Not to be selfish or anything

[Voltaire]

But if, as Howard Dean has stated, being head of the DNC would preclude him running for president, then I would prefer he not be the head of the DNC. Let the Inside-the-Beltway boys play their games and let us get to the business of taking our country back. We can and will run a campaign that is so strong in its example that the DNC would HAVE to reform just to keep itself relevant in its wake. So for me, no. I would prefer he not even seek the position.

[hippiechick]

1. Well said.

Has there been a nominee from the ranks of 'DLC/DNC Leader' as opposed to it always being 'Senator X' or 'Governor X' ?

That aside, I think the constraints of the DNC leadership position would force Dean to focus less on DFA and the grassroots momentum that he so successfully launched over the past 2 years. His strength lies, as he said in his speech yesterday, in 'knocking on people's doors and telling them who (we are) and what (we) stand for'.

He's got 3 years to polish his message, get behind some more "Dean Dozen" candidates, and build the grassroots network. By '08, the Dean Machine could be unstoppable. The status quo Dems can have the DNC. We need to take the "regular working people" in a different direction.


:hippie:

[Voltaire]

2. The history of the Democratic Party

does not leave me to believe that they will in any way do what is necessary to get this country out of the abyss. Even in yesterday's hearing, which I applaud them for having, there was too much of the same old same old "we can't do" kind of nonsense that they are so good at. Bold measures are necessary to revive this corpse that American Democracy has become. Dean would be hamstrung with a million little internecine battles within the party designed with the sole intent of neutralizing him rather than doing the work of saving this nation from evil. It might be tempting to try to work both sides of the street but if Dean took that Chairmanship he would rapidly and I mean rapidly find himself in a position of irrelevance.

[Cheswick2.0]

3. A lot of people feel like you do

I have to trust that HD will make the right decision for himself and for the country.

[Voltaire]

5. Oh I know

And I will support him whatever he does. I would have supported him if Kerry had won. I was with him from the beginning and he's done nothing to change my opinion of him. But I hope he opts out.

[Eric J in MN]

4. I supported Howard Dean for DNC Chair

at a DNC Listening Session in St. Paul, MN, last week, but if it goes to someone else, I won't mind.

We'll still have Dean as head of DFA.

[madfloridian]

6. If it means he loses his passion, I agree.

I was sad to see him so subdued last night. If that is what you have to do to be a part of the system, then I would rather he not.

I see such possibilities in building DFA, so many aspects to it.

I guess I feel he would not be the same again.

[mandyky]

7. Where was he subdued? (for point of reference)

during the speech at GWU or elsewhere? I still haven't gotten to see him do his speech :(

[madfloridian]

10. I guess I could explain it this way.

You know how his speech at the convention was good, but lacking enthusiasm? That is how this sounded. He looked really great, very rested. It was a good speech, but he was not himself, except for a few smiles.

[mandyky]

16. I finally watched it online last night

I see what you mean, but to me it almost seemed like he had a sick stomach, he sorta kept swallowing like I do when I get bad heartburn. The speech definitely wasn't a firebrand one but listing those names of states at the beginning was kinda cute!! I did hear some snickering from the audience.

[Voltaire]

8. My Dream, Wish, Hope

is that DFA eventually replaces the Democratic Party apparatus. We need to get back to the party of FDR and do even more than he was able to do to fix this godawful mess. DFA is the only viable vehicle that I can see to get us there.

[DFLforever]

9. That's what I would like to see too

I have no hope for the national party apparatus.

[Voltaire]

11. The only thing the Beltway Boys (and Girls) are good for. . .

Is giving out mumbly bs details about how they can't enact the changes we seek. They are interested in NOTHING so much as the gathering of power, even at the expense of folks they claim to represent. I never, ever thought I would see the day where I would turn my back on the Democratic Party, but since they have pre-emptively turned away from me I have no choice. I will continue to do my small part to see justice and fairness done in this world and in this nation. But my energy will be outside of the Democratic Party as currently constituted.

[janx]

12. I feel the same way you do, and I posted that to the blog--

but at the last meetup I heard a couple of things about the DNC matter. The leader of our meetup told us that there are DNC people who want to revamp the position and get Dean into it; in other words, the position wouldn't be the same. (These people probably know that Dean cannot and should not be controlled.)

[Voltaire]

13. I'd be interested to see that

I hate to seem paranoid about it but at this point I would have to know who was doing the "revamping". There aren't many folks in the party that I have a lot of faith in at the moment. Still, if they could make it workable I'd give it a listen. But it would have to be a HUGE revamping. The grassroots have no say in this process. That would be the first thing that would have to change. The Primary System needs to be changed as well...the sensibilities of Iowa and New Hampshire be DAMNED! Those are just for starters for me.

And to paraphrase Shakespeare....first we kill all the CONSULTANTS!!

Naaahhhh....I don't want much!

[SEpatriot]

14. I agree

He needs to stay out of this whole DNC business until we can reform the party from an outsiders point of view. DFA is the tool to do this and a Dean candidacy for '08 is the best future I can see. I can foresee DFA being the kind of springboard that would drag the party kicking and screaming to a new century and a new direction (how about winning again?)

[Capn Sunshine]

15. I think if you want reform in the party, this is the way to go

imagine how much we can accomplish with our leader running the big show.

I suspect our requests that fall on deaf ears might be listened to for a change.