Say what you will about Charlie Rangel, but the guy's willing to put his career where his mouth is. Rep. Charles Rangel, a powerful senior Democrat i
August 1, 2006

Say what you will about Charlie Rangel, but the guy's willing to put his career where his mouth is.

Rep. Charles Rangel, a powerful senior Democrat in Congress and the dean of New York's congressional delegation, said Wednesday that he'll quit Congress if the Democrats don't retake control of the House this year.

"I'm a poker player and I've had good hands all night long. This is all in," Rangel said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I would not put everything on the table if I thought for one minute we would lose." [...]

"Hell, if we don't take back the House, then the Democrats would go down in history, saying that there's no group in the world that can grab defeat from the jaws of victory," Rangel said. "It just seems like America is so frustrated and fed up like I am and if she's not then I may have to say maybe it's me."

It's quite a risk for a guy who's the ranking member on the powerful House Ways & Means Committee, but I love Rangel's attitude.

--Guest Post by Steve Benen, The Carpetbagger Report

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