DRUDGE REPORT 2002®
XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX WED OCT 30, 2002 16:13:08 ET XXXXX
MCAULIFFE POSITION SAID IN DOUBT IF NO GAINS ON ELECTION DAY
Next week's election has taken on a personal tone for Democratic National Committee Chair Terry McAuliffe, who may find his position in doubt if the party fails to make any gains!
Sources tell DRUDGE that powerplayer McAuliffe will be asked to step down from the chairmanship if Democrats lose control of the Senate and fail to pick up seats in the House of Representatives.
"There will be a strong push for new leadership if the ship does not come home," a senior elected Democrat said this week.
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The official, who asked not to be named, said McAuliffe will be blamed, personally, if the party does not make gains in the off-year vote.
"He's had free reign... he will be judged on his results," said the lawmaker. "It's simply inexplicable, to me and others here, that we are looking at simply maintaining our positions, not increasing them."
Republican majority whip Tom DeLay, appearing on Sean Hannity's radiocast, said on Wednesday: "I've always thought it was kind of weird how the party lost its majority status, but they kept their same leaders."
A source close to the chairman defended the fundraiser-turned-party broker -- and his controversial electioneering.
[McAuliffe's approves a cartoon depicting the president pushing seniors in wheelchairs to their deaths; during an appearance on WABC in August while traveling aboard a Las Vegas 'party bus,' McAuliffe explained, 'Let me just say, there have been some wild things that have occurred in this bus this day. ... We have beers and everything.']
"Terry continues to be a tremendous organizer, he takes no prisoners [and] is 100% committed to the success of all Democrats."
House leader Richard Gephardt and both Clintons remain solidly in McAuliffe's corner.
The revolt against McAuliffe will emerge from other corners of the party, sources say.
Developing...
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Filed By Matt Drudge
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