NC Democratic Chairman writes to James Carville....also CA state chairman

[madfloridian]

From DownwithTyranny's blog...this is just awesome. There's lots of good stuff there as well as this letter.

http://downwithtyranny.blogspot.com/2006/11/jerry-meek-...

"North Carolina dynamo Jerry Meek, chairman of his state's Democratic Party came out and told Carville to go stick his head back up the DLC's ass where it normally spends all its time. In a press release entitled "NCDP Chair Meek to Carville: The Election Results are Proof Dean's 50-State Strategy is Working," there was no Washingtonian beating around the bush. Here's the text of the letter Meek sent Carville":

As the Chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party, I cannot disagree more strongly with your recent comments regarding Governor Dean. For the past 20 months, we have benefited from having regional field directors across this state, organizing, building, and implementing ground plans. The results here in North Carolina were tremendous.

While your focus seems to be exclusively upon congressional and senatorial races, I'm concerned about all of the races-- including down ballot races. Because of the work of these regional field directors, we elected Sheriffs and county commissioners in some of the reddest of counties. We increased our control of the state house by 5 seats (now 68-52) and of the state senate by 2 seats (now 31-19). We elected Heath
Shuler to Congress, with one currently undecided potential pickup seat. These down ballot races are particularly important to future electoral successes.

There is no institution-- other than the DNC-- that is charged with the task of building the Party in the long-term (rather than focusing exclusively on the current election). Howard Dean understands, correctly, that we need to have an infrastructure in place that creates continuity between elections, allowing for the Party's expansion.

Like every State Chair I know, he has my full support. I can assure you that any attempt to remove Gov. Dean would be met with fierce opposition.

Best Wishes,
Jerry

And just another little tidbit from there about what Harry Reid did.

"Apparently Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid groaned, rolled his eyes Heavenward and left no wiggle room in his declaration of utter confidence in Howard Dean today when he was asked about Carville's crazy and pointless suggestion that the Democrats dump Dean. A friend of mine told me that Carville had been angling for the job himself so that he and his wife (who also didn't get the RNC job) could be chairs of the two committees, allowing them to shill whatever crap they're selling for even more money. This is one power couple who's time and come... and gone."

He also has the letter posted from Art Torres, chairman of the California Democrats. I will post it next.

[madfloridian]

1. From the CA Democratic Chair, Art Torres, to Carville.

http://downwithtyranny.blogspot.com/2006/11/hero-and-ha...

"Art Torres, who runs the biggest state Democratic Party in the country, California's, sent out a letter today. Here are some thoughts to think about in case you wind up seeing Emanuel or the sniveling Carville spewing their poison and venom on TV":

Governor Dean's "50 state strategy" played a significant role in our victory. In California, early organizing and coordination provided a strategic advantage over a highly financed Republican Party. We built a hard- charging "rapid response" communications team that pushed back every attack thrown at our down ticket constitutional candidates. We outperformed and out-hustled every single GOP operation on the ground. And we did it with less than a quarter of the $20 million spent by the Republicans on their field operation.

Now instead of moving forward to celebrate our victories and reward our organizers and volunteers, individuals in California - motivated by their own self interest - are maneuvering and re-positioning the results for their own self-interest.

Nationally, James Carville has anointed himself as the campaign manager of Harold Ford's DNC "takeover." Such divisive tactics distract us from working together to reconstruct our foreign and domestic policies which have been left in shambles by the moral and ethical hypocrisy of the outgoing Republican Congress.

Let me remind Mr. Carville that the DNC is a MEMBERSHIP organization. We vote for our leaders, not determine them in back rooms.

We came together to support Howard Dean for Chairman through open communications like countless listening tours and forums throughout the nation. In California, candidates came to our state capitol, presented ideas, and took questions from the hundreds of Democratic activists who participated in the democratic election process for DNC Chair.

As the Treasurer of the Association of State Democratic Chairs, I helped Howard Dean receive our endorsement prior to the election because I believed Howard would inject new energy, new enthusiasm, and bring new people to our Party. I believed that he would help state parties which had lingered too long without staff and help to organize their states. He did!

The "50 state strategy" began to emerge within our Association of State Chairs through the leadership of Howard Dean. He saw the importance of that strategy as did we. We were all proven correct when the election returns began coming in from states that had been ignored. These states helped create a Democratic Majority.

As a state and national party, we all have of lot more work to do. It is a team effort, and we should be united as we approach the 2008 election.

[Cha]

6. That "backroom" comment reminded

me that carville said something about the way Dean was elected back in Feb 12, 2005.. To the effect that the party Chair should have been elected in the "backroom".

[madfloridian]

8. Your wish is my command...the "smoke-filled rooms"

"In hindsight, the boozy requiem wasn't just for Hindery, but for an era. The DNC chair race has exposed deep fissures within the Democratic Party. Some of these are ideological, but the real story of the race is the diffusion of power away from Washington and to new people and entities that have rushed to fill the power vacuum at the top of the party. When the Democrats control the White House, the president can simply pick the chair of the party. But, even when out of power, Democratic pooh-bahs traditionally rally around a consensus figure and present him to the DNC members as a fait accompli. An open process with all the trappings of a modern political campaign--including a seven-candidate field, fund-raising, regional debates, and smear campaigns in the press--is unprecedented in the party's history. To many Washington Democrats watching the circus-like contest from afar, it has been an embarrassment. "I think it's pathetic," says James Carville. "It's so indicative of the Democratic Party. Now we're just playing into every stereotype: We're weak, disorganized, flopping around. ... Somebody should have fixed this damn thing in November. I wish someone would have taken charge and three or four people would have gotten together in a smoke-filled room. ... They're not running for president! They are running for party chair. This is supposed to be a rigged deal. You think the Republicans would do it this way?"

http://www.tnr.com/doc.mhtml?i=20050214&s=lizza021405

Excellent article by Ryan Lizza...

[Cha]

10. Thanks!

"I wish someone would have taken charge and three or four people would have gotten together in a smoke-filled room. ... They're not running for president! They are running for party chair. This is supposed to be a rigged deal. You think the Republicans would do it this way?"

mary tells him what to do.

[Kierkegaard]

29. "You think the Republicans would do it this way?"

Hey Carville...you think we give a shit about how the Republicans do things? Because of what 'the Republicans would do,' we have his huge f***ing mess to clean up. I for one am elated that we have Howard Dean on our team and from what I've seen, he's f***ing brilliant! STFU!

[BonnieJW]

34. He's been married to Mary for too long.

Devious is contagious.

[Morgana LaFey]

51. The very concept that tripped my triggers in Torres' letter

specifically:

Let me remind Mr. Carville that the DNC is a MEMBERSHIP organization. We vote for our leaders, not determine them in back rooms.

It may be NEW that we do it that way, but by golly, that's the way Dean was elected and I'll bet we everyday Democrats rather like it that way and intend to keep it up. So there, James. Take THAT.

[Cha]

2. YEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAA!

And the accolades will just keep comin' in. Thanks carville.

This is outstanding..can you imagine james and mary as the heads of the two parties? UGH!

[Quixote1818]

3. K & R

This is extremely important stuff! The little races matter just as much as the big races!

[BuyingThyme]

4. .dednemmocer dna dekciK

[madfloridian]

5. What you said...

I probably agree.

[NastyRiffraff]

7. Excellent! Kudos to both Chairs...

And to Harry Reid. Glad someone's standing up for the good Doctor.

What people forget about is that the DNC is responsible for party BUILDING. The more local races we win, the better candidates we have for higher office in the future. The two Chairs said it well, emphasizing the "down ballots." Many people don't recognize how important those races are, for the present and the future. Dean said from the very beginning that it was important to build from the local level, and he's well on his way to doing just that. With the help, of course, with volunteers, and local campaign workers.

[SaveAmerica]

9. What Jerry Meek said!!

[sandyd921]

11. Way to go James (not)

Carville's suggestion is landing like a lead balloon. Couldn't happen to a snarkier guy! Buh-bye James and Mary. See ya!

[madfloridian]

12. And the blog there has more to say about Carville, having worked with him.

http://downwithtyranny.blogspot.com/2006/11/hero-and-ha...

"He was a keynote speaker at a convention my company put on-- and what a hack he was even then, way before he turned into the irrevelevent hack he is yoday. Jane and the fdl crew know what a whore is too and Jane's portrait of Carville is worth reading. And Chris Bowers eloquently blows the whistle on Carville's Consultant Con.

You see, Carville's got his bloomers all tied in a bunch over Howard Dean and the 50 state strategy because spending money on building up the Democratic Party means not spending money on Beltway gasbag consultants (whores) who get big bucks and get a cut on advertising and on whatever else they can commission."

But Carville would probably have been too busy to do any work for Blue America. He and his DLC partners, Scum Shrum and Greenberg have been busy getting out messaging for tyrants and fascists all over the world. Gone Mild did a piece on Carville and Bolivia last March, a review of the brilliant documentary, Our Brand Is Crisis. One reviewer, Chris Barsanti summed up the film by pointing out that "What the film ably shows is how a band of Washington consultants can contribute to bloodshed and near societal collapse in a Third World nation whose politics can't be reduced to the same Beltway template now being exported around the world." And now that same crap Beltway consultant is doing his best to screw up the Democratic Party, the same way he screwed up Bolivia.

Here is the Our Brand is Crisis website. I noticed that Carville seems to be proud of taking part in the film. That surprised me a lot. I have not seen it, but I firmly we need to butt out of other countries' business.

http://www.filmforum.org/films/ourbrand.html

[Cha]

46. That's so freakin' scary and

I believe every word of it..and some on DU wonder why we slice carville down to size Immediately!

[eridani]

60. With one exception--

I think that "globalization from the bottom"--non-elites from everywhere supporting each other and sharing resources and strategies--is a good thing to do. Opposite of what Carville et al are doing, but might be considered "interference" of a sort.

[crickets]

63. Gone Mild: Our Brand is Crisis - Carville, Bolivia, and the Limits of Democracy

Gone Mild did a piece on Carville and Bolivia last March, a review of the brilliant documentary, Our Brand Is Crisis.

I've never heard of the movie before, but now I definitely want to see it.

Found the Gone Mild review here.

This film forces the viewer, in a direct and compelling manner, to face the consequences of the political game. Other reviewers have seen the film as a work demonstrating that American-style political consulting can bring about disastrous results in other cultures.

It's an excellent, chilling blog entry. Thank you for mentioning it. Democracy is about the will of the people, not winning an election for its own sake without regard for the potential fallout.

[upi402]

13. buh bye!

looks like he popped his butt in the toaster but good this time. that's too bad.

no to DINO's

[madfloridian]

14. And from a CT local Democratic group....New Brtain Democrats

http://nbpoliticus.blogspot.com/2006/11/carvilles-anti-...

"Dear Mr. Carville:

I am deeply disappointed but not surprised about your comments broadcast today (Wednesday, November 15) on CNN attacking Party Chairman Howard Dean for not taking the fight to more congressional races in all 50 states with some vague reference to a line of credit that the party withheld.

Was it not Rahm Emanuel -- who I presume to be your ally in the attacks on Dean -- who openly broke with Dean during the campaign for not targeting and limiting resources more to races that Emanuel and Emanuel alone deemed winnable. Now you shamefully appropriate Dean's 50-state strategy as your own and attack the Chairman for not doing more. With Pat Buchanan's sister at your side and cheering you on during the broadcast, you pushed for the destruction of a viable Democratic Party to be replaced by the D.C. based political consultant industry of which you are an overpaid and over-rated part.

Sorry for the harsh words but there is nothing as powerful as the truth. "

From the grassroots, I am,

John McNamara, Chairman
New Britain CT Democratic Town Committee
www.newbritaindemocrat.net

[eridani]

61. Multiply that by quite a few thousand--

--and it's immediately apparent that Dean ain't going anyplace that he doesn't want to go.

[madfloridian]

15. Robert Reich: Why are they gunning for Howard Dean?

This is so good to see these folks coming out in support. It is a pretty raw deal when we win to have to start fighting out own.

http://robertreich.blogspot.com/2006/11/why-are-they-gu...

"Why? Dems now control both Houses and have twenty-eight governorships. Dean ought to be congratulated. So what’s the underlying agenda here? Three theories:

1. The only way a Dem gets on television after such a sweet victory isn’t by criticizing Republicans – it’s by criticizing fellow Dems. Stirring up clear waters grabs attention. Attention draws crowds. Crowds create power. Power is the name of the game in Washington, especially when formal control of Congress changes hands.

2. Dean’s strategy of putting money into state party infrastructure takes money out of the pockets of Washington insiders – away form Democratic consultants and key congressional party activists. That makes insiders angry.

3. Dean is an independent DNC chair, not under the sway of the Clintons. Unlike Ron Brown, who guided the DNC toward a Clinton victory in 1992, Dean doesn’t play the usual power games. Hence, the Clintons would like him out, and the sooner the better. Carville, Greenberg, and Emmanuel, among others, are doing their bidding.

Which is it? I’m not so cynical or conspiratorial as to believe any one of them. But you come up with a more credible theory.

Thanks, Robert Reich...you got a lot of it right...well done.

Applause.

[IndyOp]

22. Wow. Reich admits the Clintons want Dean out.

I've been with-holding some of the fire I feel from some of my comments about Hillary, but now I am an official member of...

THE I HATE HILLARY CAMP

[mnhtnbb]

59. I've been a member of the "I hate Hillary Camp" for 14 years!

[blm]

31. Clintons were behind most EVERY attack of Dean, Kerry and Murtha this past year.

And some of us have seen it the whole time, eh mf?

Undoubtedly Reich saw it, too. He knows all the players well enough.

[creeksneakers2]

58. Reich says he doesn't believe it

The Clintons attacked Murtha? I don't remember that one.

[blm]

64. Their loyalists make sure any withdrawal plan Democrat is undermined.

And you NEVER see any of them supporting fellow Democrats who ARE under attack by GOP and media lies, do you?

Nope - in fact, sometimes Hillary chooses to JOIN IN as when she scolded Kerry for dropping a FOCKING PRONOUN when Kerry and MILLIONS of Democrats defended Bill for many years after dropping his PANTS.

[4_TN_TITANS]

35. Insightful analysis...

thanks for sharing.

As much as I love the Big Dawg, I'm sure having my doubts about Hillary. However, I don't think we need to discount her 'decoy' influence on the media scavengers. We all know she couldn't win in '08, but I say let the Repugs chew on her while we groom a real candidate.

[Jennicut]

16. Carville is going down

And he deserves it. Enough with this attacking of other Dems! Hillary and her "friends" are gonna ruin the Dem party. Please Bill, rein your wife in. On a positive note, glad to see the New Britain Dem Party speak up for Dean. I live only 15 minutes away New Britain.

[madfloridian]

17. That was a nice letter they wrote.

[newyawker99]

37. Hi Jennicut!!

Welcome to DU!!

[XOKCowboy]

18. The wheat's risin' from the chaff

Carville and the DLCC are part of the old guard and they're hanging on to their glory as hard as they can. It won't work this time though. We've seen through their corporatist bs. This is a whole new bunch of Dems.

[wildeyed]

19. Go Jerry!

[Justice]

20. so Carville wanted it for himself?

He use Harold Ford as his smokescreen, but was angling for the job himself.

[tsuki]

21. I am still waiting for Sen. Clinton to demand an apology from

Carville for dissing Dean and the grassroots. She was one of the first ones out the gate demanding an apology from Kerry for a botched joke.

[Cha]

47. Really! Do not hold your

breath!

[KoKo]

23. Jerry Meek has done wonderful things in NC. Guy works his butt off and

criss-crosses the state building support for Democrats. He's going to go far in the Dem Party. Looks a little like Steven Colbert for those who don't know him. And, he has a fantastic personality. He's a fighter and doesn't let any grass grow under his feet.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

24. A waste of time.

Carville is a combination of a duck and a snake.
Venomous, small-brained, cold-blooded and with a poor sense of vision, combined with a waxy covering where water, piss and shit just pour right off. We are spending too much time on this ass.

[eyepaddle]

32. Oh my, now THAT just gets to quick of it, doesn't it?

DO you mind if I borrow that?

Very well put.

However, i've been meaing to publicly vent spleen about Carville for a couple of years, I might have to revel in his downfall for a bit longer yet.

[DemonFighterLives]

25. Carville, I used to like you, but now

you can just take time off to be with your stupid wife.

[Coexist]

26. lots of us feel that way.

[Marnieworld]

27. Amen!

What Dean has given to the Democratic Party in just a few years is exponentially more than Carville's given anything in his entire life. I think this was all just so Mary would talk to him after the election. Carville is way past his expiration date.

[ms liberty]

28. I wrote Carville and said much the same...

Jerry Meek's my state party chair, and he is exactly right! Here in my very red, rural area, we won the state house (88th district) and the state senate (45th district) - FROM INCUMBENTS!

While we didn't get rid of that disgusting hag in the US House (Virginia Foxx) we also had some success here at the county level.

For the first time in the more than 20 years I've lived here, I got mail from the party for some of our candidates. I SAW here that the national party CARED about what was going on.

I'm so thrilled to see Jerry Meek and other state chairs come out and take Carville to the woodshed on this.

I used to like Carville, and have some respect for him. Now he's nothing but an inside-the-beltway power hungry shill for the corporatized top-down wing of the party.

It really sucks that we have to fight these dipshits here in our own party.

[eyepaddle]

33. You seem to have an excellent state party chair,

If somebody has the moxy to make the Republans (if they can skip the "ic" in our party, we can skip it in theirs) fight for every vote in NC they DO have a future in the spotlight. I think we'll all be the better for it.

A question to consider: if the Republans become just a regional party only, and then we take that region away from them--what are they left with?

[grizmaster]

30. K&R

[cascadiance]

36. I wonder if any old school Republicans might also get wise to Mary Matalin too!

Carville is definitely being exposed now as the corporate shill he is and against core Democratic priniciples.

I wonder if any introspective Republicans who do want things like Clean Money public financing, or other more honest ways of representing their constituencies might see through Matalin's BS too, and realize that they should at the same time be putting her on the street too. Probably not any time soon though. They've got a lot of other corporate *-holes that they need to get rid of first before they're can single her out.

When that day comes though, if it does, that's the day we should all celebrate of getting corporate control out of our government!

[SutaUvaca]

38. Go Jerry Meek!

From my new home state of NC.
Apparently those love-the-system-and-how-it's-worked-for-them insiders forget already that much of the repuke/fundie/jesofascist gains over the years started by concerted effort in small local elections - schoolboards and such.
Dean's broadbased strategy was and is correct.

So many people have not wanted to vote at all!....because they didn't trust ANY politician to not be influenced by corporate bribery and self-serving power grabbing games playing once they got to Washington.

[madfloridian]

39. Jim Dean gets a few digs in for his brother...

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/11/17/11351/031

"This is truly a great country. Where else can you work on one successful election in 1992, lose for the next fourteen years, and still get press? You got to hand it to James Carville; he can still get ink. But maybe we're the only ones that can't remember James Carville predicting that the Democrats should easily gain 50 seats in the House BEFORE the election. So why should that stop him from insisting that we should have won 50 seats AFTER the election?

I agree with a powerful and important guy like Jimbo. Howard should be held accountable. Hold him accountable for putting resources into Montana, where Jon Tester won a critical Senate seat. Hold him accountable for supporting Jerry McNerney in California, who ousted Richard Pombo. Hold him accountable for helping state parties nationwide to support competitive campaigns in places where Democrats haven't won for years. Hold him accountable for helping return checks and balances to what was once a rubber stamp Congress.""

[Morgana LaFey]

52. Beautiful.

Just beautiful.

[Individualist]

40. Bravo, Jerry Meek!

"...told Carville to go stick his head back up the DLC's ass where it normally spends all its time."

[MoonRiver]

41. Terrific! These are the folks who can shut that fucker up.

Maybe CNN will drop him like a hot potato once they know how deep the hatred for him goes. He DOES NOT represent the Democratic Party.

[BootinUp]

42. I'd say Dean has an ally there

Good him and for Democrats. In the end, this is going to be a good debate on the future. Carville may have been an ass about it, but he is only saying what many others where too chicken to say. So now we will hear more from the State parties thats good.

[slay]

43. I'm from NC - go Jerry Meek!

Great guy. Really great guy.

[robinlynne]

44. Thank god for a bit of sanity from some democrats.

[Individualist]

45. K&R

[wicket]

48. I love it!

Great to see so many people coming out and defending Dr. Dean. Keep giving 'em hell Howard!!!!

[Morgana LaFey]

49. BINGO! That's what I want to hear:

I can assure you that any attempt to remove Gov. Dean would be met with fierce opposition.


Yeah, baby. Dean must have LOTS of support out there in the hinterlands after all he's done in this very short period of time. And that's just the problem ffor these Washington insiders -- ThEY want the power. Only thing is: too late, Carville. The power is resolving back to the people on Dean's watch, and it's toooooo late for you to do anything about it.

[AnnieBW]

50. State Parties To Carville:

STFU!

[Debi]

53. And here I sit in Iowa...

crickets chirping...wonder why that is??!!

[mnhtnbb]

54. Woot for Jerry Meek! It was a fight here in NC to get him elected Chair.

Our great Dem Governor Easley was opposed to Meek. But, Easley couldn't pry himself away from 'previous engagements' every time Edwards came to the State to campaign for the Kerry/Edwards ticket.

This is the new wave of Dems taking control!

[bobbolink]

55. Now *that's* the way it oughtta be said! With backbone!

National office for these two!

[KoKo]

56. Kick...watch Jerry Meek...a good guy voice for the future Dems....

Believe It!

[mzmolly]

57. Excellent information MF!

Thanks for posting.

[ninkasi]

62. I personally think that Howard Dean

energized us, worked his ass off for us, and has an enormous thank you coming from all of us Dems, for doing as well as we did. We thought we could get the House, but the Senate was a bonus, and the governorships are even better. How on earth anybody could trash talk Dean for helping us win, finally, is beyond me. My thanks goes to Howard Dean, for getting us in control after wandering for six years in the wilderness.I can think of absolutely nothing that James Carville contributed to our victory.