Dean vs. Rosenberg for DNC Chair
I've now participated in blogger conference calls with both Simon Rosenberg and Howard Dean. They are my two favorite candidates for Chair of the DNC. Both appreciate the importance of grass roots activism and the ability of the Internet to empower people and bring them into the political process. Both emphasize the importance of diversity and the politics of inclusion. Both stress the need to focus on local and state political races and organizations.
Until the call with Dean today, I had expected that he would be more focused on issues or the Democratic message while Rosenberg would be more into the technology and organizational structure. Not so. Both believe that the role of the DNC chair is not to establish policy but to create the machinery that will win elections.
My question to Dean today was along the lines of:
I see the difference between you and some of the other candidates as being your willingness to advocate progressive positions on issues. Other candidates have said the DNC Chair job is mostly about increasing our technological and organizational abilities. Do you think we can win elections if we don't focus on the issues? How important is it for the DNC Chair to speak out on the issues?
I had expected him to say it was important to remind Democrats of our progressive positions on issues. But, I was wrong. He said,to paraphrase,
There are other people besides the DNC chair who can speak for the Democratic party. I won't hesitate to speak out if I think something is wrong. For example, I thought the war in Iraq was wrong and I would not support it, even as DNC Chair. But I won't feel an obligation to say things that I doesn't believe in.
So I'm not quite ready to make a decision because both Rosenberg and Dean would be excellent DNC chairs. There are differences between them. Dean is a politican. Simon is not. Dean has a large following because of his stand on issues, and has greater name recognition. But, I wonder, would Dean be of more value to the party in a policy role? Would we be under-utilizing him if he were DNC Chair?
I guess it depends on your view of the role of the DNC Chair. On this I agree with Markos of Daily Kos who pointed out to me in an e-mail earlier today:
It's not the chair's job to develop message. It's the chair's job to create the machinery that will help us win elections. That's a distinction that most people don't grasp. So, in essence, the Democratic Party will tell Dean (or Simon) what to say, not the other way around.
I'm close to deciding to support one of these two candidates. Your thoughts are welcome.
For other bloggers' questions today to Howard Dean and his answers, Ana of Annatopia has a nice roundup.
And thanks to Jerome of MyDD for setting up the call.
Update: Kevin Drum likes Howard Dean; Matthew Yglesias comes out for Rosenberg.
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