What do you think? We're now hearing and reading reports that Howard Dean may be in the running for Surgeon General, now that CNN TV star Sanjay Gupta has decided he doesn't want to give up the big mediabucks to do it.
Obviously Dean didn't get the HHS or health care reform jobs, and among other reasons people have attributed that to the extreme hostility that Rahm Emanuel has for him.
So if that's the case, what makes Surgeon General different? Is it because nobody really wants the job? Given the opportunity to sort of make your own portfolio, and the history of past surgeons general to get in trouble with their mouths (see, C. Everett Koop, Jocyelyn Elders) it would almost seem to be an ideal job for Dean, doesn't it?
Hosted by Liz and Eric Miller, last night's fundraiser for the Vermont Democratic Party was a great first step in putting the VDP back in business since the Democratic National Committee has stopped funding State Parties.
Burlington Photographer Carolyn Bates released the following photo of elected Vermont Democrats in attendance at this VDP Fundraiser. Many more photos will be popping up on the VDP website and other venues as Carolyn was photographing non-stop.
From left to right: Acting Vermont Democratic Party Chair Judy Bevans, Senate President Pro-Tem Peter Shumlin, Former Governor Howard Dean, Attorney General Bill Sorrell, Chittenden County State's Attorney TJ Donovan, Secretary of State Deb Markowitz, and State Representative Joey Donovan. Speaker of the House Shap Smith and Senator Doug Racine, who were also in attendance, left prior to this photo shoot for previously scheduled events.
As usual Howard was warm, approachable and full of humor. He regaled the group with humorous stories while reminding everyone that now was not the time to let up. Using the health care issue as an example, Howard noted that now the hard work must begin. It is time, he admonished, to make sure that all Dems become more progressive rather than compromising our party's principals in order to win a few Republican votes.
At last weekend's DemocracyFest, I had the opportunity for an exclusive ten-minute sit-down with former Vermont Governor and current DNC Chair Howard Dean. I had the chance to ask him a few brief questions just before he went on to deliver the conference keynote, and took the opportunity to ask a few general questions about the electoral challenges ahead, as well as get his perspective on some Vermont happenings.
A note to hopeful readers looking for some sort of Mike Wallace-style grilling: fuggedaboutit. Number one, I aint a reporter, I'm just a guy who splays his opinions on a piece of software for the world to see. But number two, Dean is head of the Democratic National Committee, and the DNC head is simply not a policy position. Sure, if I was talking to Reid or Pelosi, it'd be all about issues, but Dean's job is to build Party infrastructure, propogate the message and support his candidates - in other words, to win elections.
Having said that, Dean was clearly promoted to his position, not simply to structurally reform the Party, but to do so from a progressive policy position, so it's a fine line he walks, and IMO he generally walks it well (click here to read an account of his speech before the conference, as an example).
I was wondering if the job had aged the Governor, given it's demands as well as the grief he has received from friend and foe alike, but Dean looked fit, rested, healthy and relaxed, which suggests to me that the job is a good fit.
A note - I made a tape recording of the conversation, but as we got into it and became more casual and relaxed, the audio tended to drop from the recording because our tones dropped and were swallowed by the room (I denote the drops in the text). Ah well. I'd never even tried to interview anyone before that day (and probably won't again anytime soon), so it's live and learn I guess.
My final report on DemocracyFest is going to be brief, as I was away in the afternoon during most of the good stuff. I arranged to catch up with former Alaska Senator (and Presidential candidate) Mike Gravel across town for what turned out to be an extended interview, so I wasn't able to catch Dennis Kucinich calling into the conference (GreenVermonster was there.... perhaps he'll grace us with his impression). Nor was I able to catch Matt Dunne's presentation on "Service Politics." Basically all I can recount further is a piece of the e Pluribus media presentation, and of course the big speech by DNC Chair Howard Dean.
The good news, though, is that I was able to secure interviews not only with Gravel, but with Dunne, and even Howard Dean. I'll have the Dean interview up at some point Monday and will trickle out the others as I can transcribe them. Hopefully I'll also have the Hodes/Shea-Porter clip by the end of the week.
After days (weeks) of jumping through technological hurdles, we've bade i to and through the 1st Day of DemocracyFest. Today is the 2nd and last day.
I missed all but a couple of minutes of every speaker, but Odum's coverage allows me to "see" them vicariously. but that means I can't give any cool accounts of "Encounters with Greatness."
We do have one of the most compelling speakers of the event coming up tonight, just before Dean (note, the rest of the event requires a ticket).
In 2004 Carlos Arredondo answered the door to find two men in uniform - waiting to tell him his son was dead. Alex had gone to Iraq and would never return home. Carlos asked them to leave, and they refused. Learn abou Alex, about Carlos and Melida's (Alex's step mom) wonderful son, and their ongoing mission to end the conflict in Iraq.
Congratulations to New Hampshire for achieving civil unions (without threat of a court order) for Granite State gay and lesbian couples. A wonderful day for my natal state, in keeping with their wisdom and courage in electing the Episcopal Church's first openly gay bishop, Gene Robinson.
I like civil unions. Lots less baggage than "marriage." We get to invent our own traditions, or carry on parts of the old ones, or take on the whole marriage panoply of ceremony and tradition as we like.
But -- and you knew there would be a "but" -- what sticks in my craw are comments like those of Howard "Fifty State" Dean, the former governor who signed Vermont's civil unions bill secretively, behind closed doors, so as not to offend the bigots or allow the queers and their equality-minded allies opportunity to celebrate. Howard Dean, the former presidential candidate who made millions of dollars for his 2004 campaign from hopeful queers across the country, thanks in large part to gay and lesbian Vermonters who campaigned for him among out-of-state communities he otherwise had no clue how to address, shows an odd mix of almost-courage buried in cowardice. It's as if his heart for justice is battling his fearful political instincts, and unfortunately there is no well-meaning but ultimately fraudulent Wizard of Oz to give him a medal so he could finally go with justice.
About New Hampshire's enactment of civil unions, a step toward equality for gay and lesbian couples, Howard Dean, the current kingmaker of the Democratic Party, said in a statement carried by WCAX TV:
You know I don't think marriage or civil unions are a national issue. I think the defense of marriage act is unconstitutional. Clearly the states have the right to make these kinds of decisions about benefits and legal relationships and that's always been the way it is. I think there should be less federal regulation not more.
Okay, he threw one good line in there: "I think the defense of marriage act [DOMA] is unconstitutional." That's the courageous Lion part.
The problems with the rest of his statement are below the fold.
