The DLC, Past and Present

by: Mike Lux

Tue Aug 14, 2007 at 09:32

I've been slow to do that for a number of different reasons, most of which relate to my insider-y-ness. I've always preferred focusing on positive ways we can build the progressive movement, rather than worrying about what the DLC is doing. And I much prefer beating up on Republicans than on Democrats, even Democrats I don't agree with. Although I line up on the opposite side of them on a great many issues, I have a more nuanced view of them than most netroots members. But Glenn's post and Ford's attack of anti-war Democrats and the anti-Semitic attack on Meet the Press stirred me to write something.

Reasons Not To Speak At the DLC Convention

by: Chris Bowers

Sat Jul 28, 2007 at 18:44

The Democratic presidential candidates have chosen sides in the latest skirmish in the long-running war between the party's business-friendly moderates and liberal-leaning activists. This time, they are with the liberals.

The front-running candidates all are staying away from Nashville, Tenn., this weekend, which is hosting the annual gathering of the Democratic Leadership Council, the business-friendly group of centrist Democrats who played such a key role in guiding the party from Walter Mondale's defeat in 1984 to Bill Clinton's victories in 1992 and 1996.

But they all will be in Chicago next weekend for the second annual convening of Internet bloggers, a relatively new part of campaign infrastructure that wasn't even imagined when Mondale and Clinton were campaigning for votes.

Al From isn't concerned. He says the DLC isn't very comfortable with primaries and is focused on helping Democrats in the general election. From the same, subscription-only article:

"Always the most uncomfortable year for us is the third year in the cycle when people are looking at the early primaries and caucuses," he said. Candidates now "are focused on winning interest group votes... We were organized and always have been the force in the party that looks to the general election and tries to connect the Democratic Party to the mainstream values of the country."

Uncomfortable with the third year of the election cycle, eh? They didn't felt hat way back in 1995, when they advocated cutting ties with then sitting president Bill Clinton, and even tried to find a primary challenger against him. Rick Perlstein:

After the 1994 elections Joel Kotkin, a senior fellow of the DLC's Progressive Policy Institute, called for New Democrats to cut Clinton loose in favor of a primary challenger in 1996 or even think about leaving the Democratic Party altogether. The DLC's Progressive Foundation put out feelers to begin a third-party movement-"a new approach," according to the PPI board chairman Michael Steinhardt, "to separate ourselves from the Democratic Party."

Back in 1995, the only thing the DLC seemed uncomfortable with was their notion that Bill Clinton was too liberal. As such, they started the Third Way project and looked for a primary challenger against him (emphasis mine, and an unfortunate LaRouche link, but at leas they had the quote I sought):

According to Michael Steinhardt, chairman of PPI's Board of Trustees until he resigned at the end of 1995, the Third Way Project was to be 'a new approach to separate ourselves from the Democratic Party.' He explained [to author Baer] that the DLC began to take on a more bipartisan focus, which appealed to a number of contributors, including Steinhardt himself, who advocated the formation of a third party and went so far as to meet with Bill Bradley to try to persuade him to run for President in 1996."

Now, some might protest that was twelve years ago, and surely the DLC has improved since then. When have they ever threatened splintering with the Democratic Party in the last decade? Surely, they will be with Democratic in 2008, right? Wrongo. Last year, both From and Steinhardt held a dinner to encourage Michael Bloomberg to run in 2008:

CBS 2 has learned the details of a private dinner for the mayor that was held at an apartment building on Manhattan's Upper East Side last month. There, he spent the evening in serious discussions about the viability of a White House run.

Sources told CBS 2 Bloomberg brought three deputy mayors with him, and proceeded to talk through every angle of a presidential run. By the end, the group had zeroed in on his running as an independent in 2008. And, the sources said, he seemed intrigued.

The dinner was held at the home of Michael Steinhardt, a legendary Wall Street hedge fund manager and a Bloomberg friend. He brought along Al From, head of the Democratic Leadership Council, which played a part in Bill Clinton's rise to power in 1992.

DLC leaders are currently encouraging Michael Bloomberg to run as an independent. That is even worse that encouraging Bill Bradley to run in the primaries against Clinton. At least a primary fight keeps it in the Democratic Party. Now, they are actively seeking candidates to run against Democrats in general elections. As such, From's lines about being uncomfortable with primaries and being there for the party in the general seem like little more than lies. If there were anything else, then the DLC would not have sought a primary challenger against Clinton in 1995, and would not be encouraging a Bloomberg independent run in 2007.

Before the Democratic nominee decides whether or not to speak at the 2008 DLC convention, s/he should ask the DLC what side it is on. This is especially since the nominee might be forced to share the stage with another presidential candidate, Michael Bloomberg. If nothing else, that certainly isn't a problem s/he will face at Yearly Kos 2008.