[lbo-talk] Dems experiment with "ideas"

[Carl Remick]

>From: Doug Henwood <dhenwood at panix.com>
>
>Washington Post - June 21, 2006
>
>The Democrats Reassess
>Effort to Win Battle of Ideas Includes New Web Site and Journal
>By Dan Balz
>
>... Many Democratic politicians are still tied to past glory and what  
>worries some of the progressives trying to generate new ideas is that  
>elected officials are divorced from what is a lively debate-in-the- making 
>on national security and domestic challenges. "Somehow or  another this 
>conversation does not really make its way to Democratic  politicians very 
>much," said Michael Tomasky, editor of the liberal  American Prospect.
>
>The lone exception he cited was Bill Clinton and his presidency. ...

[Oh yes, what a glorious era of Letting a Thousand Flowers Bloom was the 
Clinton presidency.  Maureen Dowd had a good column today on the Dems' new 
Big-Idea Offensive:]

... Big ideas are not enough, because personalities and circumstances 
intervene. What matters is the bearer of an idea.

Bill Clinton had big ideas but short-circuited his presidency when he 
elevated his chaotic, self-regarding and gluttonous personality to a 
management style. Al Gore had big ideas but was too neutered by political 
mercenaries and focus groups to make those ideas compelling. Maybe because 
she had one idea that was way too big, Hillary has been running away from 
big ideas as though they're poison. ...

[Dowd also had this touching quote from GOP Lonely Guy Bill Kristol, who 
appeared at this event:]

"... since my relations with conservatives these days are so bad — with 
Rumsfeld and immigration and other things — I'd just as soon hang out with 
you guys," the Weekly Standard editor told the room of liberals, bloggers 
and journalists. "You're less mean."

<http://select.nytimes.com/2006/06/21/opinion/21Dowd.html>

Carl