Another reason the Dems are the party of bumbling stumbling idiots continually shooting themselves in both left feet

David Broder had an online WaPo chat today and shared this very insightful tidbit about the continuing failures of the democrats to present an attractive, electible alternative to voters:

"Q:.....why haven't the Democrats been able to make any inroads with voters?

David S. Broder: I believe the Democrats are paying a price for failing to give themselves any kind of a party policy mechanism. They have relied on their congressional leaders and Howard Dean to deliver their messages, and those folks have not been effective. [boy is that an understatement]. Two years ago, I wrote that the answer to this institutional problem of a policy voice for the opposition party had been found in the late 1950s by Paul Butler, in the Democratic Advisory Council, made up of leading members of past Democratic administrations, governors and some able members of Congress. Dean refused to follow that model, and the party has paid the price."

He makes similar points further down in the conversation: "...I don't think the Democrats' problems stem from fear of Republicans as much as they stem from a lack of a coherent leadership and message structure of their own. As I said in answer to an earlier question, the answer to their dilemma is there in their own history from the late 1950s, but they have not shown any eagerness to apply the lesson.

..as on many other things, the [democratic party's] voice has been muted and ineffective."

Not that I'm enamored of Broder by any means, but the answer in response to the question sounds like one of the many reasons the Dems are such miserable ongoing failures -- idiot clowns with idiot clowns as the public spokespersons, but it's the first I've read/heard of this particular strategy failure directly attributable to Dean.

Transcript of entire chat here.