I wonder why he hasn't thrown his bib in the ring yet.
Posted on 01/29/2007 9:35:40 AM PST by presidio9
Once a formidable political force and the supposed embodiment of a Democratic renaissance, Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, appears to have left and gone away. Though his job is still one of national prominence, and his party "thumped" Republicans in the most recent election, the former Vermont governor seems to have become merely a shadow of his old self. While he maintains the same fervor, stubbornness, conviction and anti-Bush sentiments that carried him, at one point, to the zenith of American political captivation, he has been forced to take a back seat to the new breed of Democratic superstars. Though we may not search with lonely eyes, a nation wonders: Where have you gone, Howard Dean?
I got swept up in it, I'll admit. It was sometime in early 2003 and I happened to be watching C-SPAN. On the screen was a man in a blue shirt, sleeves rolled up tightly, speaking into a microphone about President Bush. As I listened to what the man had to say, I became more and more interested and found myself staring in amazement at what I thought was perhaps, and finally, the rightful heir to the presidential throne of former President Bill Clinton. The words that came onto the screen that day caught me off-guard: Vermont Gov. Dr. Howard Dean announces presidential bid. A doctor, I thought. Perhaps a cure for a sick nation.
You remember those Dean speeches, right? The ones where he would get red in the face about how horrible the idea of a war in Iraq was, how our country needed health care for each and every citizen, and about the need to "take our country back." You remember those, right?
How about the one where he became so impassioned by his ideals, so convicted about his cause, so motivated to change a woebegone nation that he, you know, screamed a little? You remember that, I'm certain. In the eyes of the right-wing media, he was a wild savage made crazy by a tight election race. In my eyes, he was something far more.
Whatever his reasons for remaining out of the forefront are, I cannot say. But the Democratic Party needs him to be the same strong, vocal, unbreakable DNC chair that he was during his presidential candidacy. He is facing opposition, however - from within his own party.
During the midterm elections that saw the Democrats take over Congress, a schism within the party infrastructure occurred, tempering an otherwise victorious campaign. The Democratic Party has been split into two corners. On the one side are Dean and the left-wing "Deaniacs." On the other side is Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, and the "get to the middle" Clintonites. Among those in Emanuel's corner are former Clinton stalwarts Paul Begala and James Carville. Carville has been openly critical of Dean's leadership and vocal in his support to replace him with Harold Ford Jr., a Democrat from Tennessee who lost a very close Senate race in 2006. The feud between Emanuel and Dean has been known for some time. The two don't see eye to eye regarding the ways in which campaign money should be spent and how certain campaigns should be run.
In a time that has seen a meteoric rise in popularity and familiarity for Democrats, the party's once-familiar superstars are being upstaged by a new breed. Where there once was Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., Dean and Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., there is now Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., Emanuel and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. Even the ever-enigmatic Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY., has stayed quiet in recent weeks as she put together her own presidential plans. Suddenly, the Democrats are recognizable, stacked with big-name players in the Senate and House and even those such as Ford and former Sen. John Edwards are waiting in the wings. What to do with this embarrassment of riches?
Just as the New York Yankees field a virtual All-Star team every day, they haven't won a World Series this decade - just because the names are there doesn't mean all is well. Thus, the job of Democratic leaders for the next few years: They need to put away minor bickering or old grudges if they are serious about enacting all the changes they promised. Their endeavor is noble and their legacy can be made great, but they'll first need to get on the same page. Emanuel did his part. So did Pelosi. Though we may be in the first stages of recovery, our nation is still sick. Come back to us, Howard. We need a doctor.
-Ben Shore is a political science junior.
Do these socialists have royalist inclinations? Or just a longing for dictatorship?
"Come back to us, Howard. We need a doctor."
You forgot to post (BARF alert!)
I figured it was implicit.
Perhaps. I was stunned at the Carter piece you posted, rendered speechless.
For that matter, I am inventing a new rule: No article from a college newspaper ever requires a barf alert.
Terry McAuliff's in charge now!
Wow. You know, I had completely forgotten about Dean. I wonder why he hasn't thrown his bib in the ring yet.
I wonder why he hasn't thrown his bib in the ring yet.
Bah, the public and media has a short memory when it comes to Democrats. Biden, the plagiarist is running again.
While looking up the other candidates, I did find this website, in which Dean says he wouldn't run for president if he won the DNC chair.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Official_and_potential_2008_United_States_presidential_election_Democratic_candidates
I'll try to remember that!
The media is liberal. These events were not so long ago that we can't remember the details of Dean's presidential ambitions swirling the bowl. He was 86'ed by people in his own party.
Should be "an echo of his former self."
Yeeeaaaarrrggghhhh!!!!!!
DNC Chairman Hao ping.
....the rightful heir to the presidential throne of former President Bill Clinton Do these socialists have royalist inclinations? Or just a longing for dictatorship?
-Ben Shore is a political science junior
An infantile fantasy of Daddy coming home, reuniting with mommy, and making it all better. Geez these liberals are easy.
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