An interesting twist...

[Relbeek Einre]

http://www.cnn.com/2005/ALLPOLITICS/01/ ... index.html

Ickes, a close Hillary Clinton ally, has backed Dean to head the DNC.

This doesn't constitute a Clinton endorsement, but the analysis in the story is right - Ickes wouldn't have made the endorsement if the Clintons would have protested.

So what does this mean for the DNC race? I find it surprising myself - the Clintons had been previously aligned with the DLC, the faction that opposes Dean. Does their shift mean the DLC is finally going to be swept away in favor of smarter leadership?

[Partha]

It means they've surrendered.

As to the fate of the DLC, that's to be determined.

[Embar Angylwrath]

If Dean is in charge of the DNC, he can't (won't) run against Hildabeast in 2008. It's so glaringly obvious, I would have thought you'd have recognized that.

[Relbeek Einre]

Um, Dean wasn't going to run again anyway, Embar. Don't be silly.

[Partha]

He still might. 2006 is the key - if the Democrats have a majority in either house by then, he may well feel like he can run and win.

[SicTimMitchell]

The Democrats will probably have learned their lesson this time, and I will repeat my (previously wrong) prediction that they will run a dark horse governer candidate that nobody's really heard of yet.

Hillary Clinton and Howard Dean are both inelectible, as is Dick Cheney. I'm interested to see who will run in 2008.

Cheney vs. Clinton would be a nightmare scenario. Not gonna happen.

[Eidolon Faer]

Interesting...

Well, clearly SOMEONE has been paying attention to the Democrat base. Remember all those stories about how the DNC has been having open meetings and nearly everyone who attends has spoken in support of Dean?

Hillary Clinton is nothing if not an opportunist. Witness how she moved so far to the Right in the wake of the election. Ickes is a DLC / Clinton sock-puppet, and so are the 50 voting members he just threw to Dean. Apparently Hillary realizes that if the DNC continues to spurn Howard Dean there might not BE a Democrat Party by 2008. Especially if she herself continues to swing Right.

This could simply be an attempt to have their cake and eat it too, having Dean appeal to the base to prevent its' erosion while Hillary herself swings far to the Right in an effort to pick up electoral votes in Utah.

I'll be curious to see who eventually takes over from MacAuliffe. Even with Ickes' support Dean might still not win. Hopefully we'll know by March 15th.

[Embar Angylwrath]

Also, by endorsing Dean as "their man" for the slot, the Clintons do two things: 1) make Dean an "insider', which diminishes his popular support, and 2) affiliate themselves with Dean, which both alientates some of his supporters (how dare Dean become part of the establsihment he's trying to change! Oh, the horror..), and also sway some of his support base to them (her).

And Tim, I disagree with you. Hildabeast may be unelectable in your eyes, but in hers, the Oval Office is part of her destiny. She WILL throw her hat into the ring.

[SicTimMitchell]

Oh, she may well throw her hat in the ring. But she won't be nominated.

I'm actually more interested in what the Repubs will do. I can't remember the last time a two-term president's vice president wasn't the candidate.

I'm almost willing to bet sometime before the election Cheney will resign for "health" reasons and Bush will appoint a new VP that the RNC can run.

[Harlowe]

I would almost vote for a Cheney before Hillary.....and I just had to swallow bile saying that.

[Akhbarali]

Evan Bayh versus Bill Frist.

I don't think Dean or Hillary have a shot at being president although I expect Hillary to run in (and I guess possibly even win) the Democratic primary. Dean seems like a decent pick for DNC chairman.

Akhbar