Ho jeez. "Sen. Clinton to Take DLC Role"

[WilliamPitt]

...and Vilsack is taking over the DLC chairmanship

2008 is going to be a bloodbath for the Left.

===

(this is a pay site, so clicking won't get you the article, sorry)

http://www.rollcall.com/issues/50_138/news/9842-1.html

Sen. Clinton to Take DLC Role
By Mark Preston
Roll Call Staff

June 28, 2005

Sen. Evan Bayh (Ind.) will step down as chairman of the Democratic Leadership Council next month, paving the way for Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack to take the reins of the party’s premier centrist policy organization.

The passing of the torch will occur at the DLC’s “National Conversation” in Ohio, where it will also be announced that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) is going to assume a policy role with the group her husband, former President Bill Clinton, helped establish 20 years ago.

The change in leadership at the DLC comes at a time when Democrats, as a political party, are struggling to define their ideology after losing seats in the House and Senate and failing to wrest control of the White House from Republicans.

Spokesmen for Vilsack and Clinton each deferred questions on the subject to the DLC. Tammy Sun, a DLC spokeswoman, said she was not able to “confirm” the forthcoming leadership changes, but added, “stay tuned and we will see you at the National Conversation in July.”

Several independent Democratic sources, however, verified the new roles Vilsack and Clinton will assume in the organization, as well confirming that Sen. Tom Carper (Del.) will replace Rep. Ellen Tauscher (Calif.) as the DLC’s new vice chairman.

(snip)

In the short term, a struggle remains over the direction of the party. Centrists advocate the party move to the political middle in an attempt to appeal to a broader swath of voters, while liberals argue that Democrats need to honor their roots. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) have made bridging the differences between the differing political factions a top priority.

As for recalibrating their political strategy, Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean has been working with the Democratic governors to help promote the party’s message beyond the Beltway in an attempt to counter the power of the White House bully pulpit.

Several Democrats suggested the DLC was making a politically wise move by placing Vilsack in such a prominent position as the organization works to advance its philosophy of “spurring private sector economic growth, fiscal discipline ... community policing ... work based welfare reform, expanded international trade and national service.”

A Democratic lobbyist said it is imperative that the party show voters that not all of its political leaders live and work in Washington. “At this point, anything you can do to take the national party leadership out into the states is a positive thing,” said the lobbyist, who would only be quoted if he was not named. “Anything you can do to exert some influence out of Washington is going to be a net gain.”

A Democrat within the centrist movement said it is surprising that the DLC is embracing Clinton, who is viewed by many as a flag-bearer of liberalism in the party. “The perception is going to be that there is no more ‘center’ to the Democratic Party,” said the source, who asked not to be named, fearing retribution from DLC leaders.

...more...

[TahitiNut]

1. America's lurch to the right continues.

Good cop; bad cop. The working class is fucked.

[HereSince1628]

2. Yikes! National service????????

[KoKo]

5. and "work based welfare reform, expanded international trade..."

WHOA! my take: Indentured service for the bankrupted poor and more outsourcing until nothing is left here to do but be a servant.

Ugh! Dreadful... But, the article could be distorted.

[KoKo]

6. We need someone to lead us out of the DLC Wilderness!

I thought it might be Dean...will have to see who turns up. I think someone will before 2008.

Perhaps a young Kennedy or someone not yet on the radar. It's nice to dream that might be the case, anyway.

[stevedeshazer]

44. No kiddin'

“spurring private sector economic growth, fiscal discipline ... community policing ... work based welfare reform, expanded international trade and national service.”

If this is what the Democratic party represents, count me out. They're continuing to suck us down the whirlpool of the GOP toilet. Screw that.

[mdmc]

88. mercy!

If this is what the Democratic party represents, count me out

[VelmaD]

3. Oh good lord and butter...

Anyone who thinkgs Hillary is an actual liberal is delusional

[Postman]

4. Clinton is not a liberal

but labeling them that way ensures a right leaning candidate and real liberals are left off the radar screen

[shance]

7. Now all the more reason to support Dean and the Democracy bond effort.

I just signed on yesterday.

If we want to take back our party, it's going to take everyone of us making a commitment.

[Tinoire]

8. Lol. Who on earth are they trying to fool?

"Clinton, who is viewed by many as a flag-bearer of liberalism in the party."

:rolf: :rolf:

[jonnyblitz]

10. no kidding.. she BELONGS at the DLC ..

:hi:

[TahitiNut]

13. The "many" are the right wing herders.

It's a tried-and-true tactic of the right-wing to lob rhetorical mortars into the milling crowd of "Democrats" ... stampeding them further to the right. The ideological cowards of "moderation" repeatedly yell "not me!" and "compromise!" and "it's those extremists!" in the constant hope they'll be spared by the right-wing Wehrmacht.

[bicentennial_baby]

17. Indeed friend...

Hey didya get my pm?

[ibegurpard]

9. I got a chuckle from this:

"A Democrat within the centrist movement said it is surprising that the DLC is embracing Clinton, who is viewed by many as a flag-bearer of liberalism in the party. “The perception is going to be that there is no more ‘center’ to the Democratic Party,” said the source, who asked not to be named, fearing retribution from DLC leaders."

Someone who'd accuse Hillary of being a liberal standard bearer hasn't been paying much attention to her career as a Senator.

[in_cog_ni_to]

11. Washington Journal, C-SPAN this morning the Rollcall guy

said "people are saying" that this is probably an indication of a Clinton/Vilsack '08 ticket. :puke:

Clinton is about as far to the "center" as you can go without being a conservative. Personally, I DON'T WANT A "CENTRIST" Democrat as our candidate! We've had enough of that crap. It didn't work!!!! LOOK at where we are!

If Hill isn't seen as a Centrist, then we are in BIG FUCKING TROUBLE in '08.

[FreedomAngel82]

23. So I wonder what they're up to

with claming she's a liberal. She is definitley no liberal just like Howard Dean isn't one.

[in_cog_ni_to]

51. I think, THEY think we're stupid and ignorant enough to buy their crap.

Not anymore. I think losing the WH, The House and Senate is clear enough. We don't need no stinkin' moderates for candidates! GIVE ME A RADICAL LEFT, BLEEDING HEART LIBERAL!

[WI_DEM]

12. In '08 we will probably have a DLC ticket, maybe Clinton/Vilsack

and it will be a disaster. It will likely be a 40-state or more loser. Who will the DLC have to blame then? The base which they spent much of 2004 putting down as unimportant? because we didn't get behind such a ticket.

[Edgewater_Joe]

14. Um ... What's The Big Deal Here?

Vilsack was supposed to be the heir apparent to McAuliffe's job at the DNC, but we saw how Dean's superior fundraising abilities and organizational skills blew him out of the water so badly he didn't even bother to run for the spot. That tells me Dean's got a grassroots edge over the Democratic LOSERS Committee, and even if Hillary gets the nomination, she's going to have to do it by wooing those of us who are Deaniacs and, frankly, have more loyalty to him than her. And what kind of leader is Vilsack going to be if he actually NEEDS Hillary to buck him up?

It's a weak appointment for an organization that, to coin a phrase, really IS on its death throes.

[FreedomAngel82]

27. I think so too

I think they're a lil desperate now that they're proclaiming that she's a liberal. Hmm. I wonder what's up with that. Dean seems to be really good at grassroots work and fundraising and he's raised more then McAullife has this time around. I think if Hillary is running (I think she probably will) whoever goes up against her will have a tough battle.

[mdmc]

89. Did Dick say that (LOL)

It's a weak appointment for an organization that, to coin a phrase, really IS on its death throes.

[KG]

15. more popcorn please!

:popcorn:

watching the dem party as it continues its downward spiral into irrelvancy is detrimental to my waistline....

[tigereye]

16. gosh

"Centrists advocate the party move to the political middle in an attempt to appeal to a broader swath of voters"

this has already worked SO WELL. (sarc)

I think Hilary was a liberal at first, when Bill was first elected, but I think that her transformation as a moderate is pretty much complete... due to what she obviously sees as political expediency.

[Just Me]

18. Just a smidge left of right equals center?

:wtf:

[tigereye]

21. to some

:shrug:

[Spider Jerusalem]

75. More like right of centre, but not as far as the so-called "conservatives"

...who are really extremists. There are very few major American politicians who can seriously be considered to be to the left of centre; Kucinich and Sharpton were the only two running for the Democratic nomination lat go-round. The US is a VERY right-wing country, on the whole, and the entire political spectrum skews right thanks to both parties' continued fellation of corporate interests and the triumph of selfish consumerism...

[mod mom]

19. DLC-DEMS who LOVE CORPORATIONS or repub lites. No Thanks! nt

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

20. She's home at last. No need to pretend she's a liberal anymore.

All she needs an (R) after her name to complete the transformation.

[Proud2BAmurkin]

22. I look forward to voting for Clinton over Jebhole or Frist in 08

if she runs.

[MadHound]

25. Gee, you can play that game, good cop/bad cop, but I refuse.

This is simply more confirmation that we're living under the two party/same corporate master system of government. Quite frankly I'm sick of it, and will only be voting for those who take no corporate money. Therefore, if it is a choice between Clinton and whoever, I will be voting Green. If you were wise, you would do the same.

[Proud2BAmurkin]

33. What makes you think I disagree with Clinton's politics? I don't.

I learned a long time ago EVERY time you vote you vote for the lesser of two evils unless you're voting for yourself.

Clinton's views are about 85% in line with mine.

[SaveElmer]

40. Wow...perspective

I like it!!!

[geek tragedy]

41. Because only the foolish want their votes to count.

Progressives do one thing better than rightwingers: self-destructing.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

46. Only the foolish want their votes to count for faux liberals like Hillary.

Not being a fool I'll be voting Green, and encouraging everyone else to, if she should be nominated as a Democrat or Republican which in her case is interchangable.

[geek tragedy]

49. The 2008 Republican ticket will surely support your stand. eom

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

50. Why not? She supports their stands.

[geek tragedy]

52. Really? Hillary wants to privatize social security, prevent poor people

from getting health care, and make it easier to pollute the environment?

Hillary would appoint John Bolton to the UN and someone like Janice Rogers Brown to federal judgeships?

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

53. Tell me about her "progressive" stance on Iraq.

You know, that little war that she voted for. The one she and her hubby still support? The one she said had a "failed insurgency"?

I missed her filibuster on Brown. Is she intending to filibuster Bolton? I hadn't heard.

[geek tragedy]

55. Brown went through because of a deal that 14 Senators not named Clinton

made. And yes, she has consistently voted to fillibuster Bolton.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

61. And, about Iraq? And, the "failed insurgency" that she assessed?

How does she "vote" to filibuster?

[geek tragedy]

68. If you don't know how someone votes to continue a fillibuster, we're

conversing at different levels regarding American politics.

[SaveElmer]

54. I would add...

Gut all environmental laws, drill in ANWR, kill the Endangered Species Act, oppose abortion choice, get the government involved in end of life decisions, and for good measure...send the thugs from the Justice Dept in to arrest cancer patients using medical marijuana.

Yeah...no difference between the parties at all!!!

[geek tragedy]

56. Jeb Bush, Hillary Clinton--no difference at all.

Unless you care about this country.

[MadHound]

59. Sorry, but the good cop/bad cop, two party/same corporate master

System of government has all but destroyed this country. Like the Iraq war, elect Hillary, and it probably will continue. Like our jobs flowing overseas, well then Hillary is your candidate. Think that the Patriot Act is spiffy? Well I'm betting that Hillary will do nothing to change it.

Sorry friend, but I'm done with this mummer's play that the two parties play. I want real change in this country, and no candidate who recieves corporate monies is going to change anything of real substance.

Liberals in this country are engaging in a collective form of insanity. You know that old definition of insanity; engaging in something over and over again, yet expecting a different result every time. Well, that is what liberals and progressives are doing with their voting pattern. It is time that we all woke up to the reality that corporate America and their governmental lackies are playing us all for fools. It is time that we stopped feeding the corporate beast, and only support candidates who do not take corporate money.

But hey, go ahead and vote for Hillary. Her corporate masters will surely thank you, that is after they've shipped your job to India.

[redqueen]

24. The Green party's looking better and better every day. n/t

[eridani]

82. The first time I ever hear of a Green PCO--

--then I'll consider going back. Few of the people who gripe about the Repub lite Dems are willing to do the work of building an organizational structure that can actually contest real world elections.

[KlatooBNikto]

26. I think we need to expel all the Trojan Horses of the DLC from the

Democratic Party.Failing that we need to split off to form a new party that would reflect our principles. I will be very happy if Howard Dean leads us away from these losers at the DLC.

[understandinglife]

28. No wonder it's called the "democratic losers committee." Go Dean! & DNC!

Give us a Boxer/Conyers ticket for '08.


Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us - How ever long it takes, the day must come when tens of millions of caring individuals peacefully but persistently defy the dictator, deny the corporatists cash flow, and halt the evil being done in Iraq and in all the other places the Bu$h neoconster regime is destroying civilization and the environment in the name of "America."

[donkeyotay]

29. And the DLC's founder is where?

Out playing golf with the Great Satan. Just convinces me more and more that there's not much diff. Poppy-Bill. Bill-Poppy... heads they win, tails we lose.

[Tommymac]

30. Buy Bonds. AS many as you can...

If the DLC wins control of the party, I'm outta here. They cost us 2002, and 2004. And probably 2000 - Gore waited too long to shake off their terrible advice and come home to the fold...and let the election get too close.

Say NO to Corporate Influence. Take back We The People's Party. Buy a Dean Bond today.

http://www.democrats.org/a/2005/06/democracy_bonds.php

[hedda_foil]

43. Absolutely!

This is a quiet battle, but the DLC side just fired their first major shot across our bow. Visack controls ... absolutely controls ... the first in the nation Iowa caucus and now he's the head of the DLC and Hilary is 100% DLC. Against their corporate and inside the beltway pull, we've got Democracy bonds and Howard Dean. We can pull this out in time but we've got to sign up for Democracy bonds to wrench control of the DNC from the corporate wing.

[Frederik]

31. DLC isn't centrist

DLC is right-wing.

[Selatius]

63. They're socially moderate, but their economic policies are center-right

[Frederik]

67. That's why the establishment loves them

Corporations couldn't give a rat's ass about social policy.

"What you want in a political system is an ostensible diversity which conceals an actual uniformity."

- Joseph Goebbels

[SaveElmer]

32. Smart move on Hillary's part

Using the same blueprint Bill employed to get elected. No matter her current politics (left-leaning moderate IMO), she is perceived by the public as a liberal. This will help her swing that perception back some.

[Proud2BAmurkin]

34. ding

we have a winner

[bpilgrim]

35. the Clinton's founded the DLC this isn't a 'move' it's a marketing blurb

the DLC is dividing the left, alienating the vast working class by shipping our jobs overseas and muddying the distinction between the 2 parties is all they're doing.

peace

[SaveElmer]

37. I don't agree...

While I disagree with them on many things, and was very disappointed with the way they treated Howard Dean (who I supported), they are distincly more progressive than the Republicans. If it is your goal to remove the moderate wing of our party then you are willing to accept permanent minority status. The way to beat the Republicans is not to bicker among ourselves but focus our energey on them.

[bpilgrim]

39. well, the record of the DLC speaks for it self, imho

you call them the moderate wing a whole lot of folks calle'm reTHUG-lite based on experiance.

"The way to beat the Republicans is not to bicker among ourselves but focus our energey on them."

tell that to the DLC

peace

[SaveElmer]

42. Yeah I agree with your last statement...

Some in the DLC are responsible for the disharmony. Just on pure self-interest Hillary has a motive to bring peace to the party. So I think having here there is a good thing

[SaveElmer]

45. ADA Ratings for DLC leadership - 2004

Bayh - 90
Clinton - 95
Carper - 95
Tauscher - 100

[wyldwolf]

47. uh oh!

No you didn't!

Now, the ADA is going to be branded as some know-nothing group with a rightwing agenda.

[SaveElmer]

48. Sadly...

You are probably right about that!!!

[SaveElmer]

71. You called it...took all day though

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=3966193&mesg_id=3974291

[wyldwolf]

79. some here are very predictable

The poster from your link would have been in my top 5 of most likely to post that had I made such a list.

[Tinoire]

69. How much weight for her war vote? Wait let me guess...

A big

FAT

0

A 95 rating after voting for a war & supporting the oppression of millions around the world? I guess it depends what the meaning of "liberal" "is". :rofl:

Hillary's not doing too well though. Dianne Feinstein has a whopping 100% rating!


:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[SaveElmer]

70. Did you vote for Kerry ?

Just askin

[Tinoire]

78. Yep, held my nose so tight it cut off my circulation & swore that would be

my forever last ever pity, ABB, there's-a-scarier-bogeyman-around-the-corner, whatever vote.

After watching the shenanigans of the DLC and its supporters from close up for over 4 years, I've decided that it's time the center move right back to Mohammed where it used to be so that we can put an end to all this ridiculous talk of people like Hillary being liberals and get on with the business of taking our country back from the corporations and the bi-partisan war machine.

I'm done letting the Right Wing of either this country or of the Democratic Party define where the center is, much less where or what the Left is.

Just sayin'... ;)

But yeah, I did very reluctantly vote for Kerry and throw money away on him.

Quote the Raven "Nevermore"

[David Zephyr]

58. Ha! You hit it out of the park, bpilgrim

:thumbsup:

[Armstead]

90. "Left leaning" -- How Awful

Dammit, we NEED to have a left leaning alternative to the Republican Right.

Don't you get it? In a two party system, one party is SUPPOSED to lean to the left while the other leans to the right.

When you have a Republican Party so far to the right, the alternative is not having a DSemocratic Party that leans nowhere. That does not pull anything towards the center.

[Walt Starr]

36. Wow, I was actually supporting Hillary for 2008,...

until I read this.

Nope. No way am I supporting her now.

[newportdadde]

38. Democratic Party = Corpocratic Party?

This kind of move to the right to ensure corporate money will only further erode our popular support. As Thomas Frank address in his book "Whats the Matter with Kansas?" if the average voter is given two choices both of whom essentially show/have the same economic policy they will shit to 'moral voting' to at least get something they care about. As of this time that means Republican because they have an easy to digest focused message thats sound byte friendly.

If 2008 means runnning Hillary and going further right we will loose. What we need is a solid humble like candidate because that sells and we need that candidate to come out swinging on economics on GAS PRICES etc. As we have seen in Bush's polls nothing will get you beat down faster then expensive fuel and bad economic times.. and we really really need to capitalize on that message, the message of class and the dividing between the haves and the have nots.

[IChing]

57. When I saw her getting chummy with Newt Grinch-mess

And saw the photograph, I saw something wrong,
plus her husband's
buddy buddy friendship with a Crime family member

He was the best republican president since Ike and I don't want another even if
its a female.

[Blue_In_AK]

60. Not surprising...

While I usually try to avoid trashing Democrats, I really, really, really don't trust Hillary.

[Selatius]

62. Economic Populism WORKS

This is not what the DLC stands for. If you want someone who talks about REAL WORKING CLASS ISSUES and proposes REAL CHANGE, you support people like Bernie Sanders, not an organization that, in my view, is TOO HEAVILY influenced by corporate donors.

[SaveElmer]

64. Name the last Economic Populist to be elected President...

If the Democrats are gonna take back the White House we need all parts of it to be working together. This internal back biting is just gonna guarantee 4 more years of hell!

[Selatius]

72. No, it's something that seriously needs to be discussed

The issue is what exactly is the economic platform of the Democratic Party. One thing I keep hearing is that people don't vote Democrat because it seems they stand for nothing now because they keep sending out so many damn mixed signals, especially over issues such as jobs and social programs and "free trade." They talk about standing up for the workers of America, while signing trade agreements that will allow the executives to ship entire factories to China.

I'm not in the mood for ad hominem attacks and smear campaigns, but I am in the mood to defend my principles.

[SaveElmer]

73. Nothing wrong with that

But the fact is that an Economic populist in the Bernie Sanders mold is not going to be elected President.

Ask yourself this however...who will Bernie Sanders have more influence with? Hillary Clinton or...name the Republican.

[Selatius]

74. What, you are saying folks like FDR and Johnson weren't remotely populist?

[SaveElmer]

76. Absolutely not...

I'm not sure you can be partly populist. I think the nature of populism really prevents that.

FDR wasn't a whole lot different in his views than Hoover when he came in...he was a pragmatist who did what he needed to do to save the country (which is what defines a great President). He always regretted running up deficits even though he realized he had to.

Huey Long was an economic populist and a thorn in FDR's side.

Johnson was most certainly not an economic populist. Listen to some of the oval office tapes and hear how he talks about the poor on some of them. Still, one cannot deny the good he did, particularly in the area of civil rights.

[Selatius]

77. I'm saying though that economic populism can work

When Bernie Sanders is beating both the nearest Democrat and the Republican by huge margins, it does raise serious questions about the direction of the Democratic Party.

I had a DLCer on this board some weeks back tell me that we should be throwing our support behind Casey in Vermont regardless of the fact that Sanders has a 60 percent approval rating across the board, and he tells me that Casey is more "electable" and that Sanders is just "feel good."

I have run into this argument at every level of government I've studied, but I'm not automatically going to concede the point. If Sanders becomes the first democratic socialist (a socialist in America!) to enter the US Senate based on his own principles and his own campaign without corporate donations (something that looks very likely to happen), I would say we may have found a new model to study.

[eridani]

83. Because Huey Long existed--

--we got populist policies out of FDR. Eleanor pushed him a lot in that direction as well.

[donheld]

65. Sometimes i begin to lose hope

for the future of our country. :cry:

[mmonk]

66. Yes

she will help direct the "security" democrats. Or is that the "play along" democrats? I still think it will be another losing strategy. I always think speaking truth to power is what's missing and why we lose.

[LightningFlash]

80. Damn nutcases...

:puke: :puke: :puke:

Please join me in protesting these DLC creeps out of office. The huge protest in Ohio showed them just where they can shove it, its time these things grow....

[realFedUp]

81. What? She's not taking a board position at the PDA?

horrors.

[derbstyron]

84. What'd I miss? Clinton a "flag-bearer of liberalism."

Huh?

[CWebster]

85. Oh, I am stunned! Not.

The disconnected compartmentalization when it comes to the Clintons goes: I hate the Repugs and their crimes but I luv Hillary despite the fact that she supports the crimes.

[Al-CIAda]

86. Screw the "Clintons" now and hereafter. n/t

[Armstead]

87. Geeze, if I didn;t know better I'd swear this is the GOP Platform

"Several Democrats suggested the DLC was making a politically wise move by placing Vilsack in such a prominent position as the organization works to advance its philosophy of “spurring private sector economic growth, fiscal discipline ... community policing ... work based welfare reform, expanded international trade and national service.”

Jackasses.

Right, let's just do the same thing that has made the Democratic Party a pale Avis to the Republican Hertz.

Forget about workers and corporate power. Just serve up some vanilla ice cream.

[mdmc]

91. One party, under God

I, as a liberal democrat, have always felt that there was not much difference between the democratic party and the gop. I live in an area of nys that is filled with conservative democrats and liberal republicans (plus many hardline conservatives). We also have some liberals.

I see one party, and think that it is a bad thing. Other people see the same thing, and suggest that we "stay the course" and that the lack of local polarity is a good thing.

What is better - Voting moderate GOP (or DLC) and WINNING or voting progressive and losing? If I believed the later I would be involved in the green party. I feel that the left has lost. I don't know what to do.