So, I just struck this bargain with Howard Dean, you see.........

[DFW]

We spent half of yesterday together, just the two of us.

Howard and I are huge fans of dark (75-85% pure) chocolate, and since I am in Europe most of the time,
I find all kinds of new small fair-trade brands you never see in the States except in a few specialty shops.

I always bring him samples when we meet up, and this time I had a new type, 82% pure, made with beans from
the DRCongo. He asked how good it was, and I told him I didn't know, as I had never seen it before. He said
that was reason enough to try it first, so we did (it was fabulous).

I said that in return, I wanted him to review my first book, and to introduce me to Rachel Maddow. He said
it was a deal.

I think I got the better end of that bargain!!

[PassingFair]

1. Oh sure, you get Rachel Maddow and WE get DWS as DNC Chair...

Screwn!

:hi:

[DFW]

2. What's this "you" and "me" stuff?

I get her along with the rest of us. But, as another poster pointed out, rumor has
it that she does have a pulse. If it's any consolation, Howard said that although
she does have more of a business bent than he did, he was more than OK with the
choice, as DWS has a great media presence (whereas Kaine constantly needed to be
tested for signs of life, and those are MY words, not Howard's!!!).

[PassingFair]

3. Well, why does it have to be a choice between Kaine and Wasserman-Schultz?

Grayson is from Florida, and as far as I know,
he's not doing anything this year.

DWS was SO cooperative with Howard in 2008....

[DFW]

4. Howard made an interesting observation about the position

And don't forget, I pleaded with him to come back and take over.

But her said that the party chairmanship was a lousy gig when your party has the White House, as
a sitting President is always at least the titular head of his party. Howard was so good as DNC
chair because he ran the whole show with no one looking over his shoulder. That's why Rahm got
so pissed at him--Howard as head of the opposition answered to no one other than the rank and
file of the party, and he did us proud. With Obama and his team looking over the shoulder of the
DNC chair, he said it is a different position entirely, and not one he wants. Howard knows Grayson
well, so if Grayson had been all hot for the position, I'm sure I'd have heard.

[PassingFair]

5. Obama would never have considered Grayson anyway.

It wouldn't have mattered if Grayson WAS "hot"
for the position.

The party is completely in DLC/NewDem control,
even though the Progressives outnumber the
BlueDog/NewDem bloc in the House.

Disturbing and disheartening.

Howard has been reduced to a soundbite producer,
and is pretty much only seen when they feel a need
to get the squakers on board.

Sad.

[DFW]

6. Appearing on talk shows is only about 1% of what Howard is up to these days

He is traveling the world (even places like Albania and Kosovo) helping to nurture budding
democratic-style parties, was just in London for a day, etc. He is like a meteor and almost
as difficult to get a hold of. If he were to cut out TV appearances altogether, it might
increase the amount of free time has by maybe 1%. He was at the Davos conference in 2009
not for political expertise but for his environmental expertise, something he isn't even
asked about on the US TV circuit.

It may not seem like he's doing anything else other than the TV soundbites, but in reality,
he only does those in tightly squeezed-in time slots that take away from the 999 other things
he's involved in. His life is very full, and he's having a blast, except that he's probably
the only guy I know who gets less sleep than I do. He blew off a TV show last night in NYC
to spend an evening with his mother, whom he hadn't seen in months. He hasn't been reduced at
all. We are the ones who have been reduced because Rahm's grudge excluded Howard from DHS, and
thus the Obama administration after the 2008 election. Had Howard been part of the Cabinet from
the beginning, history would be smiling on us far more brightly than it is now.

[PassingFair]

7. I wish him only the best. He has done so much for this country already....

that I would take him in if he needed a place
to stay in his old age...keep him covered with
quilts...I appreciate the guy THAT much!

His absence state-side has left an almost
total void in the realm of Progressive voices.

I don't question that he is doing what he can,
where he can.

:)

[DFW]

8. He is indeed doing that.

And his quick wit and vast knowledge haven't diminished any. We spent ten minutes just discussing Moldova!

[bluesbassman]

9. That's a heck of a bargain. When's the book gonna be done? n/t

[DFW]

14. The book IS done. Just one minor detail

Another friend of mine (no names, but she' about 4'7", speaks with a heavy German accent, and
will turn 83 years old at the end of this month) is well-published, but in non-fiction, and she
told me the market for fiction sucks right now. She said agents and publishers don't even want
to talk to authors unless their names are John Grisham, James Patterson or Sue Grafton. My name
is not one of those three. However, some friends in Dallas, who own a small publishing arm for
non-fiction books on stuff in their field said they might publish it for me. If I go that route,
I'll let DU know, and maybe some of my friends here might like it.

As an experiment, I did send California Peggy a copy of the manuscript. I wanted an opinion from
someone I had never met, and had no reason to spare me any negative comments. She had a rather
favorable opinion of it, as I recall.............:-)

[CaliforniaPeggy]

10. My dear DFW!

Oh.........that book?

I hope so.

In which case, good!

Good luck!

:toast:

[DFW]

12. You got it--THAT book!

I gave him a copy. He started reading a few passages and said it looked to a great read (!!!),
and if he'll give me a plug I'm allowed to use, I'll use it with pride. It might quash any sales
to Republicans I otherwise might have made, but them's the breaks. Let them wait until the
movie comes out! B-)

[CaliforniaPeggy]

13. Oh, that's too good!

He's a much better connection for you than I could ever have been!

I would not worry about any sales to Republicans! It's so good, they'll want to read it too!

:yourock:

I do think it would make a great movie!

[DFW]

15. Flattery will get you everywhere!! N/T

[LiberalAndProud]

11. Thanks for this update on Howard, DFW.

Send him my love next time you talk with him. I truly adore him.

And yes, you got the better end of that bargain, lucky you!

[DFW]

16. I did, in a non-specific way

I mentioned that he did have a lot of very serious admirers on DU, and on other boards I belong to,
which is precious few.

I did OK in the negotiations, didn't I? Now all we gotta do is wait for when we all have a free hour
in the same time zone. It took me 18 months to get Howard together with Helen Thomas. I hope it doesn't
take him that long to get me together with Rachel Maddow, but if it does take that long, the wait will
have been worth it!!