Vilsack named as chairman of the DLC

Al From, guru of the Democratic Leadership Council, the organization made prominent by launching Bill Clinton's career, has picked Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack to become it's new Chairman, replacing another potential presidential candidate, Indiana Senator Evan Bayh.

Vilsack has expressed interest in running for president and has steadily risen as a national Democrat in the past two years. However, strategists and scholars say becoming DLC chairman alone is not enough to elevate the relatively unknown governor into the top tier of would-be 2008 candidates.

"Serving as DLC chair is certainly a useful symbol for anyone trying to position himself as the standard-bearer for the moderate wing," said George Edwards, a political science professor at Texas A&M University. "The greatest advantage may be simply that he is there in case lightning strikes and the party needs to turn to a moderate or the party feels it needs some ticket balancing."

Vilsack will succeed Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh, who has been chairman since 2001 and is expected to run for president in 2008.