Ever since the last ADP election and subsequent resignation of Paul Eckerstom as the new chair, I've tried to look for signs of intellectual life at the ADP. I've tried to see if anyone there really "gets it" that things are broken and simply rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic will not solve all of the organization's problems. I've tried to find any sign that the targeting of districts, ownership of state level races by the ADP and the manhandling (person-handling?) of candidates by ADP staff is a train wreck. I've looked high and low for clues that people recognize the Napolitano years of top-down, authoritarian control of the ADP was a bad thing that got us nowhere politically. I've tried to see if those who developed and mismanaged the state's disastrous 2008 legislative campaigns would see fit to find other lines of work on their own or have it be suggested strongly that they do (at least one got the message). And I've searched for reassurances that Don Bivens really has listened to the base and will take their concerns to heart.
I've talked to a lot of people in the party, from activists to PCs to state committee members. Because of Desert Politics, I've spoken to other members of the fourth estate including other radio hosts and newspaper reporters (radio and TV people don't talk to one another). What I hear is that people really aren't crazy about Bivens being chairman again. What I hear is people will vote for him --only-- because of his connections to money or because there is no other candidate. Out of the 30 or so people I've spoken to, whether they're on the state committee, an average Democrat, or in the media, only a handful have complete confidence that Bivens has learned enough of a lesson to implement the changes needed to win in 2010. Maybe more are out there, but they're sure not making themselves known. Nearly everyone I've spoken to has some level of doubt. I wish that wasn't the case.
Some are out there saying Bivens is the only one who can raise the money we need. I would argue that's not enough if the organizational and strategic changes won't happen. The reasons people give to the party (time or money) is because it's headed in the right direction, NOT just because the party needs something. Money should be given enthusiastically, not begrudgingly. If you need an example, look at the Obama campaign.
Even a group of young Democrats organized under the banner "Building A Stronger ADP," came out and said what they thought needed to be done, which sounded an awful lot alike what some of us were saying right after the election fiasco. The bottom line is people are NOT expressing confidence in Bivens, current leadership or management at this point. Otherwise, why would we still be having this discussion?
I was at a meeting earlier where a county chair and member of the legislature spoke. Both were upbeat, but both said some good things and they said a couple of things that concern me. The first was the apparent decision by someone or some group somewhere that County parties are not going to be involved in state legislative races and that races would continue to be targeted. That stunned me because I thought we had figured out that doesn't work. The second was the idea that our "democratic" message is getting out and that the people are wising up to Republican failures. I don't know about you, but I read a lot and listen a lot and I hear next to nothing about the Democratic views on this stuff. You hear a couple of sound bites or one sentence retorts, but isn't enough. The ADP is typically stone cold silent on the events of the day. Look at the ADP web site. There hasn't been a press release on anything going on down at the capitol in over a week. These things should come out daily, if not hourly. Even reporters ask what the Dems are doing. They want to know where our spine is. How is it that they don't hear this message that those in the party are telling us is being heard? Is it possible we're only hearing ourselves speak? This is a problem.
Then there's the whole hiring a headhunter for the E.D. episode that seems to point out again those in charge are the "Gang that couldn't shoot straight." It's still confusing. But at the end of the day, the Executive Board should have at a minimum been informed and had a say in the hiring of the firm. That they didn't shows the party is still one of exclusion, not inclusion and that isn't the change we need.
But all of this feeds into my sense that a not damn thing has changed or any lesson learned. It's as if Eckerstrom's election never occurred and the status quo has simply decided to ignore that event and keep keeping on with the old way of doing things.
There are people talking about boycotting the meeting so there is no quorum. That scares people at the ADP because they believe they cannot raise money without a permanent chair. I believe postponing the election of a chair in this way is unwise and we have to move on. But like I said, for the life of me, I haven't heard much that indicates to me that lessons were --really-- learned and needed changes --will-- occur. That doesn't give me confidence and it doesn't give others confidence in leadership or the party, which is the opposite of what we need right now.
I hope I'm wrong, but I just don't see it yet.
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