Value Judgment: Dean and the DNC

Value Judgment is a daily weblog written by two independent voters on the eastern seaboard of the United States. VJ will focus on the 2004 U.S. Presidential campaigns, including strategy, tactics, and substance. The authors supported Howard Dean in the Democratic primary. Accordingly, his activities will be a prominent topic on this site.

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November 9, 2004

Dean and the DNC

Dean is said to be considering whether to throw his hat in for DNC chairman. (See all the various dKos threads about it.) He'd be foolish not to at least consider it, but on balance I think he should remain with DFA outside of the party infrastructure. That would allow him more flexibility and potentially more influence on pressure points.

In addition, he'd presumably be committing to not running in 2008, and while I don't know what I think about his national election chances, I don't think he should cut off that option at this point.

However, should he decide that DNC chair is the best option, he'll have my full support.

Posted by J at November 9, 2004 11:12 AM

Comments

Hear, hear.

Posted by: V at November 9, 2004 11:15 AM

I like the idea I heard about Bill Clinton for head of DNC. Talk about a guy who can reach out to anyone. But perhaps he doesn't need all that stress. I'd be happy with Bubba as Secretary-General of the U.N. as well.

Posted by: Elle Wiz at November 9, 2004 02:33 PM

What's the mechanism by which one is chosen to BECOME chairman? What hurdles does Dean have to get over?

Posted by: Janis at November 9, 2004 05:30 PM

it's a bunch of prominent Democrats (mostly elected officials and other party bigwigs) who make up the party --- 200-400 people or something like that, and there's some (probably arcane) voting process. Something like that.. I think someone over at Kos wrote up some of that details, but it's one of the things that is shrouded in party mystery... Ooooo...

Posted by: J at November 9, 2004 05:58 PM

I'm pretty skeptical that the Dem establishment would want Dean as head of the DNC. Nothing has changed since the Dean-DLC (Al From, for example) battles.

Posted by: Todd at November 9, 2004 08:17 PM

Voter Fraud links

http://indyvoter.org/index.php

http://homepage.mac.com/duffyb/nobush/iMovieTheater270.html

Posted by: at November 9, 2004 09:24 PM

I think Dean would be fantastic as head of the DNC. It would go a long way toward purging the DLC out of the leadership there and excite the grassroots...which is where Dems and liberals need to build from.

I think Clinton would be an abyssmal choice. Clinton's political skill is not as a strategist but a wonk and a guy who knows how to talk to people as a leader. He's not eligible to run for President anymore...and frankly I think the DNC job might be beneath his skills. I've heard he's got his eye on the UN Secretary General job.

The Dem establishment be dammed. There's a groundswell of support for Dean. And the Dem establishment has proven that they can't win right now.

Posted by: carla at November 10, 2004 08:33 PM

I like Dean as much as the next guy. But we might want to consider this guy:

http://www.tnr.com/doc.mhtml?i=express&s=hely111704

Posted by: Tom at November 17, 2004 04:04 AM