DNC and Obama campaign are merging operations in Chicago

[rox63]

I don't think I've ever seen anything like this happen during a presidential race:

~snip~

In a major shakeup at the Democratic National Committee -- and a departure from tradition -- large parts of the committee's operations are relocating to Chicago to be fully integrated with the Obama campaign.

The DNC's political department, housed in Washington, D.C., will be dramatically rebuilt, with staffers offered a choice of moving to Chicago, joining state operations, or staying in Washington, DNC spokeswoman Karen Finney said.

But the power will clearly be shifting to a centralized Chicago hub.

The DNC's key role in coordinating political operations with state parties is expected to largely be taken over and overseen by Obama's senior staff in Chicago, state party officials said.

~snip~

Read the whole thing here:
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0608/Obama_moves_DNC_operations_to_Chicago.html

[BlooInBloo]

1. Interesting. Besides crystallizing the anti-Washington-insider thing, I wonder what else that's for?

EDIT: I wonder if they can get cheaper airfares?

[Pirate Smile]

6. It gets them out of the DC bubble which seems to create a constant swirl of the Conventional Wisdom

which is hard to escape. They see the pundit class in DC all the time (at work and outside of work) and it makes it more difficult to break out of that CW mindset - which has proven repeatedly to read the American public wrong.

[mzmolly]

2. Brilliant! Our left hand will know what the other left hand is doing.

;)

"This is part of the implementation of the plans Paul discussed last week with the state party chairs," Finney said. "As part of the efforts to fully integrate DNC operations with the Obama campaign here in Washington, in Chicago and in the states, political, field and constituency operations are moving to Chicago to work in the Obama headquarters. The goal is to consolidate these efforts into one operation and effectively drive one national strategy."

People familiar with the plan said that state party staffers paid for under Howard Dean's 50 State Program would be shifted to working for the presidential campaign, at least in targeted battleground states.

The move reflects Obama's desire to maintain an unusually streamlined campaign, as well as his swift and complete takeover of a Democratic Party that isn't always known for its unity...


Organized Democrats? Whoda thunk!?

[democracy1st]

3. with all the slime the GOP is getting ready to toss they better be ready..this is good

[housewolf]

4. Our men, Barack Obama & Howard Dean, are two brilliant stars!

What a combination!

[Cha]

5. All these Democratics gems happening

are boggling my mind! Integration, baby!

[rox63]

7. This may be happening to avoid the infighting that plagued the 2004 campaign

Per TPM: http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/06/obama_taking_over_democratic_n.php