New Party Chief
So, we are looking for a new DNC Chief. The names that have floated to the top of my bucket are Keith Ellison, Martin O’Malley and Howard Dean.
I like all three.
Keith Ellison would be best because he’s Keith Ellison. He came to my county to do a fundraiser for one of our candidates and and brought an upbeat, energy charged liberal message. The downside is that he’s already got a job and you can recall the problems we had with Debbie Wasserman Schultz trying to be both a congressman and a DNC Chief. His former Chief of Staff is one of my good friends and tells me that Keith is the real deal. However, the conflict of interest in fundraising concerns me.
Martin O’Malley might be the key to bringing white men back into the fold. He’s funny, smart, warm, authentic, and progressive. Most importantly, he can do a full time job of the position and has no conflict of interest with fundraising. His Chief of Staff is also a good friend of mine and he has amazing political instincts and great outreach to the Asian community.
I also have no complaints about Howard Dean.
So far, I’m conflicted. If you live in Texas, a list of the DNC members (who will elect the new Chairman) is here under the Senate Districts. Their contact information is also included. Please contact them with your thoughts.
If you have a link to your committee members, please put it in the comments.
My only problem with Howard Dean (besides the fact that all most people remember is the primal scream) is that he’s been there and done that, and people seem to be looking for a new face. Much too new, in some cases.
O’Malley was a good liberal governor and I think he’d do a good job at the DNC. Can’t comment on Ellison.
1It would be nice to get all 3 on the same page and have Martin coordinating in DC Howard reconnecting with all 50 states plowing the field and Keith running the DCCC to prepare the next crop. They are all talented, why waste anything they have to offer?
2I look montag’s suggestion. Keith Ellison is loved here in Minn and a perfect fit for his district in central Minneapolis. He is everything JJ said, a bundle of enthusiastic energy. I’d rather see him remain a rabble rouser with great ideas and time for Congress, where a liberal is desperately needed, than stacked with the responsibilities of party chair.
Leading the DCCC will help raise his profile and get more air time for a liberal’s liberal.
I have been thinking that Martin O’Malley would be a fine leader of the Democratic Party. I really liked what I saw of him in the debates.
3I’m all in for Martin O’Malley. He was our great governor in Maryland. Smart, charming, savvy, plays in a rock band….and looks fabulous with his shirt off. And really, really knows what he is doing and is a true progressive…..in every way. And he is well liked by dems and pukes.
4Marty! Rep.Ellison has a full time job. O’Malley’s between gigs these days. Let’s keep the Dems in full employment.
5O’Malley would be good. Maybe great.
6Ellison would probably be good too, but since he is a Muslim you know “there will be talk” and the Rethugs just wont be able to help themselves with trying to make some big deal of that.
Perception would be stronger than reality.
Agreed all three are good. I lean towards Dean because IMHO it was his 50 state strategy that helped elect Obama. Democracy for America was started as DEAN for America, and is still a good, fighting liberal group. We need the guy who was from the Democratic wing of the Democratic party!
7But what of the Committee? You can have a great leader but with lackluster committee members what gets done? O’Malley could be a breath of fresh air but maybe we need to.open some windows at DNC.
8Let’s not get another office holder as DNC chair. A full timer please. Keith will still be a “go to” guy for the media.
9Dean did a great job before with the nuts and bolts of organizing in all 50 states. That’s so important.
O’Malley is talented and would be excellent on the speech circuit and Sunday morning television shows. Either guy would be good. Can’t we get both somehow?
I like montag’s suggestion of using the best talents of all three. They each bring important, needed skills to the cause.
10I like the idea of a triumvirate as well. Three times the talent and skill, yet appealing to a diverse Democratic electorate.
11I vote for a triumvirate. It will take that much to overcome all the harm that Trump will do.
12DWS problem was not one of work overload or even lack of work management skills it was one of focus. Her entire focus the last few years is that of what is best for Debbie and her career.
An example of this would be her refusal to support Democratic challengers to her Republican ‘friends’ the Diaz-Balart brothers, influential in Florida
Putting her thumb on HRC side of the scale in the primaries was calculated & deliberate, after all Bernie is a nobody old man from a tiny northern state & O’Malley who? No, Madam President would have been a powerful ally in her climb to new and better things.
Dean is a good schmoozer, most everybody likes him and he has a lot of experience, appeals to us wrinklies, but, he is very much part of the old establishment. I believe it is time to step up and accept the future of our Party as a living organization needs a more youthful leader.
Ellison is a hard worker, very smart and much liked I would like to see him move up in House leadership all of whom are currently in their 70’s
O’Malley might be the man. You can read his positions here: http://www.ontheissues.org/Martin_O%60Malley.htm
13@RA, MaryElle & Maggie
Gotta have a chief otherwise you get gridlock, all talk no do lots of jockeying. The chief needs an Assistant Chief or two with areas of responsibility they can hash out between themselves.
Bernie proved the mass appeal is more left than center, lets learn from that and work our hearts out at the local level like Miss JJ
14Bananas, I should have clarified. (still suffering from election stunned brain is my excuse and I’m sticking to it) I think O’Malley should take the lead with Ellison and Dean being, for lack of a better term, senior administrative assistants, working together to coordinate the various strategies in their areas of particular expertise, but O’Malley having ultimate responsibility. If we can show that our leadership can play nice together maybe, just maybe we have a fighting chance against Mein Fubar (or Donnei Trumpov, or Orange Jeezus [feel free to add to the list]) and his reich.
15Can’t go with Keith Ellison-I think he joined the emoprogs too often. he’s great as a Congressman, but not for head of the party. Plus Sanders supports him and I am so far done with Sanders that that’s a blackball as far as I’m concerned. (Sanders isn’t a Democrat and played right into the GOP’s hands during the primary, as far as I’m concerned) I vote for Tom Perez. He’s expressed interest, he’s available, he’s liberal, and I trust him.
16I would go with O’Malley for the most craven of reasons. As much as Ellison is a wonderful person with a grand message, I fear that the opposition would immediately if not sooner attack him as a Black and a Muslim.
17Not Ellison. Fox news will latch onto his religion and best us to death with it.
18They all seem like good guys. But it saddens me that, almost reflexively, we’re only putting forward guys. There’s not one woman worthy of consideration? Maybe people are a bit satiated at the moment with all that Hillary Girl power. But still we need to keep pushing on the Equality agenda for all sexes and minorities.
19I would support whoever will put the emphasis on winning the state houses during the next few years. The next redistricting is 2020 and the R’s have way too many of the states. I think anyone that wants the DNC head should show us his/her plan for winning at the state level.
20I don’t know about anyone else but there is this old white Jewish guy from up north that seems like a good choice for DNC Chair. He’s from New York City but lives up in Vermont. Has a great story and seems to know how to inspire people and at least one little bird.
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