Ron Kirk for DNC Chair?

[madape]

I thought it was interesting that our favorite former mayor is getting some consideration to be the the head of the dying political party.

Race Under Way for Parties' Top Slots

Tue Nov 9, 6:11 PM ET Politics - AP


By TOM RAUM, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Jockeying for the top job at the Democratic Party is under way after Election Day losses, with former presidential hopeful Howard Dean (news - web sites) indicating an interest in the post while other names are circulating. Republicans may reward a GOP operative who helped engineer President Bush (news - web sites)'s re-election.

With the presidential election over, both parties are expected to pick new national committee chiefs early next year, with the Democrats replacing Terry McAuliffe and the Republicans finding a successor to Ed Gillespie. For the GOP, the choice is easy: whomever President Bush recommends. Republican activists said a likely candidate is Ken Mehlman, the former White House political director who served as campaign manager for the Bush-Cheney team.


Democrats face a much tougher challenge. The next leader of the Democratic National Committee (news - web sites) will be responsible for rebuilding a party battered by two straight presidential election losses, finding a way to stanch the flow of voters away from its ranks and picking up seats in congressional elections in 2006. Democrats agree the party needs an aggressive activist to replace McAuliffe, whose term is ending. But finding the party's next leader could trigger another internal battle about the future direction of the party, which has now lost seven of the last 10 presidential elections and is the minority party in both the House and the Senate.


"The most important thing we can do is get our message right," said Al From, head of the centrist Democratic Leadership Council. Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites) met with Democratic leaders in Congress on Tuesday — a week after his loss to Bush — and told them, "We need to be unified and we have a very clear agenda. I'm going to be fighting for that agenda with all my energy and all the passion that I brought to the campaign." Kerry met with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Whip Harry Reid, D-Nev.


Dean, the former Vermont governor who waged an unsuccessful bid for the Democratic nomination, told associates earlier this week that he is considering running for the job. Although his own campaign fizzled, Dean's Internet-fueled campaign and his willingness to take on the president on the Iraq (news - web sites) war tapped into a deep anger among many voters. His activism would help energize the party's liberal base, but some Democrats question whether he is the right person to broaden the party's appeal to mainstream voters.


Also mentioned for the DNC post are Govs. Tom Vilsack of Iowa and Mark Warner of Virginia, and former Gov. Roy Barnes of Georgia. Harold Ickes, a New York lawyer who was a White House aide in the Clinton administration and has close ties to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (news - web sites), D-N.Y., has a large following, especially in the Clinton wing of the party. Ickes is a passionate advocate and successful fund-raiser, but his Clinton ties might work against him among Democrats backing other candidates.


Other names being circulated: Inez Tenenbaum, South Carolina's education superintendent and unsuccessful Senate candidate; and Simon Rosenberg, founder and president of the centrist New Democrat Network. Of course, the party's real boss will be chosen in 2008 when a nominee is selected. But the next party leader will be responsible for trying to build support for Democratic candidates in the midterm elections.


Some Democratic activists would like a black party chief, such as Donna Brazile, who ran Al Gore (news - web sites)'s campaign in 2000; former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk, former Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer and former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb.


It's a job that nobody at this point wants to say they are seeking. Dean said he still hadn't made up his mind and Brazile said Tuesday, "I haven't tossed my hat in the ring for that job. It should be somebody from outside Washington. I'm not ready to take on that task, but I want to help whoever will."


Among Hispanics, Antonio Villaraigosa, former speaker of the California Assembly and now a Los Angeles city councilman, is getting some attention. Several party activists suggested Sen. John Edwards (news - web sites) of North Carolina, the Democratic vice presidential nominee who decided not to seek another term in the Senate. Edwards seems like an ideal choice: telegenic, son of the South and in need of a platform if he's to launch a bid for the 2008 presidential nomination. However, Edwards' representatives discouraged the notion.

Still to be decided is whether there should be a single party chief to run the day-to-day operation and be the party's public face, as McAuliffe has done, or whether the job should be split between a chairman and chief operating officer, a model also used in the past. The tenure of the post also remains to be decided — two years or four, with a possible promise not to seek the presidency.

Although the job won't be filled until early February, campaigning is expected to begin in earnest when several preliminary meetings are held in December. Among Republicans, Gillespie is widely admired and has Bush's support, but he has indicated he does not intend to serve another term.

Tom Rath, New Hampshire National Republican committeeman, said, "there is no way we will not take who the White House suggests." Charles Black, a longtime GOP consultant, said the new party chief "needs to focus on the races for '06," noting that historically the party holding the White House loses seats in midterm elections.

[Drbio]

I guess screwing Dallas was a nice practice opportunity to driving teh DNC into the ground.


More power to him. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

[Mavdog]

Just how did Ron Kirk "screw Dallas"?

[Epitome22]

He's a black democrat. No explanation neccessary for this state and the political leanings of it's citizens.

[madape]

Hey, I'm a republican and as such was certainly no big fan of Kirk.. but if given a choice between Kirk and our CURRENT socialist mayor, I would choose Kirk and go home and brag about it.

[Dooby]

Kirk was a fine mayor. Certainly better than the current mayor. The AAC which Mav fans enjoy could not have been built without him. He helped bring Blockbuster to Dallas. He's a pragmatist and not an ideologue. He would have easily won reelection, had he not been term-limited out. He'd be a good choice.

He also had the support of probably 90% of the Dallas area Republican leadership, without whose help, he could not have won. He had Republican consultants and fundraisers and supporters. All evidenced by the fact that he got killed by Cornyn in Dallas County in his senate race.

[Drbio]

Holding the current mayor up as the litmus test? I'm glad I don't live in Dallas if that is what you will settle for. Better than the current mayor. Sounds a lot to me like Kerry running as not Bush.

[Mavdog]

Still waiting for an explanation of how Ron Kirk is in some way "screwing Dallas".

[Drbio]

Originally posted by: Mavdog
Still waiting for an explanation of how Ron Kirk is in some way "screwing Dallas".

Still waiting for you to pull your head out of your ass in about 200 other threads. Here's a tip. Go f*ck yourself. You are not interested in dialogue. Only horsecrap.



Kirk was a tool. Not as big as one as mavdoogie...but a tool nonetheless.

[Mavdog]

Originally posted by: Drbio

Still waiting for you to pull your head out of your ass in about 200 other threads. Here's a tip. Go f*ck yourself. You are not interested in dialogue. Only horsecrap.

Kirk was a tool. Not as big as one as mavdoogie...but a tool nonetheless.

Yes, a perfect example of the nonsense you put out. Not only can you not provide any support for the ridiculous claim that Ron Kirk is guilty of "screwing Dallas", now you claim he is "a tool". Clearly we should file that comment in the trashbin with all your other rhetoric.

of course when called out on it, you resort to personal attack. sadly, just what we expect.

nonsense ad nauseum. Keep up the good work.[img]i/expressions/anim_roller.gif[/img]

[Drbio]

Keep up the ignorant cluttering. You are the expert on that. I will not waste time explaining myself to the forum idiot.

[Epitome22]

Ok then, to the rest of the forum (who've expressed some complimentary remarks about Kirk) exp;ain in some detail how Ron Kirk "screwed Dallas"

[Mavdog]

Don't waste your time Epitome, he's been exposed for the big bag of nothing that he brings. He can't explain anything as he only spews nonsense.

[u2sarajevo]

Originally posted by: Epitome22
Ok then, to the rest of the forum (who've expressed some complimentary remarks about Kirk) exp;ain in some detail how Ron Kirk "screwed Dallas"

Ron Kirk didn't screw Dallas. Ron Kirk helped Dallas tremendously. He was able to progress the city despite a City Council that is focused on helping itself more than helping the citizens that live here. Anyone that would suggest that Ron Kirk "screwed" Dallas is either foolish or doesn't live here.

If Ron Kirk were still the mayor, Arlington would still only have a Baseball team and not a Baseball team AND a World Class Football Organization.

[dude1394]

I don't remember much about Ron Kirk except that he didn't demagogue "the rich" like most dems. I try hard to stay far,far away from dallas politics and tax-base.

[Mavdog]

Originally posted by: u2sarajevo

Ron Kirk didn't screw Dallas. Ron Kirk helped Dallas tremendously. He was able to progress the city despite a City Council that is focused on helping itself more than helping the citizens that live here. Anyone that would suggest that Ron Kirk "screwed" Dallas is either foolish or doesn't live here.

If Ron Kirk were still the mayor, Arlington would still only have a Baseball team and not a Baseball team AND a World Class Football Organization.

I've heard this same comment by others laying fault with Miller for the Cowboys being in Arlington, and I've got to ask this question: How would you have come up with the greater than $300 Million it would have taken to make a deal (and what the Boys got from Arlington)?

[dude1394]

I really don't know but dallas used to be known as a city that got things done, now it seems to be another city that doesn't. It will be sad when the cotton bowl and the OU-TX games are no longer in dallas. Either they will be in arlington or will go with a home and home.

Also after seeing the impact that the downtown arenas are having on re-vitalizing houston's downtown area, this seems mighty short-sigthed for a large city. I would have rather the stadium be built by the AAC as that seems like a more viable area to build up, but dallas seems to be setting itself for just a slow aging until someone with some vision shows up.

I guess that there could easily have been another tax on hotel suites, quarter-cent sales tax or some other item. But dallas just didn't seem able to get it done, but arlington could.

[u2sarajevo]

Originally posted by: Mavdog
I've heard this same comment by others laying fault with Miller for the Cowboys being in Arlington, and I've got to ask this question: How would you have come up with the greater than $300 Million it would have taken to make a deal (and what the Boys got from Arlington)?

The city of Arlington figured out a way. Why not Hotel/Rental car tax?

It's not going to keep Conventions away. It's cheap to hold a Convention in Dallas. And build a World Class Stadium downtown with a Dallas Cowboy History Museum along with it..... that would draw a crowd.

The city of Dallas does not deserve to have the Football Club that bears it's name to play in it's borders. And that is sad. Laura Miller, and trust me I like some of her policies.... but she was against the frickin' AAC. With that mindset the downtown area will remain a crime infested rotting place at nighttime while the citizens flee to the suburbs to spend their hard earned money.

Hell, when I started traveling for business I was SHOCKED to find so many downtowns with places to shop and things to see. Our downtown is full of a couple of bars and a museum that shows off where a President was shot.

[Mavdog]

Dallas cam not raise its sales tax, it is maxed out as per state rules. Arlington had room in its tax rate, and now to pay off the Cowboys stadium they are at maximum.

Increases in Hotel/Car Taxes would put Dallas among the highest in the country, and remember that the cars rented at DFW don't get taxed by Dallas. We're already using that money for the AAC...

All I am saying is that Miller couldn't spend what Arlington could, and the Cowboys knew it. They danced with Dallas, but they knew that wasn't where they would make the best deal. After the charade of their working hard to come back to Dallas they bolted as quickly as they could to a partner who was willing to pay much much more than Dallas coiuld. The game was too rich for Miller to stay in and keep playing.

[dude1394]

Lot's of excuses. They won't make much difference in about 5 years however.

[Mavdog]

Originally posted by: dude1394
Lot's of excuses. They won't make much difference in about 5 years however.

spoken just like a fiscally irresponsible Bush republican should speak. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

[u2sarajevo]

When you have a cash Cow knocking on the door trying to come in, you don't ignore it.

That's all I am saying.

Laura Miller has proven that she is anti-sports establishments. Name one that she has supported.

[dude1394]

Point taken, but an investment is an investment. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

[LRB]

IMO Ron Kirk would make a great leader for the DNC. I thought that Kirk was one of the best Dallas Mayor's ever and certainly in no way screwed Dallas. If Kirk could lead the DNC to become more like him that would be a huge positive step for democrats and for the nation IMO.

[Drbio]

Ron Kirk...like most politicians...was a piece of shit.

For example.....clickola

Or maybe....clickola 2

These folks sure didn't think much of Kirk.

Of course...if you read this you will get to hear how Kirk allowed anti-semites to work on his staff, a guy who has been closely linked with American Taliban John Walker Lindh.

I can't find it right now, but just prior to the 2002 election, the pastor at Dallas' largest baptist church called for his parishoners to not vote for Kirk, whom he discounted as a liar and money grabber.

I thought this commentary on how Kirk plays the race card at a drop of the hat was insightful.

This is a nice read on the tool known as Ron Kirk.

How Kirk left Dallas prosperous


Ron Kirk was accused of receiving moneys during his term for favors often.


Ron Kirk received donations from the following questionable sources:
POSITION: Democrat nominee for US Senator from Texas (open seat), also former mayor of Dallas

CAMPAIGN EXPENDITURE: $1133.22 Senate campaign payroll expense to Steven L. Hyland, Jr.
DETAILS: Hyland is an anti-Israel activist based out of Texas. In a June 23, 1995 editorial for the Daily Texan Hyland wrote "The U.S. government labels Hizbollah and Islamic Jihad as terrorist organizations, but they are really freedom fighters defending their rights in Lebanon and Palestine." Other published writings by Hyland blame Israel for the Palestinian terrorists and liken the Israeli government to Hitler's Germany. Hyland is also a close personal friend of convicted American Taliban John Walker Lindh. He met Lindh during a study abroad program at the Yemen Language Center in 1998 (source).

DONOR: Ishan "Sammy" Elashi
AMMOUNT: $500 on April 24, 1995 to Kirk's Dallas mayoral campaign (source)
DETAILS: Elashi, a radical Islamic activist based out of Richardson, TX, is the owner of Tetrabal Corporation and an affiliate of his family-owned Infocom Corporation, both of which have been shut down by the government from export charges after shipping computer equipment to known terrorist states. Elashi himself was arrested in February as a result of government terrorism investigations. He was indicted on 39 federal counts in April stemming from illegal shipments of electronics, computer hardware, and communications equipments to locations in Syria, Libya, Saudi Arabia, and other locations throughout the Middle East. A number of the shipments occured after an export ban was imposed upon his company during the investigation. The charges included money laundering and the illegal exports he made to known terrorist states. Elashi pled guilty to the charges on June 17, 2002 and faces sentencing this September with a 50 year maximum penalty plus over $1 million in fines. His conviction is listed on the web site of the United States Department of Justice and the United States Commerce Department's Bureau of Export Administration, the agency that enforces export laws pertaining to national security and anti-terrorism matters. Press releases detailing Elashi's guilty plea in anti-terrorism export charges may be found by clicking on the links to both agencies.
Ishan Elashi's business dealings also extend to Infocom Corporation, in which he is an affiliate and his brother Ghassan Elashi is the principle. Infocom, a former web service provider for almost exclusively Islamic sites ranging from Al Jazeera television to the Holy Land Foundation, was raided last September under an investigation by the government's North Texas Joint Terrorism Task Force (source). Infocom's assets were frozen after it recieved a $250,000 money transfer from Elashi's cousin Nadia Marzook, the wife of Hamas Political Bureau leader Mousa Abu Marzook. Marzook, who is based in Syria, is listed in the leadership section of the Hamas' website at this link. Among the Elashi family members who own Infocom are affiliates of the Islamic Association for Palestine (which was founded by Marzook). Other affiliations of the Elashi's and many other Democrat donors include the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR. The Elashis are also the main officials of the Richardson, TX based Holy Land Foundation - another group that had its assets frozen in a post 9/11 probe. President Bush announced the order against the HLF, which was recently sustained in court, stating the charges against it: "The Holy Land Foundation is registered with the IRS as a tax-exempt charity based in Richardson...Money raised by the Holy Land Foundation is used by Hamas to support schools and indoctrinate children to grow up into suicide bombers." The Holy Land Foundation was also formerly represented by lobbyist John Bryant. Bryant is a former Democrat Congressman from the Dallas area and a supporter and friend of Kirk.

DONOR: Majida M. Salem
AMMOUNT: $100 on April 25, 1995 to Kirk's Dallas mayoral campaign (source)
DETAILS: According to a news report, "The address Salem provided in making his donation [to Kirk] has been linked by federal authorities" to Ghassan Elashi. (source)

DONOR: Mohammed Suleman
AMMOUNT: $50 on May 1, 1995 to Kirk's Dallas mayoral campaign (source)
DETAILS: Suleman is on the board of the Dallas chapter of radical islamic group CAIR. After September 11, Suleman gave support for former Holy Land Foundation employee Ghassan Dahduli following his deportion only weeks after September 11th for terrorist ties (source). Dahduli was a close personal friend of Osama Bin Laden's personal secretary, Wadi Al Hage, who was convicted for the 1998 embassy bombings in Africa. Papers belonging to Al Hage mentioned Dahduli and business activities with the Holy Land Foundation.

SUPPORTER: Ghulam Warriach
EVENT: Hosted a dinner in Kirk's honor (source)
DETAILS: Warriach, also a CAIR board member, hosted an August 1995 dinner in honor of then Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk and former Democrat Congressman John Bryant, a vocal congressional opponent of Israel.

[Drbio]

My original off-the-cuff criticism of Kirk included a personal dislike of the worthless piece of CRAP and clearly upset the forum idiot (feel better U2?). Many have expressed that Kirk was ok or good or whatever...that's your opininon and it is fine. Mine is that Ron Kirk is a worthless piece of crap.

Deal with it.

[u2sarajevo]

Well, Sharon Boyd is a wacko (the one that runs the website that the majority of the links you posted are hosted on). She has a personal vendetta against Kirk.

I remember when the AAC was going up to vote, seeing her on the news at night railing against it. It was great, on election day one of the local news crews was filming her "protest"... it was her and two other people out spreading the news about how bad the AAC deal was.

Read more about her here

And now that things are being built up around the AAC, I think she probably is steaming even more as she is proven wrong.

[Drbio]

He is still a piece of crap. Your opinion is that she is a wacko (She is active...are you?)...mine is that Kirk is a peice of shat. Deal with it.


One thing is for damn sure....if Kirk is allowed to lead the DNC, you can count on the race card being dropped at every turn and at any point that he feels that he is losing (which will be often).

[mavsman55]

Kirk suggested after addressing a rally in San Antonio on Friday that Cornyn is comfortable with the idea of sending U.S. troops to Iraq because of racial differences between the Republican candidate and those who would be in harm's way.

Wow.

[u2sarajevo]

Somehow I got cornered into defending Ron Kirk. My intent was to defend his record as mayor of Dallas. He did alot of good.... especially given the fact that he still had one of the biggest problems that Laura Miller has... a self-serving city council.

I also think the garbage about hiring someone who was a "friend of John Walker Lindh" was blown out of proportion. I highly doubt he went out looking for Walker Lindh's friends to come work for him. I would bet a zillion dollars that never came up in his interview process (I haven't interviewed in a while... someone who has could you clarify if that is a regular question during the interview? Do you get asked about your ties to known Terrorists and your views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?).

Will he be good for the DNC chair? I don't know. I only know of his record in Dallas. As far as I care they could put Bono as the head of the DNC and it wouldn't change the way I vote.

[Drbio]

There is no defending Ron Kirk. Some results that occurred during his tenure may have been positive, but the underpinnings of his weak ass administration were awful. There was much dissent, rumblings about fund mismanagement, etc etc etc. He disgusts me the way he throws the race card around. It is unfair to those who are truly discriminated against. It's a weak ass response that a weak minded fool uses when he is being overwhelmed.

[Mavdog]

Surprise, google "ron Kirk" and up pops Boyd. Stellar work on all the anti-kirk blather.

Frankly, there is a lot to defend Ron Kirk with. Relying on Sharon Boyd's viewpoint is certainly revealing as to where you're coming from.

The irony of your claim that Kirk had a "weak ass administration" is quite funny. First of all, the mayor of dallas is nothing more than one of a dozen councilmen. The mayor doesn't have any control of the "administration", and is barred from interferring in the city manager's job. "Fiscal mismanagement" is a red herring as the mayor doesn't control any monies. Second, Kirk's tenure saw the construction of the AAC as well as the initial funding of the Trinity River project, so "weak ass" is as opposite as it could be.

There really aren't any examples that I can recall when Kirk "throws the race card". The one identified in the link, when he made the comment about servicemen in Iraq during the Cornyn contest, was about economic class not race ("from those family's making $! Milllion...."). Kirk was the candidate of the business establishment, he was incredibly middle of the road. He once gave a proclamation to the Daughters of the Confederacy and even had a "DoC" day in Dallas. He stood down the minority community leaders (like Mayes and Lipscomb) who demanded changes to the Police Review Board after sevberal shootings by the police. If anything Kirk was criticized for not being what some would call black enough, a partner in a downtown top tier law firm who had nothing to do with south Dallas. He even joined the Dallas Country Club! How more bourgeouis can one get?

To indict Kirk for the views of a campaign worker who earned about $1100, or campaign contributors back in 1995 who lived here, is a joke.

BTW a person who expresses support for the Palestinian cause isn't by default anti-semetic, just anti-zionist. Criticism of Israel does not equal anti-semetism.

You can hate Kirk all you want, just admit that you have no factual reasoning why.

[Drbio]

Stop being a dick Mavdog. My views on Kirk are just as valid as any of yours. I'm just right and you are always wrong. It's the delicate nature of balance. Idiot.

[Mavdog]

Originally posted by: Drbio
Stop being a dick Mavdog. My views on Kirk are just as valid as any of yours. I'm just right and you are always wrong. It's the delicate nature of balance. Idiot.

yep. when he's shown as the big bag of nothing that he is, out comes the name calling. so typical....

Like I said you can hate kirk all you want, but don't pretend that you have any facts to back your opinion. And yes, as I do have the facts on my side and you don't, it does make my view much more credible than yours....which history has proven is always the case.

[Drbio]

Once again...you state your weak ass opinion as if it were fact...when once again...as usual...it is not. Just because your boy Ron Kirk, like your boy John Kerry got stomped doesn't give you carte blanche to piss and whine. Your >opinion< is that Kirk was not a bad mayor or whatever, whereas I understand he sucked. Get over it.

Stating your opinion over and over like the whiney little beeyatch you consistently portray does NOT make your weak ass opinion a fact.

[Dooby]

Kirk was a bad senate candidate, but he was fine mayor.

Doc, you've got some of the most conservative and die-hard republican people on this board trying to tell you Kirk was a good mayor, why are you digging in your heals?

I actually knew Sharon Boyd at one time and I assure you, she's a loon. She's tied up with the other overly-litigious loons that run around Dallas and try to muck up the works for the sake of mucking up the works.

Kirk was routinely derided by the african-american community; so much so that John Wiley Price picketed in front of his house.

If not for Kirk, the AAC would be in Arlington and Blockbuster would not be in Dallas. You saw how the Cowboys' Cottonbowl deal fell apart, right? The same would have happened to the AAC if not for Kirk, like the brief attemtp to put the ballpark downtown before Kirk was mayor. Kirk brought a fortune 500 company to a downtown metropolitan area! I wish you realized how rare that is. When most companies move to cities, they buy land in the suburbs and build a campus. Blockbuster is downtown in an office building, which is remarekeable.

Kirk worked to expand the enterprise zone north of downtown and east of turtle creek that is now known as Uptown, which has entirely revitalized that area. I am just guessing, but I imagine that that area's property value has increased by roughly a few hundred million dollars.

[dude1394]

Well he does beat the heck out of laura miller imo.

[Drbio]

I dig in my heals when unintelligent loons like mavdog insist their opinion is more worthy than anyone elses. My opinion (which will not change) is that Kirk sucks. Others say they liked him (goodie goodie gumdrops for you). Neither opinion is wrong, unless you are mavdog who is consistently ignorant.




dude- you are probably correct.

[Mavdog]

It's said opinions are like asholes, everybody has one. Some are well reasoned opinions to listen to, some have nothing but emotional reaction behind them. No factual support. merely uninformed knee jerk responses. Those opinions have two things they share with asholes, cuz they contain nothing but sheet.

The opinion isn't necessarily right or wrong when it's the knee jerk kind, yet when after it's shown to be uninformed, when the facts (which are either right or wrong) are laid out (see above), most people pay attention and take it into account. Those who don't and repeat their jerking, well, those are when clearly it's a case where there's two things that opinion has in common with asholes.

It's been shown that Kirk isn't guilty of "playing the race card", he wasn't a "weak ass administraton", had no "fund mismanagement", or guilty of "receiving moneys during his term for favors often". Live with it.

[mavsman55]

It's been shown that Kirk isn't guilty of "playing the race card"

Prove it. Because right now, that's nobody's impression.