There is only one name that should be seriously considered to fill the upcoming vacancy of the DNC chair. It is Howard Dean. I have said this before and he just keeps giving me reasons to believe that I am right. He gave a speech today that I highly recommend that everyone read in its entirety here. However, if you don't have time here are a few choice cuts:
"When some people say we should change direction, in essence they are arguing that our basic or guiding principles can be altered or modified."They can't.
"On issue after issue, we are where the majority of the American people are.
"What I want to know is at what point did it become a radical notion to stand up for what we believe?
"Over fifty years ago, Harry Truman said, "We are not going to get anywhere by trimming or appeasing. And we don't need to try it."
"Yet here we are still making the same mistakes.
"Let me tell you something: there's only one thing Republican power brokers want more than for us to lurch to the left -- and that's for us to lurch to the right.
"What they fear most is that we may really begin fighting for what we believe -- the fiscally responsible, socially progressive values for which Democrats have always stood and fought."
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"We need to embrace real political reform -- because only real reform will pry government from the grasp of the special interests who have made a mockery of reform and progress for far too long."The pundits have said that this election was decided on the issue of moral values. I don't believe that. It is a moral value to provide health care. It is a moral value to educate our young people. The sense of community that comes from full participation in our Democracy is a moral value. Honesty is a moral value.
"If this election had been decided on moral values, Democrats would have won.
"It is time for the Democratic Party to start framing the debate.
"We have to learn to punch our way off the ropes."