Looks like Dean will stand his ground with Pelosi and Reid.

Update: I've shared some thoughts on this situation here. It's my first attempt at a Podcast, and it's in mp3 format. Once again, my *very* first time doing this. Please be gentle. :-) --Renee



I say good for him. We need to build the party throughout the country. Sounds like he took a stand.

Democratic Leaders Question Whether Dean's Right on the Money

Democratic congressional leaders aren't happy with the way Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean is spending money. At a private meeting last month, they let him know.

Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (Nev.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) challenged the former Vermont governor during a session in Pelosi's office, according to Democratic sources. The leaders complained about Dean's priorities -- funding organizers for state parties in strongly Republican states such as Mississippi -- rather than targeting states with crucial races this fall.

Neither side was willing to give ground, according to several accounts of the meeting. Dean argued that his strategy is designed to rebuild the party across the country, and that he had pledged to do so when he ran for party chairman. Reid and Pelosi countered that if Democrats squander their opportunities this year, longer-term organizing efforts will not matter much.

Dean has won friends among state party leaders for his efforts to underwrite the hiring of organizers in states where Republicans have been winning in presidential races. Dean campaigned for the DNC chairmanship by pledging to make Democrats competitive in all 50 states, not just in the 16 to 18 presidential battlegrounds. One congressional Democrat responded: "Nobody's suggesting they do 16 states, but not all states are equal."

Pelosi was particularly insistent in pressing Dean to keep focused on 2006, but Dean is reluctant to give congressional colleagues anything approaching a blank check, preferring to stay on the course he began a year ago.

I had some figures, can't find them now, that the DNC outraised the DSCC and DCCC in January of this year. Pretty impressive. Dean said he put the money back into the states as he promised.

I hope he stands his ground.

I hope we have his back on this. I think we do.

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