Posted on 01/31/2005 12:24:47 PM PST by Rightliner.com
Howard Dean won the backing of state Democratic Party leaders Monday, putting him in a strong position to win the chairmanship of the Democratic National Committee.
"If all of our members vote for him, that will be half of what he needs to win the chairman's job," said Mark Brewer, chairman of the Association of State Democratic Chairs.
The party's presidential front-runner in 2003 won 56 votes from the state chairs and Democratic activist Donnie Fowler won 21 during a national conference call. The state chairs ignored a recommendation made Sunday by the executive committee to back Fowler. Other candidates' support Monday was in single digits.
"We're asking all of our state chairs and vice chairs to follow our endorsements," Brewer said, noting that would bring 112 votes. "And we think they will."
The former Vermont governor will bring changes the state parties have asked for, said Brewer. Dean revolutionized Democratic politics in the 2004 presidential campaign with his use of the Internet, organizing strategy and his ability to energize new voters.
"Strengthening the state parties is a central part of our plan to make the Democratic Party competitive in every race, in every district, in every state and territory," said Dean, who said his campaign to win the post continues. "If elected DNC Chair, we will make this vision a reality."
Dean already had about 50 endorsements of DNC members, including five chairs. He needs a majority of the 447 members to win the post. The election is scheduled Feb. 12.
Some in the party have worried aloud about Dean, saying he may be too outspoken and too blunt on occasion to provide effective leadership. But as Dean's campaign gained ground, Democratic resistance has seemed to fade.
Last week, longtime activist Harold Ickes said he would back Dean, saying he concluded that Dean had more of the attributes needed to run the party than any of the other candidates.
Organized labor is considering whether to back a candidate and could revitalize the race by choosing one of Dean's opponents. But Democrats watching that situation have said it's unclear whether the AFL-CIO will endorse a single candidate. Former Texas Rep. Martin Frost has been counting heavily on labor support to gain strength against Dean.
Dean's fast-moving campaign appeared to be detoured Sunday when the chairs' executive committee backed Fowler. But the chairs on their national conference call disregarded that recommendation.
Fowler, 37, has worked on campaigns in more than a dozen states and is the son of former Democratic National Committee chairman Donald Fowler of South Carolina.
Dean, a former Vermont governor, had already gotten the backing of state party chairs in Vermont, Washington state, Florida, Oklahoma and Mississippi. He also has the backing of dozens of other DNC members. State Democrats back Dean for DNC post
Seven candidates are in the running for the chairman's job, including Dean, Fowler, Frost, Democratic activist Simon Rosenberg, former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb, former Indiana Rep. Tim Roemer and former Ohio party chair David Leland.
Frost got five votes from the state chairs, Rosenberg got three, Roemer got three and Webb got three.
So much for the move to the center.
One more time... YYEEEEEEEAAAAAARRRRRRGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!
Toooooooo funeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! :)
"The front-runner in the race to head up the so-called party of compassion and understanding said unabashedly on Saturday that he "hates" the opposition."
"I hate the Republicans and everything they stand for," former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean told Democrats gathered at a Manhattan hotel, in quotes picked up by the New York Daily News.
It will be interesting to see if Dean actually wins; in the last hour I predict that the hard-liner, old guard RATs will fix it so he doesn't win. The RATs cannot afford to actually show their true faces to the public. Putting that maniac Dean into the leadership position would 'pull their cover' big time.
That's it Dems - keep repeating the same mistakes!
Oh please oh please oh please...
Today is just full of good news huh? Iraqi's vote, Dems look bad, terrorist take a blow, Senator Clinton faints, rumors of Boxer running for president, the probability of Dean becoming chairman, Stock market soaring, oil prices fall, etc....Quite an exciting day here.
Even if he prevails, I suspect it will be only for a short time - perhaps a year...maybe two. Hillary will see to it that he isn't at the helm when she gears up for '08 presidential race. He isn't the person she'll want in that job.
"Today is just full of good news huh? Iraqi's vote, Dems look bad, terrorist take a blow, Senator Clinton faints, rumors of Boxer running for president, the probability of Dean becoming chairman, Stock market soaring, oil prices fall, etc....Quite an exciting day here."
and not one word from AL. This day keeps getting better and better!
Not sure, look at McCulluf and all the wacko stuff he said and did.
Dean, when not going nuts yelling, is a good interview and a lot of people will be swayed simply because he is a doctor and took convervative positions as a governor.
I thought maybe this news was what brought on her fainting spell.
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