Age of Reason

Howard Dean Must be DNC Chair

For two reasons.

First, only he has the power to fix the party, because only he has massive grass roots support and visibility that will continue to keep activists interested in taking over the party and fixing it. Donnie Fowler or Simon Rosenberg would simply disappear from view -- ok in some ways, but the fact that Dean has agreed to run for DNC Chair means he realizes that we have to fight from the inside. The grass roots need a man on the inside, and it matters that even novice grassroots activists can see that we have a man on the inside: it has to be Dean.

But more, I'm not yet convinced that either Rosenberg or Fowler can be an effective reformer. Fowler certainly knows how to kick ass -- frankly I'd like to see him run for Governor of his home state of South Carolina -- but does he have what it takes to tear down the Democratic Party and turn it into a grass-roots funded, reformed party? I don't know the case yet for that. Dean has famously run a grass-roots-funded campaign in the past. Him I know I can believe in.

Nor am I convinced yet about Rosenberg. I've read Matt Stoller's case for Simon and nothing in there persuades me that he has what it takes to turn the Democratic Party into a grass-roots funded party. Can anyone persuade me?

posted by conchis @ 1:15 AM