The DNC Horse Race
The Democratic National Committee will soon need a chair, even though Terry McAullife hasn't announced his resignation yet. To that end, many names have been thrown about. Apparently there are 400 members of the party's national committee. I'd like to know how they're elected and who they represent (since they clearly don't represent me and I'm a member of the Democratic Party). Anyway, here are the highlights from "Democrats Vie for Party Chair: New DNC Leader Will Determine Direction of Party," by Marc Ambinder at ABC News.
The Candidates
(1) Howard Dean and his band of merry progressives. Please remember he's not the public image y'all were excited about during the primaries. He's a fiscal conservative for goodness sake! He cut healthcare in Vermont to balance the budget! Get over your progressive dreams about the guy already.
(2) John Kerry who doesn't want the position. He'd rather put his political capital behind a nominee he likes (and stay above the money fray).
(3) Governor Vilsack of Iowa. (Don't feel bad if you've never heard of him. I live in the Midwest and the first time I heard his name was when peeps started chattering about this DNC Chair opening.)
(4) Roy Barnes, former governor of Georgia, current Atlanta lawyer. Would they really let a true Southerner into the inner sanctum of the party?
(5) Governor Mark Warner of Virginia who doesn't want the job because he'd have to give up chairmanship of the bipartisan National Governors Association.
(6) Jeanne Shaheen, Kerry's campaign chairwoman and former governor of New Hampshire who also doesn't want the gig.
(7) Simon Rosenberg, president of the New Democrat Network. Apparently liked by the young people (or at least the young folks who matter, i.e. "younger party fund-raisers")
(8) Donna Brazile, former Gore campaign manager who doesn't want it
(9) Harold Ickes, former Clinton aide who also doesn't want it
(10) LA City Council member Antonio Villaraigosa Sorry, I'm partial to the guy. He used to be the head of the State Senate and he's really telegenetic and he's super good on the issues and he should be the mayor of LA, but well, we've got a bunch of conservatives within the city's limits.
(11) California state party chairman Art Torres
(12) Wellington Webb, former Denver Mayor
(13) Rep. Dick Gephardt of Missouri (can't we just let him go back to Missouri and his family in peace? On tv, even during the presidential primaries, he seemed so washed up)
(14) Ron Kirk, former Dallas Mayor
(15) Senator John Edwards of North Carolina (who wont have a job after the next Senate session starts)
The Issues
(1) shore up the state parties in battleground states (don't mind the rest of us who live in other places cause we ain't important)
(2) engage fund-raisers
(3) heal the fractured base
(4) deal with the 2008 primary calendar
(5) deal with labor unions
(6) get in touch with the party's softer side and make a push in the heartland and the South
(7) get in touch with the information age (i.e. copy the Republican data collection model).
Personal Comment
Dems In Power really, really, really have to stop relying on labor unions for GOTV strategy. Do you see many Americans flocking to unions? I didn't think so. Relational organizing is the way to go.
The Democratic National Committee will soon need a chair, even though Terry McAullife hasn't announced his resignation yet. To that end, many names have been thrown about. Apparently there are 400 members of the party's national committee. I'd like to know how they're elected and who they represent (since they clearly don't represent me and I'm a member of the Democratic Party). Anyway, here are the highlights from "Democrats Vie for Party Chair: New DNC Leader Will Determine Direction of Party," by Marc Ambinder at ABC News.
The Candidates
(1) Howard Dean and his band of merry progressives. Please remember he's not the public image y'all were excited about during the primaries. He's a fiscal conservative for goodness sake! He cut healthcare in Vermont to balance the budget! Get over your progressive dreams about the guy already.
(2) John Kerry who doesn't want the position. He'd rather put his political capital behind a nominee he likes (and stay above the money fray).
(3) Governor Vilsack of Iowa. (Don't feel bad if you've never heard of him. I live in the Midwest and the first time I heard his name was when peeps started chattering about this DNC Chair opening.)
(4) Roy Barnes, former governor of Georgia, current Atlanta lawyer. Would they really let a true Southerner into the inner sanctum of the party?
(5) Governor Mark Warner of Virginia who doesn't want the job because he'd have to give up chairmanship of the bipartisan National Governors Association.
(6) Jeanne Shaheen, Kerry's campaign chairwoman and former governor of New Hampshire who also doesn't want the gig.
(7) Simon Rosenberg, president of the New Democrat Network. Apparently liked by the young people (or at least the young folks who matter, i.e. "younger party fund-raisers")
(8) Donna Brazile, former Gore campaign manager who doesn't want it
(9) Harold Ickes, former Clinton aide who also doesn't want it
(10) LA City Council member Antonio Villaraigosa Sorry, I'm partial to the guy. He used to be the head of the State Senate and he's really telegenetic and he's super good on the issues and he should be the mayor of LA, but well, we've got a bunch of conservatives within the city's limits.
(11) California state party chairman Art Torres
(12) Wellington Webb, former Denver Mayor
(13) Rep. Dick Gephardt of Missouri (can't we just let him go back to Missouri and his family in peace? On tv, even during the presidential primaries, he seemed so washed up)
(14) Ron Kirk, former Dallas Mayor
(15) Senator John Edwards of North Carolina (who wont have a job after the next Senate session starts)
The Issues
(1) shore up the state parties in battleground states (don't mind the rest of us who live in other places cause we ain't important)
(2) engage fund-raisers
(3) heal the fractured base
(4) deal with the 2008 primary calendar
(5) deal with labor unions
(6) get in touch with the party's softer side and make a push in the heartland and the South
(7) get in touch with the information age (i.e. copy the Republican data collection model).
Personal Comment
Dems In Power really, really, really have to stop relying on labor unions for GOTV strategy. Do you see many Americans flocking to unions? I didn't think so. Relational organizing is the way to go.
