dean sells committee chairmanships for votes.
<By WILL LESTER (Associated Press Writer)
From Associated Press
September 08, 2006 3:56 PM EDT
WASHINGTON - The head of the Democratic Party said Friday blacks have an added incentive to vote in November: Democratic control of the House would give key committee chairmanships to African-American lawmakers.
Howard Dean said the presence of blacks in those critical jobs would increase the influence of the black community. He singled out Rep. Charlie Rangel, D-N.Y., who would be chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, and Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald, D-Calif., who would head the House Administration Committee.
"This would be the first election in America where African-Americans could have real substantial power in what happens in this country," Dean said, referring to blacks assuming the chair on several House committees and subcommittees.
Dean pledged that Democrats "will not take any vote or any voter for granted and we will not take any community for granted. We are advertising in the African-American community and we will continue to do so."
The chairman said that the DNC is committed to getting more black candidates on the ticket and has worked at having organizers around the country who are diverse and "look like the folks whose votes they are asking for."
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