11/11 Roundup

• Howard Dean is out as DNC Chair after four very successful years. Dr. Dean is the unsung hero in Obama’s electoral landslide. Without the groundwork done by Dean and his folks at the DNC, such a victory would have been impossible.

• It looks like 50-state strategy, as we know, will be gone as well. However, I think those who are kicking and screaming about this should settle down. Yes, they’re replacing some of the lead employees. However, based on how Obama ran his presidential campaign, it would be naive to think he would be in favor of getting rid of the ideals of the program. I think this is just symbolic of letting the new DNC head (Obama’s appointment) pick his or her own people to carry out his or her own legacy. The last thing you want to do is bind a new leader with the past leader’s top lieutenants and strategic vision, no matter how successful the previous leader may have been. And besides, there are thousands of Obama campaign workers currently looking for employment that would fit in very well at the new DNC.

• The Oregon Senate race was called for Democratic challenger Jeff Merkley at the end of last week. The Democrats now have at least 57 seats in the Senate. They are still counting votes in Alaska (Ted Stevens is still up), the Minnesota race has narrowed to a Coleman advantage of around 200 votes and is headed to a long recount, and the Georgia Senate race will have a runoff in early December. The Dems look unlikely to get 60 seats in the Senate, but they have a good shot at 58 seats and an outside shot at 59 seats.