Is the DNC trying to get rid of Dean?

[quaoar]

I ask that question because the story below about Dean not raising enough money and people being "concerned" is the sort of thing that's leaked with the idea of undermining Dean.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/11/AR2005111101833.html

By Chris Cillizza
Special to The Washington Post
Saturday, November 12, 2005; Page A01

The Democratic National Committee under Howard Dean is losing the fundraising race against Republicans by nearly 2 to 1, a slow start that is stirring concern among strategists who worry that a cash shortage could hinder the party's competitiveness in next year's midterm elections.

The former Vermont governor and presidential candidate took the chairmanship of the national party eight months ago, riding the enthusiasm of grass-roots activists who relished his firebrand rhetorical style. But he faced widespread misgivings from establishment Democrats, including elected officials and Washington operatives, who questioned whether Dean was the right fit in a job that traditionally has centered on fundraising and the courting of major donors.

Now, the latest financial numbers are prompting new doubts. From January through September, the Republican National Committee raised $81.5 million, with $34 million remaining in the bank. The Democratic National Committee, by contrast, showed $42 million raised and $6.8 million in the bank.

"The degree to which the fundraising has not been competitive is obviously troublesome," said former congressman Vic Fazio (D-Calif.), who is now a lobbyist here. He expressed confidence in Tom McMahon, Dean's executive director at the DNC.

[spindrifter]

1. No one should be expected to squeeze

blood out of a turnip. I, for one, have been hit by a substantial pay reduction and have donated to Katrina, tsunami, and several other causes during the year. That takes away from what I could donate to DNC.

[Orangepeel]

2. The Washington Post is trying to stir up a story

Chris Cillizza has to write about something, and this is pretty safe and easy. That's my take on it, anyway.

[flpoljunkie]

53. DLC's Al From recently on C-Span refused to endorse Dean as DNC Chair.

From is forced to speak about Dean as DNC Chair at the beginning of the tape and at about 34:15 into the tape.

Al From, Founder & CEO, Democratic Leadership Council

Al From, Founder and CEO of the Democratic Leadership Council, discusses the future of the Democratic party.

10/25/2005: WASHINGTON, DC: 45 min.

http://www.c-span.org/search/basic.asp?ResultStart=1&Re ...

[BlueEyedSon]

3. What was the ratio BEFORE dean?

[sendero]

4. Exactly...

... I hate it when one number is tossed around when I need ten numbers.

What was the ratio before?

What is the rate of increase/decrease compared to 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000?

What passes for news and commentary is often really more like insipid pablum.

[Crunchy Frog]

10. That was my question too.

I seem to recall reading that it was considerably worse, but I don't have a link for that, unfortunately.

[Capn Sunshine]

72. It was approximately 3:1

so under Dean, there has been a drastic improvement.

[CoffeeCat]

5. I personally believe...

...that Deans doesn't belong in any existing political party.

He's too good for the current, horrible state of politics in this country.

In my opinion--he's too much of a trailblazer and an original, independent thinker.

I think he needs his own party.

I'm sure the current crap in both parties is suffocating to him.

If he started his own party, I'd join.

Just my 2 cents...

[alfredo]

19. I really don't think many understand the changes.

I see more activity on the grassroots. That has Dean's fingerprints all over it. We had no choice but to go grassroots. We have to rebuild one voter at a time. We need face to face contact with the people.

I am beginning to collect data to show what motivates people to act politically. My first set of data suggests face to face contact is the best. I have no data on TV, and too small a sample to really make statements on radio, but so far human contact is the best motivator. Dean seems to understand that.

Repubs collecting 2-1 is nothing new.


Hit the streets folks.

[wisteria]

6. This looks like the same story I read a couple of months ago.

First, the Democratic party has always raised less money then the Republicans. The Democratic out reach is to the people, the Republican's to the corporations. Second, while money is important so is strategy, and Dean seemed to have the right one in the NJ and VA races.
I hate these stories. They are really counter productive. We should really learn to just ignore them. IMO, Dean is doing just fine.

[Kurovski]

63. Might it not actually inspire more people to donate?

Even $15 is do-able for most. Give up a movie out, or a lunch out, and there it is. Give up two a month and it's $30.

However, I do hate these stories too as the purpose is to create a negative, losing mindset.

This is not a story. We've always known that the R's are perfectly and completely corrupted with Corp. money. If the DNC was bouncing all their checks, THAT would be a story.

A good counter to this story might be to say the fact that the RNC is way ahead in fundraising is actually a problem. The money comes from corporations like Big Oil and Halliburton, and from corps. that are outsourcing American jobs. The repubs will do all they can to help and protect those donors over the much smaller donors. Hell, they already are and everyone knows it!

[dmr]

7. This is the opposite of what I read a few weeks ago.

I don't remember which paper it was in, but they were saying leading up to the election that the Republicans were not raising as much money as the Democrats, and it had the pugs concerned.

Wish I could remember where I read it.

Sounds like there are those who are trying to marginalize Dean.

[NCarolinawoman]

8. I just heard today that the Dems would be in great shape for '06.

I think it was on PBS's "Washington Week in Review", or maybe the "Jim Leyer Hour".

[AtomicKitten]

9. Tough shit, Dean is doing fine.

Maybe if we some more evidence of a goddamn backbone in the Dems, we'll feel inclined to give to the DNC.

[AtomicKitten]

71. It's Sunday and after watching Meet the Press,

I just wanted to add that I really like Dean as DNC chair. I supported another candidate in the primary, but I have a new-found appreciation for Dean and think he is doing a great job as DNC chair. He came back at Russert forcefully but graciously. Couldn't be happier with his performance as chair.

[depakid]

11. Oh good grief- it's just Pravda

It's hard to believe that after all of the things they've published over the past 6 years, anyone takes the Post seriously.

Their reputation for honest, factual analysis is just a shade above the Wall Street Journal's editorial page.

That said, it would be advantageous if Dean could find a gracious way out of the DNC Chaimanship- and back onto the campaign trail, where he could speak the truth without having to worry about being backstabbed by the DINO wing of the party- whose cowardice in confronting the far right is a major reason why people don't want to contribute any money in the first place.

[snowbear]

12. The timing of the article is completely insane.

The sentence about the Democrat's big wins this past Tuesday says it all..

..."But those results also could boost the spirits of partisans in ways that will make it easier for Dean to even the balance.

What the author should have done, was waited to see if the FIRST FRIGGIN' GOOD NEWS DEMOCRATS HAVE HAD IN EONS was going to increase donations -- and if there was no boost --- THEN they'd have an actual point to make.

They knocked out a "gloom and doom" article just three days after a massive national victory?

The WaPo Editor should have shit-canned Chris Cillizza's article.. or at least told them to hold onto it for 3 months. :crazy:

[Jim Sagle]

13. This is RNC pigshit, straight from KKKarl's ass.

The REAL reason DINOS don't like Dean is that he IS an effective Democrat, and that he's helping Democrats win elections.

[TexasLawyer]

21. oh yeah.

Also, it's easy for the sleazes at RNC to raise that kind of money when they're charging $9 million a pop to visit chimpy. The DNC has raised a big pile of money from a huge number of people-- during what is normally a dead period between elections.

Howard Dean is doing A-OK in my book.

[madfloridian]

14. I think he is on pace with 2003 fundraising.

I can't find my research right now...other computer downloading stuff. I believe that you can't compare 2004 with this year because of the presidential election. But I think he is on course to beat or equal 2003.

A figure of 44 million in 2003 by December sticks in my head, and it said total. Don't know if that is hard money or soft or both. of course these figures today are based on end of Sept.

I remember some posts at Kos, etc. that he could beat the 2003 fundraising while putting the emphasis on smaller donors.

I need to find the figures. This has some numbers from 2003. They get confusing.

http://64.233.187.104/search?q=cache:0gxUQSV5-fQJ:www.brookings.edu/dybdocroot/views/papers/corrado20040311_paper.pdf+dnc+total+2003+53+million+&hl=en

[quaoar]

16. Plus, it seems to me

that fundraising for the last cycle exploded exponentially as the election aproached. In other words, most of the money was raised late in the game.

[madfloridian]

17. Ok, looks like he is about 10 million ahead of 2003

http://www.dailykos.com/comments/2005/11/11/235924/81/12#12

"THEN: In the previous election cycle, the DNC had raised $31 million, compared with the RNC's $80 million, at this point in 2003.

NOW: The Democratic National Committee, by contrast, showed $42 million raised and $6.8 million in the bank... the Republican National Committee raised $81.5 million,.

Wow! Dean raised $10 million more and hasn't really started tapping the big donors or the internet yet. Meanwhile the RNC is almost unchanged.

Go back to politics 101, particularly DC politics, and figure out who these critics might be and why they want to shoot Dean down."

[Clark2008]

29. Lemme guess.

It's probably not even the Republicans in this instance.

I'm thinking... oh...I dunno... the DLC?

:grr:

[Fleshdancer]

31. sometimes it's hard to tell the difference

I'll probably get slammed for saying that, but it's what I think.

[xxqqqzme]

43. that was my first reaction as well.

D. L. C. - They would love 2 see Dean fail - cripes he wasn't included in their convention and was bad-mouthed during its run. This is dlc propaganda. They ain't gonna play if the DNC doesn't play by their rules.

[Fleshdancer]

30. thank you Madfloridian....

I read today's DeaNC bashing article before logging on to DU and I came over here specifically searching for this thread.

Every time I jump on a thread to defend Dean and his grassroots initiative within the DNC, I discover that you're always two steps ahead of me...prepared with actual facts and links to back up your point. You're making me a lazy researcher on the subject. :D

[madfloridian]

54. Well, thanks.....LOL. Glad you found the post.

:hi:

Someone has to use facts, since so many are willing not to do so.

[welshTerrier2]

18. this to me is the only correct response ...

"hating Dean" or "out to get Democrats" or any of the rest of it is not the point until the facts are established ...

if comparisons should be made between 2003 and 2005, then let's try to get that information ... and frankly, Dean should neither be given all the credit for success nor all the blame if the fundraising is off ...

there are huge differences between the current political climate and any previous year ... sometimes the political climate has a huge impact on fundraising, one way or another ...

my bottom line question is, how is the fundraising actually going and exactly how much credit or blame should Dean receive for whatever it is ???

[Donna Zen]

15. Maybe the DLC

shouldn't be swilling up all the $$$$$. Hey, it's tough having a party buried inside a party.

[flpoljunkie]

23. Now we know what Russert will focus on tomorrow with our Dr. Dean.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/11/AR2005111101833_2.html

One Democrat with close ties to Dean and the DNC said that expectations were unfairly high for the governor's ability to raise dollars through the Internet. "It is a very different process to raise money for a presidential campaign than it is for a party committee," said the veteran fundraiser, who talked candidly about DNC finances on the condition of anonymity. "Donors are a little skeptical that the DNC is a good investment."

As some see it, Dean's larger problem is with the care and feeding of wealthy contributors, people capable of giving the maximum $26,700 allowed annually under federal law. Bob Farmer, a past DNC finance chairman, said that "where the chairman can make an impact is with the big donors and the big fundraisers."

(Now, why would the "big donors" be holding back? Is Al From whispering in their ears? In a recent appearance on C-Span, Al could not bring himself to praise Dean, only twice noting that he supported the Chairman of the DNC, and that Dean was only one voice who spoke for the party. And why is this story being written now when the base, and I would venture to say the "big donors" have been recently energized by the Democrats' standing up to the Bush administration--the Senate showdown on Phase II of the Senate Intelligence Committee investigation on how Bush administration used intelligence in the run-up to the war in Iraq and the House Democrats totally united on the budget cut reconciliation bill, that the R's could not even pass when they stripped out drilling in ANWR. Is it perhaps they are hoping to stop any momentum the Democrats have and dump on Dr. Dean, who in my opinion, is doing a great job.)

Dean does not enjoy long relationships with these people and remains uncomfortable asking for a significant contribution after just meeting a donor, said party operatives familiar with his style. One high-dollar donor in the Washington area said the outreach by Dean has been woeful: "The only explanation I can fathom for the virtual total lack of quality communications is they are still in the process of figuring things out in terms of who their major donor list is."

Dean could not be reached for comment last night.

(Then why not wait until you can reach him to print this story? After all, you have just written a long story trashing him, and wouldn't it be only fair to get his responses?)

[MrBenchley]

25. Tell us, HOW MUCH is the DLC "swilling up"?

Exactly?

[flpoljunkie]

26. From "How the DLC Does It" by Robert Dreyfuss

http://www.prospect.org/print-friendly/print/V12/7/dreyfuss-r.html

Of course, it is easier to be contentious when you are well financed. And the DLC message of pro-market moderation is just what organized business wants to hear. From its modest beginnings--with a start-up budget of just $400,000 in its first year, cobbled together at fundraisers starring Robb, former President Jimmy Carter, and K Street Democratic eminence Bob Strauss--the DLC patiently cultivated wealthy individuals and corporate backers. By 1990 the combined DLC-PPI operation boasted revenues of $2.2 million, a big chunk of which came from a single source, New York hedge fund operator Michael Steinhardt, who pledged $500,000 a year for three years. (Steinhardt, whose actual donations came to half that in the end, was named chairman of the newly formed PPI's board of trustees, before falling out with the DLC in the mid-1990s.)

One by one, Fortune 500 corporate backers saw the DLC as a good investment. By 1990 major firms like AT&T and Philip Morris were important donors. Indeed, according to Reinventing Democrats, Kenneth S. Baer's history of the DLC, Al From used the organization's fundraising prowess as blandishment to attract an ambitious young Arkansas governor to replace Senator Sam Nunn of Georgia as DLC chairman. Drawing heavily on internal memos written by From, Bruce Reed, and other DLCers, Baer says that the DLC offered Clinton not only a national platform for his presidential aspirations but "entree into the Washington and New York fundraising communities." Early in the 1992 primaries, writes Baer, "financially, Clinton's key Wall Street support was almost exclusively DLC-based," especially at firms like New York's Goldman, Sachs.

<>While the DLC will not formally disclose its sources of contributions and dues, the full array of its corporate supporters is contained in the program from its annual fall dinner last October, a gala salute to Lieberman that was held at the National Building Museum in Washington. Five tiers of donors are evident: the Board of Advisers, the Policy Roundtable, the Executive Council, the Board of Trustees, and an ad hoc group called the Event Committee--and companies are placed in each tier depending on the size of their check. For $5,000, 180 companies, lobbying firms, and individuals found themselves on the DLC's board of advisers, including British Petroleum, Boeing, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Coca-Cola, Dell, Eli Lilly, Federal Express, Glaxo Wellcome, Intel, Motorola, U.S. Tobacco, Union Carbide, and Xerox, along with trade associations ranging from the American Association of Health Plans to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. For $10,000, another 85 corporations signed on as the DLC's policy roundtable, including AOL, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Citigroup, Dow, GE, IBM, Oracle, UBS PacifiCare, PaineWebber, Pfizer, Pharmacia and Upjohn, and TRW.

And for $25,000, 28 giant companies found their way onto the DLC's executive council, including Aetna, AT&T, American Airlines, AIG, BellSouth, Chevron, DuPont, Enron, IBM, Merck and Company, Microsoft, Philip Morris, Texaco, and Verizon Communications. Few, if any, of these corporations would be seen as leaning Democratic, of course, but here and there are some real surprises. One member of the DLC's executive council is none other than Koch Industries, the privately held, Kansas-based oil company whose namesake family members are avatars of the far right, having helped to found archconservative institutions like the Cato Institute and Citizens for a Sound Economy. Not only that, but two Koch executives, Richard Fink and Robert P. Hall III, are listed as members of the board of trustees and the event committee, respectively--meaning that they gave significantly more than $25,000.

more...

[MrBenchley]

27. So it sounds like they don't "swill up" much at all, doesn't it?

[flpoljunkie]

28. These corporate donations buy them a seat at the table, otherwise known

as influence peddling. We all know that our Congresscritters are bought off cheap with corporations reaping many times their investment in special interest legislation passed to benefit these same corporations. The Republicans excel at this.

We Democrats ought to demand that our party uphold our core principles and be the party of, by and for the people and not the handmaiden of big corporations, like the Republicans, who preach the idea of free market capitalism when what they practice is a gamed system--crony capitalism which is destroying the middle class in our country.

[MrBenchley]

48. No shit...

So where do you suppose Dr. Dean is getting HIS donations, do you suppose?

"We Democrats ought to demand that our party uphold our core principles and be the party of, by and for the people and not the handmaiden of big corporations"
I don't see any evidence that we're doing anything but....despite all this hysteria about the DLC...

And we still yet to see HOW MUCH the DLC is collecting...so far the amounts metnioned seem way piddly.

[flpoljunkie]

50. But not piddly to From, DLC policymakers. Figures are also old, from 2000.

[MrBenchley]

52. So to sum up, we got no evidence that the DLC is siphoning off any....

... amounts of money from the Democrats, as was claimed (and it's money we ought to be too pure to get in the first place, hahahahaha), nor do we have any evidence that the DLC is doing anything improper with the piddly amount they do get...

[flpoljunkie]

55. Siphoning? No. Selling out core Democratic principles via DLC policy, yes.

And the DLC whores are bought off cheap!

[MrBenchley]

56. What a load of blah....

[flpoljunkie]

57. The truth hurts, doesn't it, Mr. Benchley? The DLC are pro-corporatists,

Bush Lite. We will only win back Congress if we stand up and right for economic justice, and not kowtow to big business, i.e., enabling the passage of the egregious bankruptcy bill, a one-sided giveaway to the banks and credit card companies.

I would like to see Dr. Dean say when we take back the Congress, we are going to revisit this one-sided giveaway and rescind the millionaires' asset protection provisions left in the bill, and remove the punitive sections that fall on those least able to protect themselves from the greed of the credit card companies.

[MrBenchley]

59. How would I know from what you post?

All you got is this stale anti-DLC blah....

"Bush Lite"
Jeeze, your hero Dean is well to the right of most of the folks in the DLC...

[flpoljunkie]

60. "Dean is well to the right of most of the folks in the DLC?" Name them.

[MrBenchley]

61. Max Cleland, John Kerry, Al Gore

Need more?

[flpoljunkie]

64. Ha! These folks can hardly be called DLC. From's candidates are Clinton,

Vilsack, Warner and Bayh--in the order listed by Al From on his recent C-Span appearance as "our candidates" for the 2008 nomination.

I would venture to guess that both Gore and Cleland are ex-DLC and Kerry is probably regretting that he made the decision to join the DLC in 2000.

I would also like to point that out that I am a long time Kerry supporter, but I think Dr. Dean is a fine DNC Chairman--something that Al From could not bring himself to say on the above mentioned C-Span appearance--even when twice given the opportunity.

[MrBenchley]

65. Sorry, chipper....those guys ARE the DLC....

"I would venture to guess that both Gore and Cleland are ex-DLC and Kerry is probably regretting that he made the decision to join the DLC in 2000."
And you'd be full of it in saying so, too....

"I would also like to point that out that I am a long time Kerry supporter"
And yet you didn't know he was a member of the DLC...go figure.

"I think Dr. Dean is a fine DNC Chairman--something that Al From could not bring himself to say on the above mentioned C-Span appearance--even when twice given the opportunity."
Geeze, maybe he doesn't share your opinion. But then I bet Al knows that Cleland, Gore and Kerry are members of his organization.

http://www.issues2000.org/Social/Max_Cleland_Principles_+_Values.htm

http://www.dlc.org/ndol_ci.cfm?kaid=127&subid=173&contentid=1469

http://www.dlc.org/ndol_ci.cfm?kaid=127&subid=900056&contentid=252591

[flpoljunkie]

68. It is you who are full of it, Benchley. Your post makes no sense.

"I would venture to guess that both Gore and Cleland are ex-DLC and Kerry is probably regretting that he made the decision to join the DLC in 2000."
And you'd be full of it in saying so, too....

"I would also like to point that out that I am a long time Kerry supporter"
And yet you didn't know he was a member of the DLC...go figure.

Duh, I just cited and you quoted it above, that John Kerry joined the DLC in 2000. Perhaps it is time for you to go to bed, if you cannot do better than that.

And, since you brought it up, do you know that Al Gore and Max Cleland are still members of the DLC--particularly Al Gore.

[MrBenchley]

70. Gave you all the answer you deserved...

Now pout about it to somebody who gives a crap.

[UndergroundRadical]

20. The DNC has been trying.....

to get rid of Howard "Scream" for years. If they'll take my advice and keep him and promote him, they may actually do well in the next coming years. Otherwise they will continue to slide down the wrong path by not satisfying their base. That's the key to every election loss, taking your power for granted.

[MaineDem]

24. He's only been Chair for 8 months

How has the DNC been trying to get rid of him "for years?" The members of the DNC are the ones who elected him back in February!

And to what will they promote him? He has the highest job in the DNC now.

It was the grassroots that urged his election. The DNC members I know were inundated with calls and emails urging them to elect Dean as Chair.

I don't understand your comment that they're trying to get rid of him.

[lovelaureng]

22. It would not surprise me if they were.

They can't handle him. He has some backbone and will fight back when attacked, rather than just taking in the ass from the Republicans, like so many of the other spineless jellyfish Democrats.

[dogday]

32. Don't believe everything you hear and

half of what you see in Politics. This may very well be the right's doing. They like to spread rumors, try to divide and confuse our party. I love where they say on TV that Democrats would vote for Clinton for President and I don't know one person who thinks it is a good idea for this next election.

[KoKo]

33. Old Dem Hacks McAuliffe and Shrum have been all over the pundit shows

this past week or so. I knew something was up when I kept seeing their faces everywhere. Setting Dean up for criticism and the Whore Media is complicit.

I think Dean can take care of himself...but it's going to be hard when his own party goes after him constantly heckling and spreading disinformation to the WSJ, NYT's and WaPo.

No wonder the Democratics look like they don't have a consistent message...we always have folks within our own party trying to cut off grassroots efforts and activism.

I think we are going to need a Third Party. This "business as usual" is no way to govern. Look at the Cronyism under the Repugs and there are many Dem DINO's who can't wait to cash in if we take the WH back. They've seen that the Repugs get away with it and it opens the door for those already cozy and taking from the Lobbyists to just switch from Repug giving to Dem. The race is on for the BIG BUCKS...Dean is a liability. Those of us fighting for voting reform are seen as a liability...and Grassroots is seen as an annoyance...gnats to be flicked off now that the Chimpy looks in big trouble.

[MaineDem]

35. "I think we are going to need a Third Party."

I disagree, KoKo.

Let's see how Dean does on Meet the Press tomorrow.

And you'll be hearing more about a unified Democratic message after the DNC meeting the beginning of December.

Dean is working hard to empower the grassroots by providing the state parties with the resources they need. Here in Maine alone we have three DNC employees (that our state party hired)who are tasked with building the county and town committees into viable working committees. They will get training and guidance. This is because of Dean's actions.

[KoKo]

36. A Democratic Third Way....led by Dean...not now...but it will happen

somewhere down the road. There is just too much Lobbyist Cronyism to clean out what we need to. There's too much complicity between the two parties for us to go on like this.

It won't happen for years...though. I'm a Dean supporter...he's given money here in NC for our Progressives. But, I know he's up against the Dem Machine that's filled with hacks who've had us losing because they've run out of new ideas. Dean recognizes this and that's why the party insiders will keep going at him. That's what I meant.

:-)'s

[Donna Zen]

40. I think the DLC

needs its own party or they can join the Democratic Party.

[madfloridian]

45. I think the DLC might be forming its own inclusive party.

I have thought that a lot lately. With the Clintons as leaders. So maybe we won't have to start our own third party. Ok, just talking out of my hat. :silly:

[Donna Zen]

46. Since we're voicing our opinions!

I think that the 3rd party already exists, we're just their envelope lickers. They need us, they just don't feed us.

If the only way to get my party back is deny the DLC my services, then that is what I'll do.

[Catrina]

47. Yes, I think the DLC is to Democrats what

neocons are to the Republican Party.

The difference in the candidates they prop up and those who really work for the people, is so obvious, I don't know why there's even a doubt that this 'think tank' which is what it is imo, doesn't belong in the Democratic Party.

I will check the DLC connection to any candidate who runs in 2006, before supporting them.

Eg, Hillary, Lieberman, et al. Teh DLC loves them.

There are great people in the Democratic party who will better serve the people than the DLC choices, imo.

[Totally Committed]

37. I agree.

I think all of us who support Dean as DNC Chair need to be ready to defend him soon. I noticed what KoKo01 just mentioned, and this is not a good sign, but coupled with the article in the OP and I do think Dean is being set ip for a fall.

TC

[Pithy Cherub]

62. This whispering campaign against Dean is eerily reminiscent

of the attacks against Dean when he made the comments about who was in the republican party. The DLC rushed to deny that he spoke for them or the party. There was a similar article written that parrots this one about fundraising that started it off, Dean is not doing well without examining the real facts.

The next day after Dean's statements, he has a half-million dollars from small donors and tens of thousands of emails to the cowardly DLC whisperers to STFU because Dean speaks for me. He shared that information with durbin and Reid and that's when the Faux news guy, Brian Wilson, had a publicly embarrassing meltdown outside of the Minority Leader's office because he was trying to get Dean to comment.

Democrats have never outraised republicans. It is a false premise in the first place.

However; it is getting closer to the time that the report on primaries is due and that is making entrenched corporate donors and DLC politicians nervous. A pre-emptive first strike to see if he still has the same level of support and stop changes that they feel would be detrimental to their interests ad plans. Just sayin', based on the cowardly corporatists DLC's previous performance, it certainly would be predictive for the future. :freak:

[madfloridian]

66. Ah yes, the primary report.

That should be interesting.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

44. We have a Third Party...

and in the last election, they managed to get nearly 1% of the vote.

Next Suggestion?

[karynnj]

34. Incredibly weird timing given the wins

One would think that winning elections is the goal - and money is only one component to what's needed. I know, here in NJ that the party was stronger and had pulled in more people. Although they lost, my county had 2 serious assembly candidates - who forced the Republicans to actually campaign which they haven't done in past years. At least one was a DFA candidate.

A comment I heard repeatedly was a surprised " the Democratic party is actually active in this (very Republican) county". Several people in the office were brought into being invoved in politics by Dean. (some of us responded to Kerry's email). I don't know if Corzine or Dean co-ordinated it - but there were more appearances by big name Democrats than I remeember in the 33 years I've lived here. (B. Clinton had at least 3 rallies, Kerry 5 on one day , Obama 4 all on one day, Dean 5 or6 on the Saturday before the election.

This is just a stupid reporter taking a factoid (the Republicans raised more money (duh)) throwing in an anonomous comment about big money donors - and concoting nonsense out of thin air.

I am not a Deaniac (though he and Kerry were the only 2 I wanted in late 2003 - and feared they'd knock each other out), but there is no way he doesn't deserve credit for party building.

[Totally Committed]

38. Not weird timing at all...

The Democrats appear to be re-emerging from the woods and making a comeback. They probably feel they don't need Howard any longer.

TC

[karynnj]

41. That would make no sense

I assume that Dean although probably started the grassroots work in all states, the intensity and focus was likely on those states that had important elections. (If I were him, I might even have tries different stategies in different states to get a handle on methods that work.

[madfloridian]

39. What if....winning elections is NOT the goal. Just pondering.

What if? What if by some chance the goal was corporate pleasure?

Oh, my, what am I thinking. :silly:

[Totally Committed]

42. Heh, heh, heh...

"Corporate pleasure"... what a concept!

Not :silly: at all, imo.

TC

[sandnsea]

51. No kidding

It's stunning how people who know the media is out to fuck with their heads allow the media to fuck with their heads.

[AntiCoup2K4]

49. What a steaming fucking pile of horseshit!

How much fucking money are you supposed to raise in an off-year?

And he's doing better than Terry McUseless, isn't he?

In fundraising that is. We already know he's better at everything else.

Fuck the DLC, Fuck the Corporatists. When the time comes to bring on the money in 2006, there's only 4 words neccessary....


BRING ON THE BAT!!

[Ian David]

58. ISSUE: Democrats Losing Race For Funds Under Dean

From: Rapid Response Network <[e-mail]>
----------------------------
ISSUE
----------------------------

Democrats Losing Race For Funds Under Dean
By Chris Cillizza
Special to The Washington Post?Saturday, November 12,
2005
http://digbig.com/4fgkn

** THOUGHTS **

This headline and much of the article is quite
misleading by what is omitted... talk about turd
blossoms.

- Democratic National Committee fundraising is
actually up several million dollars versus last year
but Republican National Committee fundraising is
relatively flat

- Said another way, DNC money raising is up by about a
third, while RNC fundraising is only up by about 5%

- Given the historical fundraising imbalance... it's
rare that the DNC outraises the RNC, but
percentage-wise (if not in actual dollar amounts) the
DNC is doing just that under Chairman Howard Dean

- A little context: The national GOP has operations in
all 50 states to coordinate between the national party
and the state parties. Historically, the Democrats
have not had this infrastructure. Part of the reason
Howard Dean was elected chair of the national party
was to correct that imbalance. His focus over the past
few months (he hasn't even been chair for a year yet)
has been to focus on strategy, not to blindly raise
money with no reason.

- Some more context: Part of Chairman Dean's strategy
is to direct more fundraising directly toward state
parties to help them build their structures and farm
systems... If the monies are going directly to state
parties they're not going to the national party. Duh.

OTHER THOUGHTS...

Chairman Dean's philosophy is to have a party which
raises money from many people not just the wealthy
elite or the Establishment few. Given the number of
anonymous sources in this story it is surprising it
made it into publication (besides, I thought anonymous
sources were out of favor among journalists given what
happened in the lead-up to the Iraq Invasion).

This story seems to be little more than a plant,
either by conservatives who want to reassure their
base that there's money in the bank or by
Establishment progressive consultants who are now out
of favor within the party structure (or both).

** ACTION **

You may want to ask why so many "anonymous" sources
were used for this story and why any sort of context
regarding past performance and/or the strategy of
building the infrastructure was ignored....

#1 - Washington Post reporters are available through
800.627.1150 or 202.334.6000. I'm sure the operator
can help you find Chris Cillizza.

#2 - The current Post Ombudsman is Michael Getler. You
can reach him by e-mail at [e-mail] or
by phone at 202-334-7582.

#3 - Letters to the Editor [e-mail] or by
snail mail:
Letters to the Editor
The Washington Post
1150 15th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20071


----------------------------
ISSUE
----------------------------

Asterisks Dot White House's Iraq Argument
By Dana Milbank and Walter Pincus
Washington Post Staff Writers?Saturday, November 12,
2005
http://digbig.com/4fgkm

** THOUGHTS **

As mentioned briefly in yesterday's alert, this WaPo
story surmises that our conservative president's
speech defending his invasion of Iraq was not "wholly
accurate."

A shorter word for not "wholly accurate"?

"Fib." ("Lie" works too.)

** ACTION **

Check your local media to make sure they are reporting
not only on the president's speech but also the
progressives' response (plus the full background --
such as, according to Bob Woodward, the Prince of
Saudi Arabia having more intel than Congress before
the US invaded Iraq).

Write a letter to the editor with your own thoughts on
"rewriting history" and being not "wholly accurate"...


----------------------------
ISSUE
----------------------------

U.S. sends signal on value of television
$3 billion planned for viewers to buy digital
converters
By William Neikirk
Chicago Tribune senior correspondent
Published November 12, 2005
http://digbig.com/4fgkk

** THOUGHTS **

Conservatives want to cut Katrina aid, health care,
food, education, children's and a whole host of other
decent, neighborly programs that help Americans in
need... yet they can find it in their "compassionate"
conservative hearts to scrounge together $3 billion
for converter boxes so the needy don't go without when
TV signals go all-digital.

What?! You can't eat Martha Stewart's cooking shows.
"Grey's Anatomy" and "ER" don't help you when you're
sick or hurt. And the only TV shows you can learn from
(like those at PBS such as Sesame Street and others
for the young or NOVA and Now for the mature) are
under constant attack as it is from corporatists and
right-wing fundamentalists.

Just as long as Bridges to Nowhere get built in Alaska
I guess this sort of twisted priority making is ok in
conservative fantasyland.

** ACTION **

Make sure your local and national media are on this
story too. Write to reporters and call editors.

What are your two cents about this $3 billion?


----------------------------
FYI
----------------------------

**
Our Endangered Values: America's Moral Crisis
(Hardcover Book)?by Jimmy Carter
http://digbig.com/4fgkj

++ Being Mr. Nice Guy only gets you so far these
days...


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[Crazy Guggenheim]

67. Let's see them try! LOL.

[incapsulated]

69. I can't believe this bullshit is starting up again...

Oh, wait. We just won some elections. Never mind.