Dean for DNC chair

The Cross guys are right, I’m pretty excited about the prospects of Howard Dean as DNC chair. Here’s why: boiled down, his campaign’s theme was that the people, and not the government, have the power. Responsibility comes with power, and he saw individuals as holding responsibility for their own decisions. He’s a fiscal conservative, he makes no attempt at saying the poll-tested bromides that so often render candidates faceless and uninspiring, and he’s genuine in his beliefs.

Would he alienate some? Yes. But we must first stand for something before we can ever hope to attract others to the cause.

There’s some momentum building behind Dean as DNC chair. From around the blogs, a quick wrap-up:

• Matt Gross (ran Dean’s Internet strategy) thinks it’s a great idea: “Dean has the ability to clearly and boldy articulate the Democratic vision; he understands the Internet and the importance of community-building to the future of the party; and he is the best goddamned pit bull we have.”


• Ezra Klein at Pandagon is behind the idea too: “Dean, for all his faults, is a master at clearly, quickly, and compellingly articulating the Democratic party’s values. Further, Dean, unlike Gillespie or McAuliffe, has a star power to him that makes his appearance on the talk shows something of an event.”


• Atrios supports the idea as well.


• Oliver Willis says yes.


• Over at mydd.com, Dean’s leading the poll.

• Be sure to check out Draft Howard.