The DNC and the DLC

In an article by Steven Thomma titled “Liberal Positions Gaining Popularity” pub- lished Friday 22 August 2008 in the McClatchy Newspapers, Thomma says (Demo- crats) are, in short, more liberal than at any time in a generation and eager to end the Reagan era, which dominated not just the other party, but also their own, for nearly three decades (italics added). Thomma last phrase is the key to understanding why Ba- rack Obama choose Joe Biden as his vice presidential running mate and why Hillary Clinton was passed over.

Earlier I had argued that two distinct political parties were vying for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States; the more liberal Democratic National Committee (DNC) was represented by Obama while the the Reagan-isk Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) championed Hillary Clinton. At the end of my June letter I wrote, “If Barack Obama becomes the DNCʼs Presidential nominee, will he chose another DNCʼer for Vice President or will he pick a DLC type? The answer to that question will tell us how unified the Democrats really are.”

When I wrote those words I assumed that since the DLC had won two presidential elections (1992 and 1996) and had put forth two more well funded presidential campaigns (DLCers Gore and Lieberman 2000 and DLCer Kerry and Edwards 2004), the DLC was still a mighty force in national politics. Despite the national news mediaʼs obsession with identity politics and itʼs focus on empty distinctions, Obamaʼs choice of Joe Biden, who is not a DLC member, tells us that should the DNC take the presidency in November, the DLC and perhaps after nearly thirty years, reactionary Reaganism, will be quietly declared over and done with.

Thomma concludes his article by writing, “Republican George W. Bush turned into one of the most unpopular presidents in modern history. Just as American revulsion at Democrat Jimmy Carter in 1980 helped usher in the Reagan era, rejection of the Bush era could help swing the pendulum the other way.” I might add the election of Obama-Biden will also usher out the Clintons once and for all.


August 2008