This LA Times op-ed by Oregon Democratic Party Chair Jim Edmunson presents an interesting take on Dean vs. Washington.
Shout It Out, Howard, We’re Listening
Howard Dean’s election as Democratic National Committee chairman was a shot across the bow of Washington’s power clique, so it does not surprise us at the state-party level in Oregon that he is making our kin inside the Beltway nervous.
In fact, it delights us.
This is what I’m seeing within the Party: the folks out in the states, especially the West, are thrilled that Dean is bringing a new approach and some backbone to the Party. They’re jazzed about the 50-state strategy and excited at the thought of support for year-round organizing everywhere in America.
It remains to be seen whether the Democratic Party can pull it off, but I, for one, think it’s high time we tried something new.
The new Democrats.org web site is pretty snazzy too.
Now, I’m technically a party insider (a very newbie member of the DNC from Oregon), so I get a lot more communications from the DNC than most of you, but it really does feel like things are changing. What does it look like from out there? Do you perceive any difference yet? What else would you like to see?
Cross-posted at The American Street.
