The Mehlman Only Rings Twice

Today's Washington Times reported that Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, the rejected Republican candidate for Senate, has been offered the position of Chairman of the Republican National Committee. One wonders if the Party's desperation for fresh leadership could be any deeper--Steele's campaign repeatedly worked to confuse voters about his GOP affiliation, busing in homeless individuals from Philadelphia to hand out misleading voter guides to Maryland voters claiming top Democrats endorsed Steele (which was false) and printing up bumper stickers that read, "Steele Democrat" but none that read "Steele Republican." When you ask someone embarrassed to be part of your organization to lead your organization, it's safe to say you're hard-up for talent. [Update (406pm PST): I see that Talking Points Memo also noticed this pathetic story today...]

On the Democratic side, James Carville has called for Howard Dean to be replaced at the DNC. Carville's suggested replacement? Harold Ford, Jr. While I admire Ford's aggressively classy campaign for the Senate, Carville's suggestion is patently ridiculous for many reasons, but here are the top three:

• Dean Succeeded: Anti-Bush rage was not enough to secure solid Democratic gains; Dean's structural efforts in all 50 states assisted in big ways and helped provide the House and Senate to Democrats; Dean also raised a record amount of hard money for the party.
• Ford not Representative: The Dems are a big tent but a strong social conservative should not lead the committee; Ford even refused to endorse the Democrat running to fill the House seat he was vacating, calling the candidate "too liberal."
• Carville's Gross Bias: Not only does James want Dean out of the way so that his benefactor Hillary can run for President, but he would love to have Harold Ford in the post to fool the nation into believing that the Democrats are more conservative than they really are. Victory in 2008 is the goal, but not with some bland, triangulating, non-progressive like Clinton. Shame on Carville.

Finally, isn't it interesting that the non-winning African-American Senate candidates in each party get suggested for media-heavy leadership posts running their respective Party committees? Odd.