Duties of the DNC Chair....

[firedupdem]

Someone who understands how to defeat the modern Republican machine at its own high-level strategic game; someone who understands the demographic, attitudinal and socio-economic complexities of the coming America; someone who is deeply rooted in the emerging new media world of databases, digital media, satellite and cable television; someone who understands the internet and modern community-building techniques; someone who can speak for the mainstream of the party and connect with its increasingly youthful activist base; someone who has successfully raised money and worked in all regions of this diverse country; and someone who has a proven track record at running a business or political organization.

We cannot lose sight of the fact that the DNC has become a business that could raise as much as $1 billion in the next four years. The day-to-day job of DNC chair requires running the largest and most important political organization that Democrats have in a time when Republicans have vastly improved their political machine, and are using their party institutions in ways we must emulate in the years to come. First and foremost, this job is to be the head of an organization that is the primary vehicle for millions of partisan Democrats to organize and defeat Republicans each day.

http://www.newdem.org/partyfuture/dncchairrole.html

**This is an old article. I googled for a job description and pulled out that portion and then asked more knowledgeable DU'ers if this portion sums it up!


Does this pretty much sum it up or am I missing something? I'm newly following politics and thought Obama's choice would be a good one. Am I wrong?

[wyldwolf]

1. as good an explanation as any

I recall when Dean was the chairmanship many here believed he could dictate to Democrats in congress what do say and do. Not the case at all.

[FSogol]

2. Yes, Tim Kaine is a very capable administrator and a trusted friend of Obama.

He's a good choice.

[madfloridian]

3. You are quoting Rosenberg who ran for chair last time.

I don't care who is chair, but I think we somewhere have to draw a line about taking stands.

Kaine will be fine. He's a good man. He just doesn't believe in rights for gays and women.

Should we be so accepting of that? I don't know.

[wyldwolf]

5. so you have a better and more accurate definition?

[firedupdem]

8. Actually I just googled the job description. I don't know who

Rosenberg is. I wanted to know what the job description is since I'm newly following these appointments and positions. I wanted to know what he will do in his new position.

[dflprincess]

11. No, we should not be accepting of a party chair who does

not believe in rights for Gays and women. And it is disgraceful that the Democratic party would pick such a person. It appears that the conversion to the Republican Lite party is complete and it appears I have written my last check to the party.

And, I read on another thread this evening that Kaine plans to consider it a part-time job until his term is up in 2010. I wonder how he expects to oversee the midterms?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8056602#8057070

[freesqueeze]

4. What? Is Howard Dean Going Anywhere?

I thought the Dems have done pretty well lately. Has he quit and I missed it?

Strange how things have changed since this 2005 article.

"What we need at the head of the DNC is someone who can take on Rove, Reed, Norquist and Mehlman."

Those jokers don't seem to matter any more...criminal, criminal, near dead (or dead), still in closet?

[firedupdem]

9. Dean steps down on the 21st. I googled a job description and got

that portion. The rest is probably irrelevant to my question about what the DNC chair is responsible for.

[Cha]

6. Sounds good to me...

I don't agree with Tim Kaine on a lot of issues but I won't be joining the hatin'..I'll give 'im a chance.

[hulklogan]

7. Will Kaine really connect with the youthful activist base?

Does he truly understand the demographic etc. complexities of this diverse country?

Will his anti-choice and anti-GLBT views get in the way of these two supposed job requirements?

I'm not feeling very positive about this one.

[Thrill]

10. I thought this was one of his strengths in VA?

He was doing the netroots thing for a long time.

[Hippo_Tron]

12. That's actually not entirely correct

The reason is that the description is from 2005 when the Democratic Party did not control the White House. Now that we do (or will in just a few days), President Obama will be the leader of the Democratic Party. What that means in practice is that White House aides (David Axelrod) will actually control the strategy of the party. Howard Dean had control of a lot of strategy during his tenure because we did not control the White House. Now that we do, Tim Kaine will basically be a figurehead. His job will be to get donors to open their wallets and that's about it.

[davidpdx]

13. Good point HT

If you look back to when Clinton was president, I'm pretty sure that's how it worked when the D's had the White House last. Kaine maybe the DNC Chair, but the head of the party is Obama.

[Mass]

14. As the chairman of the party in power, the role of Kaine will be a lot less important than Dean's

He was chosen for his links with Obama and, if history tells, he will be only carrying orders from the White House.

As Steve Benen at washington monthly reminds us.


http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/

But here's the real angle to keep in mind: with a Democratic president, the DNC will be, for all intents and purposes, an extension of the White House political operation. Obama's team will set the party agenda, and Kaine was probably selected because he's a close Obama ally who'll follow the president's lead. Kaine isn't nearly as progressive as most of the Democratic base would prefer for a chairman, but at the DNC, the governor won't help set the agenda for the party.

I suspect the number one question Kaine will be asked is whether he supports the Dean-crafted 50-state strategy. It's a good question, but the answer is more likely to come from Patrick Gaspard and David Axelrod.
...

In addition, contrarely to Dean, Kaine will not even be full time chair for the next year. There will be an executive chair that will lead the show, Jennifer O'Malley Dillon, while he continues his role as Governor of Virginia. So, Kaine's role will probably be limited to some fundraising and public speaking.

So, while Kaine is less than an exciting choice, it will not really matter (and cannot be worse than McAuliffe).