Opaque Lucidity

Move On...Right To The Top

You Star Trek fans out there undoubtedly remember the Next Generation episode in which Captain Picard was stuck on the surface of an alien planet with the captain of another ship. The other captain was from a race of beings who spoke only in historical references from their own past. Thus, even though the ship's translator could translate his words into English, the captain could still not understand him. The alien captain would say things like "Darkma and Allbeet at Tucgunga" when he was trying to explain teamwork. Eventually, of course, Data figured out what was going on and was able to read up on enough of their history for Picard to understand what he was being told.

I'm reminded of that episode every time I see Howard Dean. I understand the words coming out of his mouth but, somehow, I am confused. And to be fair, it's not that he's not coherent or well-spoken; what keeps me in a fog is that loud, loud voice in my head that keeps asking, "How did he get here? Who voted for this guy? Is Vermont a part of this country? Should it be?"

Governor Doctor Dean came within a hair's width of being the Democrat's nominee for President last year. What knocked him out of the box was not a losing vote or a lack of funds, but the now-infamous "Dean Scream". Never has so much been lost by something so stupid. It goes without saying that he would've been pummeled in the general election, but it says something about the Party of Clinton that he got as far as he did.

I was a little surprised when I read this morning over at Powerline that the good Doctor is likely to be the next head of the Democratic National Committee. This is very, very good news for Republicans, but it leaves me scratching my head. The only logical thing I can conclude is that the powers that be want someone in the seat who can re-energize the party after the John Kerry snorefest of 2004. If that's the case, then Dean's the man. Sort of.

With Dean in charge, the DNC is going to move even further to the left. This is a bad, bad, bad plan if the Dems plan on winning any more elections in this country. The leftist slacker/Moore vote is a tiny niche movement and serious people ignore the demographic because, true to name, they often don't vote. The simple truth is this: liberals do not win elections in the United States. The only way they end up in office is by running as centerists. As much as it pains me to say it, the Clintons understand this and parlayed it into two terms in the White House and a seat in the Senate. If anything, the party needs to draft Bill Clinton for the job.

But Dean will be fun because he's like a bull in a china shop: you don't know when, but you know something's going to get broken and people are going to get angry. But on a serious note, I could see this doing serious damage to the party. I know quite a few moderate Democrats who are thoughtful, intelligent people. This message is for them: GO GET YOUR PARTY BACK WHILE YOU STILL HAVE ONE.