MyDD :: 2 unacceptable, 2 also-rans...DNC Chair

2 unacceptable, 2 also-rans...DNC Chair

by blogswarm, Sun Jan 23, 2005 at 02:02:25 AM EST

"What you're seeing is the transformation of the old party into the new party, which is the Internet party, which is going to fund the party."
-Bob Mulholland

I've written about Mulholland before. Let's give the guy some props, he credentialed me and let me plug a mic plug into the mult box so I have press pool audio of the event. Mulholland was the first person to credential bloggers when he asked Kos and Jerome Armstrong to blog the 2003 Democratic Convention.

Cheers to Bob...go check out Bob's Blog -- it is a model other state parties would be wise to copy. Mulholland isn't some 20-something geek, but an old school political hack who has realized that the internet allows him to take advantage of his political instincts and great writing to slap around his adversaries. Mulholland is the example of why old school political operatives shouldn't be scared of the net, the tools that made them successful in 20th century politics will allow them to triumpth in 21st century politics (if they are willing to allow their message to spread in real-time).

I say this because of the dynamics for DNC Chair. Many in the press are too simple-minded to see the race as more than a left-right battle. But the dynamics have always been more aptly described as reform vs. status quo; advancing vs. treading water.

The reform vs. status quo dynamic is now manifesting itself in a value-the-netroots vs. hate-the-netroots division. Frost and his staff are said to "hate" the netroots and I had a Roemer staffer tell me he has "no affinity" for DailyKos (most popular Democratic blog) and MyDD (blogfather's blog). I had scheduled an interview with Roemer to get his view on the Mercatus Scandal but I ended up blowing him off. You see, Nancy Keenan, the head of NARAL, snubbed Roemer last week. Nancy Keenan has been hero of mine and is a western Democrat legend -- I figure if it is good enough for her, it is good enough for me.

The small donor is the backbone of the 21st century political party. Frost and Roemer are politicians looking for a job so they don't care about the netroots -- and they won't get netroots money!

I have hours of audio and a lot more to say. But I can tell you two things out of today's Western Caucus:

Roemer and Frost are unacceptable

Leland and Fowler are not contenders

much more to come

I was calling in updates all day on DavidNYC's Swing State Project and Adriel Hampton, the SF Examiner (monarch of the dailies) Political Editor also has a lot to think about on his blog.

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Permalink :: 13 Comments :: Post a Comment

Fowler's not a contender? (none / 0)

What makes you say this?

BTW, I really wish you had proceeded with your interview of Roemer and gotten his quote on the Mercatus push back. It would be great to have a quote of him supporting them.

by manyoso on Sun Jan 23, 2005 at 02:17:50 AM EST

Re: Fowler's not a contender? (none / 0)

I wish I could have talked with Roemer, but I had to choose between waiting for a DOA candidate and eating dinner with the young activists taking responsibility for our Party -- it wasn't even close.

Both Fowler and Leland spent their time standing around by themselves, it was embarrassing to watch them receive zero love.

We now have three groups of candidate:

REFORM: Dean, Rosenberg, Webb
STATUS QUO: Roemer, Frost
ALSO RAN: Leland, Fowler

by blogswarm on Sun Jan 23, 2005 at 02:24:32 AM EST
[ Parent ]

There is nothing REFORM about Rosenberg (none / 0)

If Rosenberg is a "reform" candidate just as much as MacAuliffe is a "reformer". MacAuliffe built a database of email addresses and got the DNC out of debt but is message was staid and unprogressive...like Rosenberg.

Rosenberg can come up with all the bells and whistles he wants but besides a small band of bloggers who is going to follow him. Or is Rosenberg expecting this "mighty" troop of blogger to inspire the grass roots???

I just don't see this Rosenberg in the grassroots threnches...mainly because he has never been there before. Rosenberg's milieu is DLC and corporation clients.

Rosenberg has never been to a House Party (of real people not corporate donors)or a Meetup. His grassroots street cred is that can "relate" to a gaggle of white male bloggers, doesn't really cut it in my book.

The only blacks candidates Rosenberg's NDN has reached out to are DLCer. Rosenberg and NDN didn't even support Obama for goodness sakes...I still want to know how Rosenberg is in the "reformer" category.

Not only that Rosenberg has yet to address how he will "inspire" those that are not connected to the internet...sounds like he is taking a trip down Trippi Lane..."It's still boots on the ground...Stupid"

Besides telling us how to live, think, marry, pray, vote, invest, educate our children and, die, the GOP has done a fine job of getting gov't out of our lives.

by Parker on Sun Jan 23, 2005 at 07:22:23 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: There is nothing REFORM about Rosenberg (none / 0)

Rosenberg is for ending the Iowa/New Hampshire monopoly on our primaries. If THAT isn't REFORM, I don't know what is.

by manyoso on Sun Jan 23, 2005 at 12:34:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: There is nothing REFORM about Rosenberg (none / 0)

Never mind Parker, he's a broken record...

Minister Al-X: Proselytizing for Reality.

by Reverend AlX on Sun Jan 23, 2005 at 12:38:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: There is nothing REFORM about Rosenberg (none / 0)

Is there a reason that you insist on personally insulting people?

Besides telling us how to live, think, marry, pray, vote, invest, educate our children and, die, the GOP has done a fine job of getting gov't out of our lives.

by Parker on Sun Jan 23, 2005 at 07:34:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: There is nothing REFORM about Rosenberg (none / 0)

That's not an insult, it's an honest appraisal. If you really want to talk about it though, we should move it off of this thread...

Remember Parker- we're all in this together. If Dean wins I'll be behind him 100%, and I hope that if Rosenberg wins that you can turn your energy and attention on our real adversaries...

Minister Al-X: Proselytizing for Reality.

by Reverend AlX on Sun Jan 23, 2005 at 08:53:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: There is nothing REFORM about Rosenberg (none / 0)

No, if Rosenberg is shuttled in like Kerry was then it proves "We are not in this together but some people are out for themselves.

In my mind Rosenberg became an adversary when he accepted funding from known neo-con corporations in which he funded candidates that would protect the neo-cons and not me.

It really is that simple. I did not force Rosenberg to accept this funding, it was the path he free decided to follow and I have the same right to follow a path that does not include neo-cons.

So I will not support Rosenberg ...unless he relinquishes his ties to these neo-cons otherwise we will have these people literally running the DNC...so how does Koch Industries mean reform to the Democratic party.

And you are insulting...

Besides telling us how to live, think, marry, pray, vote, invest, educate our children and, die, the GOP has done a fine job of getting gov't out of our lives.

by Parker on Mon Jan 24, 2005 at 03:34:59 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: There is nothing REFORM about Rosenberg (none / 0)

That is ALREADY taking place with or with out Rosenbergs endorsement. The DNC has already put together a commission on the bequest of Levin to study the primary calendar...don't really see how Rosenberg can take credt for this.

Besides telling us how to live, think, marry, pray, vote, invest, educate our children and, die, the GOP has done a fine job of getting gov't out of our lives.

by Parker on Sun Jan 23, 2005 at 07:36:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Frost & Co. hate the netroots? (none / 0)

Really? Why?

by marisa on Sun Jan 23, 2005 at 04:25:31 AM EST

I'm sure Roemer knows (none / 0)

that this site and Kos aren't really friendly to him and his background, and past political decisions.

But it isn't necessary to ignore the man and blow him off to meet with activists. A better way to handle it would have been to meet with him and possibly talk about his continued participation with the DNC if he loses. We are going to need every man woman and activist we can get to defeat the GOP Machine.

Demeaning the man just because he has made some bad political decisions and because he isn't going to lead the party doesn't serve the greater good. It seems to me you can meet with party activists most any time, but I would have at least taken the time to talk with Roemer about his future participation and ideas if(when) he doesn't get the position.

We can stand up and have balls and a spine when it comes to our beliefs, without alienating moderate, or conservative democratic members.

by Sam Loomis on Sun Jan 23, 2005 at 11:53:08 AM EST

Thank you Sam Loomis! (none / 0)

Sam Loomis is right.

I am a Roemer supporter, and a large contributor to the Democratic Party. My entire family is entrenched in Colorado and Pennsylvania politics. We have spent thousands of hours helping state and national races in CO, PENN, VA, MD, IL, WI, IA, and Florida. I am pro-life, yet my mother is pro-choice. All of my family members bring different beliefs to the table. Yet we find COMMON GROUND. We find the beliefs and principles of the Democratic Party has always outweighed our personal values.

To all of you who celebrate a closed mind and are not concerned that a blogger "blew off" an opportunity to meet Roemer and hear him out, SHAME ON YOU!

You want to make this the Deniac party? Go right ahead! You will alienate yourselves from people like me who understand that diverse values, not Dr. Howard Dean, are the party's greatest asset.

How many people like me are democratic supporters? Well, ask yourself why Reid and Pelosi found COMMON GROUND to ask Roemer to run? They understand that the Democratic Party can only be successful if we embrace our diversity while sharing our principles for an America we want!

Don't you Deaniacs get it? If Dean becomes the next Chair, Dean will always be the center of attention, the easy scapegoat for anything that happens with the DNC. WE, ALL of US, are the DNC. Not one man.

Reid and Pelosi were incredibly smart for asking Roemer to run because of the shared belief that the Democratic Party is a very diverse party. Unfortunately, most bloggers have tunnel vision: They believe that DEAN is their savior. But this is not about your savior, it is about the PARTY. Many of your attempts to discredit a good man like Tim Roemer have consequences. Instead of keeping an open mind, agreeing to disagree, and keeping a productive discussion, most of you played the Republican game: Discredit, divide, and show other's in the party that it is your way or the highway.

Instead of showing this country that this party welcomes different values while committed to the same principles, all you bloggers have done is give the perception that all of you care about are your own fears. Petty.

I am 34 year old Pro-Life Catholic, self-made and retired. I am married, and we have an 8 month old son. I care about my mother's values, your values, Dean's values, and Roemer's values. I contributed to Dean's campaign last March, but I do not support him for DNC Chair. I do support Roemer. Is that really a bad thing? Is it a bad thing that I found it refreshing for senior democratic leadership to push for diverse values? Can the small group of bloggers that willingly cut Roemer down without at least talking to him be open to reconsider a discussion with Roemer? Can we find COMMON GROUND? Do you get it now?!?!

BTW - For the conspiracy theorists: I am not on Roemer's staff or an unpaid volunteer.

by Bill70 on Sun Jan 23, 2005 at 04:15:35 PM EST

this sounds like campaign spin (none / 0)

from a guy who helped raise money for a candidate

by fightforamerica on Mon Jan 24, 2005 at 10:19:16 AM EST

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