Howard Dean Meets With Hillary's Fat Cats: Will He Cave?

In 2004, the Democratic leadership could not wait to see Howard Dean flail. The Dean Scream was the dream of John Kerry and the establishment Democrats, because it meant the insurgent candidate stumbled, fell, and never recovered.

Four years later, Howard Dean is running the Democratic National Committee -- he's on the inside, but he's really still an outsider. He is trying to make the Democratic Party brand popular in places other than New York and Boca Raton. This has earned him the animosity of Democratic Party insiders, who think they know better despite the fact that Democrats have had their butts handed to them more often than not in the last seven Congressional races.

He also wants the Democratic Party to follow the rules. That's why Florida and Michigan are not in position to have their delegates counted in Denver. They were told the rules for nominating a president, and they chose not to follow them. The Republican Party looks at the Democrats and says -- of course, the Party won't follow the rules it has set up. The Democrats don't believe in rules, in law, in order. That's what They say.

Howard Dean wants to prove Them wrong. He wants Florida to know it can't count, that the vote in January was not fair, was against the rules, should not count. Hillary Clinton sided with Howard Dean until she won Florida and realized she could not come close to winning the nomination without it.

And so, her top fundraisers are attempting to bribe the Democratic Party. They are going to dine with Howard Dean this week and threaten him. They are offering to pull their money from the Democratic Party if Florida, which didn't count, continues to not count. The fundraisers don't believe in morality. They believe it's all about the money.

Barack Obama's fundraisers are not having the same meeting with Howard Dean because he raised money from a million people, and his bundlers don't wield the same power that Hillary's financiers wield. What's Howard Dean going to do, meet with the nurse who sent a $100 to the DNC because she loves Obama? Meet with the veteran who sent $300 because they like Barack's stance on Iraq? No, he's meeting with the Fat Cats, who really care less about Hillary and more about becoming Ambassadors under a President Hillary.

It's a meeting of the Ambassadors Club, that's what this is. Howard Dean and a bunch of people who want to give him cash to change the rules, to make Florida count, so that -- what -- so Hillary can win? As if that'll do the Democratic Party a great favor. Let's remember how much the Clintons helped their fellow Democrats in the '90s. Oh, that's right, the Republicans took over Congress for the first time in decades, and didn't give it back for 12 years.

Howard Dean -- Howard Dean should scream. He should channel his Howard Beale and tell those who seek to blackmail him that he's not going to take it anymore. He's not a puppet. He's someone who cares about the future of his party more than he cares about the man who wants to be Ambassador to Bermuda.

Comments

[Plank]

The millions of Obama donors do yield power. I think Dean is well aware that Obama has raised more money than any candidate in history. A few fat cats are no match against grassroot funding. Dean should tell these guys to shove it. The time when, a few rich donors can control the party, is long gone.

[Tankan]

He couldn't stand up to Bush, why would anyone expect him to stand up to Clinton?

I reckon it's a done deal, just waiting for a reason to justify the action!

Kami Kazi!

[bluesky]

Why did both candidates leave their names on the ballot if they thought the votes meant nothing. Most news media at the time the decision was made, believed that the votes would eventually count and no one believed that they would not really count, especially in such major states like Fl where voters had been so badly disenfranchised by the Republicans. Why would the Democrats disenfranchise voters who really were not the cause of the fiasco in the first place

Andy why did Obama change his Michigan name listing from his name to non committed? Could it be that he thought he might be able to claim more votes that way than he would actually win if he had his name listed? I.e. pulling in Edwards votes and other votes intended for Biden....... Maybe on his part it was a calculated move and not so innocent. We don't give him enough credit for knowing how to manipulate the system as he is doing with the revotes in Fl and Mi. He certainly doesn't seem too concerned about disenfranchised voters there.

[bluesky]

If Obama knew the vote would not count in Florida why did he run advertisements for over a week during the voting in Florida when the candidates were not supposed to campaign at all?

[SeekerOne]

If Howard stands up to the DLC insiders, I will happily send the dems money. I'm betting many progressives will.

[BenMurphyNYC]

A CHALLENGE TO OBAMA SUPPORTERS: If you wild-eye Obama supporters want your voice heard at DNC headquarters send a check (or go to dnc.org). The people you vilify as fat-cats-Manhattan/Miami-Hillary-Supporters kept this party alive through the Republican Revolution and the post-911 GOP surge. The truth is the DNC needs the money. It has about $3 million in the bank out of $60.5 million raised this year. The RNC has $21.7 million on hand out of $97.4 million raised.

Unfortunately, I think don't think Barack Obama can translate his fundraising magic into dollars for the DNC (remember Howard Dean had explosive fundraising in 2004 but it hasn't really worked as Party Chairman). But, prove me wrong. Go to dnc.org and make a contribution and leave a reply to this comment.

[rnb]

Are you seriously proposing that it's alright for the democratic party to be ruled as a plutocracy? "We'll listen to everything you have to say, as long as you pay a fair amount for us to hear it!"

That's a two way street. If you wild-eyed Clinton supporters want your voice heard at the White House, send a vote. The people you ignore as lower-income skinny cats have an equal vote to every one of those fat-cats. An elitist swindling of the nomination will mean that no matter how much money the DNC soaks up, the republicans and ralph nader will gain a lot of revenge support.

Unfortunately, I don't think that Hillary Clinton cares about any of the people this might affect, unless their name is also Clinton.

[BenMurphyNYC]

I don"t think Hillary is swindling anyone when she wins in NV and TX and walks away with less elected delegates. Maybe you think that is an accurate reflection of the "will of the people" " but I don"t.

[AngerAndDetermination]

I do not give money to the DNC, DCCC, or DSCC any more, because none of it comes back here to Louisiana, where I live. The DNC is populated with circle-the-wagons losers who will only recruit and support candidates in "states that are winnable."

Bobby Jindal was just elected governor of Louisiana. The man who, as a Republican in Congress, cut our levee funding down to $2.9 million per year, and used the money to pay for the war that he lied us into, by taking advantage of the displacement of 100,000 Democrats, was able to get himself elected a Republican governor of the state that he destroyed.

I have campaigned for many Democrats. I have investigated running myself. When you approach the DNC and say, I want to run for Congress, their response is "Good for you! Now, run along."

Where is the _party_? Where is the oranization? It is in Ohio and Florida, that's where.

[ljsfolly]

Why is it that even when Hillary and co resort to blackmail the people who love her follow her and kiss her ass? Don't the regular people see what she is offering is 4 plus 4 years for bush follies? Shehas not one time said we can do it. It is all "I will" and this from the bitch who wrote it takes a village? Oh yeah she probably ghosted that too. I wish the MSM would run over and over the absolute glee on her face when the war supporters stood up to say how proud they were for voting to support bush...but lost in time I guess as I have not seen it for awhile. Those holding the party hostage to giving the queen her few pennce so she can say she won yet again. Has any Hillary lovers figured out the price they pay for her yet? She will burn down the house if she cannot have it. Surely some Hillary lovers have had ex wife/husband the same mind set? Still they love her. Barack goes to a social people level church that is very involved in the rights of people and if MLK were alive he would be leading such a church don't ou think?

[rwferr]

The democratic party is a private organizaion and its rules are not laws.

[mesuki]

I think the republicans did this on purpose to destroy the democratic party. I love Dean, and I hope he sticks to his guns. If Hillary's donors are doing this right now,you can only imagine what power they will exude if Hillary wins the presidency. If Hillary gets(steals) this nomination ,I will not vote for her and I will make sure that everyone that I know do the same.

[23000Days]

Then you'll lose twice.....

[AngerAndDetermination]

Obama is beating Hillary Clinton because people like him better, see? That's how people win elections, see? Hillary Clinton has got too much baggage, and she is phony and uninspiring. Obama is inspiring, without the baggage. Hillary is the only candidate whose DISapproval percentage is higher than her approval percentage. You cannot figure out why?

No one wants to vote for Monica Lewinsky's husband. No one wants to hear Hillary make her repetitious, dishonest denials of voting for the war in Iraq. People will NOT vote for her, because they do not like her, understand?

I have never heard of a Democratic primary candidate who said that the Republican is more qualified that her Democratic opponent. It is absolutely revolting.

[DennyCrane]

Everyone knows that the reason Howard Dean was put in charge of the Democratic party was to get him out of the way. The Clintons didn't want him or John Kerry to run in 2008. Now the question is whether Dean has a spine. Will he stand up to the Clintons who think they're more important than the Democratic party? I sure hope so.

[rwferr]

Dean wants to win the Presidency. Unlike Obama supporters he doesn't want to run a candidate that his not going to win the general election. Do you think its a coincidence that he is meeting with Clinton people now after preachergate has rendered Obama wholly unlelectable? They are now trying to figure out how to give Clinton the nomination without alienating too many Obamanauts. A tough task but that is what is happening. The party knows, just like after the Howard Dean Scream, that Obama is unelectable as the vast majority of moderates and undecided voters will never vote for Obama now. Obama is done and they have to figure out the best way for Clinton to get the nomination. Clearly the superdelegates will be forced to give her the nomination at or before the convention at this point but if they can engineer another way that would be preferable.

[DennyCrane]

Oh please. The only reason Dean is meeting with Clinton is because her backers are threatening to withhold funding from the DNC. Obama's preacher hasn't made him unelectable. He'll address it today and the whole thing will be yesterday's news by April.

[AngerAndDetermination]

Hillary CLINTON is "electable"?

Howard Dean would have kicked George Bush's a**. "Unelectable" is what John Kerry, the LOSER, said about Howard Dean. It turned out that Kerry was unelectable, because he was a typical, dishonest, unscrupulous Washington double-talker. So are the Clintons.

[jeffhas]

Just have Obama's huge PAC go in for dinner in response. They could invite Exelon to host the Cocktail Party beforehand.

[Paralogos]

As always with politicians, the amount of trouble you go to to get the message to them counts, so telegrams and FedEx'ed letters to Dean c/o Democratic National Committee, 430 S. Capitol St. SE, Washington DC 20003 will count more than filling out the web form at http://www.democrats.org/page/petition/chairman but even a webmail will get Dean's attention more than venting in this blog. I certainly made a point of sending a message as soon as I read the NYT piece on the Ambassador wannabees trying to corrupt the process.

[VOTER]

Thanks for the link!

I have also written to Dean and your suggestion for others to do so too is a good one.

Good post!

[jozap]

i sent my email. Hope he gets the cllue. If millions ask him not to sell out to Hillary, maybe he will say not. If millions of us send him a buck or two, he will understand we will put our money where our votes are.

[Oldchef]

Thanks for the link. i sent my message too.

[AngerAndDetermination]

Thanks for the link and the address.

[RickCadena]

The Hill/Bill $WAT team of fat cat$ are out to trash all of us average every day people who are the backbone of our country. I have always liked Dr. Dean and even contributed $50 US dollars of my hard earned Mexican pesos (Yes, I am an expatriate living in Mexico City since Feb. 66). I was sorry to seem him get clobbered by the "supposed" scream. I have been a life-long democrat and I felt inspired by Dr. Dean, and since he became the chairman of the DNC, I signed up for all the e-mails, joined Democrats Abroad, and contributed to my preferred candidate whenever possible. Senator Barack Obama has taken my excitement to another level and feel that he represents the average every day common, hard-working person.

Dr. Dean will be under incredible pressure, but I think he will stand up to HIlol/Bill and their $WAT team of fat cat$. Should the worst case scenario take place and MONEY has the last word, Hillary will be nominanted and I will drop out and not vote in November. Why bother to flip a coin between Hillary and McCain. The election will be all rotten to the core and the "Waterloo" process of the United States as a great nation will continue its course........ down the tubes. All that enthusiasm and sense of belonging or being included that I lived as a result of Dr. Dean's ground work and Senator Obama's brilliant, inspiritional campaign will fade and disappear. I don't know what else to say.

[rjean]

screamin' howie wont stand up to the KLINTOONS...

he has no guts.......

you get what you pick.....dems...you're getting it NOW

[23000Days]

And the repugs are getting what they didn't pick! I've yet to speak with any who feel they have a candidate.

[2LaneIA]

Daily Kos suggests that we donate to the DNC, and add 2 cents to the donation to let Dr. Dean know that we are responding to this Fat Cat pressure with pushback of our own. I did that today.

I have been a fan of Howard Dean since I met him in Iowa in 2003. He is just what our party needed, and I hope he will stick to principle in the face of what will probably be really thuggish pressure.

HRC's demands that delegates be counted despite the lack of a campaign in Michigan and Florida, despite her pledge, despite the fact that Obama was not even on the ballot in Michigan--these demands show what she is. She does not concern herself with following rules or fairness. Winning is the only thing, and she will drive the party into the ditch in the process of trying to get the nomination. I am beginning to wonder whether the goal is to win the nomination, or so wound Obama and the party that 2012 will be available to her for a second try. I hope that the party will say: enough.

[BadChristian]

Hmmmmm...

It sounds like a job for the "Super Delegates"... Or "The Justice League of America"... Or the "American Justice Federation"... Or the "Legion of Doom"... Or the "SuperClass"...

Anything but the Average American... They'll ruin everything.

[PrdAmerican]

or as my six year old daughter says...time for the Super Nuggets to work!