Dean is doing what he said he would even though the DC people

[Pirate Smile]

don't like it much. I'm sure the state Dem Party leaders who voted him into the position are happy with their decision.

Democratic Leaders Question Whether Dean's Right on the Money

By Dan Balz and Chris Cillizza
Sunday, March 5, 2006; Page A04

Democratic congressional leaders aren't happy with the way Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean is spending money. At a private meeting last month, they let him know.
Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (Nev.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) challenged the former Vermont governor during a session in Pelosi's office, according to Democratic sources. The leaders complained about Dean's priorities -- funding organizers for state parties in strongly Republican states such as Mississippi -- rather than targeting states with crucial races this fall.


Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean said he pledged to rebuild the state parities when he campaigned for his current position. (By J. Scott Applewhite -- Associated Press)

Neither side was willing to give ground, according to several accounts of the meeting. Dean argued that his strategy is designed to rebuild the party across the country, and that he had pledged to do so when he ran for party chairman. Reid and Pelosi countered that if Democrats squander their opportunities this year, longer-term organizing efforts will not matter much.

Democratic congressional leaders are particularly worried because the Republican National Committee holds a huge financial advantage over the DNC. One congressional Democrat complained that Dean has -- at an alarming rate -- burned through the money the DNC raised, and that Republicans may be able to swamp Democrats in close races with an infusion of RNC money.

-snip-
Dean has won friends among state party leaders for his efforts to underwrite the hiring of organizers in states where Republicans have been winning in presidential races. Dean campaigned for the DNC chairmanship by pledging to make Democrats competitive in all 50 states, not just in the 16 to 18 presidential battlegrounds. One congressional Democrat responded: "Nobody's suggesting they do 16 states, but not all states are equal."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/04/AR2006030400998.html

[acmavm]

1. They can all shut up and just let Dean do what he's been doing, and

that's breathing life back into the democratic party.

[LincolnMcGrath]

2. Howard is doing the right thing.

The beltway Dems are more concerned with losing their grip around the throat of state and local parties.

[madfloridian]

4. Exactly right. Let the DSCC and DCCC do it.

Concentrate on a few states, don't worry about the others. The DCCC and the DCCC have enough in the coffers to take care of it.

This is the change he said he would bring, so he needs to go for it.

[madfloridian]

3. Some states are more equal than others.

Which ones are the most equal?

"Nobody's suggesting they do 16 states, but not all states are equal"

Sure they are.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

5. Translation:

"You aren't spending the money the way we want and on the people we want."

I have $5.00 that says that Reid and pelosi have been listening to the Dem political consultants whining.

[madfloridian]

12. Well-put.

"You aren't spending the money the way we want and on the people we want."

[The Magistrate]

6. Gov. Dean Is Doing The Right Thing Here, Ma'am

Even if our resources are limited, it is important to contest the enemy on the widest possible field. Concentration of force on a chosen point or points is not so simple a business as it appears. To first glance, it seems obvious that it is simply a business of putting the bulk of one's own forces in the chosen area, but this ignores the enemy's capabilities of deployment, and the enemy will be able as that point is known to mass its available forces in the same area, so that no advantage is gained by the concentration of one's own. It is, in fact, always necessary to secure the dispersal of the enemy's forces, and the tying down of some of them in areas far from the chosen field, to gain a superiority of force by concentration there. This can, in turn, only be achieved by some dispersal of one's own forces. Thus, any successful concentration of force is achievable only by a prior dispersal of one's own, forcing a similar response by the enemy. Gov. Dean seems to be laying just this sort of groundwork, and is operating to a correct and advanced strategic vison..

[madfloridian]

7. Well, sir, now that we agree upon.

:hi:

[LincolnMcGrath]

8. Front Page stuff here!

K & R

As a City, County, and District activist , I feel Howard is on the right track.

[madfloridian]

9. Recommend it. You are right.

It is two different views now, getting down to the soul of things.

[IrishBloodEngHeart]

10. this is comedy

They need more money for the clear message they are articulating?

wait, Reid and Pelosi aren't articulating a message

They need more money for the stellar candidates they are fielding?

No, they cleared out the primaries for hand picked candidates, and incumbents like Lieberman.

They need more money because they have been so successful the past few years with their strategy?

No, they have failed with their few state strategy time after time


They need more money because the DC chattering class and hangers on need to get fed?

Bingo! Now it all makes sense.

[PVK]

11. Dean will always have arrows in his back.

He's a pioneer.

K&R

[keopeli]

13. Don't play the divide - play for the whole pie

Dean is correct. Democrats will never be in control until they get back into the South - and it's not impossible. If ever there is a time to be in the South, it's when the Republicans are weak.

And, in our current paradigm of instant communications, races are no longer just local. Think of the internet and cable TV - people are influenced by issues across the country which are brought to their attention.

[Pirate Smile]

17. We have to start looking long term, as well as at the next election.

Dean promised that and is following through on his pledge to rebuild the state parties. That should be a big part of the role of the DNC.

The DCCC and DSCC focus on the specifics of the next election. The DNC will certainly do that also, to some degree, but we have been doing that exclusively for decades to the detriment of the Democratic Party as a whole.

I'm sooo glad Dean is in the position he is in. Normally, it has been someone blessed by and accountable to the Congressional Dems.

This certainly makes it easy to see how the money was never able to trickle down to the state parties and they atrophied as a result.

I understand everyone's position. Reid and Pelosi are focused on the next election, as they should be - I'm just glad we have someone strong enough to resist the pressure.

Plus, I hope everyone will be helping the DNC with their efforts AND will help the candidates with $$$ to counteract the GOP money.

Contribute to the DNC and the DCCC / DSCC https://secure.ga3.org/03/contribute_dscc or the specific candidates you favor at ActBlue.

[madfloridian]

14. Look at these figures for January 2006.

Compare them. Interesting pattern. I thought something was up when Dean was on the Situation Room a day or so ago. Blitzer pointedly asked him about the money deal...Dean said he was building the state parties, putting money into them. Just as he has promised. He said he is rebuilding the party, and it takes money to do it. His voice had a stubborn ring to it. (The video is somewhere in GD tonight..I posted it.)

This looks like the DNC outraised both the DSCC and the DCCC in January this year. But Dean is spending it on the state parties, and the others are banking it. I am just looking at Jan, haven't analyzed the other figures yet.

Name
Jan. 2006
Through Jan. 2006
Total Spent
Cash Jan. 31
Debts

DNC
$5,089,357
$61,141,823
$60,288,061
$6,905,167
$0


DCCC
$2,530,397
$45,464,672
$31,424,736
$15,699,473
$1,233,333

DSCC
$2,101,518
$45,713,896
$20,617,891
$25,452,511
$0

Democrats Total
$9,721,272
$152,320,391
$112,330,688
$48,057,151
$1,233,333

http://emerald-scales.livejournal.com/316846.html

Interesting comparison on the debt amounts.

[Pirate Smile]

19. I'm glad Dean is spending the DNC money the way he is and I

certainly think it makes sense for the DCCC and DSCC to be holding most of their money until the 2006 campaign starts to heat up. Everybody has a role.

[Hissyspit]

15. I donated recently to DNC for the first time in a while BECAUSE of Dean

They will keep calling me and pestering me for money from now on, but that's o.k. with me - BECAUSE OF DEAN.

[wryter2000]

23. I hear you

I've given money to the DNC since Dean took over, and I've never done that before. When he asks for more, I'll give more, too, even though I don't really have it to give away.

I have no beef with Nancy Pelosi, but the Democratic strategy of the recent past is what got us into this terrible mess. The samo-samo isn't going to get us out of it.

:loveya: Howard Dean

[Babel_17]

16. Dean has it right

We don't want to win just some narrow, jury-rigged, republican style of victory. We want a national upswell that will carry both our candidates AND our platform.

[madfloridian]

18. Dean got rather stubborn about this on CNN this week.

Here is the part of the transcript.

"BLITZER: We're out of time, but a couple little political questions while I have you. Cash on hand for the Democratic Party as of January 1st, 2006: $5.5 million for the DNC; $34 million for the RNC. What happened to all that Democratic money?

DEAN: We're rebuilding the party. We've raised 20 percent more than we ever have before in an off year. We've got 200 operatives right now in every state in the country. And we've won four special elections in a row in Mississippi, seven out of eight in New Hampshire. First African-American mayor in Mobile, Alabama. We now have the mayorship in the largest county -- a million people -- in Utah. We're starting to win in states that used to be core Republican states.

If you want to build this party, you've got to invest the money to do it, and that's what I'm doing."

He said it firmly, and I thought something was up.

And here is the link to the video.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x576836#577000

[sandnsea]

20. We can do both

If either of them are stuck on only one strategy, then they're both wrong. We have to continue to build Democratic support in every state because that builds momentum to win in close states. The only way to turn the country towards the Democratic message is to have messengers in every state. When we have a back and forth blow, we'll be able to craft that message better, and even pick up some money out of those unwinnable districts. We need to do both, and they all need to see that.

[Minnesota Libra]

21. I'm not quite as liberal/progressive as some here and I like.......

......what Dean has been doing and, I for one, hope he continues too.:yourock:

[IronLionZion]

29. That's exactly why

you support it because you're not quite as liberal as some here. Dean is pursuing a 50-state strategy and that means having a party that looks like America. He's recruiting liberal candidates in liberal areas, moderate candidates in moderate areas, conservative candidates in conservative areas, and so on.

As long as the candidate holds the Dem position on the core values: economy, education, healthcare, social security, it's OK if he's a little more conservative on guns god or gays. Dean is actively supporting several anti-choice candidates as well, because they are in anti-choice areas or running against right-wing Republicans.

The only DINO I know of that Dean is against is Henry Cuellar in Texas, a true bastard endorsed by radical right-wing groups. Cuellar is the only "Democrat" ever endorsed by the Club for Growth. Most Republicans can't even get their endorsement!

[MoJoWorkin]

22. I think I will write Reid and Pelosi a little note to LEAVE DEAN ALONE

HE is just about the only Democrat that still does what he says he will do, and has a backbone. Dean knows what he is doing---can't say the same for most of the beltway wishy-washy Democrats. Geez!

[ProSense]

24. Who the hell is this: One congressional Democrat responded?

I seriously wish these people would go on record with this stuff. Why criticize Dean anonymously?

[Pirate Smile]

25. If they think the publicity will pressure Dean to do what they want,

I think they are completely wrong.

Dean comes out looking good by working to fulfill his promise to the states and focusing on the long term prospects of the Democratic Party. If anything, the reaction to the article should strengthen Dean's resolve, not weaken it.

[RubyDuby in GA]

26. For just once, I think I would give everything I owned if Dean would

publicly say "Well, why don't we try my way since your way has been a goddamned miserable failure. Sit down and shut up and do what I tell you for a change and you may get somewhere!"

Or I'll tell 'em. I'd give my eyeteeth for a 10 minute sit down with the so-called "leadership" of the House and Senate. Ever heard of this thing called an opposition party Harry???????? It knows what filibuster means you complete tool.

[RazzleDazzle]

35. I couldn't do that

If I were in the same room with them, by this time I'd probably go postal and not look back or give it a 2nd thought.

[mopinko]

27. lazy, they are just lazy.

they want to pick up the low hanging fruit, is what they are saying. and they will bulldoze their own grassroots to do it. just lazy, and greedy.
sit down, shut up, and let howard do his job.

[Pithy Cherub]

28. Dean is clearly winning the issue on substance, style and points!

Governor Dean has rocked the D.C. establishment more deeply they we have assumed. Dean has been made (by us)the de facto Chief Strategist and Architect of the Democratic party's future. Much of the elected Democratic establishment is horrified they have been usurped by Dean in terms of time, money and genuine affection from the We, The People. The party leadership had hoped he would fail and lose support within the year. if anything, dean is getting stronger.

The Democratic "leadership" alludes in this piece to money and expenditures but not to the more devastating effect. Dean is now better known and the Democratic national committee is building a tangible infrastructure and intangible loyalty to the party and not to particular individuals that hold specific titles. In this last year the undermining and undercover and sometimes open condemnation of Governor Dean unleashed a backlash that has scared the DC establishment. This alludes to how carefully they must tread with Dean.

Governor dean is doing a great job given all the daggers from certain Democrats aimed at his heart. Dean has one item that would really give more power to We The People and would totally send the establishment into the abyss. The initial primaries & caucuses for 2008 need diversification and would emphasize more involvement by the electorate. the establishment is heavily wedded to keeping New Hampshire and Iowa first, but to add to that would give more people as well a selection in the process. Dean is certainly hearing this from the African American community who will not let our votes be taken for granted any longer.

Go Governor Dean!:applause:

[Rose Siding]

30. I hope his friends at the state levels are pushing Democracy Bonds

That's money they can depend on as long as the local build up continues.

[Cascadian]

31. These DINO DLCers have had in for Dean since 04.

I tend to think they intended for Howard Dean to win the DNC Chairmanship just to take him down. The only thing is Dean is not one to be pushed over. He is a straight shooter and is not afraid to speak his mind. That is why these DLC worms hate him.



John

[2Design]

32. how much did kerry have left at the end which could have helped

other races we lost around the country? that is what really ticked me off. So many of us gave money we didn't have because we wanted to win - they squandered it in many ways and one was not spending it -

Dean is good and I back him -

[formernaderite]

33. Dean is building a PARTY for ALL Americans

not just in a few "chosen" states. Let's hope he isn't open to arm twisting.

[RazzleDazzle]

34. Oh, like Reid and Pelosi are doing such such a great job

at anything. Pffft.

[stevedeshazer]

36. The strategy of concentrating on already Democratic states is a failure

Dean is right. We need to build strong Democratic Party organizations in ALL FIFTY STATES.

It took the neocons thirty years to gain control. All the issues favor Dems...Right Now!

It has to be built from the ground up, not only in every state, but in every county, city, town and rural area.

These "Democratic congressional leaders" need to get with the program. They work for us. If they want my ass volunteering, I'm not going to waste my time working an already Democratic stronghold. We have to change the culture everywhere in America, not just in Boston, New York, and San Francisco. We have to be strong in Dallas, Atlanta, and Salt Lake City, too.

[DaveT]

37. The assumption that money equals votes is stupid

but that is what a generation of TV politics has done to the minds of "our" politicians and consultants.

Dean is raising money and then using the money to better our chances for increasing the base of Democratic voters by engendering grassroots activity all over the country.

I think the real dispute with Dean is that if he is successful he will put the lobbyist/consultants/fundraisers out of business. And that is why DUers should give what we can afford in money and time to Dean's program.

[Crazy Guggenheim]

38. I TRUST DEAN!! PERIOD! If the others don't like it tough shit!

:popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: