It Was Just the Economy.... ... Or so goes the argument. The only reason Barack Obama won was the economic crisis, I have heard many Republicans, and others, argue. But that argument misses several points, among them the unpopularity of a Republican President, a brilliantly run campaign unlike any other in modern history, and a 3 year program that has built the Democratic Party in all 50 states.
The Obama campaign, from the days of long-shot insurgency to an ambitious 50 state operation with limitless funds has been run with near perfection. Seriously, did you ever hear a story about dissention with the Obama camp? That happens to every campaign, and it happened rarely if not never with this one. The top of the campaign remained unchanged throughout. They invested very early in states they thought their candidate would have unique appeal outside of the Democratic base. They ran a brilliant PR effort. They made the best effort to win over "voters of faith" than any recent Democrat. They were never afraid to ask for anyone’s votes and they had the most creative and astute minds in politics on board. The way he ran his campaign proved his executive leadership skills And even in his campaign he has been a unifier, bringing together people who would never been seen supporting the same candidate before this cycle.
On the flip side, John McCain, in his first executive decision, picked one of the most unqualified VP candidates in history, providing Saturday Night Live with plenty of material, and the country with plenty of doubt. He was, in fact, erratic in his response to the economic crisis, and his campaign couldn’t stick to a single message for more than 5 hours. His top campaign advisers were shuffled around, and had no control over reports of infighting even in the last week of the election.
Okay fine... "It was just the political climate in 2008...RIGHT?"
What the 50 state strategy did was dramatically move the baseline. Yes, the economy pushed Obama over the top in many states, but the only reason a 7 point gain could even put him within reach in places like Montana is that for the last three years the DNC has built up a real state party operation there, in a place which literally had zero paid staff positions for their state party before Dean’s operation. The same is true in states across the country.
After the 2006 Midterms Joe Conason wrote "What Dean and his organizers created ... was an environment that allowed insurgents and outliers as well as the party's chosen challengers to ride the national wave of revulsion against conservative rule..."
"There would have been much less for the Democrats to celebrate on Election Night," concludes Conason, "if Howard Dean hadn't been so 'crazy' -- and so persistent."
The Las Vegas Sun editorialized last week "Dean stopped by a Democratic field office in Henderson last week, and to prep myself for the visit, I watched what's known in political circles as "The Scream." It's still funny. But here's the thing: Dean was right."
Howard Dean’s wisdom, which seems sort of obvious now, was that Democrats had to compete in traditionally "pro-American" parts of the country, in the South and Mountain West. ...Dean, who wears an ill-fitting suit I’m pretty sure I’ve seen at Target, also wears a smart smirk, the look of a guy who knows more than he lets on, and more than anyone gives him credit for.
He’s usually associated with the loony wing of the party, the MoveOn crowd and the liberal bloggers. But in reality, he had a vision for Democrats capturing the center, and it’s coming to pass.
"He was scorned inside Washington, but he was right," says a party veteran with close ties to the DNC.
Even the most virulent critics have now admitted it was the right approach, and it IS to account for several percentage points in many of these key states, including the "red states" Obama has turned blue.
Two other equally absurd arguments debase the Republicans as a political party of decency.
When Gov. Charlie Crist of Florida decided to extend early voting hours today one Republican operative was quoted by Ben Smith at POLITICO as saying "He just blew Florida for John McCain." That’s right, yet another Republican admission that in order to win, they need less people to vote. And that’s the beauty of being a Democrat. We want more people to vote, period. When more people vote, democracy wins, and so do Democrats. It’s a unique advantage.
The last argument went something like this... "With an unpopular President, of course they lost." This argument assumes that the Republicans should have to assume no responsibility for the man that they chose to lead their party for eight years. This was a theme sounded repeatedly in this election... "the economy is in bad shape after 8 years of Bush, so of course McCain is losing.." ... "the Republican brand is damaged so it’s an impossible mission for John McCain." When Republicans make these kind of arguments they hardly ever get asked, well shouldn’t your party be punished for how it governs?
The election was won in an historic coming together of a great candidate, an unprecedented political organization, the backlash of eight years of failed Republican rule and the circumstances of history.
For us, it’s time to prove not only the wisdom of our ideas, but our ability to unite to defend our common agenda and govern pragmatically.
And for them... I agree with what has been repeated often in the past couple of weeks. Republicans better find themselves a Howard Dean, and fast.