Will the next DNC chair do a better job than Howard Dean?

In June 2008, U.S News and World Report ran a story headlined:

"Dean: Party Needs to Unify Around Obama; The DNC chair said the Democratic Party will have no money problems this year with Obama on the ticket."*

Wrong.

Among the difficulties that will beset the next DNC chair is that, regardless of whether "the Party" united around then-candidate Obama, is carrying multi-million dollar debt.**

Furthermore while "the Party" may have gone along with Dr. Dean in effectively nullifying the primary season and the Party's own rules for selecting a nominee  the next DNC chair will have to replace or regain the confidence of  voters who left the Democratic Party because of its decision to forego a free and fair roll call vote in Denver.

Amid the press coverage of cabinet appointments and transition team members, I have not yet seen any coverage of who President-elect Obama is considering for chair of the DNC. Nor have I seen mention of who wants the job, although I am sure there are people President-elect Obama has in mind.

I wonder, though, how many people want the position. Yes, the Democrats won the general election and in Washington, D.C. there's much excitement about upcoming inauguration. But the new President is walking into a first term with the country already sure to be mired in economic woe that may be beyond any remediation before the 2012 election. Whether the then sitting administration gets the blame (assuming the economy does not pick up) remains to be seen. But if it does, the new chair of the DNC will face a difficulty not completely unlike the one face by the RNC this year: how to run a successful campaign with an incumbent presiding over a moribund economy?

To me, the job looks like a thankless one. But there's some speculation that Claire McCaskill, the junior senator from Missouri, would like it.***

__________________

*Halloran, Liz. "Dean: Party Needs to Unify Around Obama; The DNC chair said the Democratic Party will have no money problems this year with Obama on the ticket.(Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean)." U.S. News & World Report. U.S. News and World Report, L.P. 2008. Retrieved December 05, 2008 from HighBeam Research: http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-180021816.html

** LIZ SIDOTI. "DNC chair faces $15M debt; fight for RNC boss." AP Online. 2008. Retrieved December 05, 2008 from HighBeam Research: http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1A1-D94DLFOO0.html 

***ARI SHAPIRO. "RNC, DNC: Who's In, Who Out?." NPR Morning Edition. 2008. Retrieved December 05, 2008 from HighBeam Research: http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-158079095.html

Comments

[ainnj]

Today Hillary Clinton lost one her most avid and devoted supporters. I am sure she won't care in the least bit. 18 million cracks my .....
Her response to the absolutely disgusting, sexist, misogynistic photo with that stupid ass kid who writes flowery blabber for obama was much much worse in my mind then the idiot kid's posing drunk in the picture. This is NOT the woman I want as a role model for my daughters. No way, no how, NO HILLARY!@

[R2D2]

I just read this:

Dean Jokes About Not Getting Rahm's Job
In a forthcoming interview, DNC Chairman Howard Dean noted that Rep. Rahm Emanuel wasn't an early fan of his 50-state strategy, which helped put Barack Obama in the White House.

When asked if he felt vindicated, Dean said, "Rahm ended up as chief of staff to Barack Obama, so I don't feel too vindicated."

He added, "I might have been right but I'd rather be chief of staff."
http://politicalwire.com/archives/2008/12/05/dean_jokes_about_not_getting_rahms_job.html

Nice.

[kavala007]

The Obama group raised some 750 million dollars and the DNC has to go begging. Now the Obama group is rewarding supporters with appointments
and probably an appointment or two to the Senate. (Yes, I know governors appoint but there may be some arm twisting). It would appear to me that nothing much has or will change. It is still "How much are you willing to give me for this appointment?" George Washington was right when he said political parties will corrupt and destroy democracy.

[glennmcgahee]

Give it to Claire by all means. The final nail in the DNC's coffin. I am happy that I finally made my way to Independence. I can understand many of my Republican friends better now. I won't join them but I think we all can do better than either side.