Dianne Feinstein’s Missteps Raise a Painful Age Question Among Senate Democrats

By artappraiser on Wed, 12/09/2020 - 10:45pm |

.@JaneMayerNYer "they say her short-term memory has grown so poor that she often forgets she has been briefed on a topic, accusing her staff of failing to do so just after they have. They describe Feinstein as forgetting what she has said & getting upset." https://t.co/nAQAF7CFFg
— Michael Luo (@michaelluo) December 10, 2020

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https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/dianne-feinsteins-missteps-raise-a-painful-age-question-among-senate-democrats

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One aide to another senator described what he called a “Kabuki” meeting in which Feinstein’s staff tried to steer her through a proposed piece of legislation that she protested was “just words” which “make no sense.”
— Michael Luo (@michaelluo) December 10, 2020

Feinstein’s staff has said that sometimes she seems herself, and other times unreachable. “The staff is in such a bad position,” a former Senate aide who still has business in Congress said. “They have to defend her and make her seem normal.”
— Michael Luo (@michaelluo) December 10, 2020

A stickler for detail, she demanded to see every page going out of her office with her name on it. But with her diminishing capacity, this has become increasingly difficult. The former Senate staffer who still works with Congress declared, “It’s been a disaster.”
— Michael Luo (@michaelluo) December 10, 2020

As the ranking Democrat, Feinstein ordinarily would be expected to run the Party’s strategy on issues of major national importance, including judicial nominations. Instead, the committee has been hamstrung and disorganized. very different mode now.”
— Michael Luo (@michaelluo) December 10, 2020

“Other members were constantly trying to go around her because, as chair, she didn’t want to do anything, and she also didn’t want them doing anything,” the former Senate staffer said.
— Michael Luo (@michaelluo) December 10, 2020

A current aide to a different Democratic senator observed sadly, “She’s an incredibly effective human being, but there’s definitely been deterioration in the last year. She’s in a very different mode now."
— Michael Luo (@michaelluo) December 10, 2020

by artappraiser on Wed, 12/09/2020 - 10:49pm

Thanks- it’s no joy to expose failing icons such as Feinstein but it’s a serious public policy problem in both parties. https://t.co/uCOpIoegwN
— Jane Mayer (@JaneMayerNYer) December 10, 2020

by artappraiser on Wed, 12/09/2020 - 10:50pm

I think both parties should consider term limits. Some people in congress seem to be there longer than Supreme Court justices.

by OrionXP (not verified) on Wed, 12/09/2020 - 11:25pm

I'm against term limits but I wouldn't object to a mandatory retirement age. But of all of the many problems we face this one is the least likely to be dealt with.

by ocean-kat on Wed, 12/09/2020 - 11:50pm

There’s a Feinstein story here, but also the story of when she faced a plausible primary challenger two years ago and he got basically no institutional support from anyone. https://t.co/QGYdlGMsWz
— Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) December 10, 2020

by artappraiser on Wed, 12/09/2020 - 11:54pm

Timing of resignation and replacement may be tricky, especially if Dems gain 2 GA seats to take Senate leadership with Kamala. (can we start calling this new reign "Kamalot"? even tho JFK & Jackie kinda used it up, so Kamalot 2.0 for a Bay Area girl ain't too bad). Anyway, a lot of squeaker votes coming up in sure, including whatever electoral challenge happens early Jan.

by PeraclesPlease on Thu, 12/10/2020 - 1:57am

Dianne Feinstein’s Missteps Raise a Painful Age Question Among Senate Democrats

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