At a time when the Democratic Party needs leadership, what do we hear from its Chair, Howard Dean, and the planned Chair of its upcoming convention, Nancy Pelosi? Nada, nothing, zippo. A resounding silence. I cannot say I find it surprising. I can say that it is outrageously irresponsible.

Nobody seems terribly satisfied with the joint announcement issued by Senator Obama and Senator Clinton stating that Senator Clinton's name will be placed in nomination and a roll call vote will be held even though both Senators seem to adopt the position that this roll call will in no way affect the outcome of the nomination process (????). Senator Obama's supporters are unhappy. Senator Clinton's supporters are unhappy. Each candidate is taking heat from all sides.

But nobody seems to be asking this very basic question. Why are the two Senators expected to figure out the Democratic National Convention, an event held by and controlled by the Democratic National Committee (although the funding mechanism is one step removed from the DNC itself)?

I believe that the vast majority of each Senator's supporters are in complete good faith. Each group has tremendous confidence in its candidate, would like to see him or her the nominee and ultimately the President of the United States. I even believe that the vast majority would prefer to see a Democrat in the White House rather than the election of John McCain.

So, why is the Democratic Party in the middle of melodrama a week before the kick-off of its convention? Because of the incompent and/or absent leadership from the Party's leadership that has characterized this entire Presidential election cycle from the beginning. The present situation is not Senator Obama's fault. It is not Senator Clinton's fault. The blame should go to Howard Dean, Nancy Pelosi, and a variety of other DNC so-called leaders (Donna Brazile, Harry Reid, and less well-known power figures within the current DNC leadership).

I believe that people can learn. Even now, Dr. Dean and the others listed above could take a look at the current situation, learn from their mistakes over this campaign season, step up and take responsibility, and lead the Party through an honest, open nomination convention. A couple of weeks ago, I slogged through one of several attempts to reach Howard Dean's office that I have made over the course of the primary season and post-primary period. This slog was more successful in that I eventually communicated with fairly high ranking people in the Chairman's and other DNC officials' offices. And these people told me the truth, as it turns out - that Dr. Dean was not going to do or say anything with regard to the nomination/roll call matter, that he was just going to keep a low profile.

Dr. Dean's profile has been so low that if sunk another inch, it would be below sea level.

But that is a problem, not a solution to the current problems facing the Party. Both because it is his job and therefore his responsibility and because it is simply foolish to abdicate this responsibility, Dr. Dean should - possibly along with other DNC officials - be making it clear that the DNC will decide how to run its convention. By failing to do or say anything, Dr. Dean is placing both Senator Obama and Senator Clinton in the impossible position of having to do his job. The candidates are candidates. This means that even though they share some goals and interests, their perspective is not the perspective of the Democratic National Commitee. The Democratic National Committee presumably has the following perspective - or one would hope it does - which is that the most important thing now is for a Democrat to win the White House in November. It is not the job of the Democratic National Committee to care which Democrat manages this feat, it is the job of the DNC to make it as easy as possible for the Party's eventual nominee to accomplish it.

I realize that throughout the primary season Dr. Dean and the rest of the DNC crew seemingly failed to take the perspective I just outlined. But it is not yet too late. They could restore credibility to each candidate simply by doing the jobs one would expect of them, and doing them with just a minimal degree of competence. That is, Dr. Dean and Speaker Pelosi need to tune in to reality. They need to take note of what is obvious to absolutely every observer of the current state of affairs, obvious to observers who favor Senator Obama, those who favor Senator Clinton, and those not too taken with either of them: that unless the Democratic Party does something fast, there is a good chance that not enough voters (whatever their party affiliation) will come out and vote Democrat in the fall to ensure that the Democratic candidate beats Senator McCain.

My own view as to what the DNC leadership should do to guard against this prospect: the DNC must insist, to both Senator Obama and Senator Clinton and to all the delegates who will participate, that the DNC is going to use its nominating convention to offer delegates a genuine opportunity to freely and fairly elect a candidate to represent the Party against John McCain in the general election. But even if you do not agree with this solution, surely you do not think that simply standing idly by is an intelligent move on the part of Dr. Dean, et al.

Where is the Party leadership when the Party is foundering? I keep listening for Dr. Dean and Speaker Pelosi to comment on this question: will the Convention be for real or will it simply be a rubber stamp for a candidate who did not actually secure the nomination by gaining sufficient votes from primaries and caucuses to qualify as the automatic nominee?

And I all I am hearing is...silence.