Posted on 02/17/2006 1:01:35 AM PST by Aussie Dasher
There is a growing sense of restlessness on Capitol Hill and it is not the majority that has this sense. With Democrats potentially on the cusp of making a significant dent in the Republican majority, tensions that have been well below the surface are starting to spill out and may soon boil over into a Democrat civil war. Various people on Capitol Hill tell me that the Democrats are struggling to keep their internal disputes from boiling over. They all lay the blame at Howard Dean and the Democrat leadership on Capitol Hill failing to get along. Right now, individuals loyal to Howard Dean are compiling dossiers on embattled Senate minority leader Harry Reid and House minority leader Nancy Pelosi. Couple these potential trouble spots with the pending William Jefferson plea bargain, Democrat netroots leader Kos' perceived selling out to the establishment through his failure to engage the DLC and failure to back Hackett in Ohio, and the failure of the minority to rally around one set of talking points and you have the a higher chance of a Democrat civil war than an Iraqi civil war.
Howard Dean has compiled a solid file on the corruption of Harry Reid. For years Reid has operated as the quintessential back room politician, trading favors and legislation for money and choice positions for his children at top firms with high salaries. Reid's ties to Jack Abramoff are more extensive than some of the Republicans allegedly tied to Abramoff. Dean himself said that any Democrat doing favors for Abramoff's clients would be a "big problem." He knew before he said it that Reid had done so.
Nancy Pelosi's husband is rumored to be living large off her name and power. Individuals out to bring down Pelosi, viewing her as a threat to potential Democrat gains, are, as I write, digging through records around Washington trying to pull a Harry Reid on Nancy Pelosi -- they'll try to tie her to legislation and lobbyists via her husband's connections and clients.
It has not gone unnoticed that, after condemning Steve Elmendorf for saying that the netroots energy needs to be harnessed for money without looking captive to them, Kos is being accused of doing that. He abandoned Paul Hackett in favor of the establishment's pick and now seems ready to ignore those Democrats who sold out the netroots base by refusing to filibuster Samuel Alito. In addition to these alleged sins, Kos apparently has gone soft on the moderate Democrat Leadership Coalition. He had intended to wage war against the DLC, but backed down. Some are suggesting that he backed down under establishment pressure, an establishment of which he is increasingly a part.
The netroots and establishment have gone down divergent paths, with the establishment drawing Kos into the fold. With Dean loyal to the base, the party chairman condemned the treatment of Paul Hackett and his withdrawal from the Ohio Senate race. Dean railed against heavy handed tactics employed by Chuck Schumer to get Hackett out. Kos allied himself with Schumer and the establishment over netroots backed Paul Hackett. This put him, for the first time of any significance, against the netroots base and Howard Dean.
More and more the grand coalition between activists and establishment is coming unglued. Nuclear bonds that once held together the various elements of the party are starting to weaken as the various factions each come to their own conclusions about what it'll take to win in November and what it will take to solidify positions.
Dean wants to keep quiet on Pelosi and Reid to leverage his own position in the party. Democrats, including Pelosi and Reid, who blame Dean for a lack of fundraising prowess are out to get him. The competing dynamic had led to détente beween the parties. But House Democrats convinced that Pelosi is more of a liability than an asset are plotting to oust her on the information Dean has. Netroots, starting to bristle under what they perceive as growing ties between Kos and an out of touch establishment, want revenge for Alito. A mixture of netroots activists and establishment figures are waking up to the fact that the Republicans have the same dossier on the Democrats that Dean does and, should the Democrats keep beating the corruption drum, Republicans will begin beating the Democrats over the head with it. William Jefferson's problems add to this.
Democrats who were once assured of their 2006 strategy are starting to be less sure. Several prominent Democrats, seeing that the Republicans in Congress are still twiddling their thumbs over reform are ready to show Democrat competent, and in the process are willing to take a few of their own leadership's scalps. The nuclear bonds are getting weaker and weaker. The only question now is whether the bond will fully break down before or after November
I'm looking forward to when the Clintons attempt to wrest party control back from the moonbats for Rodham's presidential bid.
It's looking like the dems 2006 strategy is the same winning strategy they had in 2004 and 2002. Scream real loud and hope the republicans will get tired and go home.
If the dems don't pick up a seat or six somewhere (I don't see how) there will be a serious implosion in the dem party.
I've seen where the libertarians are looking to take up where the dems can't get it done. They better get ready cause it looks like it's coming just around the bend.
I have some potential dirt on Reid here in Nevada. Maybe it's time to dust off my dosier.
They could always put Lard Ass into the Senate leadership...and finish the show completely!
I intend to break out the *gooooood* popcorn while watching the anticipated Donk backstab-fest
Didn't Hillary sort of "let" Dean win the chairmanship? If my memory serves me correct.
Dean came into the event riding a fresh wave of momentum. A day earlier, he was endorsed for the top Democratic spot by Clinton ally Harold Ickes amid speculation over whether Bill and Hillary Clinton would try to block Dean.
Ickes, who briefly considered running for the DNC chairmanship himself, said he was not speaking for the Clintons, but it was a sign the former First Couple won't oppose Dean, who would be chairman for any run Hillary makes at the White House.
Looks like Dean was set up to take the fall for Hillary and Bill to save the party.
Okay, uhm......uhhhhh.......which side is the moonbats again? They all look the same to me.
If the DUmmies want to overthrow their leadership, they had better move quick; their sheep won't stand for it close to election time. They tend to get rattled real easy.
Nobody on Earth can stop the Sheehan wing of the Dem party from running third party in 2008.
I hope they do.
Drain lots of government welfare money, I assume the moonbat base is on welfare since they don't work, away from the "mainstream" {snort} democrat candidate.
Whio could they run?
The candidates might be mostly Dems and probably will be, but might also be Greens, Socialists and other loonies. Either way, the effect will be the creation of a new left party. Say goodbye donkey!
Yep, on the one hand you have the clinton camp and on the other you have the Dean camp. Each trying to wrest control of the party.
One is just crazy liberal the other crazy for power. How is Fort Marcy park? Any room for souls?
"organs like the DNC, DCCC and DSCC"
You said 'organs'. Ahuh...huh...huh.
Apropos to nothing, does KOS stand for "Kooks on Steroids"?
The more marginalized the DNC becomes, the more likely it will be for the GOP to have a civil war.
Conservatives are sick of the big government agenda of the GOP, but we have no choice because the alternative is a nutjob like Gore or Kerry.
The GOP needs to keep the Dems relatively strong. Not strong enough to win, but strong enough to be a threat. A weak DNC si the GOps worst nightmare.
This could be really cool to watch! Loser libs falling all over themselves. Love it!
Interesting read. I saw it AFTER I pinged you to my piece a while back..
What is best in life, Conan?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.