Incredible moment. Perez moves for Ellison as Deputy Chair

[bigtree]

...motion agreed to!

Tom Perez - DNC Chair

Keith Ellison - Deputy Chair

What an amazing day! Let's unify and move forward!


Ellison and Perez: 'We're friends'
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10028657939

[MFM008]

1. great party unity

!!!!

[50 Shades Of Blue]

2. That's a hopeful sign!

[dhill926]

3. that's how you do it...

[skylucy]

6. +1 YES!

[uponit7771]

10. +1

[Phoenix61]

4. Well, they are friends

They may have agreed it would be both from the beginning. That who ever won, the other would be vice.

[mvd]

5. Encouraging sign!

The two working together is ideal.

[skylucy]

7. Excellent!

[redstatebluegirl]

8. We cannot afford to keep fighting among ourselves.

I am thankful that Perez made Ellison a deputy chair. We cannot afford to have this infighting, it is killing the party, something the Republicans love more than life itself.

[Edina]

29. DivisionDestruction

Very true. I am suspicious of individuals who proclaim to be Progressives yet seem dead set on deconstructing the entire Democratic Party. Let's keep our tent big and honor differing points of view. Too many on "our side" stepped over to the dark side of the politics of personal destruction in this past primary and GE and it left our Party weakened. We as a Party and most importantly as a country lost big time this past election. "Us" vs "Them" within our own Party is not a winning strategy.

[calimary]

73. Welcome to DU, Edina!

Absolutely! = Division = Destruction = Absolutely!

If ANYONE isn't convinced of that, just look at the results we ALL are already seeing with our own eyes, and hearing with our own ears, from "Presidents" Bannon and trump. Fucking Steve Bannon wants to deconstruct the entire administrative construct. Great. Doesn't that sound wonderful. Hello anarchy!

[Bettie]

128. And it keeps Ellison in Congress

where he is a very much needed voice.

[lark]

9. Linking arms and moving forward together.

#RESIST

[mulsh]

11. great news. My only concern about Ellison was if the repub. gov of MI got to appoint his

replacement congress critter. Having a Chair who's only responsibilities are being the chair and a deputy chair who's a serving congressperson seems to me to be a great combination.

[DarthDem]

13. Great Combo Indeed, But Some Corrections

Rep. Ellison is from Minnesota, not Michigan, and Minnesota has a Democratic governor.

But in any case, while vacancies in the U.S. Senate are generally filled by gubernatorial appointments, the Constitution requires special elections to fill any vacancies in the U.S. House. So even if Ellison had resigned, he would have been replaced via a special election, not the governor's appointment.

[Demsrule86]

15. Keith Ellison is from Minnesota

There is a Dem governor.

[Ken Burch]

38. And all congressional vacancies must be filled by special election.

My dream candidate to replace Keith, had he won, would have been Ilhan Omar.

[Demsrule86]

53. Look as I told you, I did not think Keith should get the job for a number of reasons...

but I like Keith. I would have been united no matter who got the job and will work my ass off to get our people elected...This was a safe district I think...I don't know who Ilhan Omar is but if you like him I am sure he would be good...will look him up. I am doing the Selma thing in three weeks and will protest too...sending post cards to my elected...they say mail is more effective ...calling the tool Portman and sending post cards...doing my best...hope we can take the House and/or the Senate in 18. We are the only hope of people being beat up by Trump and his brown shirts...so good luck.

[Ken Burch]

58. Ilhan Omar is a woman...she is the first Somali-American elected to a state legislature

Good for all you are doing.

(edited after realizing I'd misinterpreted the intent of the previous post).

[Demsrule86]

67. I didn't think you were attacking anyone...not your way.

I am embarrassed not have heard of her...she sounds great. As for what I am doing...ah we must all try...sometimes it feels hopeless...there is talk of giving people sanctuary in our homes akin to what was done in Europe during WWII. It may come to that.

[Ken Burch]

70. There's a quote from WAITING FOR GODOT that captures the feeling:

"We can't go on...we'll go on".

[Gothmog]

97. I have met Ellison more than once and I like him

I have great pictures of Ellison, John Lewis and Kareem Abdul Jabbar all posing for pictures. Ellison is only sightly taller than Lewis. Ellison came to Texas for a fundraiser where I bought a table. I like him but I am glad that Tom won

[Ken Burch]

117. Fair enough.

n/t.

[Demsrule86]

109. That is a great quote. Thanks .

[mountain grammy]

12. HOPE

[FourScore]

14. If that is the case, then they REALLY should have chosen Ellison.

It would have been a huge symbolic gesture to the Bernie crowd, and it would have signaled the progressives that they are still welcome and wanted.

Unfortunately, this vote signals more of the same to a lot of people. Electing Perez and then calling for party unity just says, "Time for the Bernie crowd to unify." How well has that tactic worked out so far? Go on twitter and read the reactions. Sigh.

I'll probably get hammered here at DU for not walking in lockstep right now, but I'm afraid I am right.

[LS_Editor]

17. It really is another "fuck you" to the progressive wing of the party. Why field Perez at all if...

he is just like Ellison? More of the same from the DNC.

[blm]

22. Yeah - a progressive Hispanic leader for the Dem party is 'more of the same' in your world.

And the fact that he tapped the first Muslim leader to be the Deputy Chair makes it even worse to you?

Sometimes ya just gotta wonder when these statements are made.

[LS_Editor]

24. Yes. Please continue to wonder how people could possibly disagree with you.

Outrageous!

[FourScore]

28. He's socially progressive, fiscally Third Way.

It's not gonna work.

[Cha]

87. Tom Perez is the Winner and it IS Going to WORK

[Ken Burch]

47. Tom is ok. The motives some had for being anti-Keith weren't.

The only reason anyone should have voted for whoever they wanted as chair was the belief that person was the best for the job-not to STOP anyone else or put any other wing of the party in its place. It should only have been positive.

I respect Tom for moving that Keith be made vice-chair.

The next thing he should do is to clearly declare that there IS no conflict between the goals of social justice and economic justice, and that virtually everyone who centers one of the justice struggles is also passionately committee to the other.

The notion that anyone in or near this party, in this day and age, ever wanted the fight against institutional bigotry to be put on the back burner, or wanted the left to privilege the needs of white men above everyone else, needs to be put to rest.

Yes, some people need to express themselves better(much better, in some cases), some need to listen more, but we are on the same side on justice issues. And we all have been for decades now.

Everyone on the Left is committed to BOTH forms of justice. And both forms of justice are linked and intersectional.

And we need to be working as a party for both forms, because neither can be won without, at the very least, massive gains from the other.

[blm]

71. I am very hopeful that we have two fine leaders in place and prepared to move forward.

now I won't have to cringe as I did for the 7 years of DWS.

[Ken Burch]

75. Agreed on that.

n/t.

[Cha]

88. The motives some had for being anti-the Winner Tom Perez aren't

valid.

[NurseJackie]

90. Thank you for that clearly stating a confusing concept. And believe me ...

... I really have a difficult time in wrapping my head around the idea that ANY Democrat could be opposed to Perez, or that they'd think it was okay to insult him, or undermine him.

Anyone who'd do such a thing is deplorable. It's selfish and vain. It harms the party.

[Cha]

92. Mahalo to you, Jackie, for

understanding that.

Tom Perez is the best choice we have going forward.. and his first act was all class!

So glad he/Dems Won!

[Gothmog]

98. Agreed

I will have a special place in my heart for Tom because he rebuilt the voting rights section of the DOJ after bush destroyed it and then was instrumental in the DOJ joining the Texas voter id and redistricting cases

[Cha]

100. I will have a special place in my heart for Tom because he rebuilt the voting rights section of the

section of the DOJ after bush destroyed it and then was instrumental in the DOJ joining the Texas voter id and redistricting cases"

Something that doesn't get talked about around here.. thank you, Goth!

[Gothmog]

101. Under bush the Voting Rights Section of the DOJ was gutted with political hires

Bush gutted the DOJ voting rights section and put in some unqualified hires such an idiot named Christian Adams who was the fool who pushed the new black panther stupidity. Adams was a tier 3 law school grad who would never have been hired in the DOJ absent bush. Adams is currently representing the true the vote racists and some other fringe groups who think that letting a non-white vote is voter fraud.

Tom Perez and AG Holder had to rebuild the voting rights section from scratch. It was under Perez leadership that the DOJ got involved in both the Texas voter id lawsuit and the lawsuit on Texas redistricting. Perez came to bat for the state of Texas and I remember.

[Cha]

102. Right.. incredible work.. and he doesn't

need any lectures from BS.

[Gothmog]

106. This article was posted on another thread and this section in the article made me smile

This quote from the article made me smile http://prospect.org/article/subtle-force-tom-perez

In October of 2009, Perez was finally confirmed and set out to reform a division in disarray. Under Bush, the division was accused of ousting career prosecutors who were insufficiently conservative and punishing those who didn’t leave. In his early months, it reportedly wasn’t uncommon for staffers to break down in Perez’s office as they recalled the trauma. Within a year, Perez turned around morale and transformed the division into a formidable enforcement machine.

[BannonsLiver]

119. Puritans gonna purify

That's what they do.

[CentralMass]

77. I agree. Time will tell of anything will change.

[Cha]

80. Oh boohoo.. Tom Perez has brilliant Creds and he's Classy too.

The best person WON!!

[Demsrule86]

18. It is this sort of thinking stemming from a divisive

and in my opinion unneeded primary that helped elect Trump...that you could still worry about such things in the age of Trump is tragic...how can you see Trump's Nazis rounding up people or people frightened that they may die without the ACA and worry about if Bernie's people are 'welcome' I don't understand. The primary and the election are over...time to move on. We are the big tent...everyone is welcome which means sometimes you agree with the party and sometimes you don't. Time to accept that and climb on board the take back our country from the orange monster and his brown shirts train.

[redstatebluegirl]

21. Absolutely!!!!!

I am tired of the division in this party. I have had "establishment" hurled at me like a swear word. I have worked for this party for 45 years since I was in high school and followed my grandfather to events. I vote in every election, state, local federal and I have for those 40 plus years. If that makes me establishment, so be it. I see the enemy as the Republican party and the orange cheese monster in the white house, not other Democrats.

Some are more liberal than I am, some are more conservative, but all in all we are fighting for the same things. Trump happened because we allowed ourselves to be divided, not to mention the influence of Putin.

Together we go forward.

[Demsrule86]

37. Next election year the field will be wide open...

I hope we get a good field of Democrats to run.

[Demsrule86]

41. I compltely agree...

I have been boots on the ground for years...and am doing my part now...you have to walk the walk people not just talk the talk.

[LS_Editor]

23. Unnecessary primary? She should have just been anointed, right?

The Democratic Party is in dangerous straits because of such thinking.

[Demsrule86]

36. Yes...we should not have subjected a candidate or the party to a bruising primary.

And look at some of these posts...it still divides us in some ways. But we must move on.

[Bettie]

127. Are you suggesting that

the nominee of our party be chosen before a single vote is cast, in order to ensure that there is only one choice?

Who would choose this nominee?

[bunnies]

25. "Unneeded primary" ?!

WTF?!

[Demsrule86]

35. With the courts at stake and all the rest ...it was a bad year for primary challange...it just was.

Would Trump be sitting in the White House now if there had not been a primary?

[bunnies]

40. I dare guess that he would.

I'd bet there would have been no shortage if pissed off Dems had we not been given a choice. I wish we'd have had more choices if I'm being honest.

No candidate should have the path cleared for them. It's undemocratic.

[Demsrule86]

43. That is nonsense...if Bernie had been told no...no one would have cared in the beginning.

I would say that one lesson is ...Democrats should run in a Democratic primary...not independents with no allegiance to the party.

[bunnies]

46. Everyone for whom Hillary was not 1st choice would have cared.

We deserve to have input on choosing our parties candidate. Don't you think?

[Fantastic Anarchist]

83. No, he/she prefers the Bolshevik method. nt

[Demsrule86]

112. No one would have cared...in the early days...then it grew into a bitter battle

and that is what hurt us the most and continues to hurt us...we have to move on an hope that some who were not reliable during the election come back...or I think we can win without them...we will have to...the good news is Trump is so awful, that should help.

[bekkilyn]

115. Yes, because 45 and his Russians hijacked the election.

So it wouldn't have mattered who was running against him because he was rigged to win.

Nevertheless, Hillary was a much stronger candidate because of the primary. I suspect she would have been steamrolled in the popular vote along with also having a weaker Democratic platform had the primary not occurred. We need more primary competition, not less.

[moonscape]

118. Yes. Primaries also sharpen candidates. Hillary was the

better for it. There would have been huge resentment had there not been a challenge.

I think there should have been a broader primary with more candidates. That would have been healthier.

We did not lose because of the primary. We lost for a dozen other reasons.

[BannonsLiver]

121. Had there been a bigger field Bernie would have been an also ran

That's why I don't buy your argument completely. I think the mistake wasn't that there was a primary, but that there was no real field in said primary. Two or three candidates isn't a field. 2020 will be a different story.

[FourScore]

26. Look, I voted for Hillary.

But this particular election for DNC Chair was a huge opportunity for the Democratic elite to REALLY unify the party by electing Ellison to Chair. They chose not to, and I question the wisdom in that. Instead, they are now telling the liberal base to unify. How well did that tactic work out for them during the election? Or, more importantly, why do they think it will work well for them NOW?

I'm not the bad guy here. I'm more of the messenger, so don't shoot the me.

[Demsrule86]

34. Why would it unify the party to elect Ellison?

The liberal base...we are all the base. It is arrogant to believe that only those who supported Bernie are the liberal base. Personally I have no desire to cater to those who voted third party or for Trump or stayed home. We picked the best person for the job...it works for me. And I would tell you had Keith been elected I would have supported him too...because I don't expect a perfect party that agrees with me 100%. So climb aboard or not...your choice.

[FourScore]

48. If you want to get out of your bubble...

go read the responses on twitter.

[Demsrule86]

57. No thanks. Those are the folks who thought Hillary was worse than Trump...no interest in them.

[Chevy]

93. Twitter. Whatever. Trumpbots/Russian bots doing their part. n/t

[Ken Burch]

69. Nothing would have been different at all in the fall if Hillary had been nominated unopposed.

We've actually never done well in a fall election after a non-incumbent presidential primary where there was no real contest.

Look at 1952 and 1956. Look at 2000. Look at 2004.

In each case, the "obvious: candidate locked it up early.

the best result in any of those cases was a narrow EC loss caused by our nominee failing to carry his home state.

The election turned on Comey, the Russians and whatever they did, and on the refusal of the party to be explicitly anti-TPP(President Obama, with all his achievements, should have let the party break with it).

Having Hillary clinch at the beginning and having her run on a platform with no Sanders proposals at all would have made no positive difference(our fall campaign ads barely mentioned the platform).

I say all this someone who grieves deeply about the EC imposition of near-fascism.

A few minor changes, none of which would have betrayed anyone in the Democratic base, and Hillary would be president now.

[cstanleytech]

105. Maybe, maybe not, thats something we will just never know for certain.

There were alot of things that did weaken her though from Bernie dragging it out rather than concede to Comey deciding to get in the game and help Trump win which imo was the biggest thing as she had no time to try and fix the damage he caused.

[Raster]

123. The release of the original Comey letter WAS PERFECTLY TIMED...

...ALL of the highest level of Team Clinton was on a plane and flying cross-country. The Comey missile had several hours of maximum exposure and news penetration before Team Clinton was ever even in a position to adequately respond. IT WAS PLANNED THAT WAY! I'd like to know just when Chickenshit Chaffetz, -R, Hypocrite/Liar/Traitor, UT- was informed by "the FBI" that the letter was going to delivered/served. Who informed him? When? Was Ghouliani involved? How about Erik Prince? And those rogue factions within the FBI... who are they? How were they involved in Comey's letter?

[BlueMTexpat]

76. +1! eom

[radical noodle]

33. This was a vote, not an appointment.

More people wanted Perez. The idea that we must go around catering only to a certain group will never work. All you have to do is go to another site with Bernie voters and see how much they (don't) care about the Democratic Party.

[Honeycombe8]

59. +1 nt

[NBachers]

39. "Time for the Bernie crowd to unify." What exactly is wrong with the Bernie crowd unifying?

You say it like it's a bad thing, or something.

[FourScore]

51. Yeah, if you want to cherry-pick a quote and put it out there all alone it sounds that way.

I'm just sayin' it's more of the same.

Maybe I'll be wrong. I wasn't though when I sounded my concerns about the election.

I doubt I'm wrong now.

[Cha]

81. Tom Perez is a Brilliant choice!

[George II]

44. It's not, and he wasn't.

[Cha]

54. Nope.. The Winner Tom Perez is who they should have Chosen.. Oh

and regardless of your insult "lockstep".. no one is doing that.

We all have our choices.

[treestar]

68. He got the deputy

I don't understand how you think this attitude helps. G. There can be no big tent. And this no winning. Why is one Wong more demanding than the other ?

[NastyRiffraff]

84. Funny, Keith Ellison has more class than some of his supporters.

“I’m asking you to give everything you’ve got to support Chairman Perez,” Ellison told his supporters.

Too bad some aren't listening to his gracious call for unity.

[riderinthestorm]

124. You are right

https://www.currentaffairs.org/2017/02/they-must-be-trying-to-fail

[Hortensis]

16. Not a surprise but nice to hear.

Now, if only he'd name Buttigieg a second co-chair. Then we could come up with jokes about the 3 DNC chairs who walked into a bar, one a Hipanic, one a gay white, and one a Muslim black...

That's us.

[Demsrule86]

19. 1000+

Victory is in the air!

[samnsara]

27. what is the difference between deputy chair and vice chair?

[Rex]

31. That's how party unity works, I hope people took notes. nt

nt

[joet67]

32. I hope he Ellison has some influence on the direction of the party.

[Demsrule86]

45. How would Ellison's influence be different? They are both liberal.

I hope people understand that some of the candidates fielded in red states may not be as liberal as you and I. We must be the big tent in order to take back the majority.

[joet67]

62. that's a meme, from what I can see. If the party doesn't catch up to the goings-on in real lives,

and quick, they will have squandered it all.

[Demsrule86]

111. Look whateveris wrong with your life...lay at the GOP door.

You do realize we lost the House in 10 and the Senate in 14...we have had no real way to advance liberal principles...lucky to keep the GOP at bay...they refused to even give Obama his judge...try voting using loyalty as your criterion...because if the GOP keeps winning, you lose...we all lose.

[joet67]

120. Wow. Not sure I'm even wanting to respond to this. To say I am shocked would be

disingenuous. I'll just leave you to your fantasy.

[Demsrule86]

126. Since we lost the mid term...in 10, we have not had power to make the progressive agenda possible.

And not we are in a worse fix...try supporting the only party that can stop Trump... a circular firing squad only helps Trump. I meant...whatever...sins you believe the Dems have done that hurt you in some way...so send me a post about why Dems need to be 'fixed' and leave out the primary parts please.

[joet67]

129. I don't have a clue what you are talking about or why you chose me to come after. I'm moving on.

[Demsrule86]

131. forget it...such drama... no one 'came after you'

[Cha]

50. The Winner Tom Perez is just fine with his Direction.

[joet67]

52. Time will actually tell. nt

[Cha]

56. That's right.. I was for Tom and I'm happyi.

[Demsrule86]

61. I agree ...he is a good leader.

I think we may win...hoping.

[Cha]

66. Hey Demsrule!

[Demsrule86]

110. I agree...I think we can move on now...and beat the living daylights out of Trump

in an electoral way.

[Gothmog]

103. One of the issues that Perez will be dealing with is GOP voter suppression

Perez is very well suited for dealing with voter suppression issues due to his time in the Voting Rights Section of the DOJ

[SleeplessinSoCal]

42. I still want Buttigieg as Spokesperson for DNC

The guy to go on Sunday shows. Wonder if he can do that and continue up the ladder to POTUS....

[Ken Burch]

55. You never know.

I can see him as running-mate material in 2020-a young Red State progressive.

[LAS14]

60. Do you happen to know how tall he is?

I really like him... just wondering if this is one strike against him. I believe there's an incredible correlation between height and winning the presidency and today on cspan he struck me as unusually short.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

91. Here's a photo of him with Obama and an article...

http://m.southbendtribune.com/new-york-times-asks-of-buttigieg-first-gay-president/article_2b9fc07c-3026-11e6-8cfd-27e06ca45015.html

[LAS14]

94. Not a big problem. Here's another.

[kentuck]

64. I think the Party was just showing him off for a run for the Senate or Governor of Indiana?

This was great exposure for him!

[Denzil_DC]

79. He's got an interesting future ahead, for sure.

Governor would probably be a better move for the long haul, but he seems to know what he's all about. I hope he gets to be a prominent spoke in the mean time.

[Demsrule86]

65. I actually wanted Buttigieg...because that would end the proxy war...

After I heard him speak...then I was impressed period...he has a bright future.

[bravenak]

82. That would be great

[bullwinkle428]

95. He absolutely DESERVES a visible and influential role in the party.

[Cha]

49. Tom Perez WON and he's ALL CLASS!

[DinahMoeHum]

63. Thing is, Perez can devote himself to the job FULL-TIME. . .

. . .leaving Ellison the choice of whether or not to continue as a Congressman and still have influential input.

Besides, from what I've read, there's very little difference in attitudes or philosophies between them.

So, I'm glad this worked out the way it did.

[rainlillie]

72. I'm happy to hear this..

We have one hell of a fight on our hands against Comrade Trump and his deplorable Klan. The only way we are going to win is if we stick together. No time for nitpicking or bitching about this one or that one isn't progressive enough. Not sure where I heard this but someone said: "The barbarians aren't at the f%cking gate.. They're in the damn house."

[Phoenix61]

107. +1

[CentralMass]

78. +1

[Cha]

86. Just No.

[George II]

89. +1 ..............

[KittyWampus]

85. LOL!

[Gothmog]

96. This was a great move

[ismnotwasm]

99. K&R

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

104. Yes indeed

[Tatiana]

108. I would have been happy with either. This is a winning team!

I preferred Ellison, but he didn't get it, so it's time to "move on" to the business at hand -- beating back the fascists!

I think both gentleman genuinely like one another personally and I think they will work well together. Two heads are better than one!

[nycbos]

113. While I applaud Perez's move (He was my first choice)

I think they did a deal beforehand. IF Ellison won he would have made Perez vice chair.

[lillypaddle]

114. Great to hear!

Now let's go!

[raging moderate]

116. Aw, come on, you guys. We can do this. Together!

Of course we have to compromise and work together! So much of what divides us is just different perspectives. The whole world is depending on us!

[littlemissmartypants]

122. ♡

I'm ready. Fired up. Forward together.

[AgadorSparticus]

125. Right. On!! And now, let's MOVE ON.....TOGETHER!