The Dean campaign has been somewhat critical of the centrist in recent days. He doesn't need to become one, he needs to have a good message.
Over at my favorite political oganization, the New Democrat Network they have a
blog. This blog (which by the way carries excellent clear headed analysis) linked to an LA Times article that qouted the leader of the NDN. The article went as follows:
Simon Rosenberg, president of the New Democrat Network, a Democratic political action committee, has been as close to Dean as any leading centrist in the party.
But after his latest criticism of the DLC, Rosenberg says, the front runner "has a choice. Is he going to present a new synthesis that incorporates all the best of all the traditions in the party ... or is he going to be the leader of the counterrevolution?"
The key point in there is the Simon Rosneburg qoute. What he says, I think, makes a lot of sense.
Dean can't afford to be the leader of a faction in the democratic party. He can't be a acting within the sphere of the usual partisan infighting. He needs to, as Rosenbug put it, "present a new synthesis that incorporates all the best of all the traditions in the party" and definately do it in a way that unites the party rather than dividing it.
You may disagree with a lot of the things the DLC stands for, but attacking it publicly is just divisive and serves no purpose. Dean needs to present a positive message that at least seems to incorporate new democrat and liberal viewpoints.
"Ironically, Dean's swipe at the DLC on Monday came as he also stressed the need for Democrats "to pull together in order to beat George Bush."
You also need to avoid looking silly when you do it even if you are, as Joe Trippi claimed, only joking.
The point is not that Dean is wrong or that the DLC is wrong. The DLC has acted irresponisbly too in publicly ciritizing Dean in a memo several months ago. The point is that Dean can't give in to the dark side, he can't afford to make comments that even suggest that he is dividing the party. He needs to present a positive message, a strong viewpoint and he needs to do it in a way that will make all democrats feel included.
The New Democrat Network is a very sensible organiztion and I take what they say seriously. I think that Dean's behaviour is understandable but ultimately highly dangerous. Hopefully his apology for the Clinton remark signals that he is changing his ways.
Sorry that this is my 2nd diary today but the survivor poll is going slow (it should get more interesting in a few days once we start narrowing down the list).