ROGER SIMON COLUMN
FEBRUARY 21, 2005
WASHINGTON - - Bill Daley was secretary of commerce under Bill Clinton, Al Gore's campaign chairman in 2000 and has managed several campaigns for Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, his brother.
I recently spoke with Bill Daley about the future of the Democratic Party. Below is some of our conversation.
Q: Is the party in for some rough times ahead?
Daley: I think we are in for a difficult period. Possibly we will spend a couple of years in the wilderness. The only thing that might change that is a force outside the control of Republicans -- if the war in Iraq really turns much worse, which it has the potential to do. But that is their "undoing," not our "doing."
Q: What does the problem seem to be from a Democratic strategy viewpoint?
Daley: How do you deal with so much of the country that is Red and every election seems to be further from our reach? Do you just concede that? That is pretty hard. Republicans are making us battle in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Iowa, etc. and we are not making them battle in Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, Nebraska, etc. We just don't go there. How many states did John Kerry visit? George Bush never had to visit some states; they were guaranteed for him. So we lose Iowa, and have to fight like hell to save Wisconsin and Michigan. And, if all the sudden, the Michigans, Wisconsins and Iowas are gone for Democrats, there is not a lot left. That has the potential to happen.
Q: Have the Democrats been coming up with bad messengers for their message?
Daley: I don't think so. They win their elections in their home states. As a party we convey that we are out-of-touch with the average person. We are truly a Washington, D.C. focused party. Our "think" is that. Maybe the longer Republicans are in power, they will turn into that. But we are a congressionally-oriented party. We very much parrot the Washington party and that includes unions, feminists, etc.
We Democrats have a problem with the country becoming more moderate. It is more to the right than Democrats want to accept.
Q: Why do people think Democrats have become arrogant culturally and sneer at Red Staters?
Daley: We do sneer at Red-Staters! And that is because we are focused out of Washington. Remember Casey not being allowed to speak in '92? (Pennsylvania Gov. Bob Casey was told he could not speak at the Democratic Convention because he wanted to give a pro-life speech.) That was the first sign that we were out of touch.
And you get the Hollywood stuff and the Whoopi Goldberg stuff in
the middle of the campaign. Even John Edwards, the so-called populist, he has a $3million house here and one there. I am one of you? It doesn't work.
Clinton really was from the wrong side of tracks. His mother was a gambler with a streak in her hair and when Bill Clinton quoted the Bible it was real. He didn't fake it and that came through.
Q: But wouldn't a Democratic messenger like Clinton be equally successful?
Daley: But we don't have messengers who believe it! Most of our messengers of late come from the system. They have national-think. Kerry spent 20 years in the Senate; he wasn't going to represent something different.
Q: Are you saying to the Democrats that only governors need apply for 2008?
Daley: Only governors need apply. Absolutely, for the time being. Or a Senator or Congressman who hasn't been there long and hasn't bought into the routine.
Q: Can the Democrats win in 2008?
Daley: Can we win in '08? Tell me what the economy will be like or what the war in Iraq will be like. I don't know. Do I see that the Democrats are on some grand march with programs and ideas that will motivate people? No.