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Democratic Leadership Council
The Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) was a centrist non-profit 501(c)(4) corporation that was active from 1985 to 2011. Founded and directed by Al From, it argued that the United States Democratic Party should shift away from the leftward turn it had taken since the late 1960s. One of its main purposes was to win back white middle-class voters with ideas that addressed their concerns. The DLC hailed the election and reelection of Bill Clinton as proof of the viability of Third Way politicians and as a DLC success story.
The DLC has produced two Presidents: Bill Clinton and Joe Biden.
The DLC's affiliated think tank was the Progressive Policy Institute. Democrats who adhered to the DLC's philosophy often called themselves "New Democrats." This term is also used by other groups who hold similar views, including the New Democrat Network and Third Way.
On February 7, 2011, Politico reported that the DLC would dissolve. On July 5 of that year, DLC founder Al From announced in a statement on the organization's website that the historical records of the DLC had been purchased by the Clinton Foundation. The DLC's last chairman was Representative Harold Ford of Tennessee, and its vice chair was Senator Tom Carper of Delaware. Its CEO was Bruce Reed.
According to Bill Curry, an advisor to Bill Clinton, "the whole point of [the DLC] was to exterminate the progressives".
The DLC was founded by Al From in 1985 in the wake of Democratic candidate and former vice president Walter Mondale's landslide defeat by incumbent president Ronald Reagan in the 1984 presidential election. Other founders include Democratic Senator Joe Biden (Delaware), Democratic Governors Bill Clinton (Arkansas), Chuck Robb (Virginia), Bruce Babbitt (Arizona) and Lawton Chiles (Florida), Senator Sam Nunn (Georgia) and Representative Dick Gephardt (Missouri).
The model on which the Democratic Leadership Council was built was the Coalition for a Democratic Majority. Founded by "Scoop" Jackson Democrats in response to George McGovern's massive loss to Richard Nixon in 1972, the CDM was dismayed by two presidential election losses and the organization's goal was to steer the party away from the New Left influence that had permeated the Democratic party since the late 1960s and back to the policies that made the FDR coalition electorally successful for close to 40 years. Although Senator Jackson declined to endorse the organization, believing the timing was inappropriate, future DLC founders and early members were involved, such as Senators Sam Nunn and Charles S. Robb.
In the early 1980s, some of the youngest members of Congress at the time, including Representative William Gray of Pennsylvania, Tim Wirth of Colorado, Al Gore of Tennessee, Richard Gephardt of Missouri, and Gillis Long of Louisiana helped found the House Democratic Caucus' Committee on Party Effectiveness. Formed by Long and his allies after the 1980 presidential election, the CPE hoped to become the main vehicle for the rejuvenation of the Democratic Party. The CPE has been called "the first organizational embodiment of the New Democrats."
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Democratic Leadership Council
The Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) was a centrist non-profit 501(c)(4) corporation that was active from 1985 to 2011. Founded and directed by Al From, it argued that the United States Democratic Party should shift away from the leftward turn it had taken since the late 1960s. One of its main purposes was to win back white middle-class voters with ideas that addressed their concerns. The DLC hailed the election and reelection of Bill Clinton as proof of the viability of Third Way politicians and as a DLC success story.
The DLC has produced two Presidents: Bill Clinton and Joe Biden.
The DLC's affiliated think tank was the Progressive Policy Institute. Democrats who adhered to the DLC's philosophy often called themselves "New Democrats." This term is also used by other groups who hold similar views, including the New Democrat Network and Third Way.
On February 7, 2011, Politico reported that the DLC would dissolve. On July 5 of that year, DLC founder Al From announced in a statement on the organization's website that the historical records of the DLC had been purchased by the Clinton Foundation. The DLC's last chairman was Representative Harold Ford of Tennessee, and its vice chair was Senator Tom Carper of Delaware. Its CEO was Bruce Reed.
According to Bill Curry, an advisor to Bill Clinton, "the whole point of [the DLC] was to exterminate the progressives".
The DLC was founded by Al From in 1985 in the wake of Democratic candidate and former vice president Walter Mondale's landslide defeat by incumbent president Ronald Reagan in the 1984 presidential election. Other founders include Democratic Senator Joe Biden (Delaware), Democratic Governors Bill Clinton (Arkansas), Chuck Robb (Virginia), Bruce Babbitt (Arizona) and Lawton Chiles (Florida), Senator Sam Nunn (Georgia) and Representative Dick Gephardt (Missouri).
The model on which the Democratic Leadership Council was built was the Coalition for a Democratic Majority. Founded by "Scoop" Jackson Democrats in response to George McGovern's massive loss to Richard Nixon in 1972, the CDM was dismayed by two presidential election losses and the organization's goal was to steer the party away from the New Left influence that had permeated the Democratic party since the late 1960s and back to the policies that made the FDR coalition electorally successful for close to 40 years. Although Senator Jackson declined to endorse the organization, believing the timing was inappropriate, future DLC founders and early members were involved, such as Senators Sam Nunn and Charles S. Robb.
In the early 1980s, some of the youngest members of Congress at the time, including Representative William Gray of Pennsylvania, Tim Wirth of Colorado, Al Gore of Tennessee, Richard Gephardt of Missouri, and Gillis Long of Louisiana helped found the House Democratic Caucus' Committee on Party Effectiveness. Formed by Long and his allies after the 1980 presidential election, the CPE hoped to become the main vehicle for the rejuvenation of the Democratic Party. The CPE has been called "the first organizational embodiment of the New Democrats."