(Good Riddance) Rahm was the force behind the White House's refusal to hire Howard Dean

[kpete]

Those with firsthand knowledge of the transition process said that Emanuel, an infamous score settler, made his intentions regarding Dean perfectly clear. "There was never any intention to hire Dean, and in fact there was a great deal of satisfaction at dissing him," said a senior member of the transition team. "The orders were coming down from Rahm that Dean was not to be considered for anything high-ranking and he didn't want anything to do with him."

more:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/10/the_morning_plum_102.html
http://www.thenation.com/article/155108/herding-donkeys?page=0,0

[msongs]

1. 50 state strategy? Obamanauts not interested thanks. n look where it's getting them today nt

[frazzled]

2. Since the 1980s, I can think of only 1 DNC chair who was hired by the WH

That would be Ron Brown, who served as chair from 1989-93, and then became Clinton's Secretary of Commerce. I didn't check every name in this list, but if they were hired in the WH, it was not in a prominent position.

Charles T. Manatt (1981–1985) California
Paul G. Kirk (1985–1989) Massachusetts
Ron Brown (1989–1993) New York
David Wilhelm (1993–1994) Ohio
Debra DeLee (1994–1995) Massachusetts
Christopher J. Dodd1 (1995–1997) Connecticut
Donald Fowler (1995–1997) South Carolina
Roy Romer1 (1997–1999) Colorado
Steven Grossman (1997–1999) Massachusetts
Edward G. Rendell1 (1999–2001) Pennsylvania
Joseph Andrew (1999–2001) Indiana
Terrence R. McAuliffe (2001–2005) Virginia
Howard Dean (2005–2009) Vermont
Tim Kaine (2009–Present) Virginia

This is a non-story, in my opinion.

[Ninga]

4. Dean was a Gov., and former presidential candidate. He has standing and chaired successfully

during the horrible Bush years.

Wilhelm, DeLee, Dodd, Fowler, Romer, Grossman, Rendell, Andrew, all served fewer than 4 years.

Dean was chair for 4 years and followed McAuliffe who was a wiz bang at raising money, but didn't do well getting Dems elected.

The 2006 election was successful because of Dean.

I see this as a story.

[Nite Owl]

6. There are differences with Dean though

1. He was highly qualified to be involved with health care as he was a doctor and had implemented much in his state. He was also politically qualified as former Chair.

2. The base loved him and it would have been more likely that he would have implemented a more successful plan than what we got. Obama needed someone there to tell him what the people actually needed. We needed to save money not just the government and big pharma.

[tavalon]

13. The base still loves him

He's a good Democrat though, and won't run against a standing Dem President, nor would I advocate it, but he would win if he did. The base, er, progressives are solidly behind him. Obama's support is no longer as strong.

[frazzled]

23. The base didn't love him so much when he said the "mosque" should move

And he returned the favor, by dissing the "left." ("Dean . .. Charges Liberal Critics with Being Inflexible" http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/18/dean-stands-by-mosque-rem_n_687049.html)

Not all progressives are in love with Howard Dean. There are lots of reasons Dean would not have made a good chief of staff: he was never in Obama's camp and thus would not have been the kind of adviser a president needs; he has a tendency toward gaffes (and no, I'm not talking about the scream); he has no direct experience in dealing with Congress, a crucial role of the COS in promoting the president's agenda, etc.; former presidential candidates are deemed too independent in terms of their own agenda to play the role of loyal executor of the the president's will; he would have been a lightning-rod for the right.

I like Howard Dean well enough, but I neither think he's all that progressive or that gifted. Nor do I think Rahm Emanuel is the boogey man. They're both politicians who ply their trade with varying degrees of success.

[tavalon]

31. I think actually love is a lousy word

He, just like the President, will be held accountable for stupid moves. It isn't a love or a hate thing. They are our employees and sometimes employees need feedback with which to improve their job (Howard Dean was our employee - he can now say anything he pleases, just like you and me).

[northernlights]

32. and there was a concerted effort to "dis" them?

and shut them out? just curious...

[Cleita]

3. If this is true, then it's a sad day when settling scores

is a priority and put ahead of the welfare of the nation. I feel sorry for the people of Chicago, if he becomes mayor. I wonder if one of the MSNBC liberal hosts, Keith, Rachel or Lawrence can get him on their program and ask him about this to his face.

[Nite Owl]

8. My biggest question is

why did Obama listen to him? He knowingly hired him in spite of this so he is complicit.

[Cleita]

9. I think because of his insider ties to Wall Street for

Goldman Sachs. For some reason or the other our DLCers seem to erroneously believe that Wall Street is more important to our economy than it actually is. As a matter of fact it's too big for its britches and a detriment to this economy these days. I hope he gets more progressive economists on board like Elizabeth Warren now that he's gone.

[BrklynLiberal]

18. Sad, but according to descriptions of Rahm...very likely true.

Revenge is a dish best served cold.
I hope the next Mayor of Chicago is not Rahm. I hope he does not even win the Dem primary, so the next mayor can be a Dem, just not Rahm.

[glitch]

24. Amazing isn't it? Petty little pos should grow up, saving this country isn't a personal game. nt

:thumbsdown:

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

5. We've all known this for a very long time. Rahm took credit for the Democrats'

success in 2006. It was Howard Dean who ran the 50 state strategy. That was HIS strategy, not Rahm's. But Rahm and the M$M is widely credited for the Dem success. It was always unfair to Howard Dean, who is treated as a pariah by the Establishment and the M$M.

And when asked why Dean wasn't retained at the DNC Chair, the meme pushed by the M$M and the Establishment is that Dean is "too partisan." Too partisan??!?!? Really?!?! Isn't that his job? To be partisan??!?!?!

[loudsue]

7. Great post, and so true!

Rahm has done tremendous damage to the party, AND to Obama's presidency. I've always wondered if Obama wasn't keeping his friends close and his enemies closer.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

17. He believes that the Lincoln Doctrine will work for him. What Obama doesn't understand

is that he just doesn't have enemies. The issue is that his enemies are deliberately seeking to destroy him! To ruin him and his presidency. And they don't care. They can always go back to lobbying or whatever they did for a living after they're done destroying his presidency.

I'm hoping that for the next two years, Obama will finally wake up and realize that we are living in completely different times. This is not the era of Lincoln. And the contemporary Republican Party is certainly not the Party of Lincoln they once were, no matter how much they keep embracing and repeating that lie.

[BrklynLiberal]

20. yep

[BrklynLiberal]

19. +1000!!!

[madfloridian]

10. Obama named Kaine at DNC while Dean was in Samoa...

completing his promise of visiting all the states and territories.

Jim Dean says his brother would have rescheduled his trip..

Dean was not even told about the announcement. I always saw Rahm's hand at play there.

Dean was not even asked to attend.

Dean not invited to the Obama/Kaine DNC event tomorrrow...

[hayu_lol]

12. Now it is time to fire...

Arne Duncan and let him go back to further screw up the Chicago schools.

Dump Duncan NOW.

[BrklynLiberal]

21. if only..................

[myrna minx]

15. See ya Rahm.

:puke:

[Bigmack]

11. I want to publicly admit my mistake...

When I heard RE was going to be Pres. Obama's Chief, I thought "Oh, boy... he's gonna be an attack dog on the Repubs." Turns out he was an attack dog, but not on the Repubs.

[tavalon]

16. Interesting, eh?

I always saw him as a rat bastard and I hoped he would go after the other side, but being DLC, he sees us as the other side.

[BurtWorm]

14. Shove off, Rahmster!

:hi:

[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[NashVegas]

25. This Is a Surprise?

I think we all pretty much knew it.

But mainstream and established Liberal Media should just cut the shit.

No, seriously, shut the fuck up, because Dean watchers have known for some time who the most supported liberal bloggers and news outlets took their "slant" from, regarding Dean.

[David Zephyr]

26. We already all knew this here. But now the truth bubbles up.

I am a Howard Dean fan. Have been and still am. Why? Because he earned my respect. He has it.

[ProfessionalLeftist]

27. That was just one problem I had with him. n/t

[donheld]

28. Rahm was one of the biggest mistakes of the last 2 years.

[depakid]

29. Looking at how things went- and appear to be going, it's fortunate Dean stayed out

[Swamp Rat]

30. k&r

[The Uncola]

33. The creep stayed 18 months too long.

He and those who share his philosophy ARE the cause of the anger within this Party.






(edit: 'cuz my eyes don't work like they used to)

[Jamastiene]

34. Good riddance. Hope he STAYS gone.

Signed

-NOT "fucking retarded."

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2010/02/rahm-apologizes-for-privately-calling-liberal-activists-retarded.html