Looks like BlogPac (Simon went first with the call/guest entry yesterday) better get busy with the conference calls. There are two new entrants for the Chair, from Hotline:Two of the newest DNC candidates will be making their debut's this weekend at the Southern Regional DNC meeting in Atlanta. Ex-OH Dem chair David Leland and ex-TX Dem chair Molly Beth Malcolm both are on the official list of candidates set to attend the 1/8 meeting. Nearly four hours has been set aside for the DNC candidate forum. C-SPAN will air the forum on 1/9 at 6:30pm and again at 9:30pm. From the Hill e-news:Simon's supporters: Reps. Ben Chandler (D-Ky.), Artur Davis (D-Ala.), Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.) and Adam Smith (D-Wash.) have all endorsed New Democrat Network president Simon Rosenberg to be chairman of the Democratic National Committee. They believe that Rosenberg knows how to win in "red" America, and embrace his 50-state strategy. Former Gov. Tony Knowles (D-Alaska) also backs Rosenberg.Richardson, in todays Albuquerque Journal, singled out Rosenber to say, ""He's become a serious candidate and he's got good New Mexico ties". Also, again from Hotline. In DC, Roemer is out and Frost is in, as the favored status quo candidate gaining traction on the Hill, but Pelosi/Reid opened up a can of works in pushing Roemer's candidacy, and now it's getting backlash:Just when you thought the list of candidates couldn't get any longer, in comes word that women's groups (including NARAL and NOW) are urging Kate Michelman to enter the DNC chair race. This renewed effort to draft Michelman stems from the "outrage" (according to one source) some of these women's groups have at the idea of the pro-life Roemer being considered a top-tier candidate. Michelman is purportedly thinking about it and may have more to say next week.Maybe Howard Dean (who gets backing from an old foe) can be the compromise candidate for the two groups (btw, next week is the announcement from Dean, after the Southern regional caucus trial run). On Leland, I checked with some Ohio sources who gave it a thumbs down, without even in-state traction, it's more of just a "statement candidacy". But anyway, here's more on Leland's statement from the Hotline in the extended entry:

In an interview with Hotline, Leland said he is an active candidate, making the necessary calls and sending letters to the DNC members. Leland believes he has a "unique blend of expeiernce," noting he's been a state chair (a tenure that include '96, the last time a Dem carried OH). Most recently, Leland headed up a 527 called Project Vote, which provided him with more experience raising money on a national level. He also notes he's worked for two unions, UAW and AFSCME. Asked what was "right" with the DNC, Leland: "A lot of things right: fundraising is right; message delivery is better; the goals are right; the focus is right; we have, in Terry McAuliffe, one of the best party chairs this party's ever seen." Asked what was "wrong," Leland hesitated at using the term "wrong," but added: "What we need to do is that we need to use the people at the local levels; restructure the organization to use folks in the local communities." He specifically cited how MT Dems are on to something with their local successes in '04. More Leland: "The bottom line is that the party is sort of in a tight spot; and we need to move and grow in a different, more positive direction." Leland also indicated that he viewed the role of DNC chair as less messenger and more mechanic. He said the chair didn't need to be the messenger, that the chair's job was find the right messengers among the talent in the party (Hotline interivew, 1/7).

Leland, in the first letter he sent to all DNC members, which is hitting mailboxes this week:

The contest for DNC chair should not be about an individual, or even a political party. It has to be about our future: a future based on the promise that America can succeed when every individual has a fair and equal opportunity for success. ... I bring a unique experience to this position: experience in fundraising and media relations; experience in running for and holding public office; knowledge and experience in party structure, grassroots politics and other issues confronting state parties; knowledge you get from being a full-time party chair for seven years; experience working for two labor unions; experience as a national mediator; and experience with the internal operations of the DNC. And all this comes with a Midwestern heritage and a keen sense of purpose. The following outlines the direction I want to help you take the Democratic Party:

-- "Brand" the Democratic Party: "We must pull together the great talent in our Party to distill a clear, positive and powerful message about who we are and what we stand for. ... Americans must be able to understand and to say with conviction and without hesitation what being a "Democrat" means. During my race for Ohio House, I was able to beat a 6-term incumbent in a 61% Republican district by framing the debate."

-- Fight back! "Today, talk radio and some cable news outlets have reverted to the methods of the partisan press of the 1800s. They provide propaganda and talking points for like-minded individuals. We must fight back, using all means of communication at our disposal, from cutting-edge technology and specialty communication outlets to the old-fashioned weekly newspapers. We need to systematically and aggressively drive our message in every city and village in America. ... As Chair, I gave over 7,100 interviews for media outlets worldwide - none was too small to get our message out."

-- "All politics is local": "Build up state and local party infrastructures with money and staff and the latest technology. We cannot speak to and reach the people of this nation without strong, structured local party networks. This involves listening to and empowering local office holders and community leaders who have the knowledge and credibility to communicate our message to their friends and neighbors. ... For seven (7) years as the full-time chair of the Ohio Democratic Party, I implemented these suggestions in my state, and worked through the DNC and the ASDC to assist other state parties."

-- "Involve everyone": "Everybody who wants to help should be welcome. We do not have a Democrat to waste! Our party is about inclusion, not exclusion of people or ideas."

-- "Fundraising": "We must build upon the fundraising success of Terry McAuliffe using all the tools: direct mail, telephone solicitations, one-on-one meetings and the Internet. I enjoy fundraising and I have made it a top priority. For the past fifteen years, I have directed record-breaking fundraising efforts on the local, state and national levels. I have also conducted fundraising seminars across the country."

-- "Stop re-inventing the wheel": "Work with groups like Democratic Gain and other groups, to maintain an ongoing relationship with our campaign staff. These people should be involved in various opportunities within the party and with its allies. There are numerous campaigns, associations, foundations, unions and corporations that need the expertise these folks can provide. The DNC should act as a clearinghouse to help place these individuals to help them grow and prosper."

-- "Remember what we stand for!""This last point is probably the most important. As Americans, there is more that brings us together than separates us. We all want to live in communities that are safe and clean. All Americans want to know that if they work hard, they can make a good living for themselves and their families. All Americans want better lives for their children, and most Americans wish to treat their fellow citizens with the same respect and dignity they expect in return. Republicans win when they magnify the minor differences among us. Democrats win when we speak of our common aspirations" (Hotline sources, 1/7).