Democrats Can't Get It Together
There seems to be a little rift growing between Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and their Party Boss, Howard Dean.
It seems Pelosi and Reid aren't happy with how Howard is spending the DNC dollars these days. Dean is doing what he said when they elected him Chairman of the DNC, he's organizing the party in all states, not just the battleground states.
The problem is that he's also burnt through 90% of the money the party has raised since January 2005. Of the $50 million they've brought in, they have just under six million on hand. The GOP has raised over double that, and has about $34 million on hand, which may be why Harry and Nancy are getting nervous.
Pelosi and Reid want him to switch the spending for 2006 to the states where they could pick up seats in the House and Senate, instead of Mississippi and other reliably "red" states.
Neither side was willing to give ground, according to several accounts of the meeting. Dean argued that his strategy is designed to rebuild the party across the country, and that he had pledged to do so when he ran for party chairman. Reid and Pelosi countered that if Democrats squander their opportunities this year, longer-term organizing efforts will not matter much.
Both sides are correct, Dean does need to get grassroots organized in some traditionally Republican states. He also needs to realize that if they don't pick up a bunch of seats this year, when the GOP is really at it's weakest they will be doomed in 2008.
The infighting brings up another problem, the money they need. If donors see the party as split over this, and other issues like Iraq, and such, they may be less willing to fork over their cash.
Good luck Kids, hope you get over your little spat and figure things out, really, I do.
Technorati Tags: Democrats, politics,Howard Dean,Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid
It seems Pelosi and Reid aren't happy with how Howard is spending the DNC dollars these days. Dean is doing what he said when they elected him Chairman of the DNC, he's organizing the party in all states, not just the battleground states.
The problem is that he's also burnt through 90% of the money the party has raised since January 2005. Of the $50 million they've brought in, they have just under six million on hand. The GOP has raised over double that, and has about $34 million on hand, which may be why Harry and Nancy are getting nervous.
Pelosi and Reid want him to switch the spending for 2006 to the states where they could pick up seats in the House and Senate, instead of Mississippi and other reliably "red" states.
Neither side was willing to give ground, according to several accounts of the meeting. Dean argued that his strategy is designed to rebuild the party across the country, and that he had pledged to do so when he ran for party chairman. Reid and Pelosi countered that if Democrats squander their opportunities this year, longer-term organizing efforts will not matter much.
Both sides are correct, Dean does need to get grassroots organized in some traditionally Republican states. He also needs to realize that if they don't pick up a bunch of seats this year, when the GOP is really at it's weakest they will be doomed in 2008.
The infighting brings up another problem, the money they need. If donors see the party as split over this, and other issues like Iraq, and such, they may be less willing to fork over their cash.
Good luck Kids, hope you get over your little spat and figure things out, really, I do.
Technorati Tags: Democrats, politics,Howard Dean,Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid
posted by Crazy Politico at 6:35 PM
6Comments:
Yah, my heart is breaking that Pelosi & Read are having difficulties with Dean. What a shame!! Too bad the MSM is too busy talking about how the Republican party is in disarray to learn stuff like this.
The Democrats are made up of too many divergent interests. They are going to have to either split or shed a few if they are ever going to be a cohesive party again.
Y'know, I'm going to go out on a limb here and says that based on what you've blogged... perhaps there's some rudimentary long-term planning going on in the DNC? I mean, maybe Dean's not looking at 2006 or 2008 necessarily, maybe he's looking further down the road at solidifying the party and then coming out of nowhere and BANG! taking over.
I know. It's a big maybe, but you never know. They may be out of touch, but I don't think they're stupid.
LMC, my tongue was in my cheek when I said I wanted them to get it together.
Shoprat, you are correct, the Illinois fiasco I blogged about kind of shows that.
Robo, I think Dean is looking long term, but probably paying too little attention to 2006.
I think the republicans need to worry more about keeping themselves out of jail than what the democratic party is doing.
DJ, yeah, both of them that are under indictment, out of thousands.
Will you feel the same if Harry Reid, person of interest #3 in the Abramoff scandal is indicted?
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