It looks like it’s a done deal that Dean will become the new head of the Democratic National Committee.

Republican operatives are crowing, and the mainstream pundits are cluck-clucking.

They all think Dean’s a disaster for the Dems.

But not me.

I think Howard Dean is exactly what the Democrats need.

He’s a fighter, first and foremost. He won’t sit back and take the punches that Bush and Karl Rove and Tom DeLay are throwing.

He’ll give as good as he gets.

Secondly, he’ll sharpen the distinction between the two parties. His outspokenness on the Iraq War, at least initially, was tremendously welcome, as his current opposition to Alberto Gonzales.

Plus, Dean believes in the grassroots. He and his campaign manager, Joe Trippi, pioneered the Internet-style fundraising that finally allows the Democratic Party to wean itself off the titties of the big donors.

And finally, Dean has demonstrated his ability to excite the base and bring a new generation of activists into the party.

The last thing the Democrats need right now is a gray DLC technician who will whore after the deep pockets.

The Democrats had that with Terry McAuliffe.

And look where it got them.

© 2005 The Progressive