July 14, 2006
DNC To Nation: Don't Count Us Out
DNC exec. dir. Tom McMahon, sent a sharply worded letter to the editor of The Nation, takes reporter Ari Berman to task for his story about the DNC's GOTV plans.
We've obtained the letter, which you read in full after the jump.
The news: the DNC's budget for GOTV efforts exceeds $11 million.
From the letter:
Contrary to the implication of the Berman article, the DNC has a sound political plan for 2006 that contemplates the investment of unprecedented resources. For the 2006 races, the DNC will spend upwards of $11 million in hard money, (we can no longer raise soft money) helping to elect Democrats at every level, across America. Under this plan, we will spend roughly 10 times what the DNC was able to do with hard money four years ago, when the DNC spent $1.6 million for coordinated campaigns.
Berman cites blind quotes about hopes that the DNC would take the lead in a field organization. What Berman failed to tell your readers is that, in fact, we have always intended to play this role and are doing so partly out of concern that the 2006 Democratic efforts not repeat the mistakes of 2002, when too great an emphasis was placed solely on television advertising. In 1998 and 2002, millions were spent almost exclusively on television advertising. Looking at the results, most would conclude that the strategy didn’t work. We agree that we cannot make those same mistakes again, and we will not do so.
Here's what we can add:
==several DNC officials say that the DNC will not transfer money in bulk to either the DSCC or the DCCC. It will funding races and coordinated campaign progtrams in targeted states.
==At some point within the past few weeks, DNC chair Howard Dean and DSCC chair Chuck Schumer had a cordial and productive meeting that left both sides content about the plan.
==Per Lynn Sweet:
Emanuel is pressuring Dean to keep a pot of money around to spend on his highest priority House races. Dean is willing to fork over some cash to Emanuel, but does not want to give him a blank check. This matter has been played out in the insider political press since May.
A spokesman for Emanuel at the DCCC declined to comment; the DNC also refused to talk about internal conflicts.
more...
http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2006/07/dnc_to_nation_d_1.html#more
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