Who is the leader of this Party?

[wixomblues]

A simple question. My answer would be Dean. I'm willing to bet others would disagree. Does anyone else see this as a problem?

[NYCGirl]

1. If Dean is considered the leader of the Democrats, does that mean that

Ken Mehlman is leader of the GOP? Logic dictates you're mistaken.

[wixomblues]

6. Well, Bush would be considered the leader, or Rove.

The President is always the "leader" of the party. Or Rove. On our side, we've got Dean, doing what he's doing. There's no Presedential candidate, and we have some pretty Senior Senators.

Just curious who the leader is, offically. I got in a little debate about this today.

[NYCGirl]

14. The prior presidential candidate is traditionally considered the leader

of the party, if that party is out of office.

[wixomblues]

19. Really?

So Dukakis was the leader in 1989?

[NYCGirl]

25. Traditionally, he would have been. But the party sure slunk away from him.

[wixomblues]

30. Well,

I don't mind Kerry. But he doesn't strike me as a leader. Dean seems to be more of an everyman and a fighter. He's pretty consistent.... suffice to say I like Deam more then Kerry.

[NYCGirl]

31. If the icons and sig lines were turned on right now,

you'd be able to see how much I admire Dr. Dean. But Reid and Pelosi have both specifically stated that it's not Dean's job to make policy.

[wixomblues]

32. Fair enough.

And it shouldn't be about who we like, but who the leader is. Damn it NYCgirl, you cost me a beer. my co-worker is standing here grinning, as you stated what he said, that it's the former candidate. Alas. I shall buy him Schlitz.

[NYCGirl]

36. Have a beer for me, too, okay?

:toast:

[WildEyedLiberal]

37. Kerry led the filibuster

How does that not strike you as a "leader?"

[mattclearing]

20. If not Dean, then who?

Reid? Then why did he miss the boat on the filibuster?

Kerry? Maybe.

Hillary? Maybe.

Doesn't look like we have one.

[samhsarah]

2. Dean is the leader of the DNC.

If we had a Democratic President, he/she would be the leader of the party. But we don't so as far as fundraising and growing the party, it is Dean, but as far as policy and agenda, it's Reid/Pelosi, IMO.

[Blue_In_AK]

3. I can only speak for myself,

but I see the leaders of the party as John Kerry and Ted Kennedy. They most consistently stand up for our rights.

[Michigander4Dean]

4. Agreed - Dean

But I could be biased. Note my username.

[NYCGirl]

7. Dean has nowhere near the power to be the head of the party.

He's just a very able footsoldier and doing his job very well.

[gizmo1979]

5. This is our problem there is no

leader.It's everyman for himself.We won't win until someone takes charge and gets everyone in line.

[dogday]

12. I said this on another post

In 2004 we all rallied around Kerry, who do we rally around now? We need someone to to inspire us to want to help this party and make himself known as our leader...

[mattclearing]

22. .

[zippy890]

28. I don't know about that 'getting everyone in line' bit

too, white, monolithic and republican

[LSparkle]

8. OK, flame me but ... Al Gore

He's no longer in office so he's able to speak freely, without fear of offending anyone or losing access. He has expressed my sentiments and fears recently better than any other Democrat (in or out of office).

[NYCGirl]

11. I agree with your post, except that Gore is no longer in office, so

he can't really be the leader of the party, IMO. I hope this will change in 08.

[LSparkle]

27. I disagree

Bill Clinton has been operating as a sort of leader of the party, and he's also out of office (even if his wife still serves in Congress). I don't think it matters whether you're an "in" or "out" -- anyone with leadership skills and a strong vision can lead a party.

[BuyingThyme]

26. I agree. Nobody comes close.

[William769]

9. Much to my dismay we have no leader.

But we do have several people that speak out on the party's behalf.

[NoPasaran]

10. I am the leader of this party

Sorry about screwing up the whole filibuster thing.

[wixomblues]

15. Ah-ha!

I will direct angry e-mails to you. What the F?

[H2O Man]

13. Define "leader." n/t

[dogday]

16. One certain individual to guide and inspire us

as one party, united in our efforts....

[H2O Man]

33. I think that

it is unlikely that one person can do this. The closest thing you could have would be a president, but that job really doesn't allow for being a "leader" in that sense. There is a post/thread on DU that advocates Dean stepping down, because of the Alito situation. This is a good example of a lack of understanding of what Dean's role is. Dean is in a leadership position, but there are limits to what he can do. In the Alito case, DUers might do well to read "Master of the Senate," by Robert A Caro, to understand who is responsible for guiding and inspiring senators. I do agree with you that it would be good to have a guiding and unifying force; I do not think it can be one person. We need a coalition format in the democratic party, in my opinion.

[dave29]

17. we are the leaders of this party

apparantly :)

[MrBenchley]

18. We are....

We're the Democratic party...

[Ksec]

21. Dean is our leader but we need a new star

Someone with grace and strength and honesty. We havent had a candidate that people fell in love with for a loooong time. Someone with the aura of JFK. The smoothness of Clinton. The integrity of Jimmy Carter. Where is that person?

[BuyingThyme]

23. The guys who sell the cars are not the guys who design the cars.

[mattclearing]

24. If it's anyone, it's Al Gore. (and he's retired) n/t

[goodhue]

29. Dean, Reid, Pelosi

Are presently leaders of the party.
What is the problem you see?

[bklyncowgirl]

34. We don't have a leader--we have a troika

A troika is a Russian three horse hitch.



In this case it's the house minority leader, the senate minority leader and the DNC chairman.

Unfortunately, like the ones in the picture, our horses don't always pull together as well as they should and of course we don't have a driver.

[Dixie Flatline]

35. John Kerry is the titular leader of the party, IMO

I always thought the last nominee was the unofficial leader of the party.

[WildEyedLiberal]

38. John Kerry

He is our presidential candidate and vote for vote one of the hardest working, most consistenly liberal voices we have. If others won't get behind him, that just shows their weak-mindedness - witness the cowardly 19.