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Schumer and debate with Alito, also hamming to camera
Senator from New York.
Charles Ellis "Chuck" Schumer (b. 1950) is a [[liberal]] Democratic U.S. Senator from New York. He defeated incumbent Republican Senator [[Alfonse D'Amato]] in a nasty campaign in 1998 after serving in the House of Representatives for many terms. He is particularly vocal in supporting groups that perform [[abortions]], such as [[Planned Parenthood]].
In 2005 Schumer became chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and in November 2006, he was elected to the new post of Vice Chairman of the Senate Democratic Caucus.
Schumer has long been known in Washington for his hamming to television cameras. Majority Leader [[Bob Dole]] once quipped that "the most dangerous place in Washington is between Charles Schumer and a television camera." That criticism has not just been Republicans. David McReynolds, the Green Party candidate for senator, observed about Schumer, "People are saying he's a newshound, a camera hog, that he's someone who loses no opportunity to push into a picture."<ref>http://www.jrn.columbia.edu/studentwork/election/2004/us_senate_hutch01.asp</ref>
The June 2007 photograph to the right captures Schumer posing for a camera as Majority Leader [[Harry Reid]] spoke.
[[Image:Harry Reid immigration.jpg|right|thumb|Chuck Schumer, far right. Dennis Cook, AP]]
Schumer appeared repeatedly on television vowing to fight and attempt to defeat the nominees of President [[George Bush]] for the [[U.S. Supreme Court]]. As Schumer sits on the [[Judiciary Committee]], he had his chance in questioning all nominees. Here was his exchange with nominee and future Justice [[Sam Alito]]:<ref>http://www.politicalgateway.com/news/read.html?id=5888</ref>
SCHUMER: ... Can you tell us your view just one more time, your view about the Constitution not protecting the right to an abortion, which you have talked about before? And you said you personally, proudly held that view. Can you?
<br>
ALITO: The question about the statement about the supremacy of the elected branches of government went to my understanding of the constitutional structure of our country.
<br>
And so certainly that's a subject that it is proper for me to talk about.
<br>
ALITO: But the only way you are asking me how I would decide an issue...
<br>
SCHUMER: No, I'm not. I'm asking you what you believes in the Constitution.
<br>
ALITO: Well, you're asking me my view of a question that...
<br>
SCHUMER: I'm not asking about a question. I'm asking about the Constitution, in all due respect, and something you wrote about...
<br>
ALITO: The Constitution contains the due process clause of the Fifth Amendment and the 14th Amendment. It provides protection for liberty. It provides substantive protection. And the Supreme Court has told us what the standard is for determining whether something falls within the scope of those protections.
<br>
SCHUMER: Does the Constitution protect the right to free speech?
<br>
ALITO: Certainly it does. That's in the First Amendment.
== References ==
<references/>
[[Category:US Senators]]
[[Category:US Senators]]