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Media Falsely Report Dean Will Become Lobbyist, Disqualifying Himself From White House
Linked to groups: DFA-Link Organizers, Blog For America, DFA Blog Network, DFA HQ Grassroots
Yesterday, the Washington Post and USA Today incorrectly reported on Gov. Dean's future and some blog sites picked up to story.
Today, the real story comes out:
..."[Washington Post reporter Al] Kamen got it wrong this morning," said Karen Finney, a spokesman for Dean. "He wrote that without talking to me or Dean. As you know, Dean is an Independent Consultant for the firm and not a registered lobbyist."
Indeed, Dean is joining McKenna as a consultant on health care and alternative energy issues and an independent adviser on specific projects that he chooses. His job portfolio, while attempting to influence the political debate, won't include the dreaded 'L-word' in it….
Via Huffington Post
DFA's Executive Director, Arshad Hasan posts:
…Here's the deal: He's not a lobbyist. That's not his gig. It's even in writing in the firm's own announcement. He is providing guidance to clients on Health Care policy and public-private partnerships. I think more people ought to ask Howard's advice on those matters, and I'm glad they are.
But he's not doing any lobbying.
…He is back at DFA (starting this week). We'll be organizing around Health Care (among many other things), and we'll be drawing a line in the sand at the availability of a public option…
Via Daily Kos
We are very excited Gov. Dean will be working on a number of issues but particularly healthcare. As a matter a fact, Gov. Dean will be joining DFA 5th Birthday Parties on March 25th all across the country and I am sure he'll tell you what he is up to.
You can throw your own DFA Birthday Party and join Gov. Dean, Jim Dean, and other special guests by conference call and streamed live over the internet. I hope you can join us.
Perhaps the DC journalists shouldn't be so lazy and should stop listening to rumors and leaks coming out of the wh cos office.
btw, Gov. Dean is on MSNBC Countdown tonight.
I for one am very glad to see this clarification !
Thanks HQ.
maybe he can get the blog up and running so it can help with the health care effort
edit function isn't working, my last post was going to be ... I'll try to make the birthday party ...
- video - Governor Howard Dean addresses Liberal Democrat conference
By Susan Rowe on Mar 11, 2009 6:56 AM EDTHoward Dean, former Governor of Vermont and former chair of the Democratic National Committee, addresses the UK Liberal Democrats' 2009 spring conference in Harrogate.
viewing link: http://www.dailymotion.com/user/libdem/video/x8lh6j_governor-howard-dean-addresses-libe_news
Dean says 'enough' on Limbaugh
...asked if the Limbaugh situation was getting too much play from the Democrats, Mr. Dean laughed and responded: "Of course it is."
"You expect people to have fun, and it was fun, but enough is enough," he said. "The reason it's fun is because it's true."
The conservative radio host has been a top headline for more than a week and Democratic groups seized on Mr. Limbaugh's remark he wants Mr. Obama to "fail" and pushed the idea he is the true leader of the Republican Party.
That was only furthered when Republican National Committee Chairman Michael S. Steele first dismissed Mr. Limbaugh as "entertainment" who offers "ugly" comments but then apologized after being excoriated by the radio titan.
Mr. Dean told The Times it was "an embarrassment" and "ridiculous" that Mr. Steele felt he had to apologize to Mr. Limbaugh.
He said he can't blame Mr. Steele, adding as the leader of the Republicans he shouldn't have to apologize for pointing out the party's sorry shape.
He said the inner-party squabble "reminds me of what happened when I got here," though disputes he had with entrenched party leaders were kept private "instead of a public fight with a very prominent figure."
But DFA is splitting some very fine hairs on this one. Tsk, tsk.
For all practical reasons, there is little or no difference between a lobbyist and a consultant. The "consultant" title gives Howard more leeway since you don't have to report as much to the government about what you do. And there are also rules about who you can talk to when you're a lobbyist.
At McKenna, like all other lobbying firms, having people like Howard means access to his connections to help out a client. Howard advises clients about who to talk to and how to sell their programs, but he does not personally contact congressional staffers or congressmembers on their behalf. The actual "Lobbyist" reports his relationship with the client and Howard gets paid for "assisting the business" of the firm.
Think about it: What else would he be getting paid for? Politicians are hired for their connections.
Does this mean Howard has sold out in any way? No, and I say that without knowing much about McKenna's clients. There are people who lobby for good causes as well as bad.
The issue was really a non-issue; Howard's role with McKenna just wasn't presented very well. I think Al Kamen was just having a slow news day. Besides, the Obama White House has been issuing waivers like baseball cards for lobbyists to work for them. The job wouldn't necessarily preclude Howard from ever working for them. They would just have to want him badly enough to issue a waiver.
...there can be other reasons to hire a politician as a consultant besides their connections:
--a politician / consultant can serve as a sort of "handicapper": they are able to assess the probability of how votes might go...or how individual members are likely to vote.
need an accurate vote count before you decide whether to commit limited cash for persuasive ads in the districts of the "correct" members? a good political consultant (read: howard dean) can offer good insight into that question--and save you money in the process.
--someone like dean can also serve the same function as a "harbor pilot", guiding the client through the committee process--and possibly suggesting "pressure points" of argument (or the proper places to place donations) that might persuade certain members...which couild help to make the ads we mentioned above more effective--again, saving the client money.
trying to get the 60th senate vote, and you aren't sure which republican senator to approach, or how to persuade them to go along? someone who has personal knowledge of the republicans (read: howard dean) is an awfully good resource to have on your side.
--the politician as media / message advisor--particularly one who presided over the winning party at the time of a change in the political dialogue as profound as the one dean has just overseen.
if you have an idea to sell (maybe you're a company that wants to sell medical records software, and you want to ensure there's sufficient stimulus money to make it happen...); having someone who helped change the framing of the american political discussion would be an awfully good advisor to have--and i wouold pay substantial money to hire howard's brain for that purpose.
you'll note that all of these "applications" for a consultant are entirely compatible with progressive causes--and there is no reason to assume that dean taking a consulting position is going to lead to nefarious deeds (tom daschle notwithstanding).
As a longtime supporter of Gov. Dean, I'd rather the he not take this position with the lobbying firm. The job started by Howard with his '04 campaign is nowhere near completion. If anything, he is needed more than ever to keep Obama in line, and to potentially run for President in 2016. The neocons are stronger than ever and we need to have a viable and potent political opposition to more wars of the Iraq war kind that the neocons will certainly try to push through in the future. Indeed, one should be beware that a war with Iran could well be in the works, perhaps to be commenced sometime over the next 3 years, judging from Obama slowing down troop withdrawal from Iraq and the recent claims by Israel that Iran has "crossed the threshold" for a nuclear bomb, which DNI Blair shot down in his testimony to congress. The neocons are out there trying to paint Deam as a "lobbyist" for the precise reason that such a smear potentially diminishes and marginalizes Dean as a political force in the US. The country can ill-afford (even with Obama in the whitehouse) Dean not being an important political player and voice.
- CDP Progressive Caucus "Resolution of Commendation" to Gov. Dean
By Susan Rowe on Mar 13, 2009 4:38 PM EDTDNC Chairman Howard Dean
Resolution of Commendation
WHEREAS Howard Dean, as the Chair of the DNC, continued to prioritize and implement the 50 State Strategy despite serious opposition from within the Democratic Party, and
WHEREAS the victory of Barack Obama in the November 4<sup> </sup>2008 presidential election clearly involved the electoral votes of some historically Republican states that might not have become Democratic if not for the implementation of the 50 State Strategy,
THEREFORE be it resolved that the Progressive Caucus of the California Democratic Party extend a formal commendation to Governor Dean for his excellent work with the DNC on the 50 State Strategy and
THEREFORE be it also resolved that this Resolution of Commendation be circulated for co-sponsorship by the other Caucuses in the California Democratic Party, and that the final resolution be sent to Governor Dean.
http://www.progressivecaucuscdp.org/Dean.html
-----
California -- May 1, 2006
Officer at large, Brad Parker, led an action to support DNC Chair, Howard Dean’s “50 State Plan.” Hundreds of “We’ve Got Your Back” messages will be faxed to the Chair over the next several days in support of the Chair.
http://www.progressivecaucuscdp.org/releases/release/3470078/11943.htm
is there censorship on the dfa blog? who makes the decisions?
my post from yesterday, re hepcidin and iron deficiency complicating ME/CFS, is not up, although the log-in was successful.
**********
happy pi [3.14] day! celebrate with a slice!
I don't know about you guys but I am through with this stuff. I refuse to watch any news channel as its all lies, inuenda, and heresay. What happened to the days of honest fair and balanced reporting.
Bob Sage
- That is why the Fairness Doctrine needs to be reinstated
By Susan Rowe on Mar 16, 2009 5:53 PM EDTIn 1987, the FCC abolished the Fairness Doctrine, prompting some to urge its reintroduction through either Commission policy or Congressional legislation.[...]Under FCC Chairman Mark S. Fowler, a communications attorney who had served on Ronald Reagan's presidential campaign staff in 1976 and 1980, the commission began to repeal parts of the Fairness Doctrine, announcing in 1985 that the doctrine hurt the public interest and violated free speech rights guaranteed by the First Amendment.
[...]In June 1987, Congress had attempted to preempt the FCC decision and codify the Fairness Doctrine, but the legislation was vetoed by President Ronald Reagan. Another attempt to revive the doctrine in 1991 was stopped when President George H.W. Bush threatened another veto.[...]February 11, 2009, Senator Tom Harkin (Democrat of Iowa) told Press, "...we gotta get the Fairness Doctrine back in law again." Later in response to Press's assertion that "...they are just shutting down progressive talk from one city after another," Senator Harkin responded, "Exactly, and that's why we need the fair — that's why we need the Fairness Doctrine back."[...]
Fairness Doctrine block free speech wake up sue i see the pay blogger are still here!!
The American Legion Strongly Opposed to President’s Plan to Charge Wounded Heroes for Treatment
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WASHINGTON, March 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The leader of the nation’s largest veterans organization says he is “deeply disappointed and concerned” after a meeting with President Obama today to discuss a proposal to force private insurance companies to pay for the treatment of military veterans who have suffered service-connected disabilities and injuries. The Obama administration recently revealed a plan to require private insurance carriers to reimburse the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in such cases
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