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I agree with this, but why would Kerry pick this fight right now, when he's trying to get ready to take on George Bush, unless he's a bigger idiot than I think he is? Wouldn't it be better (from Kerry's perspective) to keep up the illusion of one big happy socialist family until after he's elected and consolidates his power, and then start the bloodbath?

Kerry HAS to pick this fight now, and he has to win it, or he is a political eunuch headed for a total wipeout in November. Aside from McAuliffe's obvious loyalty to the Clintons, which is enough reason to sack him, McAuliffe is simply a horrible DNC Chairman. He was a freaking disaster for Al Gore during the 2000 campaign and especially during the recount. He has already hurt Kerry immensely with the AWOL stuff. He has no clue about how to beat George Bush, and no intention of coordinating message with the Kerry campaign. Bush has an absolute loyalist and sharp political operative at the RNC in Ed Gillespie, along with Karl Rove at the White House. To go up against these guys with only Terry McAuliffe is truly like bringing a knife to a gunfight. I think it could also be Kerry's "Sister Souljah" moment if he can get McAuliffe sacked.

Go back and read Zell Miller's book if you really want to understand what a disaster Terry McAuliffe has been for the Democrat party.

Oh, I know how bad McAuliffe has been for the democrat party, and every night I get down on my knees and thank God for giving him to the Republican Party. :)

However, most of the democrats seem to think just the opposite - that McAuliffe has been the greatest thing to ever happen to their party, and I just don't see a big groundswell of support for his ouster. That just weakens Kerry's position that much more, and his position is already very weak. Right now he's flat broke, his primary momentum has almost completely evaporated, and the big guns of the Bush campaign are just getting warmed up. The Rat convention and its accompanying "bump" is a long way off.

Of course, you could argue that Kerry's position will only get weaker as time goes on (probably true) so he may as well attack now before any strength he has is completely sapped. But if he starts this battle now he completely cuts himself off from the big-time Rat donors, who McAuliffe still has in his back pocket.

If Kerry lets things lie and works behind the scenes for a few weeks to increase his clout, he could take on this fight and have a much better chance of winning. But by picking it in public, he forces McAuliffe and Clinton to deal very harshly with him and put down the rebellion.