, Angus along with Eliot Cutler are not fooling anyone. These are two Ultra-Liberal Democrats who are using the Independent status to buy votes. As someone who is an Independent I am ashamed that these two buffoons what they are doing to those of us who support the Independent Agenda and don’t like what Democrats are doing. He is 100% behind the Obama-Biden-Reid-Pelosi-Wasserman-Schultz cartel. He is running so if he wins he can ram through his Wind Power and National Park agenda without any opposition from anyone. It isn’t going to fly once Maine People find out what he is truly trying to do he will get alot of heat from Mainers.
This is a story? Does anyone truly doubt which side of the aisle he’d sit on?
How about some real journalism that would inform the readers how King stands on various Democrat/Republican platform issues and allow the politcally uninformed to determine where they think he’ll caucus?
If news organizations like the BDN actually reported news (instead of this kind of puff pastry story) and trusted their readership to draw their own conclusions, maybe, just maybe they’d preserve some credibility and even profitability.
This is a ridiculous rant.
First, you say no one can doubt King’s position, then you ask the BDN to provide information so we can determine King’s position. In other words, you straight out contradict yourself in your rush to be unnecessarily insulting.
The article is informative and even critical of King.
Your petulant, immature approach isn’t advancing a mature or even logical discussion.
Not ridiculous at all. For those in tune with the former gov and his big government ways, his alignment with the left would be no surprise.
But for those who don’t pay strict attention, a little honest (read “mature and even logical”) journalism might go a long way to help them make up their minds.
Still, to remove any confusion on my first post, I’ve made a change to show “politically uninformed” instead of “readers.”
Do you have any doubts which side of the aisle he’d sit on if he were elected, Spruce?
Angus, my Dad used to say an Independent is just someone who can’t make up their mind. I am not to sure the people of Maine will fall for your kind of independence again!
Angus King is exactly what this state and country needs. He is level headed and he doesn’t give two craps about partisan politics. If you don’t believe him, then don’t vote for him. Keep voting for the egotistical Republicans and Democrats that are more worried about getting re-elected than getting the job done.
“egotistical Republicans and Democrats” ?!?!?! With Angus King, you are talking about the BIGGEST EGO I have witmessed in Maine politics in my 50 years of observation! He truly believes his own BS and believes he is owed the Senate seat. This should have energized the party candidates instead of potential candidates cowering to his EGO! I will vote for anyone but Angus King.
Slow news day?
Windy Gus wants to be party of the “D”club where he came from, but then again if the “R” group wins the majority, he’ll ‘offer his services’ for a price.
Maybe Gus will allow the 39% another victory and all of this breathless questioning of his allegiance will all be moot.
Hopefully he forgets to run.
He can stay the hell out of the GOP I can say that much! I don’t recall seeing him at the convention. He doesn’t care to support or participate in the Republican Party so he has no right to be in it. We certainly don’t need another “flip-flopper”!
I would sincerely suggest to Ms Canney that she keep her piehole shut when she makes statements about Maine voter’s not watching what Angus King’s position’s are on Committee assignment’s ! There are more than a few of us that are far from brain dead ! Committee assignment’s and their impact on Mainer’s and the Maine business community, on both labor and management, are key toward both ensuring that Maine recieves it’s fair share of Federal funding for those program’s that Mainer’s need, that Maine gets the help it requires in times of national disaster and crisis and in encouraging both labor and business growth in Maine thru the use of both tax credit’s, training opportunity’s and both small and large business opportunity’s that the Fed’s put out for contract. Susie Collins efforts in Limestone for the rebuilding of the military Hummer’s comes to mind real quick. Committee assignment’s also provide for Mainer’s to be adequately represented when a nationwide issue comes up for debate, like the healthcare issue now before the Supreme Court, or when tax policy is discussed and it’s effects on Maine need to be represented and adequately demonstrated.
No, Angus King is doing nothing more than demonstrating that he’s going to represent us, when elected, as an Independent, not beholden to either Major Party for their ‘kindness’. That kind of independence has been absent from the Congress for far too long, and is getting harder and harder to find on a daily basis. It’s badly needed now, if the House and Senate, are to ever grow up and quit playing the ‘spit the bean’ contest’s in Washington and restore some very badly needed civil manners and political common sense to this Country. Discuss, debate, negotiate and compromise are the 4 major parts of getting things done in Washington and both sides know it. That it’s been reduced to a ‘My way or the highway’ process, with common sense and the ability to compromise tossed under every political bus that can be found, is both a tragedy and reason enough to start asking both Party’s if their political arrogance is really getting what they were sent to Washington to do done or is it just another way to act like the southbound end of a northbound moose ? Independence provides for that. The question is are we smart enough to realize it ? November folk’s, tick tock, tick tock …………..
King is a political slimeball.
see http://www.crashbarry.com
Free publicity is all, you know he is extremely democrat leaning
Hey Democrats!!!!! I know its asking alot since your a party of sound bites and spending borrowed money, just do one thing to attempt to prove me wrong and embrace Angus King.. Thanks and Amen.
this dem is voting for King.
Said in best Gomer Pyle voice – “Surprise, surprise, surprise.”
This one isn’t.
Need we even ask such a question? He’s a liberal, he’ll caucus with liberals. He won’t tell us before being elected to office because he’s an “Independent” (i.e. Looking to maximize his vote count). If you’re a conservative don’t vote for King. If you want to save our State and Nation from the likes of people like Paul LePage, Tea Party, Koch Brothers, Corporations, ALEC, etc. by all means vote for Mr. King.
Sure I’d like to vote for a Democrat rather than someone who plays games with his/her political positioning but hey, all of them have about as much chance of beating Mr. King as do any of the Republican/Tea Party hacks running against him. On the plus side, at Angus’s age he’ not going to be there for the next 15-20 years. It will also be nice to have someone with his calm and insightful intellect representing us to the nation rather than the embarrassment we have currently suffered from week to week at the hands/mouth of Mr. LePage. GO ANGUS!
yes!
King like Hillary Clinton has chosen inevitability as his strategy and given this to his PR firm to run with. Didn’t work for Ms. 3:00 AM Dragon Lady, won’t work for this fraud.
He is a liberal and will caucus with the liberals like Jeremiah Wright, Al Sharpton, Donald Sussman, Al Franken and Randi Rhodes. The tea party, built on American values, is outside of where Angus wants to be – it serves no useful purpose to him and does not put a nickel in his pocket. At the end of the day, Angus King is all about helping Angus King.
who cares go away
The man does not tell the truth.
It’s truly sad when people are voted into political office based on party affiliation more so than character and reputation…..It would seem to me that Mr. King would be able to share his true thoughts and have a pretty good understanding of how things will work if elected, therefore come clean Mr. Candidate……Mr. King has shown since his occupation of the Blaine House that recent years have aligned his monetary interests and if I were a betting man if in office he will use whatever and whomever he can to promote personal monetary interests….his refusal to clarify answers to the above questions speaks volumes IMHO….just another political “jockey” who will clarify things in the future…..maybe…..
yikes! Angus King is not egotistical? he sold out his State for financial gain for the wind scam and his son works for the company..he is a politician through and through.
Like Baldacci, King didn’t reckon on the Facebook, Twitter, and reader forum outlets to which every citizen has access, these days. King thinks he can still smile his way to elected office. Like Baldacci, he is going to find out those days are over.
If he side steps now he will do it if hes elected…What did he do for Maine people when he was governor? “NOTHING” .go back to your home in the south
I agree, the best thing for Maine that King could do is crank up his 6 mpg RV and leave the state on a loooong journey and never return.
Dealing with Angus King is like “peeling an onion”. There’s the exterior, all for show. The good looking, always at ease, glib speaker who charms the pants off people. Well, that’s akin to the yellow-brown papery outer skin of an onion.
Now, take off that outer layer of King or an onion, and you peel back layer after layer. With King, it is issue after issue where he has failed, supported bad policies that cost us money or prosperity, been arrogant and self absorbed, scammed the system like his wind company involvemet, and so on. With an onion, for every layer peeled, the odor brings more tears. With every layer of Angus King, there are tears about how one man, with such a huge ego, can bamboozle so many people and get away with it! Makes me want to cry—now, pass me the onion!
Another old duff who needs to go! He’s almost 70 and he’ll be a junior senator for years and that means if he wins, he’ll be in his mid-70’s before he can accomplish anything.
We don’t need term limits, but maybe age limits. DC has too many old duffs who need to retire!
Awwww – isn’t it cute when politicans play coy and shy?
Maybe he’s emulating Pelosi’s game of “Let’s vote for it so we can see what’s in it!”
Either way, no thanks. His regime in Augusta left Maine with a billion-dollar state deficit. God forbid he get his paws on the real money in DC.
So, now comes Angus King, also known as” The Snake-Oil Industrial Wind Salesman of Roxbury”.
This self serving , subsidy sucking money grubbing carpetbagger desecrates Maine with useless
machines for his own form of green ($$$$$), and now wants to RULE it too.
This scoundrel cannot even tell the
truth concerning his real party affiliation, left wind democrat.
He knows lying pays big $$$, and is a
consummate practitioner of deception .
See a few facts on the background of this scoundrel.
http://www.crashbarry.com
If Maine elects him to the US Senate, Mainers will indeed will get what they deserve.
Crystal Canney made a booboo. King will not do what is best for Maine people, he will do what is best for his wind cartel and construction buddies at the expense of the woods, lakes and mtns.