If you’re a political junkie, this one is stunning news: there is reportedly a move afoot among "senior Democrats" to keep Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe…as Democratic National Committee Chairman.
Yes, that’s right.
After all of the hoop-la, all of the candidates coming out and stating their vision for the party, the passionate scenarios where the party should go in the future some top Democrats prefer marching in time to marching foward…apparently because they aren’t totally smitten by the candidates who remain standing in the DNC chairmanship sweepstakes. So, AP reports, they’re beseeching him to stay on for a few more years:
WASHINGTON — Senior Democrats are trying to persuade national Chairman Terry McAuliffe to continue his service as party chairman, especially if none of the current candidates gains momentum in the race to replace him.
About a half-dozen candidates are in the race and a couple of others are considering a run for the position. It will be filled in February at the Democratic National Committee’s winter meetings.
McAuliffe met privately Wednesday with several Democratic senators on Capitol Hill, and was asked again to consider serving for another year or two, Democrats say. McAuliffe’s response was not immediately known, but he has been cool to such overtures in the past.
Democratic senators reportedly at the meeting included Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and Charles Schumer of New York.
"Terry McAuliffe has been a great chair and he could continue that," Schumer said Wednesday. "The bottom line is that Democrats have a lot of good candidates to lead us."
Well, then, if they’re so terrific why not pick one of THEM?
Even from the standpoint of public relations alone — let’s not address the issue of policy substance — how does a party effectively argue it’s regrouping, refocusing its message, bringing in fresh blood and moving in a new direction if its head is the same one who helped lead it and steer it in the old direction (with old blood)?
Additionally, one interpretation is certain to emerge if McAuliffe remains: the Clintonistas are in firm control of the party.
But it appears as if wiser heads MAY prevail — namely, McAuliffe:
None of the early candidates for chairman has gained momentum. Some potential candidates – Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, Democratic activist Harold Ickes and former Labor Secretary Alexis Herman – have dropped out.
Democratic Party spokesman Jano Cabrera said, "The chairman appreciates being asked to stay, but for now he remains focused on handing over a modernized, mobilized and debt-free Democratic Party."
Cabrera told ABC’s online newsletter The Note that McAuliffe’s "only response for now consists of two words, Dorothy McAuliffe" – referring to the chairman’s wife.
A wise attitude. Terry: listen to Dorothy M, not Chuck S.
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.