50-state strategy paying off for Dean, Democrats

[w4rma]

By John Aloysius Farrell
Denver Post Washington Bureau Chief
Article Last Updated:10/21/2006 10:22:26 AM MDT

When Democratic Chairman Howard Dean sent Idaho Democrats the money to double the size of the state party's tiny staff, it seemed a vainglorious gesture.

Silly. Stupid, even. Few states are as Republican Red as Idaho.

Dean's critics, and there are many here, call his "50-state strategy" to direct a chunk of the party's treasury to states that don't routinely elect Democrats a colossal waste of resources.

Rahm Emanuel, the debonair Chicagoan who chairs the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, threw a well-publicized tantrum over Dean's insistence on nurturing Democratic grassroots in backwoods places like Idaho.

Emanuel's buddy, Democratic consultant Paul Begala - who once knew a little something and cared a bit about folks who live outside the Washington Beltway - said contemptuously on CNN that Dean was wasting precious money "hiring a bunch of staff people to wander around Utah and Mississippi and pick their nose."

And then, strange things happened in Idaho.

A row of political dominos fell in the Democrats' favor. Interior Secretary Gale Norton resigned, and President Bush picked Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne to replace her. Republican U.S. Rep. Butch Otter announced he would run for governor, leaving a Republican congressional seat up for grabs. The GOP staged a crowded, nasty primary, in which an out-of-state, right-wing interest group - the Club for Growth - spent heavily to promote an idiosyncratic, ultra-conservative state representative, Bill Sali, who emerged the victor with 25 percent of the vote.
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http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_4525448

[Zensea]

1. Who knew how important it would be?

Who knew how important it would be?" asked Waid. But, just as in Idaho, a series of Republican blunders and internal schisms gave Democrats unexpected opportunities. "Suddenly, it began to explode."

Howard Dean did.

[bemildred]

2. Gee, who could have predicted this? nt

[bluestateguy]

3. A lot of corporate media types said Dean would be a "disaster" for the party

It's too early to tell them to eat crow just yet, but I have the crow in the oven ready for them.

[EST]

4. This has to hit the DLC types doubly hard, as well it should.

The DLC has been wrong about nearly everything, giving the Corrupt Criminal Cabal Maladroit Maladministration a run for its money at flubbing the dud.

The government and the country has to be taken back from the fascist elements that have seized control.
Corporate "personhood" has to be restricted or eliminated.

Now is the time far all good (wo)men to come to the aid of their party and country.
The people-that's us-have to do whatever it takes to save America.

[applegrove]

5. Dean has done an outstanding job.