Tenenbaum for DNC Chair?

AP/Yahoo via SC Hotline

Dean, the former Vermont governor who waged an unsuccessful bid for the Democratic nomination, told associates earlier this week that he is considering running for the job.

[...]

Also mentioned for the DNC post are Govs. Tom Vilsack of Iowa and Mark Warner of Virginia, and former Gov. Roy Barnes of Georgia.

Harold Ickes, a New York lawyer who was a White House aide in the Clinton administration and has close ties to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (news - web sites), `D-N`.Y., has a large following, especially in the Clinton wing of the party.

[...]

Other names being circulated: Inez Tenenbaum, South Carolina's education superintendent and unsuccessful Senate candidate; and Simon Rosenberg, founder and president of the centrist New Democrat Network.

[...]

Some Democratic activists would like a black party chief, such as Donna Brazile, who ran Al Gore (news - web sites)'s campaign in 2000; former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk, former Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer and former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb.

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As a Michigander, Dennis Archer would be ok, but he is not very charasmatic. My vote goes to Dr. Dean. This party needs a shot in the arm and he is just the man who could do it. Donna Brazile?????? Shirley U. Jeste.

What about Harold Ickes? I know he was with the Clintons...but in recent interviews he hasn't talked about Hillary in '08, very much...in fact, he's talked about the need to look South or West. He also seemed to really "get" the idea that we have to build an infrastructure that competes with the Republicans...radio, newspapers, tv shows, organizations in small towns, get Democrats elected in lesser positions, etc....that we don't need to change our message...just get it out there in a way that reaches people where they are.

In an interview the other day he also said that if it had been left up to him he would have called for an audit of all the votes in Ohio.

My hope remains that the Democratic leadership is smart enough to recognize that we need two leaders to help sail this ship--one responsible for being the prominent fundraiser, the second in charge of the organizing.

[quote]Donna Brazile??????[/quote]

Donna is a witty Lousiana Cajun who ran Al Gore's 2000 campaign. I love everything about her. Her debating style is awesome. She is on CNN every Thursday I believe with Paula Zahn.

Wouldn't two leaders be stronger than one? So that everytime there was a talk show it would be two democrats debating with good ole Ed.

I think we need to be bold and different. Really, what have we got to lose???

[quote=Williams477][quote]Donna Brazile??????[/quote]

Donna is a witty Lousiana Cajun who ran Al Gore's 2000 campaign. I love everything about her. Her debating style is awesome. She is on CNN every Thursday I believe with Paula Zahn.[/quote]

And THAT is exactly WHY she isn't any good......I watched CNN pretty religiously and have it on XM radio in the car - she got blasted on just about every word she spoke. Bay Buchanan ate her for breakfast, lunch AND dinner. Donna didn't have a leg to stand on, and on the subjects she could have returned the favor, she didn't giving the appearance of not knowing (or worse yet, not caring).

She may be a 'witty cajun' but that don't win elections, just friends at a bar or new year's eve party.

If she is 'witty' I am a brilliant old broad.

AND....as far as her handling of the Gore campaign......well, some things are just better left unsaid.

I'd really like to see Simon Rosenberg get the job.

I don't think it will be Warner or Vilsack because it looks like both of them are contemplating a presidential run.

I hope that it isn't Ickes. First, because I don't like ACT. Secondly, because if Hillary is really considering a run in 2008, I don't want a Clinton loyalist in charge of the DNC!

Here's a nice rundown from dKos:


[quote]Howard Dean
My tentative pick. Would take him out of the '08 running, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I see him as a great DNC head. I don't see him as a viable presidential candidate. (Bring on the flames.)

Simon Rosenberg
An incredible visionary who would be a tremendous leader of the party. While a "centrist", he transcends ideology into that space I like to operate in -- partisanship. If there's a fault, it's that he's really, really nice. We might want more of a pit bull.

Tom Vilsack
The Iowa governor puts me to sleep. And I'm predisposed against him for failing to help deliver Iowa (which might be unfair).

Mark Warner
The Virginia governor has his sights set either on the Senate in 2006, or the White House 2008. A stint as DNC chair would preclude both of those.

Roy Barnes
Former governor of Georgia. You want a good `Diebold-fueled` conspiracy theory? His electoral loss in 2002 qualifies. Seems like an okay choice, unless he's being considered for geographic purposes. I refuse to play the, "We must appease the South to have any chance of winning" game.

Harold Ickes
Well liked former Clinton aide, he's supposed to wield a mean message. Could be a good choice, though he would be seen as laying the groundwork for a Hillary '08 bid. That perception, true or not, could be a deal breaker.

Inez Tenenbaum
Losing Democratic candidate for Senate in South Carolina. Not sure why she's made this list...

Donna Brazile
Few of us around here appreciate her public appearances, but she's supposedly a killer organizer. Perhaps the DNC chair should be split in two -- a fundraiser/public face and an organizer?

Ron Kirk
The former `African-American` mayor of Dallas got trounced in his Senate race in 2002. But he was a popular figure in Republican Dallas and has had some crossover appeal. A good public speaker. An intriguing possibility.

Dennis Archer
I know very little about this former Detroit mayor.

Wellington Webb
I know even less about this former Denver mayor.

Antonio Villaraigosa
Villaraigosa is a former speaker of the California Assembly and failed Los Angeles mayoral candidate. He's an old school political machine type of politico. I want someone more innovative.

John Edwards
I don't know why, but I just don't see this one. In any case, he's clearly running again in '08 so that would preclude the DNC gig.[/quote]

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/11/9/20305/8792

I heard Donna Brazile turn down someone's suggesting her name as DNC chair on a Cspan program of the Policy Committee of the DNC. Also, Dean has 100 votes already (of 440 needed).

That's my biggest concern about Ickes...that he would back Hillary; although in hearing him talk last week he was one who was going out of his way to talk about the need for a Southern candidate. It occurred to me that the Clintons, if they wait and realize that Hillary can't win, might fall back on the "back the Southern candidate" theory and that would be good for Edwards....

I saw Rosenberg on the same call in show that Ickes was on last week...he is an interesting candidate as well.

[quote=dwort]I heard Donna Brazile turn down someone's suggesting her name as DNC chair on a Cspan program of the Policy Committee of the DNC. Also, Dean has 100 votes already (of 440 needed).[/quote]

This is the first indication I've heard about how the DNC chair is actually chosen. Could someone please explain that to me? Who has a vote? If there are only 440 votes, I suppose it's not us members of the Democratic party. What is the process, who votes, and can we let them know our preferences?

I'm not really sure how the system works, but when I attended a district level Democratic convention, there were flyers for people trying to get elected to the DNC.

You might want to try contacting your state Democratic party to find out the members from your state.

During our local news broadcast last night, they mentioned that our former Governor Jeanne Shaheen is also being considered for the position. No opinion, this is just an FYI!