Vox Mia - Adding My Voice to the Chorus

That’s Our Howard!

April 24th, 2005

I like how Washington Whispers describes our Democratic Chair:

New Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean is no Terry McAuliffe . Where the flashy former Clinton fundraiser was a gregarious ringmaster accustomed to the bling-bling of the highest non-publicly elected Democratic job around, Dean is almost a seminarian in his approach to the post. And, oddly, his style seems to fit with the party’s bid to build its blue-collar base–just as McAuliffe’s meshed with the DNC’s need to raise gobs of money and go high tech.

I particularly like the contrast that’s drawn in the last sentence above. Of course, I wish that the contrast were drawn in terms of substance, rather than merely in terms of style. However, I imagine that that would’ve required too much of a leap of faith for a working journalist in DC, where — it appears — the general prevalent outlook is of cynicism and jadedness. But, no matter, the piece is very positive, it continues:

What’s so different? McAuliffe would limo around town, dropping in at the Palm to huddle with Washington big shots. The 2004 presidential hopeful, by contrast, takes the bus or subway, buying his own $1.35 ticket. Sometimes he bums rides from staffers or walks the four blocks to the Capitol for meetings. “Please Call Me Howard” never flies first class and always carries his own bags.

I’d like to see a major news magazine (hint, hint.. TIME) do a cover story on t the first 100 days of Howard Dean as the chair of the Democratic party, so that the contrasts that are drawn above merely in terms of style, can be expanded on and discussed in terms of substance. Anyone in charge of PR at the DNC should be pitching the major news magazines the “First 100 Days of Howard” as a cover story. This would give Howard Dean an opportunity to re-cast himself and give the media-types something other than the Iowa episode to discuss. Moreover, such a cover story would be an opportunity to present the Democratic party in a new light, as the Washington Whisper suggests:

[Howard Dean's] style seems to fit with the party’s bid to build its blue-collar base.

And, as the Whisper concludes, I’m sure our fellow American’s in Kansas and elsewhere will like what they see, too:

So far, Washington likes what it sees, surprised he’s not the oddball that newsies pegged him as last year. Says an aide, smiling: “They’re giving him a shot.”

Maybe the PR person at the DNC could get John Cloud to do the cover story on Howard Dean.

UPDATE: Cover inspired by your comments. (Yeah, it’s clickable.)

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Democrats, Elections 2006 | Leave Comment

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