How is the head of the DNC chosen? Does the president appoint him, or is he elected?

[Pryderi]

If elected, who votes?

[Ian David]

1. It depends on who gets the most kittens in their bowls...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARnwejzUzAA

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. Delete - bad info

[Scuba]

6. Are you sure? It feels like Bush appointed a couple. n/t

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

7. I misspoke -

It appears that the president does nominate or select a chair, though the members actually elect him.

[nashville_brook]

9. DUzy!

[DURHAM D]

3. Elected -

by the official members of the DNC. Each state has representatives to the body - state chairs and co/vice-chairs, etc. I think elected officials are automatic members of the DNC. The WH usually provides direction to the delegates as to who they want as chair.

BTW - this is the way it used to be. Not sure if this is how they still do it.

[PassingFair]

4. As far as I know, he is appointed by the President when the Democrats hold the White House.

And he is elected by state and local chairs
when a repuglican is in the oval office.

[BlueRidgeProgressive]

5. Didn't the President appoint that piece of shit Kaine?

I think it depends on who holds the White House.

[nashville_brook]

8. "Dean Absent as Obama Introduces His Pick for D.N.C. Chairman"

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/08/dean-absent-as-obama-introduces-his-pick-for-dnc-chairman/

January 8, 2009, 4:58 PM

Dean Absent as Obama Introduces His Pick for D.N.C. Chairman
By ADAM NAGOURNEY



President-elect Barack Obama came to Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington – the place where Mr. Dean, the current party chairman, has kept an office for four years – to introduce his new choice for Democratic National Committee chairman, Gov. Tim Kaine of Virginia.

He offered extensive praise for Mr. Kaine, who stood smiling at his side, in presenting him before a bank of cameras and reporters. And the president-elect offered extensive praise for Mr. Dean in front of the cameras and reporters.

But Mr. Dean was not there. His aides said he was in American Samoa to attend the inauguration of the state governor and raise money for the state party. That obligation forced the outgoing chairman to miss what by any measure is a very unusual (and in this case celebratory) event: A visit by a president-elect to Democratic party headquarters, in a fairly desolate part of town in the shadow of the United States Capitol.

All of which was a reminder that the relationship with Mr. Dean and the Obama campaign was always a bit complicated, even competitive. Mr. Obama’s extraordinarily vast campaign was – with its fund-raising, organization and message-delivery efforts – in effect a shadow Democratic National Committee, and clearly reflected some concern in Mr. Obama’s top campaign ranks about potential weaknesses in the Democratic National Committee.

Mr. Dean’s work as a presidential candidate and chairman certainly laid much of the groundwork for the Obama campaign, starting with pioneering the Internet to raise money, organize volunteers and bring new voters into the electoral process. And Mr. Obama certainly made mention of that.

[Bonhomme Richard]

10. I think in the spirit Bipartisanship Obama should make Christie.....

the DNC chairman.