TNR: Ryan Lizza -THE DEMOCRATIC DIVIDE. The Outsiders

[mandyky]

http://www.tnr.com/doc.mhtml?pt=GC1nbWBk1KawulpqPq3uRR%3D%3D

Yikes, my hard feelings towards the Clintons and the Clintonistas,like James Carville grows daily.

Quote from JC -
"I think it's pathetic," says James Carville. "It's so indicative of the Democratic Party. Now we're just playing into every stereotype: We're weak, disorganized, flopping around. ... Somebody should have fixed this damn thing in November. I wish someone would have taken charge and three or four people would have gotten together in a smoke-filled room. ... They're not running for president! They are running for party chair. This is supposed to be a rigged deal. You think the Republicans would do it this way?"

This article also provides the lowdown on what happened to other "establishment" ABD put ups like Leo Hindrey.

<snip>
You've probably never heard of Hindery, but he is one of the party establishment's longtime moneymen. In the old soft-money days, the cable TV baron could be counted on to write six-figure checks to the DNC. During the last presidential race, when his friend Dick Gephardt was getting torn to shreds by Dean, Hindery dropped $100,000 on TV ads tying the Vermont governor to Osama bin Laden. Hindery jumped into the DNC race in early December, noisily proclaiming the backing of Gephardt and Tom Daschle. He soon steered his private jet toward Orlando, where Democrats were meeting to kick off the chairmanship race. But Hindery never even made it inside the drab hotel ballroom where DNC members grilled Dean and the other candidates.
</snip>

Great article considering it is from TNR. Lizza is about the only one I can read.

[Merlot]

1. "This is supposed to be a rigged deal."

Bummer. This time the grass roots got involved, and made their preferences known to the hundreds of people who vote for this position. Hmmm, sounds like a democratic way to decide on the leader of the democratic party.

3 or 4 people in a smoke filled room sounds so, well, republican.

[Old and In the Way]

2. Exactly.

I think Carville has spent way too much time with Mary Matlin. She's polluted his politics.

[Eloriel]

7. It was way more than that

THIS time "the 447" got to have a voice -- and they said WE want to choose, and we want DEAN (at least that's how I hope it goes). Maybe we in the grassroots had a hand, but the REST of the Party took their power back as well. So cool. AND the demonstration of how the internet aided and abetted something much closer to real democracy was pretty impressive as well.

This is a REALLY interesting and possibly incredibly important article. Everyone should read it, IMO -- for the picture of how things USED TO BE DONE and the picture of how things are going to be done when we all realize and act on the truth: YOU HAVE THE POWER.

YEAAAAARRRGHH!!

[bpilgrim]

8. Thank GORE he 'INVENTED' the INTERNET's!

:hi: Eloriel

peace

[Cha]

3. Thanks, Mandy!

That was riveting..I felt like I was getting a bird's eye view of some of the inner workings of the DNC Chair Race.

It sounds revolutionary, already.

Poor carville is scared to death of Dean.

[mandyky]

4. Think I should PM all the fellow Deaniacs?

I sure was a great article. Loved seeing how the blogoshere is gaining power! Got a big chuckle out of Hindery being waylayed in that hotel lobby!! Karma - it may not be instant but boy when it happens, it's good to hear about it!!

[Cha]

5. I definetly hope all the

Deaniacs get to read this article! :D

That was very good to hear that "blogosphere is gaining power"..the one force we have that the msm doesn't control.

[housewolf]

6. Quite a revealing article...

Thanks for posting it. I enjoyed reading it.

[mandyky]

9. Great article on the process!

Guess it's down to Fowler, Roemer and Dean. I think Dean has it!

[car54whereareyou]

10. Ryan the Lizzard

Ryan spread false rumors about Wes Clark during his campaign. Lizza is a poison-pen writer out to destroy anyone with integrity. You can cross him off your list of reliable sources.

[GetTheRightVote]

11. Gee, so sorry you all, we let our voices be heard, man oh man

:kick:

[Larkspur]

12. Hill Dems = Keystone Kops

I loved this part of the article
There was a Keystone Kops feel to how inept the Democratic leadership proved in its attempts to find an alternative to the dreaded Dean. Gephardt and Daschle flamed out with Hindery. Bill Clinton tried to recruit Wesley Clark, but the general politely declined, citing his own presidential ambitions for 2008. John Kerry, in his first postelection attempt to influence his party, flitted from candidate to candidate--Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack one day, ex-New Hampshire Governor Jeanne Shaheen the next--but neither entered the race. A former Michigan governor named Jim Blanchard was briefly resurrected from obscurity and pushed into the race by a trio of Democratic governors, but he was a dud.

This is why Howard Dean, assuming he wins the DNC Chair, will become the face of the Democrats. It sure seems that Jim Jordan has helped Dean become a force inside the Party infrastructure and now it will be interesting to see Dean operate on the national scene as the head of the Democratic Party.

[Kolesar]

13. The insider$

I'm not worried about a cleavage between the establishment and Dr. Dean. I have a hunch that there is still going to be a good amount of money flowing in our direction from the likes of Misters Soros and Peter B. Lewis. Don't underestimate the grassroot$ either. I think a lot of folks have finally woken up from this right wing horror that started into plain view with the Clinton impeachment.