Al From says two Democratic chairman, Jesse Jackson, and activists...

[madfloridian]

have tried to stop the influence of the DLC and have not succeeded. He addresses the New York Times article by Noam Scheiber, and he is exhibiting a pretty high level of irritation toward those who are saying their influence is waning.

I am not saying that, BTW. I think money talks and they still are in control. We just don't have the financial power yet in the grassroots/netroots/nutroots. It will be a while yet.

Why America Needs the DLC

As David Paul Kuhn wrote in The Politico, “The Nashville conclave highlighted how many of the party’s most impressive gains in recent elections — including winning numerous governorships in states that typically vote Republican in presidential contests — have come from politicians in the classic DLC mold.”

That reality was not lost on the officials in Nashville — or on President Clinton, who said DLC ideas and the work he did as DLC chairman contributed mightily to his success as a candidate and the success of his administration.

The DLC state and local network — elected officials who govern with New Democrat values and ideas — was on display in Nashville, and that’s the part of the DLC that critics and the political elites in Washington and New York seldom see.

He goes on to point out that they are going to set the policy. He points to Paul Kirk, a former chairman, Howard Dean, present one, and Rev. Jesse Jackson.

Those criticisms come with the territory — and the arguments are as old as the DLC. The DLC was formed in 1985 — in the aftermath of a 49 state loss the year before — to challenge the Democratic Party to change.

At first, Party Chairman Paul Kirk tried to stop the DLC from forming. Three times in the DLC’s first 18 months, the liberal columnist Jack Germond predicted the DLC would not last for six months. There were demonstrations by the Reverend Jesse Jackson and other party activists at the DLC’s 1991 Cleveland Conference, where Bill Clinton laid out the platform on which he won the presidency. Even after three national tickets in a row composed of DLCers, Howard Dean called the DLC “Republican lite” and called the Clinton years “damage control.”

He says the DLC is about problem solving, and I agree they do present some good ideas along with those that bother me...so credit due.

But he is being disingenuous when he pretends that is all they are about. It is not being honest.

They had a meeting in 2003, invited the press, and read a memo about how Dean should not be president. Now what the hell kind of policy making is that? Be honest.

DLC says Dean won't be president

The 'D' in DLC Doesn't Stand for Dean (David Von Drehle, May 15, 2003, Washington Post)

More than 50 centrist Democrats, including Virginia Gov. Mark R. Warner, met here yesterday to plot strategy for the "New Democrat" movement. To help get the ball rolling they read a memo by Al From and Bruce Reed, the chairman and president of the Democratic Leadership Council. The memo dismissed Dean as an elitist liberal from the "McGovern-Mondale wing" of the party -- "the wing that lost 49 states in two elections, and transformed Democrats from a strong national party into a much weaker regional one."

"It is a shame that the DLC is trying to divide the party along these lines," said Dean spokesman Joe Trippi. "Governor Dean's record as a centrist on health care and balancing the budget speaks for itself."

As founder of the DLC, From has been pushing the Democratic Party to the right for nearly 20 years. He was in tall cotton, philosophically speaking, when an early leader of the DLC, Bill Clinton, was elected president in 1992. As Clinton's domestic policy guru, Reed pushed New Democrat ideas -- such as welfare reform -- that were often unpopular with party liberals.

"We are increasingly confident that President Bush can be beaten next year, but Dean is not the man to do it," Reed and From wrote. "Most Democrats aren't elitists who think they know better than everyone else."

There is room for everyone, but Al From and his group do NOT any longer get to decide who the nominee is.

[mdmc]

1. I dislike the DLC

but not as much as the gop

[madfloridian]

7. I also dislike the GOP more.

But we have to keep an eye on our own.

[mdmc]

11. At least we have the Good Doctor as Chairman

:toast:
God Bless the DNC!

[billyoc]

2. Aww, don't go away mad, Al,

just FUCK OFF AND DIE.

[Jim Sagle]

3. With Ann Coulter's dick.

[Forkboy]

5. Jim,you've always had a way with words here.

:toast:

[bluestateguy]

4. The DLC have made themselves non-falsifiable naysayers

If a Democrat wins, it's because they acted DLC in the campaign.

If a Democrat loses, it's because they didn't act DLC enough in the campaign.

[Forkboy]

6. I'll toss a big K&R your way.

:kick:

You're not leaving too are you? ;)

[stillcool]

8. ouch...

death by a thousand cuts.

[tech3149]

9. I wouldn't let Al lick the sweat off my.... Oh, nevermind not worth the trouble

[jackbourassa]

10. These people like taking credit for things they have nothing to do with

...and if you have to go around telling people how "influential" you are, you're probably not that influential.

The DLC is all about access to power and the perception that they know how to get it. However, statements like these prove how much their influence has waned over the past few years.