While I think Dean has a lot to offer in rebuilding the Democratic party, I'm not sure he's the right one to lead it. He does have the baggage of his total instant primary collapse at the door of Iowa Caucuses looped about his ankle like Marley's chains. There have been enough losers at the helm of the Democratic party, and promoting another isn't the best option.

I was recently glancing at an article, featuring a picture of Bill Richardson and Jennifer Granholm, in which the comment was made that the Democrats need people from outside the Beltway. These two certainly qualify, both for their outsider-ness and their accomplishments in their respective states, but they can't be the only ones available. If they are, that alone tells a sad tale of the state of the party.

It's very clear that the Democrats need to heed this advice about changing the location of their 'fountain of youth', and Dean can play a senior advisor role here, but someone else should be the party leader.

Posted by pessimist at December 7, 2004 01:14 AM

Yes, yes! I strongly support Dean's candidacy. Is there a petition or something I can sign?!

Posted by Toby Petzold at December 7, 2004 05:42 AM

I appreciate and am grateful for Dean's challenge to the DLC-wing of the party, but like pessimist, I doubt whether he's the best man to lead the DNC. From what I saw during the primaries, Dean had a very appealing insurgent message and a passionate delivery, but I don't think he adapted well to being the frontrunner. His message of change and attitude is more relevant than ever, and part of me hopes he makes another run in 2008, hopefully having learned from his mistakes last year. But I think he's lacking in four abilities crucial to being a good DNC chair: 1) telegenics 2) being politically nimble 3) being an organizer and field general, and 4) being a schmoozer. The last may be seen as a virtue by some idealists turned off by oleaginous nature of our political system, but like it or not, it is an important quality in raising money from a broad section of sources. This may sound counterintuitive, but I don't think Dean's success at raising money for his campaign would necessarily translate into raising even more money for the DNC.

Posted by Bragan at December 7, 2004 06:02 AM

Toby:

Do I detect a note of sarcasm in your post....? (~8

Posted by Marty at December 7, 2004 06:59 AM

say what you will about dean but he was one of the few candidates on either side who called a spade a spade..that doesn't sit well with a lot of people..he was responsible for kerry changing his view of an illegal war..he might not be the best guy for the job but i would support his choice for the dnc job....i believe he is honest and is also a true democrat

Posted by dennis at December 7, 2004 07:55 AM

I think Dean would make the best canidate for DNC head, primarily because he is a very strong oppositional voice. There is an image problem with democrats in the Red States, by just choosing another Rep.-lite we would just be rolling over again. As someone on the coaster said, today's politics are not really about motivating your base, but rather making look like your base is better then the base of your opponent, Dean I believe can do that.

Posted by chris65203 at December 7, 2004 09:07 AM

I think Dean would make the best canidate for DNC head, primarily because he is a very strong oppositional voice. There is an image problem with democrats in the Red States, by just choosing another Rep.-lite we would just be rolling over again. As someone on the coaster said, today's politics are not really about motivating your base, but rather making look like your base is better then the base of your opponent, Dean I believe can do that.

Posted by chris65203 at December 7, 2004 09:07 AM

When its not broke, don't fix it. When its lost 3 major national elections in a row, fix the damn thing. What, exactly, is there to lose from having Dean lead the Democrat Party? The '06 elections? Hey, the GOP will have those in the bag with the collection of appeasers and "go along'er's that currently make up the Dem hierarchy. The Dem party is on the brink of elimination as a national force because they allowed scare-dy cat leaders waffle in the face of GOP rants. The Left should be organizing Ukraine-type marches in Ohio right now, not blabbing about "not changing the outcome". Weak. The Dem/liberal view of governing is not the problem folks, its the leadership. Lets go with Dean.....pump this thing up a bit.

Posted by T2 at December 7, 2004 09:40 AM

Oh no! Dean lost the primary, and thus he shouldn't be allowed to head the party!

Someone inform Kerry he should resign his senatorial seat and go into seclusion (obviously losing the actual campaign is a far greater sin) and let Edwards, Clark, and the other 6 or 7 know they need to retire....

Posted by Morat at December 7, 2004 10:54 AM

http://www.nypress.com/17/48/news&columns/taibbi.cfm

We sure don't need these guys anymore.

We've got to repudiate, you know, the most strident and insulting anti-American voices out there sometimes on our party's left... We can't have our party identified by Michael Moore and Hollywood as our cultural values.

—Al From,
CEO, Democratic Leadership Council

You know, let's let Hollywood and the Cannes Film Festival fawn all over Michael Moore. We ought to make it pretty clear that he sure doesn't speak for us when it comes to standing up for our country.

—Will Marshall, President of the Progressive Policy Institute, the think-tank of the DLC

Since when do we call Michael Moore Anti-American? He is American and he stood up and defied GWB's illegal war. These guys need to be ousted from the DLC leadership because they do not speak for Democrats. They are panderers to the right

Posted by Apishapa at December 7, 2004 11:03 AM

Morat -- What makes you believe that Dean would be effective as head of the DNC? Do you truly think Dean has the management skills? Do you think he plays well on TV? Do you think he has the right temperment? Dean strikes me more as a leader than an organizer and representative.

Apishapa -- Although it exerts much influence on the DNC (too much in my view), The Democratic Leadership Counsel is not the Democratic National Committee.

Posted by Bragan at December 7, 2004 11:30 AM

BTW, Krugman's column today has a nice shredding of the claims that Social Security is in crisis.

Posted by Daniel Maskit at December 7, 2004 01:39 PM