Vilsack is Reid's top pick for DNC chair

[cal04]

Incoming Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid said Tuesday that Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack would be a strong choice to head the Democratic Party. "I think Vilsack, if he's willing to spend the time and energy and effort, would be a real good person to be the head," Reid, D-Nev., told The Associated Press in an interview several hours after his election as Democratic leader in the Senate.

"I hope that he agrees to try to have a run at it. I think it's an excellent idea," Reid said, adding that he's spoken to Vilsack. "I'm confident that he's interested in this," Reid said.

Vilsack, an ally of failed presidential nominee John Kerry, is just one of several Democrats interested in the job. Others include former Kerry rival Howard Dean who began calling Democratic National Committee members last week seeking support.

The 400-plus members of the DNC meet in February to choose a replacement for chairman Terry McAuliffe, who is not seeking another term. Reid said he's met with Kerry and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and discussed the issue.


http://newsobserver.com/24hour/politics/story/1828934p-9723739c.html

http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-democrats-reid,0,6870251.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

[Citizen Kang]

1. This party does not want to fix itself....

I am now convinced of this. At the DNC they want to replace a status quo failure like McCaulife with another empty-suit status quo loser. They replaced a compromised, red-state Senate minority leader with another compromised, red-state Senate minority leader.

The definition of insanity is repeating the same act over and over and expecting a different result. Our party leaders fit that description.

This party refuses to change and will soon find itself in the dustbin of history with the Whigs, the Bull Mooses and the Know Nothings if it continues down this path.

I'm so fed up with this crap.

[Warpy]

4. The DLC wants to cling to power

by getting an empty suit or staunch conservative into the post.

If they succeed, we can write the party off. They won't win any elections at the national level, nor will they deserve to.

There are populist midwesterners who are not DLC types. Those are who the party should be courting. The DLC needs to GO. They can't do anything but LOSE.

[Maat]

7. I quite agree with you, Citizen Kang.

If we really wanted to energize the Base ... instead of reward friends ... somebody like Howard Dean or Wes Clark would get me energized (in a proper political way - I am a married mom, of course, and a prude).

[AntiCoup2K4]

2. Not much of a surprise there

Appeaser dominates appeaser. Fuck 'em both.

[high density]

3. All Vilsack wants to do is protect his state's caucuses

That's it.

[BeyondGeography]

5. Yeah, Vilsack's a force

I like the way he delivered Iowa for us in the GE.

Beyond that, what's with putting a "strong Kerry ally" at the top of the party? I respect JK, but he lost to the most unpopular incumbent we'll ever see. One-quarter of Bush voters said they considered Kerry, so it's clear he couldn't close the deal, burdened as he was by an unfathomable position on the war and by an impersonal speaking style.

Kerry and his friends shoud be sidelined, not promoted.

[Larkspur]

9. Agree with you about sidelining Kerry & cohorts

Well, we'll see who the DNC picks.

[genius]

6. In that case, Dean would be better than Vilsack

I don't agree with Dean on economics or the death penalty. However, we need someone with some level of courage leading. Reid's a Republican SAP.

[mazzarro]

8. Screw the DNC/DLC party

Maybe is time we decamped enmass to the Green party - if the democratic party is no longer responsive to us.