(Former Gov. Jim) Hodges: Contacted to be Democratic chairman

[Khephra]

Hodges: Contacted to be Democratic chairman

BRUCE SMITH

Associated Press


CHARLESTON, S.C. - Former Gov. Jim Hodges has been contacted in recent weeks about seeking the Democratic national chairmanship and says he is considering the possibility.

"I've had some phone calls from former colleagues," said Hodges, who was elected in 1998 and served one term as governor. "But I'm pleased with what I'm doing now. I haven't decided yet."

Hodges runs a business consulting firm and his is one of numerous names that have surfaced as a possible successor to Terry McAuliffe, who is not seeking another term.The 400-plus members of the Democratic National Committee meet in February to choose a new chairman.

Hodges said he will consider the possibility and decide in the next few weeks.

http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/10255383.htm

[dweller]

1. Alhedge's brother???

wups, sorry...Hodges.

okay, n/m


dp

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

8. whoisjimhodges? (nt)

[shance]

16. I think your question says it all.

Certainly says how much the DNC values Democratic Americans opinions nationwide.

[goobergunch]

2. For the record

2002 general election
Mark Sanford   (R)   585,422  (53%)
Jim Hodges     (D)   521,140  (47%)

1998 general election
Jim Hodges     (D)   574,035  (53%)
David Beasley  (R)   486,342  (45%)

[Quetzal]

3. Wow, he must have been really unpopular

if 100,000 voters showed up to the polls the next election

[BattyDem]

4. He was either unpopular or ...

people voted on those "wonderful" electronic machines :eyes:

[jdj]

11. nope, it was all about SC wanting a lottery, which they got.

I mean this is how he got himself elected.

Hodges owned a bunch of video poker machines, so the folks down there loved his "moral values." I remember when Beasley came to the plant I was working at, one woman wanted to circulate a petition saying that SC wanted a lottery, she was told to keep her mouth shut. So in protest, one of the maintenance men came in with lottery tickets pinned ALL OVER the front of his shirt. It was the funniest thing I have ever seen. The lottery has actually paid alot of college tuition down there, that's why they call it the SC education lottery.

This is why he beat Beasley. He totally screwed up with Hurricane Floyd though, and didn't open the interstate both ways for evac. leaving people trapped in their cars for 12-14 hours.

That got him the boot, despite the fact that he gave the folks exactly what they wanted, their beloved lottery.

I personally don't want anyone from the south, except John Edwards, in charge of anything like this.

[BattyDem]

13. Oh ... so it was legitimate ...

these days, you can never be sure. Sad, isn't it? :-(

[Rose Siding]

19. He signed one weird bill...

During his tenure, Hodges also signed a bill encouraging schools to get students to say "Yes, sir," and "Yes, ma'am" to teachers.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/vote2002/races/sc_hodges.html

I suppose if dems want to pander to the Mayberry-TV-extra vote, there are worse things.

[Carolina]

15. no, he ran a poor campaign

He let the Washington folks run the show meaning all TV ads, no ground roots effort including no yard signs. Sanford, the vacuous, ran as a different kind of reptilian, er, republican.

2002 was a bad year for Dems in SC. We had some good folks running, notably Alex Sanders for US Senate who sadly lost to Lindsey Graham. I'll never understand that one. But I'm a transplant to this state and many people here are congenital repukes who vote against their best interests and vote R just because. Go figure.

Governor Hodges was/is a good guy but I'm not sure he has the fire and fight to be DNC chair.

BTW, he was a Clark man. He and I talked at length at a Clark function here on the MLK Day. So he may have good instincts .... now

[jaysunb]

5. Looks like he knows

how to lose.

Just what we need. Another loser.....

[demokatgurrl]

6. What is it, nobody wants that job?

[The_Counsel]

7. Not That Nobody Wants The Job...

...just that nobody seems to think beyond one issue in that state.

In 1994 Beasley defeated Nick Theodore because he was against the establishment of a state lottery to help the education system. Too many people thought it was "too much like gambling."

In 1998, Hodges beat Beasley because the education system worsened, and Beasley's less-than-stellar handling of the confederate flag debacle. Not to mention Beasley was an all-around piss-poor governor.

In 2002, Hodges was defeated simply because he was a Democrat. No less than nine Republicans fell over themselves for the nomination -- all saying "we need to get back to our conservative roots." Damn if that logic didn't work on the SC electorate, too...

There's a reason why South Carolina is immediately filed under "lost cause" by any Democrat running statewide or federally... :eyes:

[IronLionZion]

14. what about Fritz Hollings?

Wasn't he a good Southern Democrat who was also popular? Man, we could use some more good Democrats in Congress, even from Jesusland. Who cares if they're socially conservative or have "Christian values"? They're better than the fascists that just took over.

[The_Counsel]

20. Hollings' "Popularity" Was Born More Out Of Name Recognition Than Anything

Remember, this is the same state that elected Strom Thurmond to eight consecutive terms -- the eighth time while he was a clearly senile 98-year-old. SC seems to respect their senators too much to turn 'em out. That's why Lindsay Graham can essentially count on holding his seat until the day he dies...

Hollings was/is an old-fashioned southern Dem. He's loyal to the party as far as Senate leadership, but is sometimes too conservative for the liking of some of us Dems in the north. It's part of what helped him keep his job as long as he did. He only recently began speaking out against the evils of the Republican Party in general; and that was because he already sensed he wouldn't be too much longer in the Senate. Folks were already saying how vulnerable he would be almost as soon as he was re-elected the last time in '98.

In fact, I think Graham would have run against Hollings this year had he not already won Thurmond's seat -- and he would have won, too...

[lastliberalintexas]

9. Well, I can think of another former Governor

who apparently/supposedly wants the job. But I don't think the party elites want him. :shrug:

[calimary]

17. So can I. And he isn't a Southerner, either.

And he proved remarkably adept at EXACTLY what the Democrats need: 1) Powerhouse fundraising.
2) Rapid response.
3) Saying what desperately needs to be said, AND cleverly, too.
4) A real firebrand. Face it. This is not a job for the faint-hearted. We've already seen the success of that one - thank you Donna Brazile. And Mary Beth Cahill. And Terry McAuliffe. You ALL can be excused now.

[JI7]

10. i wonder if they are looking for someone from the South or Midwest

specifically.

[jdj]

12. I'm starting to think so, and I'm gonna say this about that:

:puke:

[Rose Siding]

18. Clift: "Hodges is Zell Miller without the bombast"

snip>
“In the South, the Democrats are viewed as the party of social change and antiwar,” says former South Carolina governor Jim Hodges. “It’s time the party looked in the mirror. The problem is the party, not the candidate. Whatever accent they put on the next candidate, if the party continues to share the same image in the country, the results will be the same.”

Red-State Democrats are a diminishing breed, and worth listening to. Hodges is Zell Miller without the bombast, and he’s thinking about making a run for the Democratic Party chairmanship.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6472650/site/newsweek

If her assessment is correct, it will spell a party split. I can't find enough about his positions anywhere. No stand on abortion, he got NRA endorsements in his leg. career, he's a Methodist, moved the Confederate flag from the capitol bldg to somewhere else on the grounds (he didn't initiate this- it was in the State leg.

The MLK holiday bill he signed also created a Confederate recognition holiday of some kind.