Carville is the next Zell Miller

James Carville, the infamously bug-eyed politico who thrived during the Clinton era, is calling for Howard Dean to be replaced by Harold Ford, who ran and lost in Tennesee for Senate this cycle.

Dailykos has the whole debate, including a response from Dean's spokeswoman that notes:

After the Republicans have admitted to a thumping, why is it that the only one complaining on the Democratic side is James Carville, who today in addition to trashing Howard Dean, praised the RNC, the outfit that brought us the racist ad that defeated Harold Ford, James' supposed candidate for Chair?

Now, the equivalent job over at the Republican National Committee is open, and possible replacements include Carville's own wife, Mary Matalin. I think that the RNC could do worse than her, but my real concern here is: why does anyone listen to James Carville, especially if he helped to defeat us from within in 2004? Anyone else find this particularly suspect? Carville's own star has been falling after the end of the Clinton era, and he no longer takes any domestic candidates. One wonders if this isn't because he finds the need to help his wife lead the RNC? (And apparently not to subvert it from within, either.) Interesting factoid from his website: his wife nicknamed him serpent head. No, it doesn't make me trust him more either.

If you read his biography, which helpfully provides his political milestones, Carville helped get Zell Miller elected to office. Zell Miller is the former Senator from Georgia who spent all of his time excoriating Democrats, and even spoke at the 2004 Republican National Convention as an angry, crazy-eyed, crazy-haired Democrat-hating Democratic senator. I'd be weary of any "advice" from Carville's mouth, since his remarks seem calculated to drive a deeper wedge in between the grassroots Deaniacs and the DC elected leadership. To me, it does indeed look like Carville wants a war. He could then step in and be the moderator, all the while leakinng secrets about how the Democrats were at each others' throats to his wife who would use those to undermine us.

What we have now works, and it won us the election, although Democrats right now have a fragile coalition, and I don't mean of voters. I mean, the powerful leaders like Pelosi, Rahm, Harry Reid, Howard Dean, and Chuck Shumer, set aside differences (ignored each other) long enough for us to win. As I said before, I am probably most afraid of us tearing ourselves apart, now that we finally have some power in DC. And even Rahm Emmanuel, who is as power-hungry as any other alligator in Washington, opted to go for Caucus Chair (4th highest position in the Democratic House structure) rather than confront Rep. James Clymer for the 3rd post. So I see our leaders mostly keeping their sniping to themselves. Except for bugboy, who wants to tear it all apart.

So let's not bite the proffered shiny apple from serpent head, and stick with what has got us this far, which is Dean's lonngterm vision, coupled with Pelosi's steel-gloved leadership and Reid's sharp tactics. Zell Miller knew enough to see his own way out of the Democratic Party, even if he was intent on doing as much damage as possible beforehand. Let's see if Carville can take a classier route.