How to stop Howard Dean, the 2nd time. History is repeating itself. - This is skip no. 2 if you're not into DNC Chair issue.

From The Hill:

How to stop Howard Dean, Part Two

The race to be the next chairman of the Democratic National Committee is shaping up as a retread of January’s Iowa caucuses, with former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean emerging as the early front-runner and the Democratic establishment furiously scrambling for a candidate to beat him, according to senior Democratic strategists and consultants.

Former Clinton White House deputy chief of staff Harold Ickes is the most obvious Washington insider to challenge Dean. Ickes is being urged to enter the race and begin the kind of widespread and intense campaigning that Dean has been doing for several weeks.

Dean has not officially declared his candidacy, but his flurry of meetings with lawmakers on Capitol Hill over the past two days has left congressional leaders convinced that Dean is actively seeking the chairmanship. He met with the Congressional Black Caucus for a breakfast meeting yesterday and had an audience with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Dean had his first meeting Monday with incoming Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on the subject in addition to a meeting with House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), congressional aides said.

But as in the Iowa caucuses, Dean and the anti-Dean foil could assure each other’s destruction, leaving the contest open to a lesser-known, second-tier compromise candidate, said Joe Andrew, a former DNC party chairman.

“It’s likely that one candidate will emerge as a counterweight to Governor Dean,” Andrews said.

Democratic strategists and lawmakers appear to be divided on the strength of the current field, with Democrats such as Andrew claiming an “embarrassment of riches” and others making private digs that several of the announced candidates are “jokes.”

In addition to Dean and Ickes, there are six other potential candidates, with former Michigan Gov. James Blanchard accepting an invitation to address the Association of State Democratic Chairmen (ASDC) in Orlando this weekend. He will join Rep. Martin Frost (D-Texas), a former chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee; Simon Rosenberg, president of the New Democrat Network; Donnie Fowler, a Democratic strategist; Leo Hindery, a former telecommunications executive; and Wellington Webb, the former mayor of Denver and a current DNC vice chairman.

Ickes was not available to comment, but a source close to him said, “He is seriously considering a bid and may go to Florida this weekend but has not come to a decision on running.” Ickes has not accepted an invitation to speak to the ASDC, said Jason Moon, spokesman for ASDC Chairman Mark Brewer.

“There’s a dearth of good candidates,” said a senior Democratic strategist, who insisted on anonymity to speak more candidly. “Sure, Dean is not an unknown quantity and Martin Frost is not an unknown, but it doesn’t seem like the A list.”

“That’s a commentary for how we feel as a party right now,” he added.

Andrew acknowledged that there is a widespread view among his cohorts in the upper echelons of the party establishment that the current slate of candidates is less than impressive. But he insisted that it’s an ill-informed analysis.

Nearly everyone agreed, however, that the current crop of candidates would expand, with numerous calls for Ickes to enter the race.

“If my colleague Harold Ickes is interested in doing it, people should be beating down his door, asking him to run,” said Steve Rosenthal, who most recently worked with Ickes at America Coming Together (ACT).

But several senior party strategists said Ickes’s image as the Democratic avatar of 527 organizations, such as ACT and the Media Fund, could come back to hurt him with the state party officials who will wield more influence on the party’s choice than in previous years. In addition to the 112 votes held by state party chairmen and vice chairmen, many of the 447 DNC members who will make the decision owe their loyalty to their party bosses, as opposed to years when Democrats had lots of governors.

As chairman of leading 527s, Ickes will face criticism that his groups essentially bypassed the state party infrastructure instead of building the party from the ground up.

If Dean and Ickes neutralize each other’s support, then attention will shift to a compromise candidate before the final decision is made Feb. 12.

“There is going to be a dark-horse candidate, maybe even someone who hasn’t announced,” a senior Democratic strategist said. “Simon Rosenberg is everyone’s favorite second choice right now.”

Ickes could also be hampered by his perceived association to Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), who is considered the early front-runner for the Democratic presidential nominee in 2008.

“The classic question that follows the 527 question for Ickes is the Hillary question. That’s a big concern,” a well-placed Democratic lobbyist said.

The Dean campaign sought to downplay suggestions that history would repeat itself from the Iowa caucuses.

“I don’t think this is something that the Democratic Party has an appetite for right now. I think that we need to be thinking about getting Democrats elected and not working against each other, but for a common goal and common destination,” Dean spokeswoman Laura Gross said.

Meanwhile, congressional lawmakers are seeking to influence the direction of the DNC. Pelosi, Reid and Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) met yesterday to discuss how to maximize their influence on the selection process, according to several aides.

Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) is also actively seeking to become one of five party vice chairmen. Meeks told The Hill that he is insisting that the vice chairman have a real say in party matters and not be just a titular position.