Democratic Leaders Question Whether Dean's Right on the Money

The Washington Post ^ | 3/5/06 | Dan Balz and Chris Cillizza

[LdSentinal]

Democratic congressional leaders aren't happy with the way Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean is spending money. At a private meeting last month, they let him know.

Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (Nev.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) challenged the former Vermont governor during a session in Pelosi's office, according to Democratic sources. The leaders complained about Dean's priorities -- funding organizers for state parties in strongly Republican states such as Mississippi -- rather than targeting states with crucial races this fall.

Neither side was willing to give ground, according to several accounts of the meeting. Dean argued that his strategy is designed to rebuild the party across the country, and that he had pledged to do so when he ran for party chairman. Reid and Pelosi countered that if Democrats squander their opportunities this year, longer-term organizing efforts will not matter much.

Democratic congressional leaders are particularly worried because the Republican National Committee holds a huge financial advantage over the DNC. One congressional Democrat complained that Dean has -- at an alarming rate -- burned through the money the DNC raised, and that Republicans may be able to swamp Democrats in close races with an infusion of RNC money.

[FOG724]

Bummer!

[taxesareforever]

Ha ha ha ha ha. EEEEEEEEEEYAAAAAAAAH!

[West Coast Conservative]

I knew Dean wouldn't let us down!

[Gator113]

I love it when they eat their own.

[Just Lori]

Go Howie go howie go howie.......

[Plutarch]

The leaders complained about Dean's priorities -- funding organizers for state parties in strongly Republican states such as Mississippi...

To which Dean replied:

"I still want to be the candidate for guys with Confederate flags in their pickup trucks"

[charrisGOP]

RUN HOWARD RUN!!

(hehehehehe)

[spokeshave]

I guess they can always ask shrillary for a few mill....

[de Buillion]

Just DARN! (hee hee hee!)

[kingu]

It would be entertaining to find out just what Dean is pumping money into.. Is it the DNC structure, or is it GLAAD chapters?

In any case, I think that both groups were wrong. If they want to start winning close races, they would do better spending that money on getting some issues to campaign with. Because 'we're not Republicans' only strikes a chord with the MoveOn crowd.

[tlb]

Both sides of the argument are correct from their point of view, but Dean is a little more correct. The long term prospects of the dem party require it to be once again competative in the south. Zell Miller was right when he said the dem party is no longer a national party.

Ironic that to do this requires the diversion of resources that other dems want concentrated on the short term DLC goals such as to "punish" Bush and elect Hillary. But then again, maybe Dean is less interested in punishing Bush then he is in undercutting Hillary and the DLC types who so effectively "Paul Hackett'ed" him in the primaries.

[Berlin_Freeper]

"WP - Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (Nev.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) challenged the former Vermont governor during a session in Pelosi's office, according to Democratic sources."


When the WP puts out a BS news item that involves a government source they at least squeeze in the usual mention the source want to remain anonymous for fear of backlash.

But here we see how cavalier their attitude really is when they just simply state "according to Democratic sources" without even a mention of how come those sources aren't named.

And those jerks at WP never miss a chance to spin BS about how "secretive Bush and Cheney are."

Everyday those fools at WP expose exactly how unreasonably biased they are and they are too stupid to even consider that we the people are hip to their jive.

[Keith in Iowa]

Howie is seeing to it that not only are the 'Rats bankrupt morally, they're bankrupt fiscally as well. I'm lovin' it. :)

[Candor7]

Darn! The DNC has discovered that Dean is Vermont's village idiot!

We were hoping they wouldn't until 2008.

[Emmet Fitzhume]

I am Howard Dean, and I support this message!!! Yeeeeeeearrrrrrgh!!!!!!!!!!!

[HHFi]

Why are they surprised? This is a guy who went into the Iowa caucuses with all the momentum, the media behind him, "the aura of inevitability" and $50 million in the bank, and managed to come out of Iowa in third place with no cash left over to use for a comeback. So with that kind of demonstrated political, strategic and financial incompetence, he was the obvious choice to put in charge of the entire party and its national strategy and finances. Sure, he's a disaster at every aspect of the job that helps get anyone elected, but he really, really, really hates Republicans and has no qualms about screaming it at the top of his lungs, so he makes the MoveOn.org morons happy.

Seriously, do these people even care if they ever win another election? Or are they just content to remain out of power forever, as long as they can continue to make shrill asses of themselves in public?

[Erik Latranyi]

The long term prospects of the dem party require it to be once again competative in the south.

You are correct. Dean is trying to rebuild the grassroots that have whithered in traditional Republican strongholds.

Unfortunately, he is rebuilding a grassroots that could help Hillary in 2008 by making a few more 'safe for Republican' states into the 'in play' column.

[Joe Boucher]

The money edge at this point is meaningless. You have to remember the lawyers and teachers union and hollywood will spend piles of money to make up any difference.
Also the dems will get free favorable coverage from nearly every news outlet and pillory the repubs at the same time.
Couple that with the dead voting and all the other dirty tricks up their sleeves and it will be closer then one thinks.
Repubs have to hope the dems infighting between the dean left loonies and Mrs. Clinton mafia turns real ugly and stays that way for a long time.
Look for dean and Mr. Clinton to end up as bookends at ft. marcy park. Mrs. Clinton is such a good victim.