First of all, thank you for your thoughtful comments.
I shouldn't have been so flip about saying "you suck", but i'm sure Rahm has said worse to and about Howard Dean. Rahm's efforts clearly didn't suck. However, in my opinion, his overall strategy wasn't the genius masterstroke meme we've been hearing in the mainstream media. (They just love to anoint the new "boy geniuses.") Even still, I would have probably not bothered commenting, if he could have been a little more gracious in victory.
I appreciate that Rahm made personal sacrifices in his role as DCCC chair, and I thank him for his tireless efforts. I'm sorry to hear that his son stopped speaking to him, but we all make choices in life, don't we? Certainly he knew what the requirements for the DCCC chair were, and what the sacrifices would be, and what the benefits would be. He is reaping the personal benefits now. I'll let him decide if it was worth it.
My main issue with him is that he refuses to acknowledge the team effort that was required to pull off the victory, not to mention the contentious relationship with dean and the progressives in the netroots. In my opinion, rahm's not the electoral genius the media would like him to be. he worked hard. i can appreciate that. Many people worked hard for this victory. Chuck Schumer can give Dean and the grassroots their share of the credit. Why can't Rahm?
You mention all the contributions that Rahm collected. I'm concerned exactly who and what the Democrats owe for those contributions. Ii'm sure there are plenty of corporate favors that the democrats must deliver on now that aren't exactly in the interest of middle class America. Say what you will about the amounts raised in the netroots, but the contributions that Kos, Bowers, Atrios, and the netroots raised don't have the same type of strings. I think that's a good thing.
I also think we need public financing of campaigns.
Maybe Rahm wouldn't have to go begging for campaign contributions and could spend a little more time with his family. Maybe candidates wouldn't have to spend most of their time begging for contributions, and could spend more time maybe actually reading the bills they vote for. Maybe we wouldn't have K street lobbyists writing legislation for our representatives. Maybe citizens would have a government that is more responsive to the needs of the American people, even the ones who can't write 5 figure checks.
Update: It is nice to see that Rahm has disavowed Carville's idiotic power play to topple Howard Dean. He still probably doesn't have a good word to say about Dean, but I'm not ever expecting peace between them.
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