I Cogitate

I watched the seven candidates appeal for support at the last get-together in New York City before the February 12 vote for the next head of the DNC. Luckily for me, C-SPAN covered the event.

One thing that struck me was how much better each was as a speaker. There was palpable passion. I saw the first meet-up in Atlanta and a few of the candidates then were either non-descript or produced outright negative reactions in me.

I know I'll be criticized for typing this but I truly believe each candidate would be effective as DNC head. I don't agree with everything each said but all could do the job and do it well enough. However, some would do better than others and this is a critical choice in the overall process of reforming and re-making the Democratic Party. We need to have the BEST candidate elected.

I'll start with my elimination process:

David Leland has done some good things for Democrats in Ohio and elsewhere but he is strictly a behind-the-scenes guy and is not the national face needed now for the Democratic Party.

Tim Roemer would be interesting as a Democratic national defense figure but I'm just not sure of his reform intentions and he has absolutely no chance to win anyway. I have no problem with those opposed to or neutral on abortion being members of the Democratic Party but I don't think it is appropriate for that person to be the frontman. I know, I know, Harry Reid falls into that category too but his tenure earned him that role.

Wellington Webbis probably a very nice guy and is from a state that is experiencing a Democratic renaissance despite Colorado having more Republicans than Demos, but I just don't react well to him. My B.S. detector leaps into full-throttle mode. Maybe it's just me and some quirk I have.

Donnie Fowler was much more impressive than back in Atlanta but still looks like he's 20 years old and a Generation Xer. Hey, that's not his fault but he can go after the DNC head position a time or two down the line. He isn't the right face or stature for this time. I like his ideas and spunk but (and I hate to type this) appearance counts so much in politics today and we need a more mature-looking individual at this moment. I do praise him for the excellent and unglamorous on-the-ground work he has done to date.

Okay, now for the candidates who have a real chance to win.

Martin Frost would probably do fine in the role and be a face that would be acceptable throughout this country. I could accept him but still have qualms about his reformist mindset and his openness to the technological changes re-shaping politics today and in the future.

Howard Dean would also do a good job and add some backbone to the too-often spineless appearance of the Democratic Party. But I have decided the critical point in my decision for who should be the next head of the DNC is that it should NOT be a former politician. Think about this: how much media time and exposure would be wasted until Dean would be finally be seen (if ever) in the eyes of enough of the public as DNC head and not a hotheaded screamer? Don't get me wrong. I really enjoy Howard Dean and support many of his political positions but there is baggage to be lost here, baggage we can't afford to wait around until it vanishes. In some ways, I regret my decision because Dean is THE reform candidate. But imagine this: the RNC playing commercials over and over that includes the tape of Dean boasting of wanting to be the gay President. That would be an anchor candidates in tough, uphill political races don't need. And don't doubt for a minute that the Republicans would hesitate to unleash such a toxin. I can picture it now: vote Democratic and you support the political party whose head actually said this...

So that leaves:

Simon Rosenburg is the complete package. A track record of fundraising, a track record of supporting regional and local candidates, a track record of the knowledge of technology needed to advance political causes, a track record of bringing together the various segments of the sometimes feuding Democratic Party and a track record of reform. I saw some fire-in-his-belly today which either wasn't present or had eluded me previously. He has an acceptable media face for head of the DNC, he's smart, he speaks well and possesses no political baggage. He wants to reduce the D.C. power tilt in the Democratic Party--glory hallelujah!

Let's see what happens on February 12.

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