February 23, 2005
Party of No
Journalist Gloria Borger says the Democrats have become the "party of no."
As it turns out, Howard Dean is not the best choice to lead the Democratic National Committee. If the party is looking for a new spokesman, there is a better choice--David Spade (with apologies to his Capital One ad):Social Security reform? No. Clear some judges? No way, Jose. Find some agreement on national security? Nyet. Sure, the Democrats are struggling to find their voice, pick their leaders, and agree on a legislative strategy. It's hard work. But it's also too bad they're allowing themselves to look like a bunch of minority naysayers--defined more by old tactics than new ideas. Sad to say, the Democrats are becoming the party of no.
Ironically, it's the Republicans who understand the Democrats' predicament. "We were the party of no since the 1930s," a top White House aide told me. "It took Ronald Reagan and his 'Morning in America' for us to get out of that mind-set and start proposing solutions to problems." And there is no going back. No way. Never.
That must be why the DNC elected Howard "Dr. No" Dean as their new leader -- David Spade turned them down.
