David Plouffe for DNC Chair?

UPDATE: Marc Ambinder reports that Plouffe sent him an email saying he won't be taking the DNC chair. But Plouffe wouldn't say what he might be doing post-election.

Howard Dean is stepping down as chairman of the Democratic National Committee. This is no surprise; it's been known for months he would be departing after the election. The question is, who's next?

HuffingtonPost reports one possibility is that Dean will be replaced by a duo: Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri, who would be the talk-show face of the party, and an operative who would do the operating (perhaps Steve Hildebrand, who was deputy campaign manager for Barack Obama's presidential bid).

But shouldn't the DNC job go to David Plouffe?

As the manager of Obama's campaign, Plouffe steered the best-run presidential campaign in years. He put together an effective campaign structure. He efficiently matched man, message, money, and machine. Developing his own version of Dean's 50-state strategy, Plouffe expanded the electoral map for Democrats. In public, he projected an image of calm, confidence, and competence. His public spin was always tethered to reality. He came across a master mechanic who believed in the mission, not an ideologue or a grandstander. And he beat the toughest, most experienced operation in politics: the Clintons.

It's no put-down of McCaskill to suggest Plouffe. Naming her DNC chief--with or without a partner--would have symbolic value. And she was an effective advocate for Obama, especially when he was locked in a fierce battle with Senator Hillary Clinton, though Obama appears to have lost her home state by 6000 votes. Perhaps if McCaskill becomes DNC head, that would help Obama and Dems narrow that narrow gap next time.

But Job One of the new DNC chair is to win the 2010 congressional elections as a prelude to winning reelection for Barack Obama in 2012. The party doesn't need a visionary or public leader in the position. Obama can handle those tasks. (The party on the outs is the one that requires a posterboy or postergirl who is good on television.) The Democrats need an uber-operative who can simultaneously oversee scores of critical House and Senate races, supervise the early reelection effort, and chart out the overall mission of advancing the party's interests across the country. The next DNC chair should also know a thing or two about fundraising and be able to transform the party into the receptacle for all the grassroots energy and passion that poured into the Obama campaign. Who better than Plouffe to do all this?

Maybe he doesn't want the job. (His wife just gave birth to their second child.) And there have been far-fetched rumors that Plouffe, a Delaware native, could be appointed to fill Joe Biden's Senate seat. But Obama's victory is transformational in many ways, and one potential transformation could occur at the Democratic Party, with the party becoming something of a central command and midwife for a diverse array of Internet-enabled grassroots activity across the country in support of the Obama presidency and its policy initiatives. Making that happen would certainly increase the odds that the Obama presidency will be a successful one. Judging by the election results, Plouffe is someone who can turn a heady vision like that into an on-the-ground reality.

This was first posted at MotherJones.com.

Comments

[Pambie]

David Plouffe, along with Axelrod, REDEFINED political campaigning. In all my 52 years, I have never seen such a brilliantly run campaign from start to finish. The use of the Internet, alone, was mind-blowing.

Put Plouffe wherever he wants to be.

[Mildmannered]

Close to a perfect campaign.

[bayside]

My opinion, David shold be in his cabinet. Wouldnt it be nice to have a progressive somewhere in that cabinet ..I cant figure out how Obama can surround himself with mostly cons. and blue dogs and expect his progressive views ,the views we hired him to put in place, are going to be implemented..I sure hope we havent been conned..

[PadrePio]

Obama had to be dragged over the finish line during the primaries by Reid, Brazzile, and Dean then he went from 3% ahead to 8% behind in August. He was losing traction and he couldn't get by his lipstick comments then September 15th happened and America and reluctantly the corporate media got serious. John McCain shot himself in the foot by declaring the fundamentals of the economy are strong. Plouffe and Obama had nothing to do with that but they benefited never the less. Factor in Palin and her incoherent interviews and hate speech and Obama wins.

[johnpherson]

On his way out I hope more people give Howard Dean more credit. His 50 state strategy has proven to be a smashing success. Someone with a commitment continuing Dean's groundwork should be chosen. Plouffe sounds like good so far.

[DoPaisa]

I really really wish it would be David Plouff. I'm surprised his name hasn't come up until this article.

[bwilder]

Sounds like an excellent idea. He's an impressive guy and the campaign was
flawless. Out new president has a keen eye for talented people and inspires
a great deal of loyalty among his staff. Wonder if Plouffe would take the job?

While we are indeed in for some serious economic pain over the next few years,
if anyone can lead us out of it and get the country back on track, it's Obama and
the brilliant people he surrounds himself with. Plouffe, Axelrod, Valerie Jarrett
and so many other impressive, intelligent, no-drama type people who are
intensely loyal I've a lot of faith in Obama's choices!

[elcojonu]

Of course he should get the job, it goes without saying.
It would be his highest and best use.
Does he want it though ?

[RobertAndropolis]

Considering the high praise Obama paid him in his acceptance speech, I should imagine he will call Plouffe into his office and say, "Well champ, whaddaya wanna do?"

[TJRich]

Ditto. I think "whaddaya want" is the question. Kudoes to him. I hope he gets exactly what he wants.

A Big Thank You, David!!!

[IowaKid]

I believe David Plouffe would be a great choice to handle the Chair of the DNC.

[BlueOnBlue]

"one potential transformation could occur at the Democratic Party, with the party becoming something of a central command and midwife for a diverse array of Internet-enabled grassroots activity across the country in support of the Obama presidency and its policy initiatives."

Another possible transformation would be for the Democratic Party to cease operating as we have known it, becoming subsumed into the actually larger Obama grassroots organization. That organization has more people, with more energy and more potential for fundraising. In fact, barackobama.com is already doing DNC fundraising.

As a member of our local Democratic committee, I've been trying to bring some of the grassroots Obama people into the Party. No Sale. These people don't see themselves as traditional Democrats. In fact, they see themselves as nonpartisans.

So, there is that possibility that in order to merge the organizations, the older one, the traditional Democratic Party, will have to be taken over, lock, stock and barrel by the Obama people and turned into something new and different.

Farfetched? I'm not so sure.

[jackie4444]

I'd say you're totally right. The DNC, however, is not historically the 'traditional' Democratic Party but something that morphed into existence a lot more recently and supplanted it, dominated by a lot of "political absolutes', theories, that failed year after year until Obama came on the scene. So while I don't think it likely to happen, the 'lock, stock and barrel' change might actually bring the Democratic Party back to its true roots. As far as this article, I'd wonder (1) why Plouffe would
want to take on entrenched theories about how campaigns should be run, and (2)
whether, notwithstanding Obama's success, he would have a snowball's chance of doing it.

[b2sargent]

McCaskill would be a nice nameplate, but I see this job as operational. Plouffe would be exponentially more effective, if he wants the job. Obama can and should carry the spirit of the thing, but he needs continued mobilization to make this thing stick. Plouffe all the way, as far as I am concerned.

[suzyku]

Yes, David Plouffe would be the best!

[GeorgiaOrwell]

As long as David Plouffe has some kind of pivotal role, whatever it may be. He was the driving force, the glue, that kept the whole machine working, and he deserves a key position as reward for his brilliance. I agree, he is 'the best'.

[NYSF]

"As the manager of Obama's campaign, Plouffe steered the best-run presidential campaign in years. He put together an effective campaign structure. He efficiently matched man, message, money, and machine. Developing his own version of Dean's 50-state strategy, Plouffe expanded the electoral map for Democrats."

You are kidding right?

The best in years? How about the best EVER! No doubt about it! This man along with the AX are incredible!!!
They should get what ever job they want!!!!!

[karela]

I think Plouffe would be brilliant, but I just had a thought: I bet he's committed to running Obama's reelection campaign.

[VirginiaMom]

what better way for Plouffe to run Obama's re-election campaign than as head of the DNC? I'm all for this suggestion (McCaskill as nameplate/public face; Plouffe as operational head). This action would pull otherwise wary progressive Obama volunteers like me into the party structure; I'd actually commit to the thing.

[schatsie]

Undoubtedly, he did a fabulous job for Barack, but the next round needs to expand the democrats at the federal AND LOCAL levels... Can he do that or is his loyalty primarily to Barack?