Dean leading endorsements for DNC chairman*

[jswordy]

WASHINGTON - The past week has produced a flurry of endorsements for candidates running for chairman of the Democratic National Committee. Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean may have produced the most significant by announcing that he has been endorsed by state party leaders in Florida, Mississippi, Utah, Washington and Vermont.

Dean delivered on a pledge to produce support from party leaders from all regions in hopes of answering criticism that he's too liberal to lead the party.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/3001940

*NOTE: Published 12 hours ago in the "Houston Chronical."

[jswordy]

1. And this is really good, too, but older...

...analysis of the chairmanship race by the Washington Post...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A16532-2005Jan17.html

<snip> (Dean) ...comes well known to this race -- and with baggage. He would make a disastrous party chairman, many Democrats believe, for the same reasons he would have been a disastrous nominee for president last year. He is too liberal, too blunt and too unpredictable to be the chief spokesman of the party. The same things that won Dean such a fervent following as a presidential candidate could also violate the on-message orthodoxy that is traditionally demanded of party chairmen. Better to elect a more sober, centrist, non-lightning rod of a chairman -- like former representative Martin Frost of Texas, who is sitting three seats to the left of Dean. <snip>

[mahina]

4. better by whose standards?

Better for the GOP. Dean can express complex ideas is brief soundbytes with the ring of truth and passion. He is by far the best man for the job IMO.

[Renew Deal]

21. That's exactly right.

Someone else is better than Dean if the person judging is a puke.

[Seabiscuit]

10. "blunt" meaning gutsy and truthful; "unpredictable" at times, sure, but...

WTF is "too liberal" supposed to mean????

[cascadiance]

11. It means that Charlton Heston...

... who like Howard Dean is a supporter of the NRA, is also "too liberal" to be put in charge of the DNC.

[Eloriel]

24. Please don't mischaracterize

Or put another way: get your goddamned facts straight and quit making untrue statements about Dean.

* Charlton Heston wasn't a "supporter" of the NRA he was its chairman.

* Dean doesn't "support" the NRA either -- tho he DID get a positive rating by them while he served as Vermont Gov. for several years. I do not believe he was given an "endorsement" (which is support for a political race), just an A rating for what he did as Governor in Vermont on the gun issue.

* His position on the gun issue is this: Let's leave things the way they are and enforce that and if individual states need more or different, they should pass what laws they need. He points out that a rural state like Vermont or Montana is likely to need very different gun coverage than New Jersey.

As someone who was once totally against (and terribly afraid of) guns but now owns one since I moved to the country, I personally think his position is outstanding and brilliant. Not only is it wonderfully pragmatic, not only does it serve EVERYone's interest, but it takes the issue OFF the table so it can no longer be used as a wedge issue. BRILLIANT.

And if the NRA wants to supprt him -- for this or whatever else -- more power to them AND him is what I say. YMMV, but believe me: we're not going to win on the gun issue with anything much less than Dean's position.

[cascadiance]

25. Sorry, I actually am a big Dean supporter... I was just trying ...

to point out how ridiculous the "too liberal" label was with an extreme. Guess I was a bit too extreme for some folks here. Maybe to not get so caught up in detail I should have used "supports gun rights" instead of the NRA. My point still stands. If he's the epitome of being liberal and he takes a stand on gun rights. Then taking the "liberal label" formula anyone else that supports gun rights also must be "too liberal". Otherwise, if you can't put a finger on issues and just call him "liberal", what does it mean except being used as an epithet.

I support Dean not because he's "liberal" but because he wants representation of all of us at the grass roots level. I do support many of his positions too, but the differentiator between him and many others is that he has the ability to represent "people" equally, not just well-heeled individuals, corporations, and organizations moreso than others.

I felt the article missed the point widely as to why most of us are so supportive of him and why he would be *good* for the party and America in general.

[Maven]

13. I dunno.

To me, that's like saying, "Sir, you have too great a conscience!"

[Seabiscuit]

14. Yeah... like saying:

"I can't stand such a heavy dose of reality."

[Maven]

19. "Your even-handedness and reasonable decision-making are outta CONTROL!"

[Seabiscuit]

23. "Hey! Get all that #%*&@^*! truth out of my face. "

[MadisonProgressive]

29. "many Democrats believe..."

How many? 5 that he interviewed? There are certainly 'many democrats' that believe Dean would be a great choice. I am sick and tired of being republican-lite and trying to kiss up to people that don't have the greater good of the people in mind.

Screw them all!

[WhiteTara]

38. How disastrous could it have been

to have had Dean as nominee?  Kerry LOST.  THese people are
nightmares

[President Jesus]

2. He was also leading (big) in endorsements prior to Iowa. (nt)

[Larkspur]

7. Yes, the the current crop of endorsements are from voting DNC delegates

with Florida topping it off as 100% delegation endorsement. The Pre-Iowa Caucus endorsements were mainly from non-Iowans.

What's significant about Florida's endorsement is that Florida's DNC Chair opposed Dean in the primary but has enthusiastically endorsed him for DNC Chair. Florida's endorsement has Dean's opponents reeling. YeeeeHaaaw!!

[fishwax]

16. he didn't have a second act after the war in the primary

and relied on endorsements to carry him through to Iowa once he'd gotten a ton of momentum from his anti-war stance.

I think endorsements matter more in this case, because it isn't the general public that's voting, so a collection of endorsements is more akin to how the position is selected.

[napi21]

3. What's wrong with saying the truth?

You say he's too blunt, but who was it that was right on the war?

I'm really tired of all the politically correct BS, and I think most of the country is too. Remember all the people who said they voted for shrub because he said what he meant, and meant what he said, and no one had to guess where he stood?

[jswordy]

5. I don't say he is too blunt...

...the article did. On the one hand I wish he'd win it, but then again I wish he'd lose it so he could run for prez again.

I think he'll lose it, as the DLC is working overtime to bring in a dark horse who will announce at the last minute and win it. (Donna Brazille: There are "unannounced candidates" she thinks would be great chairs out there.)

If he does lose the chair, we'll run again for prez, I am sure of it. And I will help all I can.

Either way, the chair looks like a no-lose bid for Dr. Dean. He gets to introduce himself to party insiders and show them he is not some boogey man, like he was made out to be. Those contacts will be valuable in the future, no matter what happens with the chair.

[Just Me]

6. I think we deserve someone who is blunt and truthful,...

,...and demonstrates a greater concern for the best interests of the American people than with a political career.

I want some changes to that game called "politics" which has become so corrupt by the "Who Can Best Mislead the People" rule.

[davidinalameda]

8. Rather have Dean than Roemer

but I much rather have Martin Frost

[Rowdyboy]

27. Really, that surprises me

I realy like Martin Frost, though I support Dean to head the DNC. Frost would make an excellent chairman organizationally, he knows how to win elections. My problem is that he is about as exciting as kissing your aunt.

Either man, or Rosenberg would make an exceptional chairman.

[Mills Street]

9. I think he may be too honest

to be chair. It seems to me for the last few years, the best chair for either party has been the person who could lie the most.

Normally I am not this cynical. Honest!

[TahitiNut]

12. As a non-partisan (independent), I'd gain respect for the DNC ...

... if Dean became the chair and continued being as outspoken as he has been. I'd lose respct for it if Roemer is chosen.

Tell Truth to Power. There is no virtue whatsoever in keeping quiet while LIES are being told. None. Silence is complicity.

[VegasWolf]

15. Excellent. Here's hoping it happens. n/t

[progressivebydesign]

17. Dean, too "LIBERAL"??? No way!! He's rather moderate..

.. BUT if believing that EVERYONE should have access to health care, if believing that OUTSOURCING jobs is a bad thing, if believing that sending our troops to die in a meaningless war, is liberal... then I suppose he is. Sounds like common sense to me. Something SORELY lacking in the Democratic Party.

[Deja Q]

18. Don't worry. History will repeat itself...

Somebody else will ultimately take that DNC seat...

Just as Kerry came from nowehere to overtake Dean for President...

[Larkspur]

20. Kerry didn't come from nowhere, his aides played dirty tricks and

Kennedy and Kennedy's aides helped setup the Byzantine Caucuses, also know as the Iowa Caucuses, in Kerry's favor.

[progressivebydesign]

22. I supported Kerry when he got the nod.. but I never forgave him

For all that he and his people pulled on Howard Dean and others in the primary, and how he ducked out after the election (to keep from tarnishing his next run), I will never forgive him.

I supported him strongly in the general election because he was our guy.. and there was definitely some good there. But don't you all wonder why very few of this primary rivals came out and strongly supported him?

Howard Dean had the momentum and the mojo...

[janx]

26. YEEAAARRGHH!

If this works, there will be some exciting times ahead! :party:

[buddysmellgood]

33. That's the battle cry. Shout it with pride. Let the horn sound.

[David Zephyr]

28. Great news for Democrats.

:thumbsup:

[NashVegas]

30. Endorsements Are Nice

But I'm not holding my breath. I wanna see *votes.*

[Rockerdem]

31. The Dean snow ball is rolling downhill . . .

gathering size and momentum. This might be the turning point in the revival of liberalism in this country. Exciting.

[lyonn]

32. Dean speaks well to the media

I remeber Chris Matthews interviewing Dean during the primaries and it appeared Chris actually was enjoying the interview. Dean was direct and interesting. Terry Mc was terribly boring. Made a good appearance but no substance. Course Chris seems to have negative snips to say about Dean the rest of the time. I never saw an interview by reporters with Dean that were not interesting and exciting. You knew exactly what he was saying. I can see Dean being an outstanding spokesperson for the party since he uses common sense.

[Rockerdem]

34. Dean does well one on one - perfect for the job

Hes a little too "hot" for the camera when speaking to a crowd. He has a body language that says "cockiness" for lack of a better word. But put the man in a studio setting and hes terrific. And that is where the public will interface him in the chairman job, not in front of 10,000 people. This is a huge coup for the party if it flies. Hosts love him. The camera loves him. Hell, I love him in this job.

[hickman1937]

35. We needed a pit bull in this last election,

and we got a mash potato's dnc chairman, and a career diplomat. Howard Dean is the one man with the guts to get the Democratic Party where it needs to be. On the attack, for the lies and coruption of the last 4 years, with a message that appeals to the best in this country, not the worst, which is the hallmark of repuke politics.

[Carolab]

36. Dean is the best choice.

Howard Dean - Former Gov., pro gun, pro gay rights, pro health care.

Tim Roemer - Former Indiana Congressman, member of the Sept. 11
commission, is against a Womans Right to Choose, is pro-privatization of
Soc. Security, is very conservative and was a lobbyist for the energy
industry on K Street for a while. He is endorsed by Con. Nancy Pelosi
(Cal.) and Sen. Harry Reid (anti-choice from Nevada). If he is chosen
I will declare a one man war on the national Democratic party.

Martin Frost - Former Texas Congressman, lost his seat, ran very close
to Bush and distanced himself from Kerry, thinks people like Dennis
Hastert are great politicians, he is conservative. Here is an add he
ran, showing himself as a Bush supporter. He makes me ill.


Simon Rosenberg - Techonology activist, most interested in setting up an
effective organization and using the internet better. Founder of the
New Democrat Network, (I hope I got that name right). Was a Clintonite
I think, but has since been pushed out of that group because he wants
structural reform and has tried to stir things up. He doesn't seem to
be getting any traction. He isn't a committed progressive in my
opinion, other people have different opinions and think he is progressive.

Wellington Webb - don't know much about him, I think he is from the
south, not sure.

Donnie Fowler - His father was DNC chair I believe before Terry
Mcblahblahblah came in. He is some kind of consultant or campaign manager.

I don't think there are any other major candidates for the position.
Pick your poison. I pick Dean, at least he will be on our side. He is
more conservative than Kucinich, but he is far more progressive than all
the other choices. I think he is our only hope for the race. As far as
Republicans making fun of Dean, Dean will kick their butt. We will see
if they are laughing after that. This party is in a shambles. Entire
states don't even have a Dem. presence on the ground or anything like an
organization. Dean can fix that.

[doubleplusgood]

37. thanks for the thumbnail

...bios on the DNC chair candidates.