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Not Just Any Kind Of Leadership |
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This post is part of the MyDD candidate series. I am not affiliated with the Dodd campaign in any way.
It’s been a Chris Dodd week.
The progressive wing of the Democratic party is absolutely ecstatic after a rare victory in the midst of so many disappointments. Chris Dodd, acting with support from only a few key Senators, successfully stared down not only George Bush and the war-on-terror fear machine, but Harry Reid and the centrist conservative wing of the Democratic party. Sure, discussion on FISA and telecom amnesty was only put off for a few weeks, but the victory makes it that much harder for Bush and his Democratic collaborators to win the next round.
The blogosphere immediately picked up on Dodd’s leadership, yet a fair amount of the buzz seemed to coalesce around a push for Dodd to replace Harry Reid as Senate Majority Leader, not to put Dodd in the White House. Sam Stein at The Huffington Post was calling for it. Kos was calling for it. Todd called for it at MyDD. And I don’t necessarily disagree with them. I think Chris Dodd would make a fine Majority Leader. But the type of leadership Dodd demonstrated on Monday wasn’t the type of leadership Majority Leaders need. It was Presidential leadership that we saw on display.
Senate Majority Leaders bring people together. They work out compromises. They whip up votes and keep members in line. I’m sure Chris Dodd could do all those things. But Dodd’s FISA filibuster shows that he is adept at using the bully pulpit, standing up for what’s right and not backing down, and using every advantage and ally to greatest effect. This is what the President does, too.
Chris Dodd demonstrated uniquely Presidential leadership when he stood up for the Constitution. Why stick him with a consolation prize before he’s had a chance to prove himself with voters in the primary? If you believe Dodd’s defense of the Constitution demonstrated he has right stuff for higher office, then just come out and say it: This man should be President.
It seems some out there agree. People have responded in incredible numbers to Dodd’s Constitutional argument (which I explained last week and which I believe was central to the success of Dodd’s rhetoric on Monday). According to the Dodd campaign, over $200,000 was raised with an average donation size of under $50. 25,000 new people have joined Dodd’s email list. 615,000 emails were sent through Dodd’s website (not counting those that emailed through other sites). 21,000 comments were left in support (again, not counting comments left on other sites, like Firedoglake and Crooks & Liars). I submitted 4 stories on Dodd to reddit.com on Monday and received over 4,300 votes and 18,000 visitors.
Dodd’s strong actions have translated into real, broad based, grassroots support for Dodd’s presidential campaign. This movement isn’t something that’s going to evaporate after the Iowa caucuses. These citizens want to see Democrats protecting the Constitution and fighting for what they believe in. And they want someone who has shown the ability to do those things not as Majority Leader, but as commander and chief in the White House.
(cross posted at MyDD)
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