Relations Between Schumer, Obama Turn Frosty

Politico rounds up a host of anonymous sources to paint a picture of strained relations between Chuck Schumer and Barack Obama, with members of both camps working to smooth things over. It's especially nettlesome for Democrats given Schumer's elevated role in the Senate and with the party overall. He and Obama are the party's "two most influential message strategists," writes Glenn Thrush, and Democrats need a united front more than ever.

Their relations have apparently never been especially warm—the piece recounts an anecdote of then-Sen. Obama stunning Schumer with a brusk request to drop the small talk—but they took a turn for the nasty during the recent tax-cut talks. Obama brushed off Schumer's proposal for a so-called millionaire's tax, and the White House was reportedly gloating behind the scenes when Schumer failed to pull off the vote in the Senate.
(More Chuck Schumer stories.)