Dean's List (U.S .News & World Report)

[MelissaB]

Dean's List
The Democratic chair plans to fight in every one of the 50 states. Is this shrewd strategy or a recipe for disaster?

By Dan Gilgoff
Posted Sunday, July 16, 2006


DIAMONDHEAD, MISS.--Here's what the front line of Howard Dean's revolution looks like: two dozen senior citizens seated inside this gated community's clubhouse listening intently as operatives from the state Democratic Party pitch them on becoming precinct captains. A rep named Jay Parmley approaches an oversize easel and flips to a page showing John Kerry's share of the 2004 presidential vote here in Hancock County. "28%" is scrawled in magic marker. "Kind of scary," Parmley says.

But he flips the page to show former Democratic Gov. Ronnie Musgrove's share of the vote here in his unsuccessful 2003 re-election bid: "43%." The discrepancy, Parmley explains, shows that the better Mississippians know a Democrat, the more likely they are to vote for him. Which is why he's here recruiting precinct captains. If Democrats can define themselves on a "neighbor to neighbor" basis, Parmley says, their candidates can win again, even here, in a red county in a red state.

If that doesn't sound revolutionary, consider this: Mississippi's Democratic Party hasn't trained precinct captains for more than a decade. Until recently, the state party consisted of a single full-time staffer. In 2004, the Democratic National Committee invested so little here that activists shelled out thousands of their own dollars to print up Kerry yard signs. That all changed last summer, when newly elected DNC Chairman Howard Dean began rolling out his "50-State Strategy," a multimillion-dollar program to rebuild the Democratic Party from the ground up. Over the past year, the DNC has hired and trained four staffers for virtually every state party in the nation--nearly 200 workers in all--to be field organizers, press secretaries, and technology specialists, even in places where the party hasn't been competitive for decades. "It's a huge shift," Dean tells U.S. News. "Since 1968, campaigns have been about TV and candidates, which works for 10 months out of the four-year cycle. With party structure on the ground, you campaign for four years."

The strategy is also a reaction to the past two presidential cycles, when the shrinking number of battleground states the Democratic nominee was competing in left no room for error. Both elections were arguably determined by a single state: Florida in 2000 and Ohio in 2004. Says Dean: "We've gotten to the point where we're almost not a national party."


Rita Royals leads a session on how to
be a Democratic precinct captain in Diamondhead, Miss.


Much more: http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/060716/24dems.htm

[napi21]

1. I think it's a brilliant strategy! I must admit, it's partly borrowed

from the Pub playbook, but none the less brilliant!

Many people have been hearing nowthing but Limpballs, and the other wanna be's for years, and they are now convinced it must be the truth.

I know I've heard some people from smaller States that don't have many electoral votes say that Candidate doesn't care about us, they never even take the time to visit here!

I also remember, when I joined the Dean Meetups when he was a candidate, I was willing to do whatever he needed, but I had NO IDEA where to begin! Training is extremely important!!!!

Keep going Howard!!!!

[WhiteTara]

2. go Howard!

I still think Dean would make a fine president too.

[chimpymustgo]

4. I think he's a better DNC chair. Wish he's talk more about voting machines

But I think the 50 state strategy is essential.

[madfloridian]

7. He did last night, he has been doing that.

People are just not hearing it. He condemned the machines (TAP breakfast trancript...will have to find it), said he has been calling state officials about the machines.

They are demanding a recount in CA 50. He talked about it. He has talked about it.

He did an interview with Rolling Stone about it.

[rodeodance]

3. Dean is building the ever so important infrastructure. Of course it IS a

GRAND idea.

[Rose Siding]

5. K&R

:kick:

[madfloridian]

6. Thanks for posting that. I was trying to get it ready and company came.

I have had the post about half done for several hours, and company came by to visit.

It needed to be shared. Recommended.

:bounce:

[FogerRox]

8. I met our 1st NJ DNC paid staffer in early April.

We did a DNC canvass on April 29th, another canvass day is July 29th.

[wiley]

9. Excellent!

[readmoreoften]

10. great idea! /nt

[Hawkowl]

11. Dean for V.P.?

I know Dean promised not to run for Pres. in '08, but I think he would make an outstanding V.P. Traditionally, the V.P. is the attack dog--and he certainly is building a formidable political organization.

[durrrty libby]

13. Ooooh I like that idea Gore ...Dean n/t

[Clark2008]

25. I like Dean where he's at: it's perfectly suited for him.

In fact, I thought as early as January 2004 that he's be a greater DNC chairman than a candidate.

I guess I was correct, particularly as it relates to the votes he got in the states he's now pushing for reform in. He's a fantastic fundraiser and knows how to fire up the base.

[otohara]

12. Kick

[Son Of Spy]

14. Yeperrr!

GO Howard!

[Joy Anne]

15. Thanks for the tip; my LTTE

Thank you for the comprehensive article on the DNC 50-state strategy. Its
democratic, grassroots approach of empowering Democrats on the ground,
wherever they live, is inspiring in these times when our national
government--and everything else--is increasingly top-down.

That's why people of modest means, like me, are funding this campaign.
We don't have the discretionary funds to buy more overpriced TV time for
still more commercials in a few hot races, but we'll find some money to give
a voice to fellow Democrats in Diamondhead, Mississippi.

[Harry Monroe]

16. In the 3rd Congressional District here in Mississippi....

...the Democrats didn't even put up a candidate against Chip Pickering last election. We had a choice of Pickering, a Reform Party Candidate named Lamonica Magee and Jim Giles, an avowed racist. Pickering didn't even need to campaign for this one. I, of course, went out and did my civic duty and voted for Lamonica Magee. In EVERY SINGLE COUNTY in this district, Giles came in second. Here's a letter to the editor I wrote to my hometown newspaper, "Starkville Daily News". It was never published (no suprise):


"In viewing the results of the 3rd District Congressional race, I noticed a disturbing trend. While the reelection of Chip Pickering was a forgone conclusion; the second place candidate was the Independent candidate, Jim Giles. He received 37,473 votes in the 3rd district and 2,294 votes in Okibbeha County and in an county by county breakdown of the 3rd district polled second in every county. The other candidate running, Lamonica Magee of the Reform Party, received 16,692 votes in the 3rd district and 1,054 votes in Oktibbeha County. I'm wondering how many of those who voted for Giles actually know what he stands for. I visited his website, www.rebelarmy.com and searched his name on Google; what I found was quite disturbing. From what I read on this site, Jim Giles is racist and tends to blame problems on the "Zionists" and blacks. In the interest of brevity, I will not quote individual excerpts here; I ask people to go to the website and judge for themselves. The link on his website, "First Amendment Excercise Machine" should prove to be quite revealing. A search for Lamonica Magee on the web provided very little information about her. I did, however, find this quote from the Sunday edition of the Clarion Ledger on why she was running for the 3rd District seat:

"I want everybody to fall in love with Jesus. I want to see churches build large children's choirs. Get the children off the streets and teach them the paths of righteousness. I want lower gasoline prices, make alternative fuel, and create new jobs. I want to provide free college internet classes and free adoptions. I want to stop giving billions of dollars to foreign countries. Instead, increase benefits for senior citizens, the disabled, veterans, teachers, law officers, farmers and fishermen. I want to stop racial and social profiling against blacks, rednecks and college students. Also, pay notch year babies money owed them. With your help, I can win this race."

I find it quite disturbing that more in this county and district would find Jim Giles message more appealing than Lamonica Magee's. Do we actually have 37,473 voters in the 3rd Congressional District and 2,294 voters in Oktibbeha County (not to mention every single county in this district) who agree with the politics of Jim Giles over Lamonica Magee or were a majority of these simply voters who, not wanting to vote for Pickering, simply pulled a lever for a third party candidate without first studying up on each one. I am hopeful that in the year 2004 it is the latter case; this still does not excuse the fact that many voters go into a voting booth ignorant of the positions of many candidates. Voters do a disservice to democracy as a whole when they fail to educate themselves on the candidates and the issues they represent.

I am also disappointed in the "Starkville Daily News" in that they did not publish the statements and issues of the 3 candidates before the election; I had to read the Sunday edition of the "Clarion Ledger" to find out the positions of all 3 candidates running for the 3rd Congressional District. You do a disservice to your readership in this regard. I realize you do not exist to compete with the statewide newspaper, but at least you could have provided a more "in depth" look on the 3rd District Congressional race."


The Democratic Party is dead in this state. I sent in a contribution to the Oktibbeha County Democratic Party in 2004; I haven't hear a whisper from them since. When a racist can garner 2nd place in every county of this district, the Dems don't stand a chance around here; the necks of the citizenry here are simply too red.

[Harry Monroe]

17. Here's my response I sent in to the paper...

...when they didn't publish my letter. I then heard nothing since...


"Dear Mr. Hawkins,

On November 4th, I sent a letter to the editor to the SDN regarding the 3rd district congressional race. In it, I raised some disturbing, yet valid points about that election and the fact that the 2nd place winner, Jim Giles, garnered more votes in the district as a whole, and in each and every county in the 3rd district than the 3rd place candidate, Lamonica Magee. While it may have been controversial, I see that you have not published the letter after over a week. Is your paper afraid to confront this issue, or did you not deem it as "newsworthy"? I believe that it is a relevant subject to investigate further, though you may be wishing to avoid "controversy" by stirring it up. I realize you have the right to refuse to publish the letter, and you can stick your head in the sand by pretending that we do not have any people who sympathize with "old views and values" in this day and age, but you do yourself and the community a great disservice by pretending that the problem doesn't exist or not publishing the letter because you may not want to upset or offend some of your readership. I would cancel my subscription to the SDN, except for the fact that for some unfathomable reason, my wife thinks it is a fine little "hometown" newspaper. Honestly, I get more news, especially local, from the MSU "Reflector" and from Northland Cable Channel 4 (on community events). In the remote event that you did not receive this letter, I print it again below in its entirety:"

I use the "Starkville Daily News" to line my bird cage and my cat's litter box. (Actually, I cancelled my subscription soon after this)

[Joy Anne]

23. LTTE

It's too long for a letter to the editor, but it would have been a great op-ed piece. Thanks for sharing it.

And there's no excuse for the newspaper not printing at least "candidate statements" from each one on the ballot; even the backward hometown weekly I subscribe to does that.

[jwirr]

18. If you want to win back the south this is how it must start. Also if I

wanted volunteers I would look for seniors - the pic does not look like they are that old - because they not only have been there, done that, but they also are the only group that have time to volunteer as every other age group is working their heads off just to survive in this day and age. I think it is a recipe for success.

[Deep13]

19. The thing is...

...even if there is no chance of putting Wyoming or Alabama in the blue column in '08, there are Democratic supporters there willing to volunteer time and money to the national effort. What's more is forcing the Rs to fight in their safe states and districts will dilute their resources. Why do we know this will work? It has worked for the Rs for 30 years. We know we can be competative in red states because many red states have Democratic governors and Congressmen. The national party and pres. candidates need to know what these state officers learned on how to win in the fly-over states.

[xhndlr]

20. There is risk to this strategy-- a very Big one!

Hi, I am new to this site.  But I could not help notice the
enthusiasm for Dean's approach to reconstruct the party from
bottom up!

I think you are not looking at the Big picture here.  Dean
should try to focus on winning back Congress, with this idea
being a plan between 2006 and 2008 elections. Of course, this
is great in districts where the party is strong or within some
reasonable chance of winning.

In other words, Dean's immediate application of this plan on
the national scale  does not seem advisable.  Most of the
money and efforts should focus on winnable
elections/precincts.  

Also, I read the entire article and I have a bone to pick with
the author.  The fact that there is no big name politician for
the party can have the effect of helping individual
politicians get elected.  Here, the politician can structure
his own platform for the district he is running in, thus
giving him more leeway to garner the public opinions. That is,
the politician has agility over his Republican adversary! 
This is an advantage.  As long as the Party do not force a
hot-button issue before the election, or respond to
Republican's "dictates" on issues,  Congress can(and
should) fall in the lap of the Democrats! 

[dorktv]

21. I have a friend who believes as you do...and this is what I say to him:

Dean has always said that we need to start planning for the future now. By focusing only on the short term (winning some seats) without addressing the long term problems in the Democratic Party then we are not going to be able to continue on winning congressional and other seats.

Yes a candidate can and should shape their campaign to reflect the local area however it does nothing if the candidate does not have anyone to assist them in doing the nitty gritty of campaigning. Or if they do, those people are too new to handle the pressure.

Regardless, Dean is doing the right thing for the long term because without a strong foundation how would we be able to build a strong party?

[Joy Anne]

24. Building for the future

I'm contributing money I can ill afford to build for the future via the DNC. Those who are more interested in an immediate push to take over Congress can contribute to the DCCC.

Frankly, I've seen at first hand the undemocratic DSCC machinations in Pennsylvania, and I think my small donations are wasted on paying for still more TV time and the services of incompetent Beltway-based campaign strategists. It's better spent on voter registration, finding precinct chairs to fill vacancies, canvassing, finding block captains, inspiring enthusiasm, and GOTV, so my money goes to the DNC.

[Deep13]

28. The problem is that every year...

...there are fewer swing districts or states we can win. We cannot simply focus on the next election. We have to plan for the future. We lose because the Rs have been doing the street-level work for decades. These Washington and NYC consultants have been leading us down the path of irrelevancy for thirty years. Doing the same old shit will give the same old result.

[Stardust]

22. Is this really going to counteract the mega-church rallies that are

occuring every Sunday in hundreds of towns all over this country? I know we have to start somewhere,, and the bottom is probably the best place, but oh, it looks a little pathetic.

[Deep13]

27. It is hurting them.

Many Christians, even Evangelicals, are annoyed with the Rs for focusing on hot-button issues while ignoring the larger teachings of Christ. The apparent lawlessness and war-mongering in the R party are causing religious voters to switch sides if the candidates are right. Here in OH our gov. candidate is a former Methodist minister and a social moderate. He's attracting liberals, real conservatives (as opposed to Neocon assholes) and those generally interested in good government.

[Stardust]

30. That's a relief. I was afraid they were closing every sermon with "Vote

Republican" or "Praise Bush" or some other bs.

[FighttheFuture]

26. Seems to have worked splendidly for the Repuglicans.....

I will have to go with the "Shrewd Strategy" vote!

[Kurovski]

29. Kick.(nt)