Defeated Dems start a civil war as left-wing Howard Dean attacks plan to put Muslim congressman in charge of party as unworkable

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A civil war broke out Friday within the Democratic Party as the left-wing blamed the establishment for Hillary Clinton's devastating defeat and a prospective party head gave a competitor a verbal thrashing. 

Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee when President Barack Obama was elected, offensively attacked Minnesota Congressman Keith Ellison.

Dean is asking party leaders to choose him to restructure their dysfunctional national operation.

Progressive activist organizations and the lawmakers they look to as compasses are getting behind Ellison, who is African-American and Muslim.

Dean told MSNBC Friday that Ellison is 'a very good guy' but 'there’s one problem: you cannot do this job and sit in a political office at the same time. It’s not possible.'

That's how Democrats got themselves in this mess in the first place, he assessed.

Democrats are racing to move on from Hillary Clinton's devastating defeat and elect a new party head to restructure their dysfunctional national operation. Howard Dean, right, is asking party leaders to put their trust in him. Keith Ellison, left, is also looking at a bid

Dean, a former governor of Vermont, said Thursday that he will run for DNC chair, a position he held when Barack Obama was elected

Former Maryland Governor and Democratic presidential candidate Martin O'Malley says he's interested in the job, too

He pointed to ex-DNC chair and House Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz as an example of a failed leader who had two day jobs.

'We’ve seen what happens,' he said. 'It does not work. This is more than a full-time job.'

Dean said the party is in 'turmoil' and 'must rebuild from what has been a tragedy not only for the Democratic Party, but perhaps for the country.'

Former Maryland Governor and Democratic presidential candidate Martin O'Malley said after the broadcast he's interested in the position, too. 

O'Malley dropped out of the 2016 race in February. He doesn't hold elected office right now, either.

Clinton would have pushed one of her allies for party chair had she been elected. 

Instead, she found herself delivering her concession speech to Donald Trump two days ago, leaving Democrats in a lurch.

A spokesman for Bernie Sanders told Politico the senator and 2016 White House contender is backing the Ellison for party chair.

Democrats' leader-in-waiting in the upper chamber, Sen. Chuck Schumer, also endorsed Ellison, co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and chief deputy whip to House Democrats, the Washington Post reported.

Elizabeth Warren, a progressive senator from Massachusetts, said Ellison would make a 'terrific DNC chair' on MSNBC. 

MoveOn.org and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee have said they like Ellison for the position, too.

The five-term congressman, elected this week to a sixth term, 'would be an excellent chair,' MoveOn's executive director Ilya Sheyman said in a statement.

'The DNC must clean house and the new chair must stand up to all efforts by Trump and Republicans to move their harmful and bigoted agenda, which lost the national popular vote,' Sheyman said.

Dean told MSNBC Friday that Ellison is 'a very good guy' but 'there’s one problem: you cannot do this job and sit in a political office at the same time. It’s not possible.' That's how Democrats got themselves in this mess in the first place, he assessed

'At the same time, the DNC must connect with the grassroots of the party base that wants the party to reject corporate influence and advance an inclusive, progressive agenda that will energize voters and grow our base.' 

PCCC co-founder Stephanie Taylor said the establishment blew it in 2016.

'The Democratic establishment had their chance with this election. It’s time for new leadership of the Democratic Party -- younger, more diverse, and more ideological -- that is hungry to do things differently, like leading a movement instead of dragging people to the polls,' Taylor argued.

'Democrats will lose, over and over, until they have a willingness to take on corporate power and other entrenched power in a very real and authentic way.'

The PCCC representative added, 'Keith Ellison is one many good people who could lead the DNC in a new and more winning direction.'

Democracy for America, a grassroots organization that rose from the ashes of Howard Dean's 2004 campaign, suggested in a Thursday evening call with its members that it was remaining neutral for now.

On Friday, Dean suddenly resigned from his leadership position at the organization, which has been run by his brother Jim since 2005.

'Founding DFA was one of the greatest honors of my life and, while I’m stepping back from my role with Democracy for America today, I could not be more proud of the grassroots movement we’ve created together and what they will do going forward,' Dean said in a statement.

The evening before DFA Executive Director Charles Chamberlain told the organization's membership, 'Here at DFA we believe that the Democratic party is at its best when its leaders have the courage to compete for the best ideas, the best practices, and the best people.

Chamberlain blamed 'party insiders' for Democrats' spectacular defeat at all levels of federal government on Tuesday.

'Democratic party insiders got together around conference tables in Washington DC and more or less decided who the presidential nominee would be, without listening to the party’s grassroots base. That’s wrong and that’s part of the reason why we lost,' he said.

ALL YOUR FAULT: At a staff meeting Thursday interim DNC chair Donna Brazile was assailed by an aide for her conduct during the campaign. The angry staffer said Brazile and her cronies were responsible for Donald Trump's election

The DFA official said, 'We here at DFA hope that there will be a vigorous, forward-looking competition for the leadership of the Democratic Party and we strongly believe that the party’s grassroots base -- not party insiders and political elites -- should play the decisive role in choosing who our party’s next leader should be. Period.'

DFA's guest on the call: Ellison.

'I will announce that I'm going to make an announcement on Monday. So, there you go,' he said.

Dean, a former governor of Vermont, said Thursday that he will seek the position.

'The dems need organization and focus on the young. Need a fifty State strategy and tech rehab. I am in for chairman again,' he said on Twitter.

The MSNBC contributor said Friday on the network, 'My plan is to reach out to young people...I think they now understand that politics matters.

'We’ve got to rebuild this party, and I know how to do that,' he said, pointing out that when he was in charge, Democrats won the House, Senate and the White House.

O'Malley said Friday morning that he is considering a bid of his own. 

'Since the election, I have been approached by many Democrats who believe our party needs new leadership,' he said in written statement.

'I'm taking a hard look at DNC Chair because I know how badly we need to reform our nominating process, articulate a bold progressive vision, recommit ourselves to higher wages and a stronger middle class, and return to our roots as a nationwide, grassroots party.'

DYSFUNCTION JUNCTION: Debbie Wasserman Schultz and her top aides stepped down as Democrats gathered in Philadelphia to officially name Hillary Clinton their White House candidate in July. Vice Chair Brazile was asked to step in as party until the end of the election

The highest-ranking Democrat, President Obama remains the party's guiding light until he leaves office in January. The title of party leader will shift to the DNC chair after that. 

Republicans swept the House and Senate, in addition to the executive branch, in the last election.

'When there’s one party that’s in the White House and that same party controls Congress, it elevates the position of the chair of the DNC. So it’s an important decision,' Obama's spokesman, Josh Earnest, said Thursday.

The White House official told reporters, 'I don’t know to what extent President Obama will weigh in on it.' 

Earnest predicted a 'hotly contested and closely covered' race to lead to national party.

'I would anticipate that candidates for that position will covet the endorsement of the outgoing President. I don’t know to what extent he’ll have one to offer, but we’ll keep you posted on all of it.'

Since July, when then-DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz resigned the day before the party's week-long presidential nominating convention began, progressives have told DailyMail.com they favor Ellison for the job. 

Defeated Congresswoman Donna Edwards, Rep. Raul Grijalva and Labor Secretary Thomas Perez received several nods, as well.

'I think it should probably be somebody in charge who supported Bernie,' one high-level progressive activist said. 

The highest-ranking Democrat, President Barack Obama remains the party's guiding light until he leaves office in January. The title of party leader will shift to the DNC chair after that

Ellison was hailed in conversations as a 'bridge builder' who holds a leadership post as deputy whip and endorsed Sanders. And, he's Muslim, they pointed out, a nod to the party's efforts to promote diversity.

Wasserman Schultz was elected chair in May of 2011, succeeding Tim Kaine, now a U.S. Senator representing Virginia. Kaine was part of this year's losing ticket - he was Clinton's running mate.

Holding the dual titles of DNC chair and Florida congresswoman, Wasserman Schultz lead the party for five years, despite complaints from Democrats that she came across as too partisan on television. 

It was hacked emails, revealing a bias within the DNC against Sanders, that did her in. 

Wasserman Schultz said Sanders, a life-long independent who changed his affiliation to Democrat to run for president, didn't understand Democrats' apparatus because he wasn't one.

Egg on their faces, Wasserman Schultz and her top aides stepped down as Democrats gathered in Philadelphia to officially name Hillary Clinton their White House candidate.

Vice Chair Donna Brazile was asked to step in as party chief until the end of the election.

Progressives are blaming party insiders for Clinton's nomination and defeat. The failed candidate is seen her on Thursday in Chappaqua, NY

Her short tenure would soon be marred by an email scandal, too. Wikileaks would go on to publish more than 50,000 emails it obtained from internet thieves who infiltrated Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta's account. 

Emails, at least one of which Brazile suggested was faked, showed the CNN contributor giving Clinton's team a heads up about questions she and Sanders would be asked at a forum hosted by the network and a primary debate.

CNN and Brazile have since parted ways. 

At a staff meeting Thursday in Washington, D.C. Brazile was assailed by an aide, the Huffington Post says, for her conduct during the campaign.

'Why should we trust you as chair to lead us through this?' he shouted, two of his peers say. 'You backed a flawed candidate, and your friend [former DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz] plotted through this to support your own gain and yourself.'

The staffer named 'Zach' ripped Brazile for the outcome of Tuesday's election - President-elect Trump - and screamed at her: 'You are part of the problem.'

'You and your friends will die of old age, and I’m going to die from climate change. You and your friends let this happen, which is going to cut 40 years off my life expectancy,' he said.

Brazile confirmed the outburst but declined to characterize it in an email to the Huffington Post.

'As you can imagine, the individual involved is a member of the staff and I personally do not wish to discuss our internal meetings,' she said in an email.

The DNC has not said when it will hold elections for its leadership positions. A spokesman for the organization did not respond to a request for comment on Thursday. 

A source with knowledge of the preparations told DailyMail.com the election would most likely be held in March.

The Association of State Democratic Chairs’ and the DNC Executive Committee will meet in Denver, Colorado, Dec. 1-3. 

The ASDC talks will be private and are only open to state party chairs, vice chairs, executive directors and state party staff, as well as the DNC's current team.