50 State Strategy, Dean, Begala, Utah and the West
Wayne Holland Jr. on Paul Begala:
Mr. Begala:"What he has spent it on, apparently, is just hiring a bunch of staff people to wander around Utah and Mississippi and pick their nose." -- Dem strategist Paul Begala on DNC Chair Howard Dean's spending, CNN, 5/11
This statement hitting on the eve of our convention, where we are about to nominate Congressman Jim Matheson for re-election, is not helpful. And, the "pick their nose" comment is hurtful to Democrats
who are truly on the frontline. An apology to my hardworking staff is in order.By leaving the GOP unopposed in places like Utah, it frees them up to concentrate on making inroads in marginal districts. Congressmen in tough places deserve support, too. Jim Matheson, Stephanie Herseth
(keynote speaker at tonight's pre-convention dinner) and even a potential pick-up like Gary Trauner in Wyoming deserve the support they are getting from the DNC."Win for today" as a long-term strategy has left many areas of the country without a healthy dialogue. The April 29 canvass where we put the DNC message on 15,000 registered Democrats doorsteps was a first for Utahns. They have never heard from the DNC. When Clinton was in the White House, he never made a public address to the people of Utah.
Democrats have become outsiders who do things to us, not insiders who do things for us. The 50 state strategy is one way to turn it around.
Even in Utah, there are thoughtful Democrats elected to office like Congressman Matheson, Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson, and Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon. The DNC's investment here will make sure that they retain their seats. I expect it will help Mayor Corroon get a majority of Democrats to support his policies on the Salt Lake County Council. That will show Utahns for the first time in a decade
that we have the ability to govern.I wish I had more time today to be thoughtful. But this fight is disheartening, and not productive. Chairman Dean is not going to change what he has started. Too many DNC members appreciate it. (And,
they are Dean's electorate.) I encourage you and Congressman Rahm Emmanuel to move on, and find a way to make it work for the DCCC.Wayne Holland, Jr.
Chair
Utah Democratic Party
Emmett O'Connell | May 16, 2006 | Comment on This Post (14 so far) |
Your Name: Your Personal Note: | Your Email: Friends' Emails*: |
Comments
An apology is, indeed, in order.
Posted by: Leo Brown | May 16, 2006 2:01:20 PM
I disagree, Begala is correct. I'll re-post this:
"Dean has actually been horrible as DNC Chair. His 50 state strategy is foolhardy and unrealistic, and his modus operandi in regards to raising money is the same as when he was a presidential candidate: thousands and thousands of grassroots, middle class Democrats, as opposed the creation of an infrastructure of wealthy Democrats. He's raised more than McAuliffe did at this point, but it's not sustainble, because the fact is, McAuliffe built a network of very rich Democrats rather slowly, who could could continue to funnel money into the party every year. Dean has asked grassroots Democrats for cash, and they have given it: but these aren't the kind of donors that can do this on a consistent basis."
Which states need more money right now that would help the Democratic Party significantly in the next couple of years: Wyoming, Mississippi, Utah, Idaho, Alabama, Oklahoma OR Pennsylvania, Ohio, Tennessee, Rhode Island, and Colorado?
I live in Wyoming, and I can assure you that if Howard Dean were to throw millions and millions of dollars into our state every year, for the next ten years, the state would be just as Republican, and might not even elect Democratic governors, all because of the perceived outside influence of the national Democratic Party.
Posted by: WyoBlueDog | May 17, 2006 7:28:53 PM
Hello,
Verus the outside interest of say the RNC? Wyoming elected Dick Cheney, you cant get any more outside than that. The businesses that control Wyoming are mostly out of state and even foreign oil, gas, and coal companies.
The DNC could spend millions in Wyoming over the next ten years and if it was spent on candidate formation, county party formation, at the grassroots level, it would make a difference. Millions already flow to Thomas, Enzi, and Cubin during each election cycle, mostly from out of state interests already. It would be high time for the DNC to start spending real money here in Wyoming on building the party.
Democrats have been elected in Wyoming and will continue to be elected, thats not going to change because of any national party platform, nobody votes because of a party platform on both sides.
Posted by: Daniel Cardenas | May 18, 2006 1:59:48 PM
There's a Democrat making a race in Congress from Wyoming--a serious race from the most recent polling.
It's also wrong to say Dean's funders can't give consistently. Democracy Bonds and recurring donations are the hot new thing (on both sides, really).
But what's sustaining about the money is it's self-feeding, because there are actually people representing and organizing Democrats no matter where they live, and they attract both adherents and good local candidates.
The problem is that Rahm and Charlie thought they could suck at DNC's teat for the Congressional races like always, and now there's no money for that. Like Dean has ever said anything other than he's going fund state parties--and for God's sake, the DSCC has 32 million in the bank! From what I understand it's really Rahm who's lagging and is bitching about not getting the bailout from Howard.
Coincidentally, I got a call from D-Trip this morning, right in the middle of a meeting with the head of my organization. I hissed into the phone that Rahm Emmanuel needs to lay off Dean and mind his own store, and because of it any money I give will go to DNC.
Dean's electorate is state Democrats. They'd name him chancellor if they could right now, every single one of them. You're blind if you're not seeing what's happening in small towns and townships all over the country since 2005. Democrats--and progressive ones--taking seats held by Republicans for decades. And Rahm claims he's blowing money. Sheesh.
Posted by: torridjoe | May 19, 2006 12:07:02 AM
It may seem like a lost cause, but it is far from it. I can say from experience in my own current race and races I have worked on that having that DNC staff has been incrediably helpful. We have seen as a direct result of them being in place more candidates, better campaigns from those candidates, and been able to raise more funds that ever before. We have a elected a Democratic Congressman who covers more than half of the state, and will have a good chance and picking up some seats in the legislator. I am as a big a fan of Begala as the next guy, but I think its beyond wrong to write a book about "Taking Back" the party, and then give statements about not worrying about every race, and a Democrats in every state.
Posted by: Colt Smith | May 19, 2006 11:19:28 AM
Ya'll don't get it.
None of this will matter, if Dean can't raise the money in the first place. And his strategy, as I posted earlier, is tremendously faulty.
During Terry McAuliffe's entire tenure, I was never asked to give money. I did anyway, but Terry was smart: I am not a millionaire.
In Dean's short tenure, I've received FOUR letters asking for money. Again, I'm not a millionaire. Dean needs to stop wasting his time with middle class people like me, and seek out the Democratic millionaires like McAuliffe did, re-establish ties and connections with them (they're not too fond of Dean either), and get those millions funneled into the party on a monthly or yearly basis.
Posted by: WyoBlueDog | May 19, 2006 1:04:45 PM
I think what Dean is doing is first making every memeber of the party feel involved, and getting people from Utah to donate as well as Washington and California Democrats. I feel that if we start winning races in some of those forgotten states the big money Dems will be lining up to contribute to the party. If he wins house seats in some of those bright red states everyone will be singing a different tune.
Posted by: Colt | May 19, 2006 1:35:32 PM
Colt,
If you are indeed correct, then more power to him. And if there is ever a time to win some seats in normally unwinnable areas, it will be this year.
I'm a bit skeptical though...
Posted by: WyoBlueDog | May 19, 2006 6:24:30 PM
check out these links on Begala's comment
http://www.43rdstateblues.com/?q=blog/24
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/5/12/221234/084
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/zack-exley/shame-on-you-paul-begala_b_21116.html
We have to be in 50 states to be a national party. We have to be organized in those states to win elections with any consistency. That will require raising and spending money in 50 states. If the Democratic Party is to be the party of the people, that will require raising money not just from the rich, but from the people. Otherwise, we will just have two plutocrat parties.
Posted by: Leo Brown | May 20, 2006 9:04:23 AM
WyoBlueDog, think about it this way: what's the ideological influence on the party from a few millionaire donors in NY and LA, versus a large group of middle-class folks across the country? And also, how does an independent voter in Wyoming view the Democratic party if they see it only as national candidates funded from NY and LA, versus an organization that has supporters and volunteers in their own neighborhood?
To me the second option in both cases is worth a lot of cash if that's what it costs.
Posted by: OregonDem | Jun 1, 2006 8:22:54 PM
WyoBlueDog is of course shilling. Both a top down and bottom up approach should be followed--that is how the GOP has succeeded. They have the moneybagses, but also the little old ladies and pathetic homophobic and sexist straight men who send $25 and $50. Both are necessary; both add up.
The fact that WyoBlueDog wasn't asked to contribute but did anyhow shows how flawed the McAuliffe strategy was.
BC
Posted by: Bill Cooper | Jun 3, 2006 5:24:21 PM
Both ways are right - Begala's theory of getting a message an sticking to it, and Dean's plan to organize on the ground - both ways will help. Because if you don't have a message, what's the point of having the worker bees on the ground doing the daily grunt work? Likewise, if you don't have anybody around to spread the message, what is the point of having one? In my campaign here in Utah, I am energized by our message *and* I am thrilled that we have a dedicated and committed support staff to help us spread the word. (they do much more than that, though!!) Our Utah staff is more than helpful and I feel united as a party again in this state. That has not happened in a long time.
Wayne Holland is one of the greatest people in America. He really cares deeply about the people of Utah and is working hard so that democrats can take baby steps that will eventually at *least* turn our state purple. Woot Woot! Go Wayne!
Posted by: Emily for Utah | Jun 3, 2006 9:30:34 PM
The DNC, Rahm Emmanuel, Howard Dean, Nancy Pelosi...you all hung Elaine Busby in San Diego out to dry. With support like you gave her, Dems are guaranteed to lose more seats come November. For a few million dollars more and you people appearing in the media as often as the neocons, you could have more than made up for the 5,000 vote deficit. We could have sent a message to the entire country. Wake up! Rahm Emmanuel, you don't do the DNC any good whatsoever. Don't talk about remaining neutral in congressional races.
Immigration will be a big issue. Not the immigration bill from the Senate. Wake up, that's not what Americans want.
Posted by: Janet Gaudiello | Jun 7, 2006 3:30:25 PM
When Rahm Emanuel wins us Democrats the US House back in November, maybe you'll sing a different tune. Is he cutthroat? Hell, yes! It's about time somebody in the Democratic Party was.
Posted by: WyoBlueDog | Jun 7, 2006 4:09:33 PM
Ads by Google
(and yes, we know that sometimes they're very, very wrong. Other times, they're right on.)
