January 31, 2005

Dean's Going to Win

Howard Dean, M.D. is in a strong position to become the next DNC Chairman. It is much stronger than he ever was as a Presidential candidate when glowing media coverage and a powerful internet presence resulted in few wins in Democratic primaries and caucuses. Unlike last year, endorsements for Dean are also votes for the man. Today, the Association of State Democratic Chairs endorsed Dr. Dean. Harold Ickes, who considered running against Dean, M.D., and Wellington Webb both endorsed the ex-Vermont governor.

What these people are endorsing is a man who told a New York City audience, "I hate the Republicans and everything they stand for, but I admire their discipline and their organization." [via Galley Slaves] Such a leader is good for the GOP and bad for the Democrats and the country.

"State Democrats Back Dean for DNC Post" [via Charlie Sykes]

UPDATE: Doug Ireland also thinks Dean, M.D. has sown things up. Then he asks, "Will Dean make much of a difference as DNC chair?"

The way he squandered all that money he raised, only to win just his home state, isn't encouraging in management terms. Worse, the scuttlebutt in Washington among those who've talked to Dean and his people is that he intends to keep on the DNC staff assembled by Terry "the bagman" McAuliffe, the outgoing DNC chair. That's deplored by party technicians who don't consider the McAuliffe staff up to snuff.

In any case, it will take more than a technical fix to right what's wrong with the national Democrats. A recent poll showed a 12-point drop in the party's favorability rating among Democrats since the election--reflecting the disillusionment of the party base with the party elites' centrist drift. In their weekly conference call, the mayvens who run the Democratic 527 extra-party groups are--our spies tell us--talking about planning for taking back state legislatures so they, and not the Republicans, will control the gerrymandering after the next census. There's little of "the vision thing' in such technocratic strategizing. Will Dean, who has ever proclaimed himself a "centrist" with a "healthy distrust' of the left as well as the right, be the man to steer the party to a new, moblizing course and message? I'm not holding my breath.

The title of this post probably means the death of Howard Dean, M.D.'s quest for the DNC Chairmanship.