Who would the core of your ideal Democratic Party be?

[Horse with no Name]

If I could pick 5 people to be the core of my party and mold it into what I think our party should be, I would pick these 5:

Howard Dean
Barbara Boxer
John Conyers
Al Gore
Ted Kennedy

Of course there are many honorable mentions, but if I only had 5, I think these folks would represent my views splendidly.

[Bjornsdotter]

1. Your list

and mine are the same. Great choices!

Cheers!

[SmokingJacket]

2. Me too. nt

[leftstreet]

3. Mine would be ideals, not people. Labor, election reform, healthcare

And if any of those candidates were drawn to ideals like that - that'd be cool.
:)

[msongs]

4. excellent list...

the last to be on my list?

joe lieberman
gov richardson who couldnt even get New Mexico to vote for Kerry
dianne fienstein who is doing whats best for her husband's business

Msongs
www.msongs.com/clark2008.htm

[...of J.Temperance]

8. I like Bill Richardson and Dianne Feinstein...

What about Warner/Clark 2008?

I notice that you're a Wesley Clark fan as well.

[Horse with no Name]

11. In my core party

Bill and Dianne would be asked to give back their Dem cards.:silly:

[...of J.Temperance]

14. No...you don't mean that...I know you don't...

Eh? :)

[...of J.Temperance]

5. Well I'd pick...

Mark Warner
John Edwards
Wesley Clark
Mary Landrieu
Harold Ford Jr.

On Edit: I've put "...as a Centrist Democrat" here now, instead of in my subject header.

[NanceGreggs]

6. If you want a REALLY honest answer ...

... my 'core' would consist of ME running everything, with everyone else doing my bidding, no questions asked.

I would demand that EVERYTHING be done MY WAY, and I would totally ignore the needs and desires of the people who elected me, kow-tow to religious extremists, and -- oh, sorry. I guess I'd better switch parties!

[...of J.Temperance]

9. LOL n/t

[mtnester]

7. Howard Dean and Wesley Clark

nutshell

Grassroots is the way baby!

[NNadir]

10. Gore, Dean, Rush Holt (my congressman), our spectacular

departing NJ governor, our favorite son, Richard Codey, and Obama Barack.

Our party has many fine citizens however, and I mean no disrespect by omission.

[Individualist]

12. Your choice

is my choice as well, although a sixth should be added: Senator Byrd. I'll never forget his impassioned arguments against the Iraq invasion which sadly fell on deaf ears.

[neverevergivein]

13. Zell Miller and Joe Lieberman

JUST KIDDING. Your list looks great to me too

[moobu2]

17. Senator Byrd

Senator Byrd's had some problems in the distant past but he’s an incredible human being today. He's be on my list.

[Coastie for Truth]

15. Too many idealists - we need one "Hammer" in there - just one

like Dan Rostenkowski or Jim Traficante or the old Big City Mayors like Bill Green or David Lawrence or Richard Daley (Senior) - or maybe LBJ. Somebody who can twist arms and kick butts. Leading the Democratic Party is like herding cats.

[Bjornsdotter]

37. Richard J.

He could really kick ass.

And if the rumors are true, delivered Chicago for Kennedy.

Cheers!

[Coastie for Truth]

46. The Democratic Leadership needs ONE

but ONLY ONE of those old time bosses.

[PAdem2]

16. I think those 5 could

mold the party, but none of them would be able to be elected as president.

[...of J.Temperance]

32. On my list, I have three that could be elected President...

Warner, Clark and Edwards...Landrieu and Ford Jr. would make excellant Veep choices as well.

The combination is the right balance as to what our party needs...that balance is social conscience with understanding of military and national security issues...the latter points both Clark and Landrieu have a good knowledge of.

[MuseRider]

18. Dennis Kucinich

Barbara Boxer
John Conyers (Oh YES!)
Ted Kennedy

There actually are a few others but I think this shows the direction I would go.

[rusty_parts2001]

19. Dick Durbin

A fighter in the trenches for working people.

[MuseRider]

22. That is a lot

of fighters! We need them badly.

[Bjornsdotter]

40. Durbin's good

Welcome to DU! :hi:

Cheers!

[Coastie for Truth]

27. DEnnis is a good idea man and Legislator

but my Mom's family lives in Cleveland - and Dennis was a lovable schlepper as an Administrator/Manager in Cleveland.

[MuseRider]

31. ?

I am not certain what you mean. A lovable schlepper? I know schlepper but I don't know what that means in terms of the but...

[Coastie for Truth]

35. Going back many years to my college days

the absent minded professor who you really enjoyed his/her classes, and the seminars -- but he/she couldn't find the car at the end of the day.

[MuseRider]

43. Oh, lol. That was a long time ago though.

He has been consistantly doing the right thing and hammering away at Bush** these days. I would not hold that against him. I am awfully fond of those kinds of professors.

[Jayhawk Lib]

20. My Governor

I would like to ad my Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas. She is an excellent Governor and should be a rising star.

[MuseRider]

25. She is not only

doing a pretty darn good job here she is one classy woman. I like her a lot.

I do not know her well enough to know just how progressive she is or would be outside of this Red state but I will take her here with no complaints.

[Jayhawk Lib]

47. Agreed... Fantastic lady ......nm

[Maven]

21. Whoever could embrace LIBERALISM -- the concept AND the word

[iamjoy]

23. What Is Russ Feingold? Chopped Liver?

Don't forget in the mad panic following 9-11 he actually voted against the Patriotic Act.
What about his crusade for Campaign Finance Reform (and he worked w/John McCain on it, see, he can be idealistic and bi-partisan)

[MuseRider]

26. Oops

forgot about adding him. My bad.

[Horse with no Name]

28. No I was really torn

He was on my short list--I just had to stop at 5.
However, I see Russ on a more Presidential track than an actual party track though. I hope that makes sense.(I hope you don't ask me to explain that though--my head is foggy. :silly:)

[FreedomAngel82]

24. Here's mine

Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, Al Gore, Barbara Boxer, John Conyers.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

29. Noam Chomsky, Susan Sarandon,, Bernie Sanders, Cynthia McKinney,

Howard Zinn.

[peacebird]

30. Senator Byrd!

Howard Dean
John Conyers
Dennis Kucinich
Al Gore
Maxine Waters
Ted Kennedy
Obama Barrack (sp?)

[Horse with no Name]

33. You cheated!

Only 5.:)
It's difficult isn't it?
But it also makes you think that there are many Dem's out there fighting for us, so when you have to start picking and choosing, it let's us know we aren't out there alone.

[Just Me]

48. There really ARE so many Dems fighting for us!!! SO MANY!!!

I can't name ONE Republican that protects me, physically or financially. NOT ONE.

Why do we take all these fabulous Democratic representatives for granted?

I am very grateful for each and every one of those people who have been taking a stand for me in spite of such a monstrous, controlling opposition. I appreciate their courage.

[DanCa]

34. Wes Clark - Clealand Obama Murtha Edwards Boxer Sharpton

At least my mix would be interesting no?

[Warpy]

36. The core of my party would be ordinary working men and women

Sure, that list of 5 elected officials is a good one, but when was the last time you met a Democrat who wanted to be LED?

See, that's really the problem. Conservatives function from the top down, all the little folks at the bottom dutifully falling into lockstep. Trying to get Democrats to agree on anything has famously been called an attempt at herding cats. Democrats have their own opinions and ask too many uncomfortable questions to be led around by elected officials.

With the core of my party being ordinary, everyday working stiffs, I would feel comfortable that the party were making decisions based on my own needs and interests, even if I initially disagreed with some of them.

I'm a lot more comfortable with that than with the notion that some guy who is being paid seven times what I get and who is being kept in a bubble within the I-495 Beltway has a clue in the world about what my requirements are.

[ThomWV]

38. 5

Al Gore
Wes Clark
Russ Fiengold
Dennis Kucinich (the conscious of the party)
John Edwards

Its a mix but it puts the President at the top.

[Spider Jerusalem]

39. The essential core of any political party is based not on persons...

but principles. People come and go; principles endure.

I'm rather leery of anything that smacks of 'personality cult'; looking to a politician for salvation is folly. They are not saviours; they are merely representatives of our collective will. And if that will is fractured, divided, and focused on petty internal squabbles rather than the challenges that lie in the road ahead, then you could resurrect FDR to head your new party and it would make no difference.

Ultimately, we have to save ourselves. Not Howard Dean, not Al Gore, not Ted Kennedy. Us.

[Botany]

41. This Guy

[Just Me]

42. The CBC.

I'd add Kucinich, Boxer, McDermitt, Dean, Byrd, Kennedy, and many others. We actually DO have a pretty good bunch serving us,...we really do. Too bad we don't appreciate them like we should. Instead, we focus on the few who fail us. Why do we do that to ourselves and to our best reps? :shrug:

[Horse with no Name]

50. Exactly.

If they were all such miserable failures, then why was it so difficult for me (and I assume others) to pick ONLY 5.
Just as you mentioned, the CBC and all they do for us--how can you narrow it down?

* Sanford Bishop of Georgia
* Corrine Brown of Florida
* G.K. Butterfield of North Carolina
* Julia Carson of Indiana
* Donna Christian-Christensen of the U.S. Virgin Islands
* William Lacy Clay, Jr. of Missouri
* Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri
* Jim Clyburn of South Carolina
* John Conyers, Jr. of Michigan
* Elijah Cummings of Maryland
* Artur Davis of Alabama
* Danny K. Davis of Illinois
* Chaka Fattah of Pennsylvania
* Harold Ford, Jr. of Tennessee
* Al Green of Texas
* Alcee Hastings of Florida
* Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. of Illinois
* Bill Jefferson of Louisiana
* Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas
* Stephanie Tubbs Jones of Ohio
* Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick of Michigan
* Barbara Lee of California
* Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas
* John Lewis of Georgia
* Cynthia McKinney of Georgia
* Kendrick Meek of Florida
* Gregory Meeks of New York
* Juanita Millender-McDonald of California
* Gwen Moore of Wisconsin
* Eleanor Holmes Norton of the District of Columbia
* Senator Barack Obama of Illinois
* Major Owens of New York
* Donald Payne of New Jersey
* Charles B. Rangel of New York
* Bobby Rush of Illinois
* Bobby Scott of Virginia
* David Scott of Georgia
* Bennie Thompson of Mississippi
* Edolphus Towns of New York
* Maxine Waters of California
* Diane Watson of California
* Mel Watt of North Carolina
* Albert Wynn of Maryland

I personally sat down and penned out which Dem's that I would ask for their cards back, and came up with a lot fewer I would rather not be Dems than ones I would.

[saltpoint]

44. Great DU question, Horse with no Name. Just excellent.

Thank you for it, too.

Can I throw in a few names to add to your very strong list?

Bill Moyers
Julian Bond
Mario Cuomo
Robert Kennedy, Jr.
John and Elizabeth Edwards
Russell Feingold

[PWRinNY]

45. Me and you

and Barbara Boxer, John Edwards, Jon Stewart, many others, but I'll stop here.

[Marleyb]

49. Dennis Kucinich

This is the platform that I believe the democratic party should stand for. These are the true values of the democratic party, back from the days of JFK and MLK, when we were proud to be called liberals....

End the war in Iraq
Start a department of PEACE

Repeal the Patriot Act

UNIVERSAL NOT FOR PROFIT HEALTH CARE

Withdraw from NAFTA and the WTO

Quality education pre-k through college

End the drug war

Is this too much to ask?

[MuseRider]

51. No it is not too much to ask

it is what we used to stand for and the best thing for our country. DK had a long trip to come to some of his platforms but they were well worth waiting for.

[stray cat]

52. Feingold, Clark, Dean

[Hippo_Tron]

53. Paul Wellstone

[sandnsea]

54. Let's see

John Kitzhaber
Brian Schweitzer
Harry Reid
John Kerry
Russ Feingold

[StellaBlue]

55. ditto and praise to YOU!

Howard Dean
Barbara Boxer
John Conyers
Al Gore
Ted Kennedy


JUST WHAT I WAS THINKING.

[Marleyb]

56. I think we should focus on ideals for the democratic party, not a person

Last election, John Kerry's platform was not representative of the democratic party as a whole, but we were all forced to support him because he was the only alternative to Bush.

Next election we need to take a stand that all democrats can support as well as republicans.

A Clear majority including republicans now support ending the war in Iraq, repealing the patriot act, Universal not for profit health care(not subsidized health insurance)

That is how we win elections...