Do you support Howard Dean continuing as DNC Chair...?

[krkaufman]

Poll question: Do you support Howard Dean continuing as DNC Chair...?

Assuming Dean is amenable...

Do you support Howard Dean continuing as DNC Chairman beyond the 2008 election cycle, into another term?

[saltpoint]

1. Yep.

[Mooney]

2. Absolutely 500% Hell Yes. n/t

[bluestateguy]

3. If that's allowed, I'm all for it

I'm not sure if any DNC chair has ever served more than one term.

In any event, I just hope that Hillary, if she is the nominee, does not put Terry McAuliffe back into his old job. We lost more elections under his tenure than we did in the Reagan years.

[MercutioATC]

4. I votes "Yes", but...

...(predicated on his continued adherence to his current strategy) I think "ONE more term" might be a little restrictive.

[krkaufman]

17. Well, I didn't want respondents to have to consider beyond the Fall. n/t

[fujiyama]

5. Hell yes. 50 state strategy. Expand the party in "red" states.

But he can be stubborn. I wish he had found a way to compromise earlier on MI and FL.

[yardwork]

6. I Love Howard Dean.

[AtomicKitten]

7. Obama is winning with Dean's 50-state strategy!! That sh*t works!!

Dean is doing a spectacular job.

[JVS]

8. I support Dean to do whatever he wants, including a party purge if he so desires,

[ButterflyBlood]

9. Yes. He's done a great job.

n/t

[Eric J in MN]

10. If Dean resigns, then I hope he'll lead "Democracy for America" again.

http://www.democracyforamerica.com/

[ulysses]

11. without a doubt. n/t

[Cali_Democrat]

12. Dean has the 50 state strategy right. n/t.

[havocmom]

13. Absolutely! The doctor has helped the DEMS get over the McAuliffe Maliase

and the nation get over the McAuliffe Chaffe

Looking the Obama campaign and at the sorry state of the HRC campaign gives good insight into whose methods work and whose do not work worth a damn. The former follows the 50 state strategy Dean espoused. The latter seems hell bent on the McAuliffe method of pissing off as many people as possible by being a wind sock and thinking everyone is too stupid to notice.

And Dean's team has brought the party to use the internet as a great tool. Very helpful indeed.

Plus, Dean listens. People respond better to that.

[Thurston Howell III]

14. No. So he can run in 2012.

[Quixote1818]

15. Yes, he has been outstanding. nt

[Olney Blue]

16. I like Dean.

[DinahMoeHum]

18. Absolutely.

As long as DLC pukes like McAuliffe think they can circumvent regular rank-and-file Democrats and choke off $$$$ to the state parties, we need 50-State strategists like Dean to prove the DLC wrong again and again.

:kick:

[frazzled]

There are no "terms" for DNC chair, and four years is a long time for the position

Many recent DNC chairs have stayed as few as two years. I doubt Dean will want to continue, and it is usual practice for any new administration to put their own chair choice in. So I wouldn't expect him to stay ... it won't be anybody's fault.

[krkaufman]

20. You bring far too much knowledge to the issue.

:)

I'm not sure Dean wants to continue, either (especially after the MI/FL hassle), thus the addition of the "if amenable." I did some brief searches and couldn't find any info on length of "term" for DNC chair, and so figured it was likely chopped into 2-year stints, with new Chairs being chosen at or after each election cycle.

Your comment re: "put their own choice in" touches upon why I'm curious about people's views. Given the criticality of the position, as demonstrated by Dean's effort, I would think that each candidate's plans for the seating of the Chair should be an issue for discussion during the primary campaign.

[thoughtcrime1984]

19. Very much so!

He is great for the Democratic Party.

[msongs]

21. I support him running for president so he will be the ONLY anti-war candidate nt

[doc03]

22. Isn't he responsible for this cluster f--- primary process

Primaries in some states, caucasas in others and some with both then there is Floridah and Michican't mess.

[MagickMuffin]

25. No he is not responsible, Terrence R. McAuliffe, is responsible,

if you're looking to blame someone.

Here's a link, to better inform yourself.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_National_Committee

[krkaufman]

28. Not at all, if my understanding is correct.

Primaries and caucuses have existed for ages, with each state's party organization deciding how their delegates would be selected. So that one falls on each state party -- and on the DNC rules committees, over the years, for allowing the variance.

If referring to the insane front-loading of the primary process, with nearly half of the states voting on Super Tuesday on February 4th, that really lies at the feet of Terry McAuliffe who redesigned the primary process in 2004 in an effort to produce a nominee sooner. (with a bit of an advantage for the frontrunner, and making it tougher for underdogs and grassroots candidates due to the need for large sums of cash for advertising across so many states simultaneously -- where grassroots campaigning isn't doable due to time constraints)

As for the FL & MI travesties... it's difficult to blame Dean. He really had no choice but to enforce the Party rules when both states chose to break them, in moving their primaries in front of the agreed-upon window. (look at all the states that held primaries on Super Tuesday. MI & FL wanted to one-up them, against the agreed-upon rules, to gain more influence -- and likely campaign advertising cash) Dean seems to have been fairly straightforward in dealing with the issue, while Florida (much moreso than MI, who's been mostly silent) has loudly complained in the media.

[MagickMuffin]

23. WooHoo, I'm vote #100

He has done an excellent job as DNC chair. A hell of a lot better than Terrence McAuliffe.

:applause: 50 STATES :applause:

[Hippo_Tron]

24. Nope, and he won't continue if we win the election

DNC Chair is a figurehead who takes marching orders from the White House when the party is in power. That is not Dean's kinda gig.

[Lord Helmet]

26. Howard Dean is the man.

[Cha]

27. Does Dean even

want it? That's the important question. Dean might have other plans and I'm sure life does. But, if Dean would want it and Obama gets in then it might be synergistically productive.

[krkaufman]

31. No clue if Dean would want to continue ...

... though I'm thinking is less likely day-by-day, with the ongoing campaign animosity and the MI & FL issues ... but that's why I prefaced the question/poll with "if amenable."

I haven't heard him say one way or the other, nor have I heard either candidate comment on any preference for Chair should they win the nomination and/or Presidency. I *did* see a post/comment somewhere, the other day, alluding to both of the remaining candidates having committed to continuing to fund Dean's 50 State Strategy. (but am too tired to go find it now)

[Cha]

33. That's nice but hilary says a lot

shit that isn't true.

[krkaufman]

42. Which is one of my concerns ...

... if there is a near-unanimous feeling that Dean should be allowed to continue for a bit longer, if he wants. Personally, I think he should shepherd the 50 State Strategy for a reasonable period, possibly another couple election cycles, to make sure it has momentum and a solid foundation.

Of course, we don't want the strategy too tied to Dean, so I'm also interested in exactly how it's being institutionalized within the DNC, in order that it lasts beyond Dean's direct involvement.

[Cha]

43. Thanks for bringing this

to people's attention 'cause it only makes sense and what's working for Dems.

[krkaufman]

44. You're very welcome. It was selfish, really, since I was curious ...

... about everyone else's thoughts on it.

Several questions remain... would Dean want to continue? who will our nominee be? will our nominee want Dean to continue? will our nominee fully support and fund the 50 State Strategy?

Personally, funding of the 50 State Strategy should be a litmus test question asked of every Democratic candidate. Support for Dean is obviously less important, but full support for 50SS needs to be clearly documented.

[myrna minx]

29. Dean is a fantastic chair.

He put the Dems back on the road to victory.

[davidinalameda]

30. he'd make a great HHS secretary

if he'd want it

[Breeze54]

32. Yes ...with no term limits!

He's doin' a heck of a job! :P

[ecstatic]

34. He's brilliant. I love his fire. But this FL/MI thing was a disaster

and I don't believe in rewarding people who presided over disasters.

[Cha]

48. Then you'll have to bone up on it..

'cause it had nothing to with Dean and everything to do with people like bil nelson in Florida who are dcl and wanted to make a power grab and it only hurt the voters. They could have waited one week until Super Tues to have their primary like the rules stipulated.

[harun]

35. I have always liked Dean and still do (n/t)

[Radical Activist]

36. The new Democratic President should pick whoever they want.

Assuming a Democrat wins in November it should be whoever the new President chooses. It wouldn't mind if Obama wanted to keep Dean around.

[Bombtrack]

37. As someone who was a demonstrated Dean-hater back in 03/04 I say YES

The man has completely reversed my opinion of him.

[krkaufman]

46. It's people like you, Bombtrack, what give me hope for humanity.

Thanks for the chuckle.

[dansolo]

38. Yes, but he handled FL and MI badly

He should have done what the Republicans did (halve the pledged delegates) and not seat the superdelegates. Instead he chose to play political chicken. I love Dean, but he does share some of the blame in this fiasco.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

40. The DNC - Democratic National Committee & Ickes voted for that decision

This was not a one man decision.

[krkaufman]

47. Given the notoriety of the other party in the issue ...

... rhymes with blorida ... and from the facts painstakingly detailed by madfloridian, Dean seems, to me, to be largely without blame.

[Adelante]

39. Absolutely nt

[Swamp Rat]

41. yes n/t

[DemVet]

45. Absolutely NOT!!!

Howie screwed the pooch with this MI and FL fiasco. IF we don't allow the delegates to sit, people that voted (blah blah blah...yeah, I know THEIR STATE party leaders broke the rules, but they are the ones being punished) will be disenfranchised. IF we let the results go as they stand, some people didn't vote because they knew their vote wouldn't count. IF we have a revote, Howie looks like an ass.

Sorry, he's got to go.

[krkaufman]

49. I'm a bit confused... if MI & FL have revotes ...

... then wouldn't they have come around to what the DNC has been supporting all-along?

[Debi]

50. YES YES YES!

50 State Strategy :woohoo: