If you’re a political junkie, here’s an important fact to file away; according to the New York Times, under Howard Dean the Democrats are seriously behind the Republicans in the quest to raise vital campaign funds:
The Democratic National Committee under Howard Dean is losing the fundraising race against Republicans by nearly 2 to 1, a slow start that is stirring concern among strategists who worry that a cash shortage could hinder the party’s competitiveness in next year’s midterm elections.
The former Vermont governor and presidential candidate took the chairmanship of the national party eight months ago, riding the enthusiasm of grass-roots activists who relished his firebrand rhetorical style. But he faced widespread misgivings from establishment Democrats, including elected officials and Washington operatives, who questioned whether Dean was the right fit in a job that traditionally has centered on fundraising and the courting of major donors.
Now, the latest financial numbers are prompting new doubts. From January through September, the Republican National Committee raised $81.5 million, with $34 million remaining in the bank. The Democratic National Committee, by contrast, showed $42 million raised and $6.8 million in the bank.
And note that this is during a period when many things started to go wrong with the White House. MORE:
“The degree to which the fundraising has not been competitive is obviously troublesome,” said former congressman Vic Fazio (D-Calif.), who is now a lobbyist here. He expressed confidence in Tom McMahon, Dean’s executive director at the DNC.
One House Democratic leadership aide, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to preserve relations with Dean’s operation, put it more bluntly: “There is plenty of time, but the red flashing sirens should be going off there.”
The Times notes that the Tuesday election results — which have been widely intepreted, by the way, as more of a backlash against George W. Bush than voters eagerly embracing the Democrats — could make it easier for Dean to “even the balance.” And:
As critics see it, Dean has disappointed on two fronts. The DNC has not replicated the success of Dean’s presidential campaign two years ago in tapping vast numbers of new and smaller contributors over the Internet. And skeptics say he has not yet established rapport with and won the confidence of high-dollar donors.
You can read the defense-explanations yourself. But there are always reasons you can cite and always lawyer-like debating points that can be scored. And just as we brush aside spin when it comes from the White House and the GOP we brush it aside in the case of Dean and his fundraising efforts. The bottom line is: Dean is apparently NOT delivering what the Democrats want and need to mount a spirited campaign against the Republicans.
Eventually, when it comes time to assess how he has done in his job, he’s going to be judged by (1) his success in expanding the party’s support during elections and (b) what the Dean chairmanship has meant in terms of campaign funds. The White House’s bungling and myriad problems can help expand the Democrats’ support (but only by so much) and Dean has so far not delivered the big bux.