Action alert: time to make it crystal clear that under no circumstances does Senator Obama get to pick the next DNC chair

CQ Politics is reporting a new twist in the shameless collusion between Senator Obama and the DNC to suggest that, at a time when the Democratic Party is deeply divided, it is somehow Senator Obama's prerogative to pick the next DNC chair. (Thanks to Dem4Hill for drawing my attention to the story.)

Apparently the new Democratic Party way is for one chair to overrride rank and file Democrats and use any number of unscrupulous tactics to install his preferred candidate as the nominee and then that nominee turns around and arrogates to himself the right to pick the next chair, even though it remains entirely uncertain that Senator Obama will win the general election or even if he does manage to do so that he will do more than squeak by. In any event, one thing we know about Senator Obama: he is not very good at forging coalitions among different segments of rank and file Democrats, let alone being able to "unify" the Party or the country. Since the DNC is meant to be the official representative of all Democrats (not that it has even pretended to live up to that job description under the stewardship of current chair Howard Dean), it is patently absurd to put the future of the Party's internal leadership in the hands of Senator Obama. The cycle of egomanical self-servingness has just been ratcheted up.

Since the DNC claims that the reason Senator Obama gets to dictate who the next DNC chair is, it is ever more important for the medium and long term health of the Democratic Party that Senator Obama not win this election. Here's the passage from the CQ Politics story that informs us that Senator Obama's internal party is based on the assumption he will win the general election, and that if he does win the DNC will once again hold a fake election rather than a real vote for the position of chair: 

'“We expect Sen. Obama to be in the White House, and it’ll be his decision as to who’ll be nominated” to succeed Dean, said Stacie Paxton, national press secretary for the DNC.

If Obama is elected, he will designate his choice for the chairmanship, and DNC members would be expected to ratify his decision at a meeting immediately after Inauguration Day on Jan. 20.'

The story goes on to say:

'If the Democrats do not win the White House, a special party meeting would be called for an election to be held between Jan. 1 and March 1, said DNC officials. Dean and his predecessor, Terry McAuliffe, were both elected in meetings during the month of February.'

If this is the way the DNC wants to play this, then there is  only thing to be done by Democrats who care about seeing their Party survive the civil war that Senator Obama and Howard Dean have already brought to it. Senator Obama must not win the general election. And his defeat must come at the hands of Democrats who now realize that in the new Democratic Party way no compromise is allowed. If no compromise is allowed, if Senator Obama is determined to make the entire Democratic Party revolve around him and the DNC is willing to be a mere satellite to Senate Obama, then responsible and wise Democrats must make sure that Senator Obama loses this election.

Regular readers of this space know that I am one of the co-founders of The Denver Group, whose general election initiative is Democrats for Principle Before Party. That initiative is using advertising in mainstream media to fight for the long term survival of the Democratic Party.   Just as The Denver Group took the matter of placing Senator Clinton's name in nomination from the web and into the mainstream media, Democrats for Principle Before Party now intends to take the message that in order for the Democratic Party to win back its credibility rank and file Democrats must rid the Party of Senator Obama's apparent stranglehold. We know our ads made a critical difference in making sure Senator Clinton's name was at least put into nomination in Denver. We know that the ads we have in the pipeline ready to run in swing states and in key print publications in Washington DC will make a critical difference in the fight to save the Democratic Party for long time rank and file Democrats and for those who will come after us needing a Democratic Party that is inclusive, tolerant, and pluralistic in both its internal affairs and as a matter of the policies it pursues for the country.

You can donate to the ad campaign right here:

Or to learn more, including how to donate by mail, see: Democrats for Principle Before Party.

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Oh, and for anybody who believes that Bill Richardson, the politician who personified disloyalty during the Primary Season (remember his endorsement of Senator Obama even after his own state went for Senator Clinton AND he had given his word to President Bill Clinton  that he would not make such an endorsement?) is not interested in being DNC chair and staying right in Senator Obama's hip pocket...well, I have a bridge in Brooklyn you might want to buy.

Comments

[Amazonia]

"...then responsible and wise democrats must make sure that Senator Obama loses the general election"
Since earlier this year I stopped harboring any illusions the Democratic Party and its leadership (with the exception of the Clintons and a few others) would suddenly transform itself back to being the party by the people and for the people, and stop the corruption and fraud we have witnessed during this election cycle. Moreover, I see now my fears being confirmed that Senator Clinton may not be allowed to run in 2012 either, or if she runs, something similar to what transpired this time might happen again...and we'll be back to complaining about fraud, mysoginism...etc, etc.
I do not know much about the ins and outs of politicking, I am a working mom who owns her vote, and I'm tired of having to chose, in many instances, whether is voting for a candidate for Senator, Governor or President, between two unqualified people, between a bad and a worse choice.
Hillary was and is the best choice for President all right, but the leadership decided to ignore the will of the voters, and I suspect they'll will work hard at doing it
again in 2012.

I am ready to belong to an Independent, moderate, inclusive, viable third party. Perhaps the good
people running for or that hold office now, along with political and thought/action leaders such as Heidi Li, Alegre, Riverdaughter, Larry Johnson, Texas Darlin and others
in the blogosphere and in politics, will lead the movement towards forming such party, with our beloved Hillary at the helm.

Let's take action!
I proposed this a few months ago elsewhere:
If 2.5 million of us (PUMA's) donate $10.00
each a month from now on, towards the new party, will have funds to get started:

$10.00 x 2.5 M people = $25,000,000

per month! The first month's funds could be used to get us started and organized.

Imagine! In one year we would have
300 Million US Dollars for campaining.

We need to take on the Mainstream Media as well. They have a monopoly
which is not working to inform the
people but to push their favorite
candidate of the day that will serve
their purposes.

So, for now
McCain/Palin

Hillary Clinton 2012!

[Amazonia]

Among our thought/action leaders I should include Darragh Murphy and the people whom I know only through their wonderful posts and commentaries in the pro-Hillary blogs.
Thank you to you all.

[Amazonia]

Among our thought/action leaders I should include Darragh Murphy and the people whom I know only through their wonderful posts and commentaries in the pro-Hillary blogs.
Thank you to you all.

[bev]

Yes Heidi this is very scary stuff indeed. I knew this is where this was headed, I hope everyone uses their vote wisely.

Thanks for posting the story.

[DaddysDarlin]

We know as the wise democrats we are that the only way to prevent Obama from winning the White House is by voting for John McCain.
It might be hard for us to do, nearly impossible for others, yet it is what must be done to insure an Obama loss.
We simply cant reward the corruption and fraud that were perpetrated upon our party by not just Obama himself, but the entire DNC. Do we reward cheating because of party loyalty? Of course not.
Hillary, Bill and Chelsea all know who is best suited to run this country right now, and it isn't Obama. Hillary and Bill have done more than they should have because of party loyalty, I also fear that they were threatened or intimidated in some way too, IMHO, party loyalty doesnt include fraud, lying, cheating and stealing. It seems as though that is what the democratic party has stood for and stood by this year, and it does not represent me or my moral and ethical standards.
This year the democratic party threw me away, they no longer thought of me as a viable member, why? My age and my sex, no other reason.
They said I could be replaced by all the new members Obama was bringing into the party, they gave no credit to Hillary's historic run for bringing in voters.
And here we are now, do we choose the high road and vote for a man we know to be a true patriot, a man of morals and character, a man who loves this country and has the experience to run it?
Or will loyalty win over morality?
My morals are telling me to vote McCain, a vote for McCain is a vote against Obama.
I will not compromise my principals or values for the sake of my party, they cheated, when you cheat you lose.

[nancy sabet]

I agree 100%. The only way to stop Obama and save our party is to vote for McCain/Palin. I acctually like this ticket, McCain is a honorable man not a fraud like [Sen. Obama].

[Right to vote]

Any one has a number in Aug, how much money had been raised for retired Hillary's debt?
Is there an oversight committee to watch the money which was used to that purpose? I can't trust Obama camps divert the fund to claim as his fund raising efforts.
To vote for McCain is a must in Nov. If Bo is elected in to the White House, there will be no Dem Party, only Obama Party.

[sara b]

Right on, Heidi! The DNC is ridiculous and has totally lost sight of what it means to be Democrats. Not to mention using and abusing good, true blue democrats all throughout the past year and a half. Some of us are paying attention.

[sara b]

Right on, Heidi! The DNC is ridiculous and has totally lost sight of what it means to be Democrats. Not to mention using and abusing good, true blue democrats all throughout the past year and a half. Some of us are paying attention.