He said he had learned more about inside DC while being chairman.
Not a bad interview at all. I agree with him. We need leaders to stand on the outside looking in as they can be more objective.
During an interview with The Hill, Dean embraced being called a “consummate outsider,” at one point laughing at the title and asking that it be put on his business cards.
“I like that phrase,” he said, before adding: “It’s not bad. I have a much better view of Washington than when I started the DNC chairmanship.” Dean interview with The Hill More of the interview:
“I don’t know how it’s going to unfold. I do know what I care about. I care deeply about the issues that we talked about. And I’m going to work on those issues, regardless of whether I’m inside or outside an administration or political office.”
His backers in Congress said they’d like to see him stay on the stage. But both of Vermont’s senators, Patrick Leahy (D) and Bernie Sanders (I), plan to be in the Senate for years. Donna Brazile, one of the early defenders of Dean’s DNC strategy, said Dean is someone who drove the national debate and who oversaw the DNC through two successful election cycles.
“Dean should be given credit for helping to guide Democrats out of the political wilderness,” she said.
He said he plans to retain his independence no matter what party is in power.
Wherever Dean ends up, he’s going to retain his independence, even with Democrats in power. He praised the healthcare plan that Obama proposed during his campaign, but said that “it’s not worth anything” if it doesn’t include a public insurance plan. Dean said that he’s inclined to take a different approach from the president—he’s more confrontational, while Obama is from the “let’s-work-all-together generation.” But one thing is certain: Dean will tell Obama when he thinks he’s wrong, just like he did with President Bush.
“I’m less likely to pick up a flamethrower,” he said. “But you know, I think there are things that have to be done.”
One more thing he says in the link to the
pdf page at the site with additional comments, and I agree.
[br />DEAN ON REFORMING THE DNC:
“We had none of the tools the RNC had. We had no discipline. We had no message. And the principal tactic of getting reelected for most Democrats was to behave like Republicans when you could and try to pretend there wasn’t any difference. And that’s not a winning proposition. So now I think we really are a party. We had an incredible presidential candidate who ran an unbelievably disciplined campaign. But the key is — and Obama certainly gets this better than anybody — is that the real strength in this country comes from outside Washington.”
Yes, the real strength in this country comes from outside Washington. We can't forget that.
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