Thursday, November 26, 2009

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Washington Whispers by Paul Bedard

Tim Kaine Expected to Broaden Democratic Appeal as DNC Chair

January 05, 2009 03:57 PM ET | Paul Bedard | Permanent Link | Print

By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers

Expectations that Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine will be installed as chairman of the Democratic National Committee by President-elect Barack Obama suggest strongly that the party headquarters will continue the move by outgoing Chairman Howard Dean to expand the party beyond its old 18-state model. Party officials say Obama's pick of Kaine indicates that the new president both wants to reward and recognize support from traditionally GOP states like Kaine's Virginia and to expand the party's march into Republican territory. Kaine backed Obama very early in the Democratic primaries and helped to turn the home of the Confederacy into a Democratic state that backed Obama in the general election. The officials said that Kaine would be the second party chairman to move away from the old, urban-state-based approach of sustaining support in 18 key states to a more expansive approach that is likely to include outreach in southern states and traditional Republican strongholds like Texas. One official said that like Obama and Dean, Kaine understands the value in toning down the harsh partisan rhetoric while reaching out to new voters. Dean's move was controversial four years ago, but now even his critics give him credit for rebuilding the party in all 50 states, a move that the Obama campaign was able to piggyback off in its 2008 victory.

Tags: DNC | Democrats | Howard Dean | Tim Kaine

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Reader Comments

DNC pork

Gov. Kaine

You looked on TV this evening with Chris Wallace. I had just dispatched a letter to the President. You may be interested. Following is a copy of my letter.

Open letter to the President--------------- March 8, 2009

Mr. President:

You are a wonderful orator! I voted for you with the audacity to hope that you would bring about meaningful change. You are losing credibility at an increase rate of speed. The most important campaign promise you made was to end earmarks. The change we got is that PORK is inserted into critical legislation before the earmark stage is reached. The flap is causing delay in the stimulus bill. It is time for you to exert leadership and read the riot act to Pelosi and Reid! Do it in the open so that their radical liberal supporters, and Peter King, get the word too. Their actions make you out to be a big liar and give Limbaugh fodder. Strip the economic package of everything that can be considered Pork. Get the bill passed as Buffet has recommended. You were right in the way you handled Rev. Wright but he was right when he said Chickens come home to roost. They will roost on your shoulders unless you act to correct the situation. You will be a one-term president. Worst of all, we will have a Republican Congress.

I am old enough to be your grandfather and this ex-marine would like to “mess with “Joe”. He is dancing with corrupt labor leaders. We need labor unions but when they are plagued with arrogant leaders they are worse then sweatshops. By all means do not let big labor kill the secret ballot. Decent hard working people get shouted down and harassed by the corrupt loud mouths at labor meetings.

Bring Iacocca back and let the free market and bankruptcy courts handle the Automobile problem. Summers and the Treasury Secretary are incompetent when it comes to manufacturing and the auto business.

Yes, Health Care is important but the economy is the number one problem in our country.

Yours truly,

Russell C. W. Crom

904 Barbery Lane, Mt. Prospect, IL 60056 Telephone: 847-259-4714

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