Levin ambivalent about Dean as DNC chair(fixed link I hope)

[candy331]

Senator also calls for reform to Democratic primary process and

Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) expressed reservations about new Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean yesterday in the Michigan Union.

“I have mixed feelings in terms of Dean,” he said. “I think he brings some tremendous plusses to the table, in terms of his appeal to people that have never been involved. He opened up a whole new way of raising money that is healthy and successful. The minuses are that the image he brings to the party is not the image that attracts a lot of independent voters. That’s why he wasn’t nominated.”

Despite being an early favorite for Democratic presidential nominee last year, Dean, the former governor of Vermont, was unable to stop Sen. John Kerry’s (D-Mass.) momentum after Kerry won in Iowa and New Hampshire. Levin criticized the privileged position these two states hold in the nominating process.

“I would end Iowa and New Hampshire’s hugely disproportional impact on this system,” he said. “Where we go is not important to me frankly. We should alternate by who goes first, probably region-by-region. The Democratic Party is an egalitarian party. We don’t believe in privilege. Those two states have privileges that no one else has — that’s wrong.”

----www.michigandaily.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/02/23/421c691acc062

[Placebo]

1. I'll reserve judgment until after 2006, or 2008.

Until then, Dean has my full support.

[John_H]

2. here come the disruptors--giddy at the opportunity to bash a liberal dem

[LittleClarkie]

3. Gee, I thought he was pretty mild in his comments, actually

Didn't seem giddy, nor like a bash. An expression of an opinion, maybe.

So let Dr. Dean prove him wrong, then.

[Cha]

4. Darn, the link doesn't work..

Time will tell how Dean does..so far.. so Great!

[Warren Stupidity]

5. at least he didn't say 'not some wild-eyed, left-wing nut'

Was this 'take a shot at Dean Day'? Is the rove-machine calling in chits inside the democratic party?

Oh by the way Carl, Howard got clobbered in the Iowa caucuses, where the 'independent vote' doesn't actually exist, and then he got media-whored out of contention, so nothing else much mattered. So your thesis is like totally bogus, dude.

[madfloridian]

7. LOL, only Harry Reid said that. What a weird compliment.

"not some wild-eyed, left-wing nut'"

I read that article and thought, oh jeez, Harry, what a strange compliment. :evilgrin:

[lojasmo]

6. He's the only one, though.

In all seriousness, ambivalance isn't a bad thing, and his criticisms of Dean were mild, if incorrect.

I'm frankly not concerned, and will let time tell.

So far, I'm very pleased with what Dean has been doing.

[LittleClarkie]

9. That's what I saw as well, sounded like a fairly honest reaction

Sort of like he's waiting and seeing. So Dean needs to show the party that he can get the job done. And some in the party need to not be a stumbling block.

[KoKo]

8. Maybe he was critical to put in a plug for "Primary Reform." I'd go for

that? :shrug: I DO think Iowa and NH have served their time and we need to do a region float or mix it up with states from different regions.

This primary season was so short that many of us never had a chance to vote in our states. In NC it was the Repugs who held up our Dem Primary by rigging districts and our weak Dem Governor was okay with it, I guess.

Something needs to change with the primaries. It's hurting us...Giving us a "Front Runner' too soon before the "voters" know the candidates and too long a time for the Repugs to devise a strategy to shoot the front runner down. I'm with Levin if he wants Primary Reform. McAuliff or any of the others wouldn't have given it to us...so I don't know why Levin is trashing Dean ...unless it's to "get his ear" on this. :shrug:

[JNelson6563]

10. I love you Carl but

you need to give it up man. You were schillin' for Kerry long, long ago when everyone else at least made attempts to appear neutral. Let's fact it, the Senate is another brotherhood of sorts. Kinda like skull and bones. ;-)

Julie

[Rowdyboy]

11. I agree with Levin on one point: End the New Hampshire/Iowa

death-grip on determining the Democratic candidate. That's the only major point of disagreement I have with Dean.