prediction (0.00 / 0)

Obama's pick for DNC chair will be someone in the Terry McAuliffe mode--corporate-friendly Democrat great at schmoozing with the large donors.

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by: desmoinesdem @ Thu Jul 17, 2008 at 14:05:56 PM CDT

Hmmm (4.00 / 1)

Barack Obama has benefited immensely from the 50-state strategy. And he stands to benefit again in 2012, god-willing. I imagine he will pick someone who is sure to continue this strategy. Why revert to a corporate schmoozer whose only goal is to protect incumbents and the established order? Obama is the nominee only because he found his away around the established order by focusing on small donors and red states.

Or am I just being naive?

"Don't hate the media, become the media" -Jello Biafra

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by: LandStander @ Thu Jul 17, 2008 at 14:30:13 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

to clarify (0.00 / 0)

I didn't mean to suggest that Obama would pick someone who opposes the 50-state strategy.

But I do think that Obama will view the DNC chair's job as raising big money and schmoozing big donors.

Howard Dean focused on building up the state parties. Given what is going on in Iowa with GOTV, I don't see any evidence that Obama seeks to strengthen state parties.

Join the Iowa progressive community at Bleeding Heartland.

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by: desmoinesdem @ Thu Jul 17, 2008 at 17:45:51 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Someone from the Obama campaign (4.00 / 1)

I would guess he'd install someone from the Obama campaign - Paul Tewes, for example.  He pretty much already put Paul Tewes in charge of the DNC anyway...

John McCain <3 lobbyists

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by: Fran for Dean @ Thu Jul 17, 2008 at 14:36:03 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Agreed (0.00 / 0)

I think Obama will give it to one of his top organizers.  If he wins in 2008, Obama will enjoy all the fruits of the 50-state strategy.  He won't kill the golden goose.  

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by: roberto_jordan @ Thu Jul 17, 2008 at 14:40:16 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

if Tewes wants it (0.00 / 0)

Obama should give it to him. Obama owes him.

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by: desmoinesdem @ Thu Jul 17, 2008 at 17:46:49 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

prediction (4.00 / 2)

Obama will pick one of his smart strategists who know how to run things well. If I guessed he will make Paul Tewes the official DNC chair but he might go with Steve Hildebrand (who would be the first gay DNC chair!) or David Ploffe.

I know your not a fan of Obama but that's a pretty baseless prediction. If there is one thing that Obama's campaign has shown is that he is committed to the 50 state strategy.  

John McCain: Beacuse lobbyists should have more power

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by: Populista @ Thu Jul 17, 2008 at 16:24:04 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

if Tewes wants it (4.00 / 1)

he has earned it.

But I stand by my prediction that unlike Howard Dean, Obama's choice for DNC chair will not be focused on building up the state parties. The DNC chair will get back to the business of raising the big money from the big givers who already like Obama a lot more than they ever liked Dean.

I think the 50-state strategy to Obama means trying to win all over the country with machinery under the Obama campaign's control.

Not strengthening state parties in their own right.

Join the Iowa progressive community at Bleeding Heartland.

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by: desmoinesdem @ Thu Jul 17, 2008 at 17:48:41 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

concerned ? (0.00 / 0)

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by: aiko @ Thu Jul 17, 2008 at 21:21:19 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

He's near to all Fifty States. Is Illinois about to pop? (0.00 / 0)

It's my understanding that Illinois is the lone holdout. Will we become number 50? Or will someplace like DC or the Virgin Islands become 50? ;)

Jeff Wegerson

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by: wegerje @ Thu Jul 17, 2008 at 15:21:33 PM CDT

Re: # 1 (0.00 / 0)

Did Howard give any hint on his future plans if he isn't DNC chair for another four years?

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by: Calvin Jones and the 13th Apostle @ Thu Jul 17, 2008 at 16:24:25 PM CDT

There is no "ballot" at the Democratic Convention for Clinton (or Obama) to be on (4.00 / 1)

There is no "ballot" at a national convention - rather names are placed in nomination and delegates vote as they choose.

In order for a name to be placed in nomination, a candidate must submit nominating petitions signed by at least 300 convention delegates AND a signed statement from the candidate consenting to have their name placed in nomination.

Delegates cast their vote by registering it with the state delegation chair (these days done with an electronic vote on the convention floor). Delegates can vote for whoever they want - a candidate who has been placed in nomination, their mother-in-law, and anything in between.

Senator Clinton will only have her name placed in nomination in Denver if she wants to. This is her decision, not the decision of some marginal group of bitter supporters who are ignoring Clinton's clear statement of support for Obama as the party nominee.

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by: terje @ Thu Jul 17, 2008 at 18:02:35 PM CDT

Hillary "on the ballot"? (0.00 / 0)

Dean probably means Hillar will be placed on the ballot and voted for 'symbolically', ie it won't really count and she would not be nominated if she won the vote. That is what Brazile says 'would not do harm' unless it 'embarrasses Obama'.

The Dean quote given here sounds like the same sort of double talk he gave about FL/MI. "Of course they will be seated, of course they will get to vote." A way to dismiss and discredit the people who are addressing the real issue (eg Marc Rubin, Heidi Li Feldman, or Will Bower).

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by: nohillaryvp @ Thu Jul 17, 2008 at 22:32:45 PM CDT

50 states of milquetoast (0.00 / 0)

the last two years have sucked in terms of real legislative progress despite gains in seats. sigh. I think, while the 50 state strategy is good, right now its better for the party class and not exactly working for the people. So i wonder how could we get more benefits at the grassroots level from it so that the 50 state strategy doesn't just further entrench and empower people like Schumer and Jay Rockefeller but brings about meaningful change in how congress is run?

Michael Bloomberg, prince of corporate welfare

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by: Will @ Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 01:04:14 AM CDT

State Parties are an avenue for change (4.00 / 2)

Jay Rockefeller doesn't need the West Virginia Democratic Party. He's prominent enough to stand outside it. But weak parties growing in power are great targets for activist takeovers, and that's the best way of killing the campaigns of conservative corporate Democrats in their cribs.

Forgotten Countries - a foreign policy-focused blog

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by: Englishlefty @ Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 04:07:24 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Love the snapshot view of Begich (0.00 / 0)

I've had that experience -- sitting next to a politician making cash calls -- and it sure tells you what the job really is. That's not a put down, just fact. Listening made me better at pitching an ask when I have to (not a pol though, rather an activist.)  

Can it happen here?

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by: janinsanfran @ Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 10:06:58 AM CDT

Obama v Dean's 50 state strategy (0.00 / 1)

It never ceases to amaze me when Obots don't understand the difference between Obama's 50 State strategy, and Howard Dean's "50 State Strategy"

Obama's 50 state strategy was about the Obama campaign winning the nomination by (ostensibly) making an effort "in all 50 states".   It was, and continues to be, "all about Obama".  

Dean's "50 State Strategy" is actually misnamed -- it would be more appropriately named the "10,000 State Legislative district, and 100,000 local government district Strategy".   The "50 State" aspect existed because in a number of states (especially in the West) the State Democratic Party organization existed only on paper -- and as a result there was no statewide co-ordination of state/local campaigns.  

The key difference here is that the Dean Strategy was all about "decentralized" power, while Obama is all about centralized power -- indeed, what Obama is now doing (in places like Iowa) is completely antithetical to the dean strategy, because Dean's theory is based on a high level of state autonomy as a means of increasing Party strength overall, while Obama's strategy is all about completely centralized power with one, and only one, goal -- empowering Barack Obama.

IMHO, the reason that Dean was an active participant in the corruption of the primary process is that he saw Obama's 'grassroots' efforts as an opportunity to jump-start his own "50 State Strategy" -- Dean has always been opposed by the DC Democratic establishment, because there is always only so much money to go around, and sending money to state parties meant less national party support for Congresscritters and Senators.   Dean's plan was based on the idea that if Obama was in the White House, his "grassroots" organization would be absorbed into the Party, revigorating and revitalizing moribund state and local parties in the process.

But what is actually happening is that the Obots are hijacking the party -- rather than Obama supporters working to strengthen the Democratic Party overall, those state/local organizations are now being run by Obama zealots who don't give a damn about the Party and what it (supposedly) stands for.

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by: plukasiak @ Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 11:42:08 AM CDT