Memo to Dean: How about a "Secret Plan" to End the War in Iraq?

As reported in today’s Seattle Times, Washington State Democratic Party Chairman Dwight Pelz delivered an important message to Howard Dean and the National Democratic Party meeting in New Orleans.

Dwight is not someone to mince words. I appreciate that. Someone has to tell the Emperor he has no clothes. Democrats at the top need to listen.

While not on the agenda, Iraq was raised in a meeting Dean had with state party officials Friday.

Washington State Party chairman Dwight Pelz told Dean the party’s murkiness” on Iraq was causing problems with the rank and file and that tension between activists and the national party leadership in Washington could sap their energy this fall.

“I understand it’s always better to have a lot of passion around an election,” Dean said. “But what more passion could we possibly invoke than stopping George Bush from continuing to destroy the country?”

Responded Pelz: “It’s not working.”

Well one reason it’s not working is that Iraq ranks up there as one of the major concerns of voters, yet the first sentence quoted above says it all “While not on the agenda….”

You have the Democratic National Committee holding a three day meeting in New Orleans and Iraq is not on the agenda? I could believe that if it was Bush meeting with Congressional leadership, but the Democrats?

Dean said he wanted to talk more about finding a consensus, but later this year and behind closed doors.

“I do not want to air our differences of opinion in front of the esteemed Fourth Estate. This is a serious discussion … we’re going to find a way to do that in a private setting.”

Aides said the meeting had not been scheduled, and they did not know if it would happen before or after the November elections.

“The Democratic Party is continuing to evolve on Iraq … There is much we have in common,” Dean said. “While we don’t have an ironclad timetable, we’re heading in the right direction.”

I can think of a better one than that. How about one five word sentence? Brief, clear, and concise. We have a “Secret Plan“. It worked for Richard Nixon.