Howard Dean Allies Not Buyin’ Those White House Leaks
An interesting new twist in the ongoing sotto-voce war, if you can call it that, between the White House and Howard Dean, courtesy of HuffPo’s Sam Stein:
Allies of Howard Dean are saying that recent leaks from the White House, in which anonymous officials suggest that the former DNC Chair is being considered for the post of Surgeon General, seem suspiciously-timed and politically motivated.
“The White House knows Dean indicated he was not interested last December, so it seems odd that they are floating his name,” said one ally of the former Vermont Governor. “I question the timing given that they have been getting criticism for how he’s been treated.”…
“This is a position that Dean has already indicated he is not interested in back in December when his name was floated,” said one confidant. That his name would now be mentioned seemed like a late-hour attempt to placate Dean backers angry over his absence from the administration, not a serious proposal.
Dean allies tell me that they have made it known to Obama advisers through back channels that they’re angered by the Obama team’s stiff-arming of Dean, given that his 2004 campaign Internet innovations and 50-state strategy as DNC chair arguably helped lay the groundwork for Obama’s victory.
So any hints from the White House that Dean was being considered for surgeon general do seem like little more than an effort to placate these angry Deaniacs, given that Dean’s aides had already indicated that he wasn’t interested in the post.
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O give me a break please. No one is entitled to a job in the administration, even Dean, whom I adore.
But come on – this is Obama’s White House and he can hire whoever he wants to work with. Why is it that everyone in the press is falling all over themselves to stir up this stupid bull? If it isn’t the Clintons, it’s Dean.
*sigh*
Can’t we move beyond this petty nonsense? We have a genuine crisis and this stuff is childish.
I got this from the CNN article that had the unnamed sources saying Dean might be a candidate for Surgeon General.
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This is my first time hearing about any reconcilliation or that Dean was offered a lower level job (probably an insult in my opinion). Greg have you heard anything about them burying the hatchet?
interesting sg. hadn’t heard that. and tena, agreed to some extent that press is stirring this up but I will say that Dean people are putting this out…
Greg, I’ve never quite understood A) if some sort of rift actually exists between Team Obama and Dr. Dean, and B) if so, what the cause of that rift might be. I gather from sg’s interesting comment above that it may revolve somehow around Rahm. Any insights?
but I will say that Dean people are putting this out…
I know, Greg – I didn’t mean to suggest that you are at fault. What I mean is this: nobody out here in the real world gives a rat’s a$$ about this stuff right now – except of course political junkies. But if it isn’t
being felt in your immediate family yet – fasten your seatbelt. This crisis is real and all this infighting and stuff really is just an annoyance to most of the public. It just is totally beside the point – ya know? We’re out here watching everything we worked for for over 30 years evaporate and honestly, I don’t care anymore about this stuff. It seems to me to be all but meaningless. I realize you can’t talk about the
economy all the time, nor does anyone want to. But dayum, the MSM is
so caught up in minutiae like this that I am somewhat flabbergasted.
Did it even occur to anyone that Howard Dean isn’t welcome in the Obama Administration because he has paid his taxes and he isn’t in the pocket of Big Healthcare special interests? Of course Obama can hire whomever he wants. As long as they are on the payroll of either Big Finance, Big Healthcare, Big Labor or Big War. (Please note that some positions are also available to environmentalist as long as they do not propose serious change to the Washington status quo.)
This matters for a couple of reasons. First, Dean’s 50 state strategy was vindicated by Obama’s victories in the primary (particularly in caucus states) & the general (victories in NC, VA, IN, NV, CO, NM, NE’s first CD, & a near miss in MO). Dean saw, earlier than most, the value of expanding the map, and he worked hard to achieve that goal, in spite of bitter criticism from many in his own party. He’s demonstrated himself to be a more than capable leader, and it doesn’t make a lot of sense, to me anyway, to turn your back on a proven manager.
Second, this makes the White House seem small. There’s no reason to think that Obama, himself, has anything against Dean, but he seems to be allowing members of his staff to nurse whatever grudges they have against Dean by continuing to isolate him.
Is Dean entitled to a position with the administration? Of course not. But why would you give a cold shoulder to a smart & strong organizer with the results to prove it?
It really is rather tragic and pathetic that at this time of crisis, the Republican party continues divisive tactics instead of trying to work with the Democrats. In the wake of 9/11 which included the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the majority of Democrats gave President Bush the support that he needed to carry out his policies. It was only after these policies failed that Democrats became more critical. At least the Democrats gave him a chance.
Actually, I care about it, Tena, and I don’t think I’m alone in the real world feeling like that . The party has dumped on Dean and if it dumps on one of its own who has contributed immeasurably to its success, then what or who’s next? Dem leadership has a very inflated view of itself, which is all the more amazing because they’re not particulary good at what they’re supposed to do – witness Reid and Pelosi and the whole DLC bunch, beginning with Clinton.
Obama won thanks to Dean laying the groundwork is correct. Which means, Dean knows what he’s doing. He was an excellent governor, leaving his state with healthcare and no deficit. Kathleen S was a good governor too, but Dr Dean would have been the better pick for healthcare reform. Rahm needs to get over himself-he wouldn’t being the position he is in either.
Obama won thanks to Dean laying the groundwork is correct. Which means, Dean knows what he’s doing. He was an excellent governor, leaving his state with healthcare and no deficit. Kathleen S was a good governor too, but Dr Dean would have been the better pick for healthcare reform. Rahm needs to get over himself-he wouldn’t being the position he is in either.
Oops…forgot to say great post! Looking forward to your next one.