Senator Howard Dean?
He is back. After a few years on the bench (the bench being a relative term in politics, chair of the DNC is a pretty cushy bench), Howard Dean, former Governor of Vermont and 2004 candidate for the Democratic Primary, has made a grand reappearance in the political lime light this week by taking on the Senate’s health care bill — from the left. You may remember Dean from his little scream at a 2004 campaign stop in Iowa, here is the YouTube clip of it.
It appears that Dean is done with sitting on the bench. His recent comments on health care reform have or are likely to position him as the progressive defender. He is now the Democrat who finally stood up and said to President Obama and Majority Leader Reid, enough is enough, we want everything and if we cannot get it we are going to scream and kick and toss out whatever we can get.
I know that you are probably thinking that sounds like a really dumb argument, and frankly it is but that is hardly the point. The point is, Dean has not motivation to come out this strongly against health care reform unless he is looking for a new job.
The question is what? My first thought was a potential primary challenge to Obama in 2012 but I think that is a bit drastic. Democrats have done some stupid things but I don’t think we are dumb enough to do that. Plus I think Dean’s national image is too tarnish for a successful Presidential bid (to say nothing of challenging a sitting President).
So let’s look back at Dean’s Presidential run that ended so early with a scream. The only state he one in the primaries was his home state of Vermont (despite the fact that he had already withdrawn his candidacy). He was a great governor for the state and when all was said and done, Vermont stuck by their man.
If Dean is looking to get back into the game, his only shot is to do so in Vermont. Currently Vermont is represented by the only self-described socialist, Bernie Sanders, and one of the longest serving Senators and chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Patrick Leahy — both very popular in Vermont.
That said, Leahy is up for reelection in 2010 and is turning 70 in March and I think Dean is looking for his seat.
Now there has been no word from Leahy about retirement but it is certainly not out of the question. It would be very interesting to see Dean challenge Leahy in the primaries but I am not sure the he would or that he could win that challenge.
Either way, it’s clear the Dean is not content with being the chair of the DNC and it looking to get back into the heart of national politics and I think he either knows or is hoping that Leahy will retire this year and not seek reelection.