RIP Democratic Party

While I was out of town an interesting thing happened to the Democratic Party. It committed suicide.

The trigger was pulled when Howard Dean became party chairman. Rumors of Hunter Thompson killing himself when he heard this horrible news could not be confirmed.

It’s hard to believe that just over a decade ago, the Democrats owned the White House and both branches of Congress. The party’s declining relevance and deterioration has been painful to witness, especially when compared to how the Republicans have transformed the federal government into a one-party state. I’m not a Republican, but have marveled at how well organized and focused they have been in establishing a grass roots organization, creating a clearly defined message, locking onto the key concerns of their constituents and presenting charismatic candidates who bring out the votes.

Of course, none of this would be possible without an escalating series of severe Democratic blunders. How ironic that the party which began grass roots politics with the unions and farmers in the 1950s completely overlooked the growing concern with values in America’s heartland and South. Now “values” is an enigmatic buzzword that will be a subject of a future brain dump from yours truly – who here is against values? – but the Democrats still missed the boat. When it came to identifying what concerned voters and signing up candidates who address these issues, the Republicans won in a landslide.

Speaking of candidates, John Kerry – with all due respect – was terrible. As a longtime Massachusetts resident I liked Kerry as a Senator, but he clearly did not have what Tom Wolfe called “the right stuff” to be a presidential candidate. On the national stage he was stiff, wishy washy and just not endearing. Kerry was clearly smarter and better prepared than Bush, and he won all the debates. But there is a likeability factor that pundits overlook, and Kerry was just not a likeable guy to your average Kansan or Cajun. Everyone I know who voted for Kerry did so not because they liked him, but because they didn’t approve of Bush. That’s not going to win the Democrats any swing voters. Kerry’s personal mannerisms and immense wealth let Karl Rove successfully paint him as an elitist, out-of-touch liberal.

This elitism showcases another Democratic gaffe – their leaders, candidates and attitudes still resemble the 1980s or early 1990s when upscale urban and suburban votes were critical. Well, the Upper West Side, Cambridge and Berkeley are now safely Democratic. What the Democrats haven’t noticed is that the rest of the country has deserted them because of this focus. Who are the Democratic leaders? John Kerry, Ted Kennedy, Barbara Boxer, Nancy Pelosi. Are they reaching out to blue collar Midwesterners or suburban Colorado voters? Are they connecting with these Americans on values or terrorism, the two issues that still define the political landscape?

And into this quagmire steps Howard Dean, another polarizing figure who won one state in the primaries (his home state of Vermont) and whose Godzilla impression forever tarred him as loopy. Republicans are either tapping kegs in celebration or scratching their heads in disbelief over Dean’s victory. Honestly, I think the reason is less Dean’s personal platform and more of his fundraising skills. Dean did grow a small but vocal grassroots organization that raised an impressive amount of money. But fundraising isn’t the Democrats’ problem. The problem is they are not addressing the issues that are important to Southern, Midwestern and Heartland voters and they cannot produce a charismatic, non-polarizing candidate who can espouse them. Dean is part of this problem, not the solution.

While the Republicans have a slew of candidates waiting in the wings for 2008 – McCain, Guiliani, Jeb Bush and others – the Democrats can only muster Hilary Clinton, another polarizing elitist who will continue to sink the Democratic boat. Dr. Dean certainly has his work cut out for him, but I have a simple suggestion to help change attitudes toward Democrats in some red states.

Be nice.

By being nice, try to avoid blasting the President at every opportunity and try to find some new issues of your own to develop. Right now, no voter can define what your party stands for. Whether it’s values, Social Security or health care, find something where you can put a stake in the ground.

Be nice by soul searching. Don’t dismiss all the red state voters as uneducated, intolerant and uninformed rednecks. Frankly, that’s part of your problem. Your national platform is so poor that local elections aren’t going your way either. Tom Daschle’s defeat is a perfect example.

Be nice by asking voters why they seemed to vote against their better judgment, not by telling them how morally superior you are because you disagree with them. Plenty of unemployed, in-debt families in Ohio voted for a party that gives huge tax breaks to billionaires because they didn’t think you connected with them. Find out why, politely.

Be nice by finding candidates who don’t lecture or talk down to voters, even if that’s not their intent. Bush is almost as rich as Kerry, yet he comes across as an average guy that average Americans can relate to. That’s not unfair, that’s just the way it is.

Be nice by bringing the party more in step with average America, instead of allying yourself with celebrities. The president was absolutely right when he said Hollywood is not the heart and soul of America. Everyone likes to be entertained, but in reality values does not equal entertainment.

Being nice is a start. If you don’t believe me, go visit the Upper West Side and Berkeley, and then visit anywhere in the Midwest or South. I guarantee you the people are nicer.