DEAN AND THE DNC….Steve Benen takes a look at Howard Dean’s fundraising priorities ? or, more accurately, his fund spending priorities ? and links to an article in Roll Call that reports serious angst on the subject among party leaders:
As the piece explains, Dean spent freely in 2005, developing infrastructure and nurturing state and local parties as part of his broader, long-term vision.
This represents something of a sea-change in how the party operates. For years, the party has bolstered the DNC coffers towards helping boost congressional candidates. This year, the DNC offers a key year, with the opportunity to take back Congress on everyone’s mind, but start off without much in the bank ? about a seventh of what the RNC has on hand.
I’m inclined to think that Dean is doing the right thing, because in the end I suspect that Democrats will be able to raise sufficient money for every specific race that’s worth contesting this year. Conversely, if you put off the infrastructure rebuilding yet again because an election is coming up, when are you going to start? Sure, it’s painful, but it has to be done. Better now than later.
And besides, this is the exact issue he campaigned on when he ran for DNC chair. It’s not like anyone can say that his priorities come as a surprise.
