Just back from listening the men running for DNC chair

[cally]

Probably 600 Dems attended the event in Sacramento. What impressed me most was how accessible the candidates were. I spent several minutes talking to various candidates. I discussed election fraud and how important it is to develop a stronger grassroots campaign. All the candidates seem to understand how important it is to build a party at the local level. All seemed to sincerely want to listen to folks like me instead of just focusing on the party elite. Most made strong statements to maintain our values and reach out to our base. I was a proud member of the Democratic party today.

[tmooses]

1. Who were you most impressed with or surprised by?

[MadAsHellNewYorker]

2. who impressed you the most?

who said the best stuff?

[Leilani]

3. Could you give us a little more detail?

Thanks.

[janx]

4. Good for you!

What an experience that must have been. :hi:

[cally]

5. I'll try

What most impressed me was how willing to talk the few I spoke to personally were. I spoke to many of the vice chair candidates and a few DNC chair candidates. I spoke to Don Fowler and he seems to understand grassroots issues. I liked his ideas and his passion. I was very impressed. I liked Rosenberg's ideas about changing the primary schedule and to quit all the attention on NH and Iowa.

I didn't like Roemer. He just was too centrist and seemed more like a politician with the smooth talk but I wasn't sure what he really believed. I think he had some good ideas on security issues.

Dean gave a great speech that had the crowd roaring. I had a slight feeling that he was playing to the crowd and not really wanting to listen to those there. I didn't get to talk to him.

Leeser (???) wants more caucuses and less primaries. That seemed weird to me. He also seemed more like an old time Dem and that he hadn't adapted to the new ideas.

Frost made a great speech about our core issues and how important they are. I liked him.

I came to this expecting to want Dean as chairman. I'm not sure who I support now. I liked Fowler and Rosenberg a lot. I'd be happy with many of the candidates.

I also talked to many attending. There just was this sense that we have to work harder at grassroots organizing and building a party. We can't allow the inside the beltway folks to control this party so much. Everyone also doesn't want to back down from our core values. Just want to reframe the debate and reach out better.

[MadAsHellNewYorker]

6. Thanks for the report, interesting to hear about Rosenberg

Im hoping for Dean myself

[sorechasm]

9. DNC needs a doctor

Go Howard. Pump 'em up. A talent for playing the widest field while maintaining his integrity is the political trait he needs to become chair. (As long as he keeps fresh ideas).

I don't care if he's playing the crowd. I don't want the crowd to play him (for a screaming meanie...that was so unfair).

[tmooses]

7. Thanks, cally, for the report.

[KC21304]

8. Thanks Cally. Very interesting.

I did not support Dean in primaries but have come to love his columns in our paper and think he would be great for DNC. Of course I haven't seen the other candidates much except Roemer and I don't want him.

[merbex]

10. Loved your last paragraph n/t

[Adelante]

12. Thanks a lot

It sounds as if the message is getting through. :)

[Califooyah Operative]

13. Thanks nt

[Leilani]

15. Thanks for the report.

It sounds like they recognize the problems.

[Eloriel]

21. One thing you have to remember

But first:

I liked Rosenberg's ideas about changing the primary schedule and to quit all the attention on NH and Iowa.

Uh, it's not just HIS idea. He may be the one articulating it best, but there are others who absolutely agree (e.g., Howard Dean).

Okay, the thing to remember:
I came to this expecting to want Dean as chairman. I'm not sure who I support now.

I think several of the candidates do VERY well in that type of situation and make it seem like they would do equally well or be equally effective at the job -- and indeed that MAY be true.

However, there's ONE candidate who has a track record, a bigger, better track record than any of the others, IMO. And that's Dean. He's been there, done that. He's recruited and helped fund candidates, helped build the grassroots, etc. He's been out there all around the country listening to people, eagerly and consistently. And learning (unlike some of the other Dems who pretend to listen but really don't -- and I don't know if these candidates are included in that category or not).

IMO Dean has a very clear vision of where he wants to take the Party, and it's from the grassroots up. AND he has a record of effective management, and a record during and since his Presidential campaign of building the Party.

IOW: Howard Dean = Known Quantity

[MaineDem]

33. "...there's ONE candidate who has a track record..."

Let me play devil's advocate here. I think you'll find Martin Frost's track record equals if not surpasses Dean's for recruiting, money raising, getting candidates elected. He's run and won and, as head of the DCCC, got MANY elected.

From what I've read most of the candidates are saying the same things. It seems Dean is getting the press.

[AP]

27. I think a caucus is a better way to pick a presidential candidate.

You get one last chance to make a persuassive argument to the voters (so commercials are less important).

Also, if you can get a spokesperson in every caucus, you have a better chance, so it rewards the candidates who can stir people to act, and it also favors the candidate who has such a clear message that their caucus rep can articulate it.

[CWebster]

31. If it hadn't been for Dean, who would know about the power of the

grassroots?

[welshTerrier2]

11. was Iraq even mentioned ??

also, did they all generally avoid discussing policy beyond issues like party infrastructure, grassroots and fundraising?? i'm just wondering whether they are sticking to the traditional jobs of the Chairman or did they acknowledge that with so much friction in the Party, everything is an issue ...

finally, did they take questions from the audience or was this another tightly controlled format ??

[cally]

16. Policy issues weren't discussed much

I think Iraq was mentioned by one or two candidates but more as an applause line. Gay Marriage (and GLBT issues) and choice were mentioned a bit more. They were mentioned more that we have to maintain our core values and we have to support rights for all. Gay marriage was discussed in private conversations but not in the general session.

They took questions from the audience....sort of. You had to write them down and Torres picked which ones were asked. Seemed to work fine since most of the candidates were available for one on one questions.

I didn't stay for all the questions.

[welshTerrier2]

18. thanks, cally !!

was there any C-Span coverage ??

[cally]

19. I didn't see much press

I didn't notice a CSPAN camera but I wasn't looking for one either. I know I'm repeating myself, but even with 600 folks this seemed somewhat intimate. Any press was welcome but this seemed to be more for party activists and getting to know one another. I was surprised. I expected a much different feel to this. I expected a big press event.

[robbedvoter]

14. Was election fraud, war mentioned at all?

[cally]

17. Election fraud was mentioned

and discussed. I can't remember who said what about it. When I spoke to candidates, I brought it up. Everyone is concerned and focused on it. I don't remember more specifics except that I was somewhat reassured that all were disparaging at what happened this election.

[marcologico]

20. thanks cally!

I'm hoping either Frost or Rosenburg get it myself. n/t

[mt1000]

29. no backbone

So did any of them say why they couldn't be bothered to go to Franklin County where GOP operatives worked feverishly at vote obstruction? Not a DNCer in site all those weeks. And they stole the funds set aside for vote fraud challenges to the tune of 14 million. The Dems have lost the entire anti-war block of voters and majority of black voters in this country by not standing up.

They think its a question of 'outreach' - hell ... we did their damn outreach for them while they hid and caved in. Never again. I'm outa the Dem tent. And I want that 14 mil accounted for!

[robbedvoter]

34. What about war?

[Garbo 2004]

22. AP article on the event available here:

Western state Democrats interview Dean, other DNC candidates
BETH FOUHY, AP Political Writer
Saturday, January 22, 2005

(01-22) 17:02 PST SACRAMENTO (AP) --

Seven candidates vying to lead the Democratic National Committee, including former presidential candidate Howard Dean, pledged Saturday to wrest power from Washington and return it to grass roots activists in all 50 states.

The candidates are competing for the votes of 447 members of the Democratic National Committee, who will choose the successor to outgoing DNC chairman Terry McAuliffe on Feb. 12. They participated Saturday in the third of four planned regional forums for DNC members.

Besides Dean, the contenders include former Reps. Tim Roemer and Martin Frost, party activist Donnie Fowler, New Democratic Network President Simon Rosenberg, former Ohio party chairman David Leland and former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb.

The forum drew 65 voting DNC members but was dominated by hundreds of other activists, including a noisy contingent of so-called "Deaniacs" who supported the former Vermont governor's upstart 2004 presidential bid.

Full article: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2005/01/22/state1623EST0035.DTL

[candy331]

24. What values is she talking about? please someone, what ?

Like most Oklahoma Democrats, I do not believe Governor Dean shares our values or is the right person to lead our party at this time," state Sen. Debbe Lefwich, a DNC voting member, said Thursday

[radfringe]

30. moral values, family values

Since Reagan the GOPers have taken control of "values" -- this is a huge problem for the Democratic Party and something they must take seriously

GOPers swagger and spew alot about "values" -- but they do not define what they mean by values. What are they? Are they the same as my values? Do they mean to impose their values on everyone?

Family values, Moral Values are warm fuzzy terms with no substance. It's like saying I support more frizzjigs -- well what the hell is a frizzjigs?

Kerry touched on it occassionally -- but didn't drive the point home. He spoke about VALUING FAMILIES. Be it through programs, tax incentives/cuts, etc -- families are the backbone of our country -- and if we don't VALUE FAMILIES we don't have a country.

The Democratic Party needs to start calling GOPers to define what they mean by VALUES and how they support them.

As far as grassroots organization goes -- all well and good -- but you have to get the people to the meetings and get them involved. DEMS need a solid wide-spread message, and they need a leader that will capture the passion and imagination.

During the run-up to the primaries -- Dean had anger and he had a message, unfortunately he also imploded -- however there was a large core of people who believed in him and were willing to follow him. He validated their anger and frustration with the bush* mis-adminstration and said "it's ok to be angry".

The other candidates didn't catch on until they also started validating the anger and frustration. Once Dean was out of the picture -- the tone of the campaigns changed to soggy toast. Not much passion, inspriation or imagination there.

[Clarkie1]

23. Are there no women running for DNC chair?

The thought just occured to me, and it's a rather disappointing thought.

[paineinthearse]

26. Donna Brazille isn't?

[robbedvoter]

35. That's just Karl in drag

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/21/politics/21BRAZ.html?ex=1106629200&en=1f6aebf9c8b04ad5&ei=5070&oref=login&ei=5062&en=3e195a743382c294&ex=1046494800&partner=GOOGLE&pagewanted=print&position=top

[cally]

36. No women are running

and only one minority. Women are running for vice-chair, though.

[MaineDem]

37. There will be 3 female Vice Chairs

There are 5 Vice Chairs. The numbers have to be gender-balanced.

[proud patriot]

25. Thanks for attending cally

:hug:

[FrenchieCat]

28. Thank you for going Cally,

and thank you for giving us some feedback on what you observed and your impressions.

[Kahuna]

32. Thanks for the report, Cally. My main issue is doing away with NH and IA.

So, my support would go to the candidate who strongly supports changing the primary schedule.