Dean-hating "Dem strategist" Gary South = Gray Davis' Campaign Manager

[stickdog]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2005/06/07/MNdean07.TMP

Garry South, a leading Democratic strategist, said of Dean, "the only thing we can hope is that he understands the difference from being a shadow president to being the head of the party when we're out of office."

His job is to "get the Democratic Party ready for the next election," South said. But "if he views himself as the public face of the Democratic Party, then we have a problem."


Yep, this is the same guy who managed Gray Davis' recall campaign against the Gropinator himself. What a surprise that he views Dean's prominence in the Democratic Party as a huge potential problem!

[roguevalley]

1. They have such a track record on their own stuff. Lordy. It isn't

like they are being undermined from a successful stategy. Last time I looked, Gray wasn't governor.

[Doomsayer13]

2. you know, he's right

the party chair is about winning elections, not about PR. I don't see anything where he explicitly hates on Dean.

[stickdog]

4. Who is about PR, then? Who is willing to get tough on Repuke and has

enough juice to get major media play when he or she does?

[KharmaTrain]

3. Lots Of Territory Threatened, But...

Yep, I'm hearing a lot of "Democratic Strategists" being trotted out in the "outrage" of Dr. Dean and how he shouldn't say the things he does. Methinks they're just pissed that they don't have the stones to say it. I find NOTHING offensive in anything Dr. Dean has said recently and glad it's out there for us to rally around. The utter hypocrisy of the right wing pansies to whine and moan when we call their number, yet it's just fine to accept any slur or characterization these goons do without question. I hope Dr. Dean keeps ranting more.

That said, I'm very concerned about the organization going on at the local party level. I've been watching and not seeing much help comming from the national party in seeding much needed party building activities in "purple" and "red" areas. I just got an email from a friend trying hard to organize a congressional campaign in a red state and hasn't seen any help other than a few video tapes and a nice letter from Dr. Dean. Otherwise they're on their own and losing money and patience.

[dsc]

5. I am no fan of South

but to blame him for Davis' loss in the recall is absurd. South is a political genius. He also is amoral but Davis got as far as he did through South's talent. Davis had no real persona to survive when California fell off the tracks. That isn't South's fault. It really wasn't even Davis' fault given that Enron caused so much of the problem out there. But Davis really ran on competence and experience and when he looked incompetent he didn't have a personality to fall back on.

[stickdog]

8. Davis only became Governor because Simon was a complete joke.

Why back a horse who couldn't even trot to the glue factory? Wasn't there anybody more worthy of South's talents? The only thing Davis had going for him was that he was the ultimate corporate sellout in Democratic clothing and hence could raise more money from fat cat donors than his Democratic opposition. Well, that and the fact that Simon was one of the least appealing clowns in the long history of California's political circus.

[dsc]

9. Remember Davis won in 98

in a three way primary against two people who had lots more money than he did. Harmon was one and I can't recall the other. Also Simon won his primary largely due to South's brilliant idea of running anti Reirdon ads in the Republican primary. South did a very good job packaging Davis to win the 98 primary and then did a great job getting rid of the strongest Republican in 02. He did very good. That doesn't make his comments about Dean right, nor does it make him a decent person. But it does make him a political genius.

[stickdog]

10. Yes, getting rid of Reardon was a huge coup. However, Al Checchi, Jane

Harmon, Dan Lundgren and Bill Simon all basically self-destructed, albeit with South's prodding.

[stillcool]

6. spin, spin, spin....

i don't understand why people get caught up in all of this 'he-said, she-said' stuff that is so irrelevant...and so obvious a ploy to get a meme going...why do they keep falling for it?

[Eloriel]

7. Dean is raising money on the strength of HIS personality & politics

and a lot of it:

lojasmo
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1517824#1518457
69. DNC has raised MORE MONEY THIS QUARTER
than any first non-election year quarter on the books.

A quick look at actual FEC reports

http://images.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/fecimg/?C00010603

shows that Dean has raised more money in an off year than any DNC Chair in history.

First Quarter of 2005 - $16.7 million

Q1/2004 - $28.7 million (presidential election year)

Q1/2003 - $8.7 million

Q1/2002 - $11.8

And Dean is on pace to break the midyear fundraising of $23.7 in the first six months of 2001. "

He's raising this money by going around the country having fundraisers featuring HIM, talking to grassroots activists and his supporters. I doubt if any other DNC chairs in history could have done THAT, either. People want to see him and hear him and are spending money to do so -- all for the good of the DNC, and esp. state organizations.

Does this high-paid consultant want him to STOP? Or is he just joining the Let's Attack Dean party, right on cue:

It's official: the DLC wants WAR
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1836491

Beltway Dem insiders whine, 'Dean stole our Golden Goose!'
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1835521

Edited to add:
You know, the DLC already tried this, and they lost miserably. Dean was still a candidate at that point, and they did NO damage -- in fact, may have helped him a bit because a lot of people got hoppin' mad at their insults to Dean supporters and their attempts to interfere. Let's hope they get another such serving of humble pie.