Vilsack, Dean Jockey for Top DNC Post

WASHINGTON - Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack told Democratic leaders on Friday he may seek the party's top job as the jockeying to replace chairman Terry McAuliffe intensified.

Vilsack, an ally of failed presidential nominee John Kerry (news - web sites), telephoned several Democratic National Committee (news - web sites) members as he traveled in Europe, seeking their advice and asking them to withhold their endorsement of any candidate until he decides whether to seek the job.

Vilsack said that decision will come after his return from Europe next week, according to three officials familiar with the conversations. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Vilsack's candidacy appeared likely despite several complicating factors.

One is a long list of other Democrats interested in the job, including former Kerry rival Howard Dean (news - web sites) who began calling DNC members this week seeking support. The 400-plus DNC membership meets in February to select a replacement for McAuliffe, who is not seeking another term.

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http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=519&u=/ap/20041112/ap_on_re_us/democrats&printer=1

not a part time job.

if he gets it, i am totally putting the DNC on ignore and staying independent. if dean takes the reigns, they get a clear message and clean it up -- this proud indy may come out for the dems.

I want Howard right where he is -- doing good things for the Dems when they deserve it and kicking them in the shins when they don't, and in the meantime building grassroots efforts and structures.

I have been a little afraid that Dean would do it and get it, and now I'm not. This move by Vilsack is just another way of shutting Dean up and out -- and good.

I think Dean ought to run in 2008 and form his own party while he's at it. I have no doubt he could win in a landslide, appealing to people from all parts of the political spectrum (except perhaps the fundies and neocons).

and while i was and am a huge deanie, he doesn't play well outside of the coasts and a few key midwestern states. i think he'd do better on a level where he could change the party from within and work on the party infrastructure from the ground up (i.e. why i think he'd be perfect for the DNC; he'd give the whole party a fresh breath of air and a kick right in the ass).

n/t

Dean would really shake up the DNC establishment, which is great and is also why I don't think he'd win that battle against all the elements who want the status quo and to maintain their power base.

I think Dean could transform and energize the party and it would be great seeeing him on all the Sunday talk shows countering the Bush BS. But, I hate to prevent him from running for President again.

I don't think I could see him actually winning the presidency, his outbursts tended to scare a few people. However, I think his sort of energy is just the sort of thing to give the DNC a much needed kick in the ass.

Besides the crap puffed up the the press whores?

Now when I first heard it, I couldn't help but smile, but the press totally beat him up for it.

Dean Denies DNC Chairman Rumors

Former Vermont Governor Howard Dean called rumors of his candidacy for chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) “premature,” but did not rule out running for president in 2008 during an appearance in the Kirkland House JCR Wednseday afternoon.

Governor Dean, who rose to national fame last year as the early frontrunner prominence the Democratic primary, was on campus to speak at a study group at the Institute of Politics (IOP) led by Fellow Jeff Amestoy, the former Chief Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court appointed by Dean. Before the study group, Dean took questions from members of the Harvard College Democrats and other students in Kirkland.

Admitting that he had a “tough decision to make,” Dean said becoming DNC Chairman could prevent him from another possible attempt at the presidency in 2008.

“I haven’t decided to , and it also means that I can’t run in 2008 for President,” Dean said.


http://www.thecrimson.com/today/article504433.html

help deliver his state to run the DNC. Give me a break. Give it to Dean.

Interesting criterion. Bill Richardson? Yer outta there. Janet Napolitano? You suck! Phil Bredesen -- LOSER! Brad Henry, whose state went for Bush 66 - 34? Beat him harder with a stupid stick!


That these people have demonstrated they know how to run, and win, elections in purple and blue states? To hell with that! I want someone from a state that is so blue, its former governor has barely a clue what it's like for Democrats competing in red states, so he continues loudly promoting the same formula that worked for him in his overwhelmingly liberal and Democratic home state.

I'm going to start keeping track of the nonsensical rationalizations people come up with to advance their pet candidates. This is one of the better ones.

You say so. Why is the DLC responsible for Democrats losing? You say so. Why is the DLC responsible for Democrats "getting their asses kicked" in blue states? You say so.

Oh yeah, thousands upon thousands of Republicans crossed over and voted for Kerry to spike Dean, of whom they were so terrified, the price of Depends tripled in some places. No evidence, mind you -- just your say so.


Why do people conclude many of the people here are nuts?


Hmmmm. I wonder....

Got this from a mailing group I belong to. It is going to be a not-so-nice thing.

2) A major, Midwest______ grassroots organizer has sent out notices labelled "Dean should not be chosen to lead the Democratic Party." Here are some excerpts from this anti-Dean Dem's email: "I urge everyone to NOT support Howard Dean as the DNC chair.... I do not believe he would be the right choice to lead our party. I believe Dean has continually demonstrated that he will put his own interests ahead of those of the Party.... Dean was looking out for only himself when he entered the primary and pursued a scorched earth policy that continues with his supporters' anti-Democratic Party statements today. On numerous message boards, Dean supporters have been the very first to speak out against the Party and many of its most prominent members. This is not the kind of movement that will unite our party.... Dean was looking out for himself when, instead of getting behind and campaigning for the eventual Presidential nominee, he took his grassroots support and turned it into the DFA.... Howard Dean would... not make a good party leader. He is not the person to lead us forward on building and promoting a common vision.... Please go to the following link and tell the DNC not to elect Dean as our next Party leader (#7). http://www.democrats.org/feedback/"

I will give no names, but I say in response to the bolded part.....when your party is quickly going the wrong direction you have a duty to speak out.

AND to the 2nd bolded statement...you have your nerve....Howard Dean kept many of the DFA supporters on board for Kerry... and he worked his butt off. He did not take his toys and go home.

Fasten your seat belts.

Or has been underwater for the past year.
:crazy:

a knock-down, drag out, very personal and perhaps very public, power struggle. The stakes are huge - there are those who will argue for "more minor tweaking" (Vilsack) and those who say "let's overturn the tables and move in a more principled direction" (Dean). A bit of soul-searching is not necessarily a bad thing but I fear that this could get really nasty, like you say, and become a huge intra-party war. When i see emails like you posted...shit! This IS personal. The pro-Dean forces versus the anti-Dean forces.

Dean worked his ass off for Kerry and brought a whole lot of on board for Kerry. AGAIN I pulled the big D lever and this is the thanks I get... some party hack moron mischaracterizes me and Dean because of his own petty political ambitions?

No wonder the gutless jerk didn't identify himself.

He could transform the party. If the democratic leadership listened to him during the primaries and adopted his strategy we would have won.

I read the Clintons are trying to install Harold Ickes.

Obviously, Vilsack is with the Kerry group.

And Dean? Seems like he has the most grassroots support.

Interesting.