MyDD :: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair

Dean To Stay As DNC Chair

by Josh Orton, Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 12:14:39 PM EST

Via TPM:

Here's the statement, sent over by Obama campaign spokesperson Bill Burton:

"Senator Obama appreciates the hard work that Chairman Dean has done to grow our party at the grassroots level and looks forward to working with him as the chairman of the Democratic Party as we go forward."

It's already been reported that Paul Tewes, Obama's former Iowa state director and adviser, has moved to the DNC to facilitate the turn to Obama's general election. Tewes is a brilliant organizer and a great guy. All signs so far point to a seamless transition to the general election.

Update [2008-6-5 12:41:35 by Josh Orton]: And another good sign: the DNC will no longer accept contributions from federal lobbyists or PACs, just like Obama.

Dean's statement (via email):

"The DNC and the Obama Campaign are unified and working together to elect Barack Obama as the next president of the United States. Our presumptive nominee has pledged not to take donations from Washington lobbyists and from today going forward the DNC makes that pledge as well," said Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean. "Senator Obama has promised to change the way things are done in Washington and this step is a sure sign of his commitment. The American people's priorities will set the agenda in an Obama Administration, not the special interests."

Tags: Howard Dean, Barack Obama (all tags)

Permalink :: 105 Comments :: Post a Comment

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (2.00 / 2)

No surprises there and one less ruction to deal with in an election year.

by Shaun Appleby on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 12:22:48 PM EST

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (2.00 / 2)

wow this is fantastic news. I was fearing that Clinton would have installed a McAuliffe clone in there should she have won, and that Obama would have rewarded Axelrod or some other loyalist to the post as well as is usually done.

I am very very glad Dean will stay. I think we need a DNC that is a little bit independent from the president. It has to be a robust organization that doesn't simply serve the re-election interests of the president in power at the moment, and work on party building.

by need some wood on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 12:24:14 PM EST

I doubt the Axe wanted that (2.00 / 2)

Axelrod is more of a behind-the-scenes sorta guy.

Besides, Obama owes his candidacy to Dean's strategy, so they already have a good working relationship.

You can't stop the signal.

President "That One"

by Dracomicron on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 12:27:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (2.00 / 1)

McAuliffe would have been awful! he only gets animated to fight against Democrats, and totally lays down against Republicans.

Take a look at his miserable stats from 2002 and 2004... the state parties were practically bankrupt after his colossal waste of time and resources.

Now that Dean is hiring "nosepickers" in MS, we've made that, and 49 other states, competitive again!

"This was never part of our arrangement, Specter" "I am altering the deal! Pray I don't alter it any further!" "This deal keeps getting worse all the time!"

by LordMike on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 12:45:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

McAwful? lol! eom (none / 0)

Senator Al Franken. Have I died and gone to heaven?

by NM Ward Chair on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:24:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (2.00 / 4)

Excellent. Dean's 50-state strategy is a proven winner and has led to much of our current success as a party.

There is NO STATE which we can't flip. None of them. There is no place in America which is so Republican, that we have no hope of winning there. Failure to recognize this, insisting that the old patterns are set in stone, is what the Republicans are doing; and it isn't working any longer...

by Lawyerish on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 12:24:58 PM EST

Utah? (none / 0)

by emptythreatsfarm on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 02:07:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Utah? (2.00 / 1)

UT-02 has a Democrat, Jim Matheson. He's a blue dog, of course, but he's still a Democrat.

by nathanp on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 05:52:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Utah? (2.00 / 1)

If Rocky Anderson can get elected mayor of SLC, why not??

Bush murders soldiers for profit. McCain wants to wet his beak.

by awobbly on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 08:36:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Why not? (2.00 / 2)

Honestly, Dean is damn good at what he does. I know some folks here have taken issue with his hardliner stance on Michigan and Florida, but there's no way that he could be construed as weak; the results speak for themselves: Big gains in 2006, compared to his predecessor, McAluffe, and the losses of 2002 and 2004.

If he wants to keep doing the DNC job, he should. I've heard rumors that Harold Ford, Jr. was being considered for the DNC chair position under a Clinton administration: I could not be more against this idea.

You can't stop the signal.

President "That One"

by Dracomicron on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 12:25:46 PM EST

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (2.00 / 6)

Actually I think Obama's campaign this primary was a direct off-shoot of Dean's dream back when he ran. The missing piece to Dean's campaign was that extra charisma factor. So, I can't help but think Dean and Obama are right on the same page on most issues regarding how to run the campaign.

by notedgeways on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 12:27:10 PM EST

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (2.00 / 1)

VERY wise move.

He makes mistakes occasionally, but this cannot be counted as one.

Time to moneybomb the DNC.

I'm riding the Low Road Express. Join me at www.lowroadexpress.com

by LtWorf on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 12:29:21 PM EST

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (2.00 / 1)

More organizational talent at the DNC can only be a good thing. I think the Obama team will continue and increase the 50 state policy.

by Demo Dan in Dayton on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 12:32:07 PM EST

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (2.00 / 1)

50 state strategy? Very funny. Time to wake up guys.

by gorgias on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 12:41:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (2.00 / 1)

Your impeccable logic has utterly convinced me.

I come here for the lulz.

by username on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:11:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (2.00 / 1)

I've seen the eroor of my ways, gorgias.

I had the wierdest dream, that we just won three special elections in Republican districts. But gorgias has now proven that the 50-state strategy never existed.

by JoeW on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:32:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (none / 0)

But how much of this is due to the "Fift state strategy?" Special elections aren't what the fift state strategy is aimed at. Special elections, by definition, occur during off periods, when we can afford to concentrate on these races because they happen in isolation. We aren't forced to make choices of which ones to contest. We've won plenty of them from the GOP before. And the political environment favors us for reasons other than strategical reasons (high gas, Iraq war, sub prime mess, Bush)

by Mayor McCheese on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:37:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (2.00 / 3)

Join me in a four syllable mantra:

In.
Fra.
Struc.
Ture.

Meaning, special election, special circustances, special candidates, special lettuce, special orders don't upset us... all don't matter a whit if you aren't ready on the ground to mobilize the team, get the ball rolling, and various other sports metaphores.

Having that ability is the 50 state strategy.

Fight the Smears!

by Lettuce on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 02:24:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (none / 0)

I knew a simplistic mantra was coming, just didn't know when. So there was NO Democratic IN FRA STRUC TURE prior to the 50 state strategy?

by Mayor McCheese on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 02:29:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (2.00 / 2)

Frankly, very little.

I was with Obama from the start.

by SpanishFly on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 02:52:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (none / 0)

Yes, this is true, very very little. If you were from a red area, you rarely, if ever, got training or even useful technical assistance. The change was really obvious in 2006 - we even got a paid party organizer in our little red town, and it made a huge difference in building the party. Still not enough Democrats, but a lot more than there used to be!

by travelerkaty on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 05:26:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (none / 0)

"Yes, he's in trouble, in that campaign managers, candidates, are really angry with him. He has raised $74 million and spent $64 million. He says it's a long-term strategy. But what he has spent it on, apparently, is just hiring a bunch of staff people to wander around Utah and Mississippi and pick their nose. That's not how you build a party. You win elections. That's how you build a party."
- Paul Begala on Howard Dean and the DNC's 50 State Strategy,
CNN - May 11 2006

Hahahahahaha. You were wrong. Yet you draw a larger salary than me. sigh.

Fight the Smears!

by Lettuce on Fri Jun 06, 2008 at 05:04:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (none / 0)

This is correct. And also an argument for caucuses over primaries in certain states as they generate activism. Kos had a good post about that a few days ago. I know Jerome is down on caucuses because they helped defeat his candidate but there is a lot to be said for them and Dean's leadership of the 50 state strategy.

However, I still wish Dean had simply penalized Florida and Michigan with the 50% hit right up front so both could've campaigned there and we wouldn't have had so much drama at the end. Oh well. Dean isn't perfect. Who knew?

I was with Obama from the start.

by SpanishFly on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 02:51:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (none / 0)

Excuse us: The 49.5 state strategy.

I just usually round up to 50, since almost everyone else has dropped this issue by now.

Obama/Adam West or Bruce Campbell or Lucy Lawless '08

by Purple with Green Stipes and Pink Polka Dots Dem on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:48:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Sheer comedy (none / 0)

I'll have to remember that comment. Thanks for the guffaw.

by gchaucer2 on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:53:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (2.00 / 2)

Sending $25 to the DNC now.

Fill that bat!

Two riders were approaching......the wind begins to howl!

by John in Chicago on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 12:37:52 PM EST

And here I thought... (2.00 / 1)

he was going to bring back Terry McAuliffe.

by rebop on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 12:40:05 PM EST

No wonder... (none / 0)

...Terry was drinking heavily yesterday.

You can't stop the signal.

President "That One"

by Dracomicron on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:05:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: No wonder... (2.00 / 1)

It was sort of sad watching him at the very end. To my dismay, the imagine of Baghdad Bob popped into my head while I was watching him introduce Hillary on Tuesday night.

Obama/Adam West or Bruce Campbell or Lucy Lawless '08

by Purple with Green Stipes and Pink Polka Dots Dem on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:53:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: No wonder... (2.00 / 1)

Ooops. Should say: "image of Baghdad Bob"

Obama/Adam West or Bruce Campbell or Lucy Lawless '08

by Purple with Green Stipes and Pink Polka Dots Dem on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:54:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

this is the Democratic Party i've been wating for (2.00 / 2)

For the first time in years, the party, the candidate, and the potential feels powerful!

by ksh on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 12:41:18 PM EST

Re: this is the Democratic Party i've been wating (2.00 / 2)

Addendum..one-half of the party feels energized, the other half, not so much.

by gorgias on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 12:42:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: this is the Democratic Party i've been wating (2.00 / 1)

Well, then get off your butt if you really care about your issues.

by zadura on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:12:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Hillary's half? (none / 0)

Don't blame Dean for that. He's not the candidate who can't believe she lost.

Senator Al Franken. Have I died and gone to heaven?

by NM Ward Chair on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:22:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: this is the Democratic Party i've been wating (none / 0)

Yeah, take it out on the party.

That'll certainly show Senator Clinton you care about her issues.

by JoeW on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:33:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: this is the Democratic Party i've been wating (none / 0)

Well those that haven't already gotten on board should do so. And the earlier the better. This is after all about the future of the free world, and success thrives on constructive criticism and a wide array of ideas.

I understand that people can feel pretty deflated; their vehicle for change had a flat and ran it's tires down to the rims. But the Obama Bus has new run-flats, and there's always room for one more!

Er I mean, if you can find that excitement for Obama, it would probably lift your spirits. Sorry about the bad metaphor.

by SummertimeDissent on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 03:46:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Get busy (none / 0)

door's open.

by ksh on Fri Jun 06, 2008 at 12:20:01 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (2.00 / 2)

Well, that cements my decision to with hold contributions from the DNC, and remain NPA for the near future.

Dean HAD a '50 state' strategy, but he demonstrated he was more than willing to shut out Democrats who weren't guilty of any wrongdoing on their own. Florida may not be 'flippable' simply due to Dean's and the DNC rules committees decision.

Now I'm all for unity and moving forward with the race to defeat McCain, but call it like it is; this is the first 'payback' we shall see for those who paved the way for Obama's nomination win. As usual with politics, I am sure more will follow.

Hell's bells, even the GOP didn't have to crucify Eisenhower's record in order to make Reagan their 'saint'. We can have two great ones, you know?

by emsprater on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 12:47:09 PM EST

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (2.00 / 3)

Florida may not be flippable because of Dean's decisions as the Presidential lever BUT guess what is?

FL-08 (Keller), FL-13 (Buchanan), FL-18 (Ros-Lletham), FL-21 (Dialz-Balart), FL-24 (Feeney), and FL-25 (Dial-Balart).

Do you see that? 6 seats for the United States congress. Because of how Dean has organized state parties those seats are in play, especially 18, 21, and 25 are because of his efforts for us not to concede diddly. We also should pick up some more state house seats due to his organization at the state level.

So tell me, how is he not paying off for Florida?

by Trowaman on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:01:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (2.00 / 2)

I'm not at all sure that the possible gains you attribute to Dean are really 'his' to claim.

Much of what is happening statewide in Florida is the same that is happening everywhere; disgust with the GOP. That's the bottom line, and in that climate, GWB is due much more 'credit' for possible gains in anytown America than Dean is.

If he really stood for Democrats not 'conceeding diddly', then he would never have shut us out for an action that the rank and file voters of Florida were not guilty of.

He blew that. We can agree that Dean is responsible for the current organization of states parties. That's how the independents were able to shove their way into our primary process in some places and give his preferred candidate the win.

Hell's bells, even the GOP didn't have to crucify Eisenhower's record in order to make Reagan their 'saint'. We can have two great ones, you know?

by emsprater on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:09:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (none / 0)

Dean actually deserves very little credit for what happened in 06. The fift state stratgy could not have possibly bourne fruit in so little time. I was only rolled out in the summer of 06 and it a long term strategy, aimed at rebuilding weak state parties from the lower levels, not about winning congressional seats right off the back. An unpopular president, an unpopular war, high gas prices, Abramoff, Delay under indictment and Mark Foley sending naughty IMS to teenage boys had more to with 06.

by Mayor McCheese on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:25:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (2.00 / 1)

Sure, believe that.

And the awful Democratic losses most elections from 1994 on were a mark of the great success of previous strategies.

Welcome to Bizarro World.

by JoeW on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:34:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (none / 0)

Yeah, how silly of me to think that things like an unpopular president, unpopular war and congressional scandals could cause election loses to the party in power. Bizarre indeed. It must have been because of a strategy that was announced five months before the elections. Right!

by Mayor McCheese on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:38:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (2.00 / 2)

Oh okay. So the voters just magically showed up in Nov. 2006 and had nothing to do with the organization and funds as instructed by Dean and the national party?

Because, as a Texan, I KNOW our gains were possible because of what Dean did, that and we got new/better chairman elected in Spring 2006. Still, the people that were sent to our state to permanently work it on behalf of the state party made it possible to turn our wishes into organized victory.

People are angry with Republicans, DNC organization turned those into votes.

by Trowaman on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:34:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (2.00 / 2)

Hush, Trowaman.

You're getting in the way of a sulk.

by JoeW on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:35:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (none / 0)

There's nothign magic about it at all. Voters punished the presidents party because it was on the wrong side of the issues. The credit Howard did for roughly average House gains seems a bit shortsighted to me.

by Mayor McCheese on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:41:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (2.00 / 1)

Excellent logic.

Now that we're winning, let's toss out the guy, who was "coincidentally" in charge of the DNC during our ascendancy.

I'm sure that there are many other, more "coincidentally" successful ex-DNC chairs that we can bring back, to deal with this sinking ship...oh wait, there are no other living ex-DNC chairs who have "coincidentally" presided over this kind of rocket ship ride.

You're right. Dean was incredibly lucky to have "coincidentally" shoved his way into the job, right before we became a nuclear power rocket ship.

Obama/Adam West or Bruce Campbell or Lucy Lawless '08

by Purple with Green Stipes and Pink Polka Dots Dem on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 02:08:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (none / 0)

Excellent straw man. When did I saw we should toss out Dean?

by Mayor McCheese on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 02:19:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (none / 0)

Thank you...I also thought it was a pretty good strawman. ;-)

Not to polarize the point anymore: Dean has sat at the head of the DNC during the most successful expansion of the party, in modern political times. This point, cannot be argued. If you prefer to imply that it's all coincidence, fine.

Cheers

Obama/Adam West or Bruce Campbell or Lucy Lawless '08

by Purple with Green Stipes and Pink Polka Dots Dem on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 02:56:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (2.00 / 2)

Dare I say you are making a sow's ear out of a silk purse.

by Shaun Appleby on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:04:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (none / 0)

I suppose it depends on whether you are one of the angry Floridians.

There's more of us than just me, or a handful, or a bus load or a protest group. Most of us who are steamed at Dean are silent and never say much in the public venue. That's why he needs to do something quick to heal the gaping wound he has caused by slicing Florida off the map.

Hell's bells, even the GOP didn't have to crucify Eisenhower's record in order to make Reagan their 'saint'. We can have two great ones, you know?

by emsprater on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:12:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (none / 0)

Yeah, but that's just one issue, albeit a gnarly one. Dean did a great job in 2006 and his common cause with progressives and Obama is just our good luck, it seems, bearing fruit right at the moment. No tree has branches so foolish as to fight among themselves.

by Shaun Appleby on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:17:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Irate FL voters (2.00 / 1)

Vent your ire on the FL Democratic leadership, and on the Rethuglican legislature and Governor who presented them with a catch-22. You could have had a party-run primary on or after Feb. 5, and all your votes would have counted. Instead, presumably to save money, your votes count for 50% of the delegates.

The FL and MI debacles were not Howard Dean's fault. He did the only thing he could do - insist that party rules be enforced. You got a delegation seated at the convention, right? So kwitcherbitchin.

Hillary was the person who resisted all reasonable compromise over the issue; she's responsible for dragging it out 'til June. She's also responsible for the ludicrous idea that the situation in any way resembles the 2000 GE.

Senator Al Franken. Have I died and gone to heaven?

by NM Ward Chair on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:20:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Irate FL voters (2.00 / 2)

I take it from your name you are in NM.

All you know of the situation here in Florida on the ground is what you read in the news or what you get on the blogs, and granted, since you seem to be an Obama supporter from 'day one', I am sure you had a predisposed bias towards all the news or information you gathered about the situation. I'll admit I do as well, however, I AM a Floridian, here and know what occurred, how it went and who got the shaft. As for the money, the Florida party did not have the funds to hold such an event. The Obama folks in the DNC wanted us to do a caucus. We all know how that would turn out, and it is not something that Florida Democrats wanted to have occur.

I'm not going to rehash this issue everytime I bring it up, because there's no changing minds on either side. However, you do yourself and your candidate (maybe mine too) no good by continually telling the folks in Florida to 'kwitcherbitchin' and take our lumps and take our seats on the back of the bus like good little soldiers. Not gonna happen.

Dean had other choices from the start. He chose not to take them. One of those choices was to stand up and congratulate the Florida Democrats in the legislature for obtaining the paper trail for voter verification in elections. He didn't , all he and the DNC did was criticize the Democrats here who could not have overcome the GOP majority vote under any circumstances. It was what it was, and Dean blew it.

Hell's bells, even the GOP didn't have to crucify Eisenhower's record in order to make Reagan their 'saint'. We can have two great ones, you know?

by emsprater on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:40:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Why should Floridians be angry? (none / 0)

Your delegation was seated in proportion to the vote, just reduced to half votes per the standing DNC rules that were in place before FL jumped the schedule. The state got pretty much as good a deal as can be expected given the circumstances. Be pissed off at your local party, not the DNC.

by protothad on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:45:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Yup, the angry Floridians (none / 0)

just came out with one of the best attack ads against McCain -- sounds like they are really holding a grudge. Bwaaahaaaaa.

by gchaucer2 on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:55:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (2.00 / 6)

I am crazy about Howard Dean and have always regretted what was done to him and that he did not become president.

Dean was a gift to this country as a presidential candidate and a gift to the Democratic party.

by Juno on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 12:50:07 PM EST

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (2.00 / 1)

I'll say one thing, you never cease to surprise me.

by Shaun Appleby on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:02:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (none / 0)

Why?

Because I'm not a group-think type of person??

How sad that such a person is surprising these days.

by Juno on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:23:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (none / 0)

Hey, I'm not complaining. But you've got a point.

by Shaun Appleby on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:29:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Howard Dean (none / 0)

The gift who keeps on giving! ;-D

Senator Al Franken. Have I died and gone to heaven?

by NM Ward Chair on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:12:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Howard Dean (none / 0)

There's medicine for that now, ya know? ;-)

Hell's bells, even the GOP didn't have to crucify Eisenhower's record in order to make Reagan their 'saint'. We can have two great ones, you know?

by emsprater on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:20:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (none / 0)

What was done to Dean?

by Mayor McCheese on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:30:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (none / 0)

I agree, Juno!

by JoeW on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:36:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I don't always agree with Juno... (none / 0)

... but on this point we are in complete agreement. Dean is a credit to the Democratic party. Enjoy a big slice of mojo. :)

by protothad on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:49:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (2.00 / 1)

I am in complete agreement, Juno. I was a Deaniac in 2002, I knew we were looking at a transformational person who could bring about a paradigm change the second I heard him speak.

I think we all know the GOP and their supporters in the media did their best to sabotage and destroy Howard Dean's candidacy that long week after Iowa.

I am SOOOO happy that Dean was elected our Chair, I wrote letter after letter opposing Donnie Fowler and Emnmanuel and the rest of the crew that wanted control of the Party.

Dean's vision, his leadership, his inspiration, his drive, his people skills, his endless enthusiasm, his tough, wrestler's patience to take punishment until he gets a hold he can win with, have all shown us one thing: Dean has been MUCH more of a factor in demolishing and demoralizing the corrupt, powerful Right than he would ever have been as a weak President tied in knots by a strong GOP Congress.

The only things I truly, painfully regret are Roberts and Alito. Other than that, he's done a better job as Chairman than as President.

He certainly has fulfilled his promise to change our Party for the better, to keep planting, tending, and feeding our grassroots, and especially to teach the old, insider-led Democratic Party how to use the energy and drive of young people who care in building grassroots organizations that have brought the pillars of the GOP crashing down around their ears.

I'm not sure what the future holds for Howard Dean, but I would support him in any endeavor.

by dembluestates on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 03:33:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (2.00 / 2)

I wonder if Donna Brazile is crying in her cornflakes this morning.

I was for Dean in 2004.. haven't exactly been thrilled with him this year but I am glad to hear Donna is not getting the job.

by JustJennifer on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 12:53:39 PM EST

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (2.00 / 2)

I didn't care for Dean's performance with the MI and FL issues. But overall, he has introduced integrity to the DNC overall.

Maybe he can do something about democrat controlled communities not buying Diebold machines. We need to fund or patronize another company that is more transparent with its product.

by Pravin on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:02:44 PM EST

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (2.00 / 1)

Re: FL and MI - What did you realistically expect the man to do? It was a no-win situation.

Re: Diebold - none of the voting machine vendors are any better. This is a problem that must be dealt with in legislation.

Senator Al Franken. Have I died and gone to heaven?

by NM Ward Chair on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:11:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (none / 0)

I believe Sequoia, used here in Illinois, is considered the Democratic version of Diebold. For myself, I'm sick of crooked elections no matter who benefits. I always ask for the machine-readable paper ballot, although the Judges of Election are instructed to push the gee-whiz Sequoia machine.

by antiHyde on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 11:13:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]

A good sign? (2.00 / 1)

"And another good sign: the DNC will no longer accept contributions from federal lobbyists or PACs, just like Obama."

Well, ok, nothing against reducing lobbyists' influence in general, but is it really a good idea for the DNC to be the spearhead of this drive? Afaik the DNC is already critically behind the RNC regarding fundraising, and further reducing the flow of money now will have serious consequences for the Dem challengers of vulnerable GOP seats.
:-/

No way, no how, no McCain!

by Gray on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:09:42 PM EST

Re: A good sign? (2.00 / 1)

I wouldn't worry about money. Both Clinton and Obama have tons of maxed out donors who would be happy to donate to the nominee's committee. With the recently combined Obama and Clinton finance staffs taking over the DNC will raise plenty of money.

by souvarine on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:16:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: A good sign? (none / 0)

I think you will find that it will do more good than not. Obama supporters that were hesitant to donate directly to the DNC (like me) will now be more willing. Expect a bump in the fundraising numbers as us Obamabots show our approval by voting with our wallets. :) There is also intangible gains in the rhetorical battle with McCain; it undermines McCains cred as a reformer and demonstrates that Obama really is bringing change to Washington.

Plus, its just the right thing to do, gosh darn it all!

Peace

by protothad on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:56:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: A good sign? (2.00 / 1)

By PAC monet, are they including NARAL, NOW, Union COPA funds and the like? Or only corporate PAC's.

I always felt that interest group PAC's were a good idea.

by antiHyde on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 11:15:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: A good sign? (none / 0)

"I always felt that interest group PAC's were a good idea."
Good point. Yeah, really, will they throw out the "good" PACs together with the "bad" ones? And will someone sort them out? This might easily become more complicated than the DNC thinks right now...

No way, no how, no McCain!

by Gray on Fri Jun 06, 2008 at 06:03:20 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (1.50 / 2)

I'm disappoited the choice of keeping Dean in the DNC chair.

He has been a real disappointment. Good thing he was not President. He can barely handle the DNC.

Glad to hear he's not taking lobby money anymore. That's more money for the Republicans.

Smart move.

by stefystef on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:10:47 PM EST

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (2.00 / 1)

Wow...I can't even tell if those last two lines are bitter snark or not.

by JoeW on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:37:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (2.00 / 1)

Nice comment - I like the republican cheerleading. I checked out your last 5 comments, and on their basis you must have enough McSame blog points for the nosehair trimmer, right? I hope you get it soon!

Also, why are you still here?

by SupremeCourt on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:42:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (none / 0)

I'm still here because I am.

Not all Democrats will jump on the bandwagon and drink the Kool-Aid. And there are millions who don't buy the hype. They are just staying very quiet until November.

Then the surprise will be on Obama.

You can't always buy fame or elections

by stefystef on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 02:48:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (none / 0)

Your banking on the Silent Majority?

by antiHyde on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 11:16:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Sorry to hear you feel that way (2.00 / 2)

Dean's rejection of lobbyists is one of the main reasons I supported his presidential run. It is a primary reason why I now support Obama. I like and respect Clinton and would have gladly voted for her if she had won the nom, but when she defended lobbyists at YearlyKos, thats what tipped me in favor of Edwards and later Obama.

Lobbyist/PAC money is a cancer eating away at the integrity of our democracy. That the Republicans take their money is not enough of a reason for us to do it also. You can't fight corruption with more corruption.

Not that I'm saying that every politician that takes lobbyist money is corrupt, but it does open the door to that slippery slope. At the very least, it makes them less responsive to individual voters.

Just IMHO, of course.

Peace

by protothad on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 02:06:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Sorry to hear you feel that way (none / 0)

And what I'm saying that on the surface, rejecting the lobbyist money through the front door seems noble, but we know from the Obama campaign that lobbyists money has been filtered into his campaign through other means.

This leaves lobbyists no recourse but to finance McCain and put a lot of money into Republican 527s.

I know the Obama followers are feeling high on the Kool-Aid right now, but influence pedaling always finds a way to get what it wants.

Of course, anything posted that would have even the slightest criticism of the lord and savior, Barack Obama, is assumed to be a Republican troll.

If you want me to be a "troll", fine. I'll be whatever makes you happy. But it won't stop my comments.

Speaking truth to arrogance

That's why there will be no unity in this party. "The Bubbas" are going to take their VOTE and go home. The members of the Church of Obama will save the day.

by stefystef on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 02:45:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Please supply evidence of your claims. (none / 0)

Others have made the claim that Obama accepts 'the most money from such-and-such industry' or that he gets money from lobbyists via some undisclosed means, but I've made an exhaustive study of his campaign finance reports and I see no evidenc of it... indeed, no feasible way it is possible with the small dollar size of most of his donations. If he was getting money in that fashion, he would have far more maxed out donors.

And please don't point me to some spun-up article from a pundit that does not back up his/her claims. It is too easy to use the demographic/employment stats from his individual donor filings to claim something like 'Obama receives the most money from the medical industry', which is a total distortion of the facts. A donation from a nurses aid is not equivilent to money from a pharmacutical lobbyist/bundler.

As stated in a another thread, I may have drank the Obama Koolaid, but I did read the ingredients label first (i.e. fiance reports and voting record). I am not so naive as to think we can easily remove the influence of money from politics, but it does matter where that money comes from. A candidate financed on millions of small donations from from individual citizens IS funimentally different from one that gets a large slice of funding from corporate PACs. Really, what is the point of electing more Democrats if they just beholding to the same corporate sponsors that the Republicans have sold out to? As the saying goes, if you want to see where a person's loyalties lie, just look to who pays him or her.

And for the record, I don't think you are a troll, but I do find your cynicism a bit saddening. I hope perhaps when Obama actually does win in November despite rejecting lobbyist money, you will begin to believe that we really can hold our leaders to a higher standard.

Peace

by protothad on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 10:11:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (2.00 / 1)

Uh, the DNC chair always completes his term. Dean would have remained chair through the election regardless of the nominee. The not unexpected news here is that Tewes, who I am not a big fan of, is taking over the running of the DNC. Tewes is a long-time fixture and field expert in the party committees and he knows where the bathrooms are, so he can hit the ground running. What will be interesting is how Tewes chooses to reorganize the DNC.

by souvarine on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:12:18 PM EST

I dont' get this diary (none / 0)

Was there a question as to whether Dean WASN'T goign to stay through until next winter? All that article says is that Dean looks forward to working with senator Obama going forward, which as DNC chairman, he sure has heck better be committed to doing. That's all this article says.

by Mayor McCheese on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:19:46 PM EST

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (none / 0)

Goddamn, it feels good to be a Democrat.

I'm as strong as a bull moose, and you can use me to the limit. - Teddy Roosevelt

by fogiv on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:34:14 PM EST

No lobbyists? (none / 0)

... but... but... they're people too!

Stop H8

by mikeinsf on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:40:27 PM EST

Re: No lobbyists? (none / 0)

Not just people... 'real Americans.' Which is true enough, I suppose.

by Shaun Appleby on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:47:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (2.00 / 1)

As long as Obama WINS. If Obama loses? Dean will be tossed so far from the Democratic Party that he will need NASA to coordinate his return. EVERYTHING will be blamed on him, if there is a loss- and honestly? Rightly so.

by easyE on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 01:44:17 PM EST

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (none / 0)

NASA needed to find Dean? Okay, that was very VERY funny.

Good one. : )

by stefystef on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 02:35:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Why are you asking (none / 0)

what Obama thinks about Bush's secret plan to keep bases in Iraq? And what the hell does this have to do with lobbyists?

by gchaucer2 on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 02:00:57 PM EST

Perhaps the suggestion is that... (2.00 / 2)

Lobbyists are pushing much of the bad policy currently being implemented in Iraq. Billions are being made by war profiteers over there. I would be surprised if firms like Haliburton and Blackwater were not lobbying for the policies that perpetuate that mess.

The single most effective thing we can do for the longterm health of our nation is to remove the corrupting influence of K-Street money in our government. This has been the driving issue that has made me a Dean supporter, then an Edwards supporter, and now an Obama supporter. Obama isn't just talking about change, he has demostrated his commitment to this issue with how he runs and finances his campain. Conseqently, it is no accident he has accumulated the largest grass roots following and small dollar donor base of any candidate to date.

Maybe I've drank the Obama Koolaid... but it wasn't before reading the ingredients on the label. ;)

by protothad on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 02:17:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Tough to follow (none / 0)

you when you write non sequiturs.

by gchaucer2 on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 02:17:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: (2.00 / 1)

"The DNC and the Obama Campaign are unified and working together to elect Barack Obama.."

This is nothing new -- has been the case from the get-go of the primary season.

by moevaughn on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 02:09:49 PM EST

Very smart (none / 0)

Second thing in two days that leaves me feeling more comfortable having him as the nominee.

Between this and buttonholing Lieberman, thumbs way up. Now if someone could only talk to him abt that AIPAC speech ...

by Natasha Chart on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 02:35:34 PM EST

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (none / 0)

So Tewes is coming in to overhaul the DNC. Anyone who has worked for a company that has a new "consultant" come in to evaluate the organization knows this could mean some house cleaning. Interesting.

by JustJennifer on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 03:30:16 PM EST

Re: Lobbyists (none / 0)

It's fine and good to say that Obama has not taken money from PAC's or lobbyists.

Except he HAS.

Read this through:

http://www.cjr.org/campaign_desk/obamas_ lobbyist_line.php

..."It's a politically smart position for him to take. It sounds profound," says Massie Ritsch, communications director for the Center for Responsive Politics. "But in fact neither PACs nor lobbyists give a lot to presidential campaigns. He's not leaving a whole lot of money on the table by eschewing PACs and lobbyists." PAC money represents only about one percent of all the money in a presidential race because, Ritsch says, so many people donate that their contributions dwarf PAC money.

Significantly, the Center's lobbyist sector excludes in-house lobbyists who work solely for one company, union, trade association, or other group. These people may lobby, but their contributions are grouped in the totals for the various industries they represent, along with contributions from other employees in the sector, their relatives, whatever PAC money has been raised, and donations from trade and professional associations which, of course, carry lots of weight in the horse trading that occurs when legislation is drafted. (Corporations cannot contribute directly to candidates.)

Contributions made by the various industry sectors tell the real story in a presidential race. And Opensecrets.org shows that Obama is picking up gobs of money put on the table by these special interests--including those involved in health care, which will surely have a lot riding on the outcome of the election and will expect to be heard after the election is over.

Consider the sector called lawyers and law firms. Clearly, lawyers and law firms lobby on behalf of their own interests--like fighting malpractice reform, which could again surface as a thorny issue for the new administration. Clinton and Obama have raised similar amounts from lawyers and law firms--$11.8 and $9.5 million. McCain and Huckabee have taken far less. The health sector has also given to Obama, Clinton, and McCain. In the pharmaceutical and health product industries, contributions to Clinton total $349,000 and $338,000 to Obama. Again, McCain trails in donations at about $98,000, an indication that the sector sees the real action on the Democratic side of the ballot. Health professionals, which include doctors, nurses, and dentists, have given Clinton some $2.3 million and Obama $1.7 million.

Last August The Boston Globe, in a piece by Scott Helman, took a hard look at Obama's contributions, noting that "behind Obama's campaign rhetoric about taking on special interests lies a more complicated truth." That truth revealed that as a state legislator in Illinois, a U.S. senator, and as a presidential aspirant, Obama had collected hundreds of thousands of dollars from lobbyists and PACs. Helman quoted an Obama campaign spokeswoman saying that after he experienced firsthand the influence of Washington lobbyists, he was taking a different approach to fundraising than he had in the past, and that "his leadership position on this issue is an evolving process." If Obama's leadership on campaign financing is indeed evolving, more news outlets should be following the evolution....

CJR

by dembluestates on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 03:42:14 PM EST

Re: Lobbyists (none / 0)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48LS-Z3Wd hs

I was with Obama from the start.

by SpanishFly on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 04:12:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Lobbyists (none / 0)

Spanish, Obama and you seem to be begging the question here: "Who are you going to believe? Me, or your OWN lyin' eyes??"

I just watched your YouTube, and I immediately noticed he was VERRY careful to say he didn't take money from "Federally Registered Lobbyists".

Which was exactly the point of the Columbia Journalism article I quoted above.

by dembluestates on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 04:26:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Lobbyists (none / 0)

Here's another that suggests you can only get so "clean".

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007 04/22/681

I guess the question is how deep in their pockets are each of these guys (McCain vs. Obama at this point) and who do you trust not to be bought and sold.

I'm here, on MyDD, because I support the Democrat and trust him more than any Republican out there, particularly McCain and his lobbyist bus, the Bullshit Express.

I was with Obama from the start.

by SpanishFly on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 04:32:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Lobbyists (none / 0)

give it the fuck up...
This is not last week's
MyDD..

"harlequin speech of suicide, demanding instantaneous lobotomy"

by nogo postal on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 07:50:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Obama and Dean: Two class acts. (none / 0)

Anybody's vote is worth having. But not everybody's vote is worth campaigning for.

by Freespeechzone on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 05:14:41 PM EST

The scarey thing is..... (2.00 / 1)

If the Wright Distraction had come along and been exploited endlessly and shamelessly immediately after Iowa, as the Dean Scream was, Dean would be out as DNC chair right now and some Hillshill installed in his place.

Unlike Dean, Obama had fortunately already secured the nomination when it happened to him and had plenty of room and time to outmaneuver it.

Anybody's vote is worth having. But not everybody's vote is worth campaigning for.

by Freespeechzone on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 05:32:38 PM EST

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (none / 0)

Our Party is Obama's party now.
He is the tip of our Party Leadership.
A part of his victory was the new territory survey done by Dr. Dean in 2003.

Dr. Dean taught us...
The money world of influence has changed.
Dr. Dean taught us...
"Every district, Every State."

DLC
We cry not for thee...
in some book..
You'll show up in
chapter three....

"harlequin speech of suicide, demanding instantaneous lobotomy"

by nogo postal on Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 07:47:59 PM EST

Re: Dean To Stay As DNC Chair (none / 0)

We all know how that would turn out, and it is not something that Florida Democrats wanted to have occur.

Flashlights rc helicopter video game

by anasky123 on Wed Jun 25, 2008 at 02:28:51 AM EST

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