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Democratic Leadership Council New Democrats Founded in 1985, the Democratic Leadership Council is an organization of moderate leaders of the United States Democratic Party which works toward moving the Party toward moderate and center-right positions. Despite the often moderate policy positions, however, the DLC is fiercely partisan, as evidenced by the tone and content of their "New Dem Dispatch" email bulletins on Republican hackery and Democratic alternatives. The DLC was called the "Democratic Leisure Council" by the Reverend Jesse Jackson and Mario Cuomo. It is the opinion of DLC that left-wing positions are not politically viable, citing the failed candidacies of George McGovern and Walter Mondale. Bill Clinton, a successful candidate, was active in the organization and is sometimes cited as evidence of the success of their policies. However, then-DLC chairman Joe Lieberman was among the first Democrats to criticize Clinton over the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Critics cite DLC-supported measures, such as the Welfare Reform Act, as having the effect of alienating the traditional constituencies of the Democratic Party such as labor and minorities, causing an overall reduction in voter turnout. Some contend that the 2000 presidential campaign deadlocked because voters could discern no significant policy difference between George W. Bush and DLC activist Al Gore. In May 2003, as the Democratic primary of the 2004 presidential campaign was just gaining steam, the organization voiced concern that the Democratic contenders might be taking positions too far left of the mainstream. Howard Dean, an early front-runner, was specifically criticized by DLC founder and CEO Al From. In October 2002, From and the DLC mentioned only in passing the plane crash that killed Senator Paul Wellstone, of Minnesota. Wellstone's proclamation, later used by Dean, calling himself "from the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party" has been interpreted by some as subtle criticism of the DLC and New Democrats in general. Notable former chairs References External links
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