Obama Campaign Taking Over Large Swaths Of DNC Operations
Obama's rapid takeover of the Democratic Party continues apace:
In a major shakeup at the Democratic National Committee -- and a departure from tradition -- large parts of the committee's operations are relocating to Chicago to be fully integrated with the Obama campaign.The DNC's political department, housed in Washington, D.C., will be dramatically rebuilt, with staffers offered a choice of moving to Chicago, joining state operations, or staying in Washington, DNC spokeswoman Karen Finney said.
But with the power will clearly be shifting to a centralized Chicago hub.
The DNC's key role in coordinating political operations with state parties is expected to largely taken over and overseen by Obama's senior staff in Chicago, state party officials said.
In addition, Ben Smith also notes that staffers for Howard Dean's 50 state strategy will be shifted over to work for the campaign in battleground states. Coming after Obama's directive to his donors not to give to 527s, it's the latest sign of how rapidly he's moving both to remake the party in his own image and to impose message discipline on it.
Boy, the "message discipline" part is music to my ears.
My question about this move, though, is what effect will moving the DNC headquarters have on getting the message out in the first place?
June 12, 2008 12:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
well, if the obama campaign has tighter control over the DNC's messaging, it will be more in sync with the campaign's message -- the move itself doesn't necessarily affect this, but the overall takeover does
June 12, 2008 12:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
That is exactly what I was going to say. At last somebody is going to bring some discipline to the Democratic Party. They really need it.
June 12, 2008 1:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
My opinion is that message discipline is where the Republicans have always excelled and the Democrats have always been a complete disaster. This is great news.
June 12, 2008 1:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Any move by politicians to get out of the Washington DC bubble, and out into the rest of the country is a great move IMHO.
June 12, 2008 12:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Definitely. And, there's PR value in this move. The Democratic National Committee is no longer "inside the Beltway".
Geographically speaking, of course.
June 12, 2008 12:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey watch it! I live inside the Beltway (can even see it from my back deck in the winter), and I don't like the mainstream pundits and party apparatchiks any more than the rest of you do.
June 12, 2008 2:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Has any Democratic nominee ever acted so boldly?
Is this kind of thing normal? Maybe I just wasn't paying enoug attention the last two election cycles (I doubt that though, I was enthralled.)
June 12, 2008 12:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's very encouraging that he wishes to do what he says.... change Washington. He's already doing that and he hasn't even been elected yet. Impressive....
June 12, 2008 12:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
The Windy City must be rockin with this news...
June 12, 2008 1:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hell yeah! Center of the progressive universe!
June 12, 2008 1:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
It now makes Chicago the heart of the Democratic November Strategy. It's a great move, as more reporting will be done by midwestern and plain state newspapers. And then the Convention will be in Denver. I like.
June 12, 2008 1:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
I love this - both in terms of reinforcing his message of change and a demonstration of his leadership.
June 12, 2008 1:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Organiztion? Coordination? Message discipline? By Democrats? My god. It's like I stepped through a portal into some parallel universe.
That would explain Richardson showing up out of nowhere sporting a goatee and endorsing Obama.
June 12, 2008 1:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think some of this change is designed to empower the DNC financially, and though I am not sure of the mechanisms to be used, I think we will see a strong improvement in the DNC's bank account balance.
Obama built his grassroots on the foundation started by Dean.....Dean had to spend a lot of resources to initiate that 50 state party building effort. I love it that Obama is intent on following up and strengthening the party for the future.
June 12, 2008 1:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Question, does John McCain have the same ability as BO does in the RNC? if he does, your not hearing anything about how JM reshaping the RNC.
June 12, 2008 1:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
McCain has not earned the proper respect because he chose to talk out of school all those years. The GOP is unforgiving, despite McCain's barn-red voting record.
This is what will happen. As women discover McCain's women's health policies amount to providing hand-me-down slippers for the cold kitchen floor, they will abandon him.
This will open the door for Bob Barr or Ron Paul or perhaps even someone else to steal a serious number of votes.
If McCain limps into the convention trailing Obama by double-digits, the GOP may opt to not accept him, though it could not possibly make any difference at that point.
Bob Barr is serious trouble. He puts NC and GA in play, and this could exapand as McPastIt forgets where set down his drink.
June 12, 2008 1:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Exactly. This point needs to be stated over and over. NO woman should vote for this guy.
June 12, 2008 1:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
And you won't. I would seriously doubt whether he will in fact be the repug nominee after the St Paul convention.....
June 12, 2008 11:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
What are you imagining? Some kind of massive defection of pledged delegates?
I'm not saying it couldn't happen, but if it did the thin remaining grassroots of the Republican Party would really be uprooted. If their primary votes could be so callously disgarded at the convention, what hope would they have that their issues would be given more than lip service after the election?
No I think it is much more likely that McSame gets the coronation at the convention, but then finds his "leadership" to be an illusion. He will go out onto the field of battle and yell "Charge!", but there will not be any army behind him.
(Sorry for the double post [see below... waaaay below]. Somehow my "In reply to" got unchecked the first time.)
June 13, 2008 9:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm not sure about the context here. Is this type of fusion typical for presidential campaigns (of either party)?
June 12, 2008 1:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
The consolidation of pwoer outside the beltway for a traditionally D.C. org is rare, and it can only help the process. The establishment dems were handed their hats last week, and told "no more."
I think we'll see more changes like this. As josephcat reflecfts above, he's only been at it for a week!
June 12, 2008 1:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
I know. A campaign being run like a military operation. Base on past experience, I didn't know a Democrat was capable of this level of discipline.
June 12, 2008 1:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not military so much as High School Principal.
June 12, 2008 1:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sounds good! Goooooobama!!
June 12, 2008 1:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Good Idea. This way both Obama Campaign and DNC can stay in the Loop.
June 12, 2008 1:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thank you so much for that delicious pun.
June 12, 2008 2:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
In a related note, where is this mythical land of "Battleground" I've heard so much about? Obama leads in MI, NJ, WI, IA, WA, CA, big leads in NY and today, MA by 23 points. And Obama leads in every national poll by 5-6 points, with McCain in the low forties in each and every one. And McCain gan barely get his rattletrap jalopy of a campaign to start when he turns the key.
June 12, 2008 1:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Appalachia for the republicans, PA and Ohio. For obama, it's virtually the entire republican map to pick off as many states as possible, except of course the appalachia republican states like Kentucky, WV, and Alabama. Pretty much everything else is in play.
June 12, 2008 1:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
TN is not in play either. If Obama wins TN John McCain might as well make it unanimous and vote for him as well.
June 12, 2008 4:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
And now according to Rasmussen, within 2 points of McCain in North Carolina.
Protect your flank, John! And watch those coffers run dry.
June 12, 2008 1:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
I hope Obama taps Jim Malone to run the Chicago operations.
June 12, 2008 1:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Man oh man, this guys is a ROCK STAR!... Such a breath of fresh air to a stale party that is so dysfunctional. Obama is the quintessential pragmatic idealist and has the perfect blend of dreaming high with the "get-shit-done" attitude. Count me in as having drunk the Kool-aide! This guy is what we have been waiting for... Keep it up Obama.
June 12, 2008 1:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
There will be certain push-back from the establishment Dems. I still don't believe we've seen the last of Hillary and her establishment surrogates.
June 12, 2008 1:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
agreed. there's already a lot of noise about how Obama is a scion of the Chicago political machine, and this move will only reinforce that buzz.
June 12, 2008 3:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
wow. this bodes extremely well for the party, and speaks powerfully as an example of change. any argument that Obama would not be capable of any sort of real change just got weaker.
June 12, 2008 1:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama made history when he became the first black democratic nominee..... he is going to make history by becoming the first black president.... but it gets even better.... he is going to make history by winning alot of the republican states come this general election, such as: South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia:)
This is going to be the Year of history making for the democrates.
GO OBAMA!!!!!
I hope Clinton, Richardson, Edwards, or Webb will become the VP:)
This is Our YEAR!!!!!
June 12, 2008 1:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
God I love to see this. Getting Democrats on message has been like herding cats during a lighting storm. I'm just hoping that Obama's goal of organization and message discipline for his party has the long term effect of improving and strengthening their perceived ability to govern effectively.
The only thing I'd caution is that any organization tends to become bureaucratic with time, so Obama should probably watch out for the temptation to expand his campaign too quickly and in too many directions at once. Otherwise, I love what I'm seeing.
June 12, 2008 1:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
It is my hope that Obama will use the interwebs to drastically reduce the need for heavy beauracracies. When transactions occur in real time, there really isn't time for things to get bogged down in process.
This would be an evolution of politics further into the cleansing fires of the intertubes, that what done in King Bubbuh and Jane.
As is happening to McPastIt.
June 12, 2008 1:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Howard Dean deserves a lot of credit for this as well. Obama and Dean seem to have merged their strategies quite well. And the end result will be a Democratic Party that will rewrite much of the script. The Republicans are going to need to start nearly from scratch when this is all over. I doubt they have the fluidity or the creativity to meet this challenge without experiencing a lot of pain in the process. Serves 'em right.
One of the greatest things about this, I believe, is that it's a good demonstration to those who may be on the fence about Obama's leadership qualities. Once the national press picks up on this, I think it will help Obama sell himself to undecided voters.
June 12, 2008 2:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think you're giving the national press too much credit.
I'm also not sure that most voters will care.
June 12, 2008 9:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
John McCain does not stand a chance of winning this general election...... He should go ahead and drop out of the race, why wait having a general election... he should go ahead and concede and thank Obama for winning:) and thank Bush for helping him lose:)
June 12, 2008 1:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
It would save a lot of time and money!
On t'other hand, the political purgatory the GOP has created for itself must be endured to be wholly appreciated, and it will haunt them long after this election. Decades, I'd say.
June 12, 2008 1:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks for enthusiasm HillaryClinton08!
June 12, 2008 1:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
You're exactly who I thought you were, HillaryClinton08. We're very lucky to have you and your enthusiasm on our side. :)
June 12, 2008 2:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
ALL FOR THE GREATER GLORY OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS!
I love this town!
June 12, 2008 1:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
More good news from The Man.
I'm sure he'll mess up at some point, but he's really impressing me.
Maybe when he's President he can move the Congress to South Dakota -- good for the US, good for Congress, only so-so for South Dakota.
June 12, 2008 1:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's not a half-bad idea.
June 12, 2008 2:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
He should move congress to Sacramento. It will improve the caliber of politicians in both cities
(Yeah I know, a modification of a Will Roger's pun)
June 12, 2008 2:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
I have to admit, I am becoming very impressed with Obama's ruthless efficiency and organization. Machine indeed - and he is a Democrat, shocking.
Despite the fact that I am Obamanite, I fully expected a bit of an inexperienced campaign. Not so not so at all. Not that he still won't make a few rookie moves but this would be quite impressive for a seasoned candidate.
Most importantly - if this is any indication of how he will run his administration...elect this man now!
June 12, 2008 1:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
From a strategic standpoint, this is like building a fortress on a mountaintop. It will be much easier to keep the enemy at bay this way. And I love the idea that the Chicago media will hold a major position in this race. Great news. Fantastic news.
June 12, 2008 2:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't think of the Chicago media as so very good for such a large and lively city. Major paper, the Trib, basically sucks even though it has some good people. But I agree getting away from the ossified DC world is a wonderful thing.
June 12, 2008 2:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is a gift to the Trib. I guarantee you they will return the favor. Who knows, maybe Obama can even win the Hoosiers over.
June 12, 2008 2:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
Now maybe we have a better idea of what was making Terry McCauliffe so crazy.
June 12, 2008 2:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Heh. There are several Dem power brokers asking "whuh happened?"
My Pappy always said if you want a tree to grow, you have to prune the top. Too many old style Dems were in to pruning the roots
June 12, 2008 2:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Great analogy! Prune the tree top, not the roots!
June 12, 2008 3:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Landslide coming.
June 12, 2008 2:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well apparently Obama doesn’t waste any time, so when the GOP try to insinuate or paint Obama as another Jimmy Carter it should now seem complete absurd.
Obama is definitely very pro-active. If we compare him to anybody - if would have John F. Kennedy.
June 12, 2008 2:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
He's certainly not shy about challenging the status quo, is he? :)
June 12, 2008 3:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's all about hiding where the campaign donations are coming from. McCain is doing the same thing. Yawn.
June 12, 2008 3:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Win.
btw - let's not forget that the Appalachians run through NY, CT, MA, VT, NH, and ME.
June 12, 2008 4:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Consarnit! One of my favorite quotes has been something Will Rogers once said: "I don't belong to any organized party. I'm a Democrat."
Now Obama is ruining it. I hope he at least lets me keep Mencken: "Self-respect: the secure feeling that no one, as yet, is suspicious."
June 12, 2008 5:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
So, does this mean Channey's plumbers will have to relocate or just commute?
June 12, 2008 8:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is so much better than I ever imagined it could be...he is taking over the whole party!! He is....organizing!!! I so love it, and I feel so energized by all of this!! We have a chance to fix the crap-hole that bush dug.
June 12, 2008 8:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Daley. 1968.
Chi-town's a rough place.
Watch out how much Kool-Ade you drink now.
The real question is - how well can he keep the DC crowd on message. Already they're running a bit too loose for my taste. He needs to have no more Johnsons and it's going to be a trick to find the team players in the wider party.
At least Bill doesn't use email.
June 13, 2008 8:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
What are you imagining? Some kind of massive defection of pledged delegates?
I'm not saying it couldn't happen, but if it did the thin remaining grassroots of the Republican Party would really be uprooted. If their primary votes could be so callously disgarded at the convention, what hope would they have that their issues would be given more than lip service after the election?
No I think it is much more likely that McSame gets the coronation at the convention, but then finds his "leadership" to be an illusion. He will go out onto the field of battle and yell "Charge!", but there will not be any army behind him.
June 13, 2008 9:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry about this. Look above for correct placement of this comment in context.
June 13, 2008 9:56 AM | Reply | Permalink