Point: The man for the DNC

As the post-election hangover wears off for the Democrats, the party must start to strategize for the future. Key members like former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle has been defeated, paving the way for a Republican majority and leaving the Democrats more vulnerable than ever. The Dems now turn their attention to electing a new Chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) when they adjourn in February. This position, now held by Terry McAuliffe, leads the fundraising team for the party, helps form the party platform, and provides a public face to the party. It's a job with plenty of publicity. So, it's no surprise that a high-profile candidate, who had the most memorable speech from the campaign, is actively running for the job.

I'm not talking about one of the Johns here (Kerry or Edwards); I'm referring to Former Gov. Howard Dean, and his "scream" speech. Gov. Dean has kept a high profile by appearing on shows such as NBC's "Meet the Press". Dean has apparently been successful, as he just picked up an important endorsement from U.S. Rep. John Murtha (D-PA.) Murtha, a former Vietnam veteran who is in favor of the war in Iraq, said "I am not with him on all the issues, but he understands the party’s problems, what we need to do and how to get there…A lot of people in the party don’t understand just where we are. We need a change. We need something different.” (TheHill.com, Hans Nichols)

I think Rep. Murtha is right about one thing: If ever the Democrats needed a change, it's definitely now. This is not groundbreaking information. We are talking about a party that was just trashed in the last election, and whose "great hope" for the future is a senator with one day of congressional experience. (Sen. Barack Obama, (D-IL). I do NOT agree with Rep. Murtha that Dean is the right choice.
Gov. Dean is a New York City-raised, Ivy League-educated liberal whose followers were mainly college students from the northeast and California. The Democrats already have those voters; they need to tap into the middle of the country and the south to recapture the former Democrats that have strayed to the right.

The DNC needs to select a chair that will make both parties stand up and take notice. They need a person who is close to the middle, and will help shape policy so that Republicans will consider their candidates in four years. They need someone who takes over a room when they walk in.

That someone is William Jefferson Clinton.

No politician since John F. Kennedy can win over a crowd like Bill Clinton. His charisma and moxie led to many victories for both the Democrats and for America. His influence is still being felt, as evidenced by President Bush selecting him, along with former Bush, to spearhead the Tsunami Relief Effort. With the likelihood of Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) running for the Presidency in 2008, there would be a great synergy with Bill Clinton raising funds AND awareness for his wife over the next four years.

Bill Clinton would re-energize a Democratic Party that is on life support. He has the power to go into Republican-dominated areas and win back the very people that used to vote Democratic blindly. Compared to two terms of being President, this would be a cakewalk. Sure, Clinton has flaws (character being 1-10), but his genuine love of America has not diminished.

Thus ends this dream sequence; the chance of Clinton being elected as DNC Chair is almost non-existent. The egos here are far too great, and Clinton probably can't "lower" himself to run for the position. Too bad. I have no doubt that this is what our forefathers meant our government to be when they wrote the constitution. Just once, I would love to see just one case of pure public service.

I bet Democrats and real patriots would too.