City Hall News has the behind-the-scenes on how White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel pushed Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY) out of the U.S. Senate race in New York.
"Clearing the field in New York was not about Gillibrand or Israel, left wing politics or moderate politics, gun stances or immigrant rights. It was about Senate Democrats having enough cash to seize red meat territory in the heartland and a new White House eager to collect a big chit."
"So Israel was given an ultimatum: if he proceeded with the Senate race, the White House would go to great pains to shut off every dollar in the state. With Schumer's help, the administration would make sure all the big Democratic donors and institutional players kept their distance. They would show no restraint, even campaigning against him and raising money in Israel's own home turf. Obama himself would come out to campaign in New York City, cutting off at the knees the downstate, Manhattan-focused appeal Israel would have needed to run to Gillibrand's left. And perhaps most damning of all, given whom the math dictated Israel would have needed in his column, Emanuel indicated that the nation's first black president was prepared to barnstorm through New York's black neighborhoods hand-in-hand with the junior senator, employing his appeal to African-Americans to a political degree he usually avoids. Oh, and as for Israel having any role shaping policy in the House while all this was going on? Forget it..."
"Or, Emanuel told Israel, there was another option. Step aside and earn the gratitude of the White House."
