Begala today called Dean an a**hole from Vermont.

"I hope you will support the 50-state strategy," I told him, expecting the shrug off or a "nice to meet you too," but that isn’t what Begala had in mind.

"That depends what you mean by 50 state strategy he said." I responded by telling him that I meant the plan for Democrats to compete everywhere and for every office in the country. That I don’t support he said, "we should start with principles and values." "Sure, we should compete everywhere" he muttered, "but that’s not the right strategy." He continued that after working for over 30 campaigns this cycle, not a single one of those campaigns was helped by the 50-state strategy. He challenged me to name examples where the 50-state strategy helped us win in 2006. I proceeded to cite wins in Kentucky and Indiana, along with progress in Nebraska and Kansas as evidence of the plan’s short term success.

"Look," he said, "When we started there were only about 15 competitive races, but Rahm made the field over 35 by the end and that had nothing to do with the 50-state strategy." I told him we never would have had so many competitive districts if not for the DNC investing staffers and resources into those states early on and expanding the playing field. "So you have people out there, what are they doing there though?" he questioned. " I told him they were building a long term infrastructure for the Democratic Party, and we had people all over America knocking on doors and spreading the Democratic message. "So what do they say when they knock on the doors then?" he asked me. I told him they had a succinct 6 point plan for a "new direction" that they were discussing, a cohesive message that we haven’t had in the past. "Anyway," Begala continued... "I don’t need some a**hole from Vermont telling me what to do."

After that our conversation was interrupted and I walked away, but I couldn’t leave before stopping by one more time. "He brought a lot of new people into this Party, " I told Begala as I passed by. He didn’t reply, so I said it again, "Paul I know your view on him, but he brought a lot of new people into this Party." "Excellent, excellent," he said. Shortly after that I left the ballroom.

I am deeply frustrated with a party establishment that does everything except tell people what we stand for. They spend millions on voter files, field work, phone banks, staff, consultants, etc...and yet people don't know what we stand for. I am not opposed to hiring organizers. I'm opposed to pretending that hiring organizers is in any way a substitute for having a message.

I've lived almost my entire life in red states -- not Berkeley, not Burlington -- but Texas and Virginia. I know better than most how vicious these Republicans can be. And I can't bear the thought that we're going to leave these brave, ballsy challengers naked and vulnerable to the tender mercies of Mr. Rove. Ideally you'd like to make sure they have both the message and the organizers they need to win.

"Win for today" as a long-term strategy has left many areas of the
country without a healthy dialogue. The April 29 canvass where we put
the DNC message on 15,000 registered Democrats doorsteps was a first
for Utahns. They have never heard from the DNC. When Clinton was in
the White House, he never made a public address to the people of Utah.
Democrats have become outsiders who do things to us, not insiders who
do things for us. The 50 state strategy is one way to turn it around.

Even in Utah, there are thoughtful Democrats elected to office like
Congressman Matheson, Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson, and Salt
Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon. The DNC's investment here will make
sure that they retain their seats. I expect it will help Mayor Corroon
get a majority of Democrats to support his policies on the Salt Lake
County Council. That will show Utahns for the first time in a decade
that we have the ability to govern.

I wish I had more time today to be thoughtful. But this fight is
disheartening, and not productive. Chairman Dean is not going to
change what he has started. Too many DNC members appreciate it. (And,
they are Dean's electorate.) I encourage you and Congressman Rahm
Emmanuel to move on, and find a way to make it work for the DCCC.

Wayne Holland, Jr.
Chair
Utah Democratic Party

Carville tells me, further pounding the wedge that divides the Deaniacs and the Clintonites. When I ask if Rahm agrees, Carville says, “It’s not any secret that Rahm has expressed disdain for Dean and not very secret that Rahm and I are close. It doesn’t take a lot of dot-connecting here.”

What about the Clintons, who, given Hillary’s presidential ambitions, have more cause for concern about who runs the DNC in 2008? “Let’s just say nobody has called me telling me this is a bad idea. Sometimes silence is eloquence.” Not only did Carville’s coup fail but it arguably strengthened Dean, who, speaking before his state-party allies, mocked the attempt as a desperate attack from the “old Democratic Party.” Cutting his losses, Rahm quickly leaked word to the press that he and Dean had negotiated a truce.