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ReverendDeuce Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-08-05 09:13 PM
Original message
Dean's statements resonating with even GOP faithful...
At least here my thoroughly red state. Even among GOP'ers I work with. Most of them are simply lifetime Republicans who would never have considered voting for a Democrat just because of the party's name. Sometimes we talk politics around the office and typically we disagree. However, with all of the furor over Dean's comments on right-wing radio, it was inevitable that a discussion about it would start up amongst us.

What's really interesting about it is that these folks had two basic observations:

1. They wondered why Dean was not nominated. The consensus was "You guys had this guy but nominated Kerry? Jesus, that was stupid." I could not agree with them more on this issue. Kerry was a milquetoast candidate who ran a terribly poor campaign. Watching the campaign stumble at every opportunity to take the upper-hand left me thoroughly disgusted. But that's a whole other issue and not for this post.

2. They know Dean is right! They know what's happening to the GOP. They postulated about the Xtreme Christian movement in the party and how it's going to damage them in the future. They wondered why there was such a media uproar about Dean pointing out something that even they believe is true, and that it's something that even they are, in fact, afraid of -- even as party loyalists.

I think what's the most revealing thing that we may be seeing is that here you have pure party faithful who are now beginning to doubt not their party affiliation, but the direction of the party itself.

Essentially, they're feeling stifled by what they are seeing. Now, Dean is not going to make Democrats out of them. But, what Dean apparently is doing, is disenfranchising many of the GOP faithful.

The general notion of the absurdity about and suspicion of what's being reported is bringing the plain truth of Dean's message down to the masses. The more they report the so-called "outrageous" comments, the more people are going to hear them and talk about them. The more Dean preaches the straight truth in his firebrand style and the more it's reported on as being the scandalous, bawdy musings of an crazed partisan (replete with "supporting quotes"), the more exposure Dean will get. More exposure means more people stopping and thinking "Say, hang on a second. He's actually right."

I think Dean should continue just as he has been. The more exposure we get, the better. The more the screaming heads on the radio and television revolt and condemn, the more people will listen.

Just my theory: Bring it on, Dr. Dean!
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woodsprite Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-08-05 09:19 PM
Response to Original message
1. Have you written to Dean about what you've witnessed?
Sounds like he needs to hear this from everybody and everyone just to let him know he's on the right track.
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LightningFlash Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-08-05 09:23 PM
Response to Original message
2. Yeah but they are not represenative of normal christians.
Those people are extermists in every way that love dominionism!!! Just read some of the testimony out there.

http://www.yuricareport.com

How in the world did they get lumped with christian? They are extremely, extremely unchristian!!!
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ScreamingMeemie Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 06:46 AM
Response to Reply #2
38. "Normal" Christians are extremists? Hahahaha...wait till I tell my
Catholic, Democratic voting Grandma that she's an extremist. :eyes:
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Andromeda Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jun-10-05 04:10 AM
Response to Reply #38
69. He said the extremists are not representative...
of all Christians, MrsGrumpy.
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pacalo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-08-05 09:29 PM
Response to Original message
3. I think you're right about Dean's comments
& the provocative effect they're having on those Republicans who are as tired as we are about the "Christian" extremists. And, who knows, he may be holding a mirror in front of those in-betweeners who are simply rolling with the tide.

I'm a supporter of the Democratic party & I refuse to criticize anyone who is working toward improving our country for everyone. That said, I think the best candidate won the Democratic nomination. I say that as one of the original avid Clarkies who was disappointed when Kerry won the nomination, but became an avid fan of his when I learned what an outstanding life he has led.

Dean is speaking the unvarnished truth & I'll support him, too, in any way I can.
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lonestarnot Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-08-05 09:34 PM
Response to Reply #3
5. I hope we see this freak in a nursing home looking just like your pic one
day. One of those places he has created with underfunded meds., food, staff etc. Maybe they'll take him out for some sun and just forget him! LOL
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pacalo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-08-05 09:59 PM
Response to Reply #5
9. You don't have to wait for anything that drastic to happen to him...
Just look at him when he's speaking at a press conference. I see no difference. ;)
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johnaries Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-08-05 11:33 PM
Response to Reply #9
18. Personally, Forest Gump was much more articulate.
Edited on Wed Jun-08-05 11:34 PM by johnaries
and a helluva lot smarter!
edit: At least Forest knew when to stop running and go home...
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sendero Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 06:51 AM
Response to Reply #18
39. If ...
... "stupid is as stupid does", Bush** has a lot more to worry about than Gump :)
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lonestarnot Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 04:21 PM
Response to Reply #9
53. Nope can't stand to look at him in the stolen oval office or W.H.
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tavalon Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 12:17 AM
Response to Reply #5
24. The Hague
has nursing homes? ;)
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IndyOp Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 08:57 PM
Response to Reply #5
61. After we impeach * & Cheney we should take all of the * family homes and
turn them into rehab centers -- the * family would still live there -- since they all need to be in rehab. The homes would mostly be filled with people who really need decent care - and access to the great toys like * Yacht Sequoia and Daddy's Cigarette speedboat.

:)
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LightningFlash Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-08-05 09:37 PM
Response to Reply #3
6. Kerry is never clear enough on his position...
He never comes out and just says it and had a chance to belt the DSM from the rooftops today...For some reason he takes the other road out.
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wisteria Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-08-05 09:55 PM
Response to Reply #6
8. Yea, because Kerry has some sense.
Dean has been sounding ridiculous recently. Hasn't Dean learned how to frame what he wants to say in a manner that people, including many in his own party, do not find entirely uncouth and insulting? I'm a bit disappointed in him. He is coming off as another doctor without a bedside manner.
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killbotfactory Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-08-05 10:00 PM
Response to Reply #8
10. If he did that, he'd get no coverage...
As it stands now, he says something uncomfortable but true and it creates controversy.
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bettyellen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 12:00 AM
Original message
but kerry gets ignored..... and dean does not.
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stickdog Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 06:33 AM
Response to Reply #8
36. Yes, indeed. Why isn't Dean more like Tom Daschle?
That'd put the Repukes in their place and good! I really miss the days when Tom Daschle ocassionally managed to garner appearances on front pages across the nation by strategically fellating Bush during bipartisan photo ops.
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LaurenG Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 07:44 AM
Response to Reply #8
45. I disagree, I think telling the truth is a very good thing
IMO he is expressing exactly how many of us feel. He can alienate whoever gets alienated, he tells it like it is and he's bringing honesty and integrity back into politics.
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TankLV Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 11:07 PM
Response to Reply #8
65. Yeah - right - NOT!
Dean is saying it EXACTLY RIGHT and what needs to be said!

We true democrats are tired of repuke-lite!

We true democrats want an OPPOSITION PARTY until such time when we return to power!
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Andromeda Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jun-10-05 04:28 AM
Response to Reply #8
70. Nah, Dean's sounding just right.
Being reasonable and conciliatory has gotten us nowhere. The Republicans bullied their way into power into 2000 and NOBODY said anything except for the Congressional Black Caucus.

The Republicans destroyed Tom Daschle, tried to poison Daschle and some other Democratic leaders with anthrax. So far, there have been no indictments, which should come as no surprise.

Two of our beloved Senators, Carnahan and Wellstone died in small plane crashes right before the elections. They most assuredly would have been re-elected but their deaths changed the structure of the Senate.

There has been a lot of discussion about this on DU and even if you don't agree with the conspiracy theory you'll have to admit it's very strange.

I think Dean has been too restrained, but that's just me.
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pacalo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-08-05 10:10 PM
Response to Reply #6
11. Wouldn't it be great
Edited on Wed Jun-08-05 10:12 PM by 8_year_nightmare
if we could just take all the admirable traits from each of the wonderful candidates we had & create an unstoppable candidate? I'm afraid even that candidate would have lost the election, too, through the Republican-owned electronic machines.

Each candidate had their strengths & weaknesses. But there wasn't one Democratic nominee who wasn't heads above the idiot who "won". I don't care for all the coulda-woulda commentary. It gets us nowhere.
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ReverendDeuce Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-08-05 10:25 PM
Response to Reply #3
12. Notice how they are so quick to try and spin, too!
That's precisely why Dean's formula works. They fear this man and what he says! They know they are wrong and all they can do is try and spin.
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Frances Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-08-05 09:32 PM
Response to Original message
4. I'm curious
What state do you live in?

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wisteria Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-08-05 09:48 PM
Response to Original message
7. No, other republicans are splitting the party faithful-not Dean.
You give him far to much credit. He had nothing to do with, for example, Terri Shaivio which IMO was a true eyeopener for many capitalist republicans, nor the high gas prices or the Iraq War not progressing.
And, since you had to bring it up, I voted for Kerry, proudly, and I would challenge your evaluation of him as a person and his campaign. I never cared for Dean as a presidential hopeful and I was relieved when his campaign ended. I did however, like his enthusiasm and I supported him for DNC chair. I have even pledged monthly support for his grass-roots efforts. I usually appreciate Dean's outspokenness, but not recently. I strongly disagree with you and your supposed republican friends when you state his comments have been right on the mark. I for one think he may be hitting the small target, but missing the bullseye.
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bettyellen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 12:03 AM
Response to Reply #7
21. sorry, but kerry could learn a thing or two about straight talk.
and keeping the message simple and clear,
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Warren Stupidity Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 06:54 AM
Response to Reply #7
40. But the point is that there is a wedge to be driven
into the republican voting coalition. Its the theocracy stupid! Dean is bringing it to the surface and that is scaring the shit out of the Cabal.
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Stinky The Clown Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-08-05 10:47 PM
Response to Original message
13. No matter the spin, Dean's winning. Ergo ... **we** win
He's getting coverage because he's being outrageous.

Butcha know what? As they cover him, they put his allegations out there to be considered.

"The Repubs are a white Christian party"

Well .... they are. Spin as they wish, that's now out there, and the repub voters who don't identify with that - and there are plenty who don't - are thinking to themselves .... 'hmmmmm .... yanno ... he's right.'

Dean ... crazy ike a fox.

I'm having fun listening to him. :)
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Chauga Donating Member (121 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-08-05 10:58 PM
Response to Original message
14. The only reason he wasn't nominated: the scream. *SIGH*
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wisteria Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-08-05 11:14 PM
Response to Reply #14
16. No, he was losing before the scream. n/t
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Eloriel Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-08-05 11:08 PM
Response to Original message
15. Oh, man, nominated this baby -- even before reading it all!
I got this far: 2. They know Dean is right!

:bounce: People are HUNGRY for the truth these days, I'm tellin' ya. They have been, they will be. An outspoken, confident, blunt truth teller could sweep this country like wildfire. :bounce:

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ReverendDeuce Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-08-05 11:16 PM
Response to Reply #15
17. My first nominated post... thanks! I am honored... n/t
n/t
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cry baby Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-08-05 11:35 PM
Response to Original message
19. I've read many posts on this subject and have concluded that...
Edited on Wed Jun-08-05 11:35 PM by cry baby
you are right. I cringe when I first hear him saying these things. But then I see him on the Today Show all calm and making his points while intellegently explaining why he said what he said.

Then there are the other dems that either publically agree or disagree. They are in the news, too, with a chance to get our word out.

If the good Dr. was nice, like Lieberman, where would we be? Has Lieberman ever been effective?

We need a change in direction, most here at DU have been begging the leadership to lead, to get the truth out, make some waves. It's happening!

edit to say welcome and I nominated your thread, too.
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lyonn Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 12:09 AM
Response to Reply #19
23. This Dean conversation
The Dems are getting smarter. Now when they are asked about Dean's comment they brush over it and then go directly to what they think the people should be talking about, instead of a comment, such as health care, jobs, Iraq/troops, etc. That works so swell since the Repubs for months have been saying the Dems have no ideas/plans! This is clever. One even mention how the Senate has spent the last 5 weeks on selecting judges when important issues concerning the peoples' needs were being neglected. So I figure, let the Dean speak.
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tavalon Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 12:19 AM
Response to Reply #19
25. I suppose Lieberman is nice
for a Republican.
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Straight Shooter Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 12:21 AM
Response to Reply #19
27. Lieberman is so nice, he let bush kiss him.
Ewwwww.

And remember that nice Tom Daschle? Whatever happened to him, anyway? :eyes:
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Andromeda Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jun-10-05 04:33 AM
Response to Reply #27
71. Exactly.
:)
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rexcat Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 12:00 AM
Response to Original message
20. When the repukes use character assassination...
you have to believe that something is working. They only use character assassination when they are scared!
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WildEyedLiberal Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 12:06 AM
Response to Original message
22. It's amazing that you can't post in support of Dean without trashing Kerry
Edited on Thu Jun-09-05 12:09 AM by WildEyedLiberal
That just makes you sound like a bitter partisan still smarting from the primaries. So your Republican friends like Dean more than Kerry? My Republican brother-in-law liked Lieberman more than Kerry. Since when did we start taking our cues from Republicans?

To be quite frank, I'm a little frightened of the cult of personality Dean has accrued. There's nothing wrong with him, and I hope he does well in his job. But he is not perfect, he is not above criticism, and the Deaniacs' urge to trash every other Dem who is seen as even a peripheral threat to Dean's relevance/popularity is deeply disturbing and indicative of the same kind of starry-eyed worship typically found in Republicans or the ardently religious. It's deeply troubling to me that there are probably 50+ threads on how great, wonderful, and almighty Dean is, and if anyone dares express a differing opinion - if anyone dares suggest that his comments were reckless, ill-advised, and harmful - they can expect to get flamed mightily.

Dean is not Liberalism Incarnate. In fact, he's not even really that big of a leftist - he goverened as a moderate, feinted to the left to win over some antiwar votes in the primary, and has distinguished himself as DNC chair by making a series of controversial comments - none of which make him a liberal hero. I like his 50 state strategy. But it might be a good idea not to alienate the entire electorate in states like Mississippi or Kansas with over-the-top rhetoric, or else we can pour all the DNC money in the world in there and it won't make a bit of difference.

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bettyellen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 12:19 AM
Response to Reply #22
26. i know what you mean, but i think the big difference everybody seems
Edited on Thu Jun-09-05 12:33 AM by bettyellen
to take notice of is the big difference in speaking style. and that kerry just could not give the kinda soundbites that get out there, as much as his meassage deserved it.
and dean is certainly doing that. shit does the general public know or care who the rnc chair is? fuck no!
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WildEyedLiberal Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 12:28 AM
Response to Reply #26
28. If Dean can get good soundbites out there, yay for him
Right now, his soundbites seem to be backfiring. Again, it seems futile to throw money at Mississippi and Kansas if our chairman is calling them everything but redneck hicks. That's not the way to make people who aren't already Democrats think about why they should consider being Democrats.

I don't think we should choose candidates based on who delivers the best soundbites. That's just another example of the Fahrenheit 451-esque dog and pony show "infotainment" malaise that's infected our society. That's WHY I think Dean is better suited as DNC chair than candidate; his talent is for rhetoric and soundbites. However, his soundbites need to hit the right notes.

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bettyellen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 12:37 AM
Response to Reply #28
30. i think he'll be seen as a straight shooter, and that's not a bad thing.
and sound bites, hate em are not, are the way people get the message out.
i don't like it myself, but it's a fact that's too costly to ignore.
at least these things are being talked about, and that's good. he will not be ignored.
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WildEyedLiberal Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 12:52 AM
Response to Reply #30
31. I hope you are right. n/t
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bettyellen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 01:03 AM
Response to Reply #31
33. what i wish is that instead of attacking him, other dems would use the
chance to get their variation on the message out.
hey, they have a chance to restate or review these issues more diplomatically, and they ought to take it, instead of focusing on dean. but then that probably wouldn't get press.
damn, is diplomacy dead or what?
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Name removed Donating Member (0 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 07:06 AM
Response to Reply #28
42. Deleted message
Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.
 
GRLMGC Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jun-10-05 03:30 AM
Response to Reply #42
68. spoken like a huge pile of cowshit nt
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sandnsea Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 01:48 AM
Response to Reply #26
34. What good do they do?
Is our agenda being advanced? Is he focusing on a policy? Is he maligning Bush? What good does being an ass and getting ignorant sound bytes on the teevee do?
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bettyellen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 08:55 AM
Response to Reply #34
47. you think it's preferable to get no press-or a weak, confused mesage out?
the question everyone should ask themselves is , what good does it do to attack Dean for telling the truth? for saying basically saying what what most of us think?
Where exactly did theis stragey of being polite get us?
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sandnsea Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 12:10 PM
Response to Reply #47
51. Dean=NO message
Or at the very least, weak and confused. He hasn't done anything to sharpen the Dem message. SS, Bolton, extremist judges, environment, energy, health care; Howard isn't the one getting our message out.

Howard just spent millions of dollars to appeal to red state voters, talking about changing the way we talk about abortion and religious issues. Then turned around and said he hates Republicans, who by the way, are white Christians. Many of whom never did an honest days work in their lives. What message is that?

Nobody's been polite. Harry Reid has point blank called Bush a liar. We've framed them as a bunch of extremists who put their ideology over the work the people want done. For the first time since 9/11, the public trusts Dems more than Republicans. Howard Dean didn't have anything to do with any of it. I guarantee if he keeps up with his pointless attacks, we'll be right back where we were last year.
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bettyellen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 04:41 PM
Response to Reply #51
56. oh, he has people talking and thinking about the theocracy....
and who these people are and what their agenda is....and maybe that's pointless to you, but....
but if you want to parrot the rw talking points on him, you just go ahead.
and exactly what was that message that Kerry and the DNC got across to America last year? I've heard pins drop louder, because it way way too polite to be effective.
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sandnsea Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 06:21 PM
Response to Reply #56
57. DEAN???
NO, not Dean. That is just laughable. Congress has gotten the theocratic message out by focusing on the filibuster, judges, stem cell research, etc.

That's the same message we were putting out last year, that and health care, social security, energy independence, weapons proliferation, international cooperation, and the rest of this year's Dem agenda.
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bettyellen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 08:02 PM
Response to Reply #57
58. what's laughable is that you think the message got out last year....
and what's even better is thread after thread of people supporting dean.
you want to be divider, have at it. obviously your mind was made up a while ago.
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sandnsea Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 10:37 PM
Response to Reply #58
64. It did
I know because of the regular Democrats I talk to all the time. What's interesting is going through last year's blogs. No wonder people online think the message didn't get out. From the looks of things, only the Kerry blog bothered with Kerry's agenda. Everybody else blabbered on about Bush. If ABB was the wrong strategy, it was the bloggers' strategy, not the Kerry campaign's.

I actually thought Dean would settle down and become the centrist he was in Vermont. I also don't think there would be a big deal this week if Dean people hadn't made it one. There's nothing in the world wrong with saying "I disagree with that remark" and that's all Biden & Edwards did. Dean people turned it into a conspiratorial attack, just like they did in the primaries and we know how well that went.

Howard Dean is the divider here and he was been for over 2 years. The sooner he sees he needs to attack on issues and not personalities, the better off we'll be.
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stickdog Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 06:58 AM
Response to Reply #22
41. He's a good politician, a decent man, an interesting speaker and
his blunt candor is a breath of fresh air compared to the mealymouthed, namby-pamby, corpofascorepublicrat shit that most of our Democratic "leaders" normally dish out to widespread public yawning.

It's not that Dean supporters think Dean is perfect or can do no wrong. It's just that Repuke-enabling imperialists like Feinstein, Harmon, Gephardt, Lieberman, Hillary, and, yes, even Kerry have set the bar so low.

Of course, there are many fine voices among Democrats besides Howard Dean. But Dean's obviously one of the good guys, and any establishment Dem who criticizes Dean more often, more harshly or more publicly than he or she criticizes Bush should burn in 9th circle of hell, AFAIAC.
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Melodybe Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 08:09 AM
Response to Reply #22
46. Sorry yo Dean is well liked in MS, the Jackson dinner with Dean oversold
by over 100 people. I know I was there, and he also got quite a few standing ovations from the conservative MS dems.

My republican father in law thinks he is feisty and like the fact that he is consistant and intelligent.

He would have voted for Dean if he had gotten the nod, but alas Fox News told him that Kerry was bad and Bush got his vote.

He's coming around though, buyer remorse and all.

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WildEyedLiberal Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jun-10-05 12:34 AM
Response to Reply #46
66. Well, the Jackson dinner was probably a fundraiser with Dems, too
Wasn't it?

I went to a Dean fundraiser in DC once and enjoyed his speech a lot. Then again, I'm a Dem. What he said that night I saw him was great - he hammered Bush and his corrupt cronies while insisting on the need to reach out to "Red" America. But now he's turned around and made several comments that seem designed to put us at war with those very people he purportedly wanted to reach out to.

I hope your dad comes around some day, but if you don't think Faux News would've convinced him that Dean was horrible had he been the nominee, then you don't understand how insidious the media is.
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ReverendDeuce Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 11:07 AM
Response to Reply #22
49. Not trashing Kerry -- I am trashing his CAMPAIGN... there is a difference
Kerry's campaign was ran terribly. Kerry came off as downright dull and uninspiring. Just like Gore did in 2000. But look at Gore now without the army of campaign managers and image analysts. He's much more engaging, interesting, and direct now!

That's the problem with the "old guard" Democrat campaigners. They water down their candidates and hold them back as to not upset anybody. They don't want controversy, they don't want to tackle anything difficult if it might upset the other side. Gore, on his own, gets fired up and I love it! If he ran his campaign that way in 2000, it would have been a landslide. Same with Kerry (I think, but I've yet to see him really deliver any speeches that are much more than political theater - most likely because he's still holding office and is afraid to take any risks).

The Republicans took <b>risks</b> by alienating moderates. They constantly take huge risks by pandering to the far right extreme elements. They've managed to steer so much of the national dialogue simply by repeating their lines over and over again and have an army of yes-men echoing their talking points to a precise demographic of people that are completely pleased to live their lives in suburban or rural paranoia.

In order to combat this, we can't just sit around with our thumbs up our asses pandering to the moderate right.

Look at this forum for crying out loud. Everybody here could be considered true liberals. We're screaming for these people to do something, to represent <b>us</b>, not the slightly-left-of-far-right people.

Dean did this when he was running. Kerry did not (or his campaign managers didn't let him). Bush takes risks all the time, virtually every time he opens his mouth.
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WildEyedLiberal Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jun-10-05 12:47 AM
Response to Reply #49
67. Okay, I concede the point that the campaign managers sucked
However, repeating "Kerry sucked" or calling him a horrible candidate, as I've seen done, doesn't help anything. If, as in this post, you focus on WHAT was bad about the campaign, in my opinion that's far more helpful than to just point blank say it (or he) sucked. Kerry the person or Kerry the senator does NOT suck, and anyone can look at his record and his activity to see that. I think your criticisms of the campaign are valid. But trashing HIM does our cause no good especially while he's still fighting for it in so many ways - no more good than someone trashing Dean or Reid or any other high-profile Dem who ISN'T selling us out like Lieberman or Zell or Landreiu or whoever.

I like Dean fine, I just don't think his current comments are wise. I've been to a Dean fundraiser and heard him give a GREAT, aggressive speech - I loved it. He managed to be fiery without making verbal blunders like calling Republicans names. What he's done recently amounts to little more than trash-talking, and while it may make those of us at DU happy, in my opinion, he'd acheive greater efficacy if he stuck to hammering their corruption and hypocrisy without resorting to namecalling. I agree a little controversy can be a good thing. But I'd rather he direct his controversy in ways that can't be spun like his recent comments have, like Reid calling Bush a "liar". That's what Dean needs to do - just point blank call a spade a spade but minus all the theatrics that just make him look silly, like telling Tom Delay to go to jail, or namecalling Republicans in general. When he does that, the focus isn't on bad Republicans, as it should be, but rather on Dean himself.
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borlis Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 12:36 AM
Response to Original message
29. I have thought for a long time that the only way the gop would
lose control of everything was if they imploded on their own. I'm keeping my fingers crossed about this DSM however, I am trying not to get too excited. So many times in the past I was convinced "this is it", but it never happened. I'm impressed with Dean's "tell it like it is" attitude. Truthfully, I am not to impressed with most Dems lately. For a while it seemed like they were caving in on every issue.
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understandinglife Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 12:54 AM
Response to Original message
32. "Bring it on, Dr Dean"! In_DEED!! And, let's encourage all Dems to join ..
Edited on Thu Jun-09-05 12:56 AM by understandinglife
... him.


Peace.


http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article4173.htm


www.missionnotaccomplished.us - We support Apian's goal of 10,000,000 signatures on Congressman Conyers letter by June 21, 2005; make it happen!http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/6/6/214643/6438
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Warren Stupidity Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 07:16 AM
Response to Reply #32
43. And send the DNC money for the '06 campaign. EOM.
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ngGale Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 01:58 AM
Response to Original message
35. Could be why the GOP wants to bring...
Dean down. He's resonating with their base, not the fundies - the real conservatives. The ones who have also been forgotten, the moderates who are losing their jobs and homes.
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ElectroPrincess Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 06:35 AM
Response to Reply #35
37. You go Howard Dean! YOU represent "we the people" of the Dem Party /eom
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sundancekid Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 08:14 PM
Response to Reply #35
59. yup, just like Danforth's NYT editorial did - truth to power when power
is with the people!
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wildeyed Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 07:25 AM
Response to Original message
44. Our country has been living in denial.
There is (was) an elephant in the room and nobody would mention it. Now Dean is saying, "hey, there is an elephant in the room!" and everyone is freaking out. Because he is saying the truth. And it has been so long since anyone has said truth, it seems radical. But it is just the truth.

He is passionate, he is getting headlines, people are talking. All good. We used the quiet, polite, intellectual approach and we lost (or got cheated, but whatever). Our comments were ignored and twisted by the media. Let's shake it up, try something new, see if we can win next time.
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bvar22 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 09:15 AM
Response to Original message
48. Dean on the right track.
Howard Dean and the Democrats need to JUST KEEP ATTACKING. Force the Republicans to play DEFENSE. One of the few perks of the Minority Party is that the Party in Power must DEFEND their policies. The Minority Party NEVER needs to DEFEND anything. Just Move on to another attack! It would be POWERFUL if the Democratic Party would publicly support the Chairman of the Party. Amplification would only help. If a Democrat can't support him, they should make their comments in private to the good Doctor.


If the Republicans or the CorpoMedia start whining...Attack some MORE.
If minor mistakes are made, the record can be corrected BY THE INDIVIDUAL WHO MADE THEM if HE/SHE SO DECIDES. NO Democrat ever NEEDS TO COMMENT ON WHAT ANOTHER DEMOCRAT HAS SAID!!! When the CorpoMedia TalkingHead tries to force a Democrat into that position, all the Democrat has to do is chuckle and say, "You'll have to ask Chairman Dean about that. I wasn't there, so I can't comment except to say that he is an excellent Party Chairman!"...and THEN launch an attack on the Republicans. NEVER let them rest.

It is the Republicans who SHOULD be on the defensive EVERY FUCKING DAY!

John Kerry should have LAUGHED OUT LOUD at the Swift Boat Liars and called them a bunch of DISGUSTING LYING COWARDS NOT WORTHY OF HIS TIME (case closed)....and then DIRECTLY ATTACKED AWOL for NOT having the COURAGE to DO HIS PART!!!

GOOD on YOU Howard!!!!

WE need to keep sending messages of support to HIM from the grass roots that frightened the Establishment Dems into throwing us a bone. The MORE THEY try to undercut him, the MORE WE NEED to SUPPORT HIM, and the MORE we need to let the Establishment Dems know that we don't like it when they DIS the DOCTOR.

Howard SPEAKS FOR US!!!
YOU dis the Doctor; you DIS US!!!
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Javaman Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 11:46 AM
Response to Original message
50. Dean is right on the money and he's beating the repukes at their own game.
He's causing quite a stir, why? Because he's using the same attack tactics that rove and his bunch had been using on us all this whole time.
Let Dr. Dean be free to continue. He's firing people up, making them think and telling all the dino's to put up or shut up.
It's time now for the repukes turn to try and explain things, it's now their turn to try and defend the obvious bullshit they hand us, it's now their turn to try and tell a single truth. They can't and that's what's pissing them off.
Dean is a pitbull on attack, he doesn't back down and doesn't compromise, this is straight from the repuke hand book and you know what? It feels damn good.
He's out there braking his ass and taking the fight to the repukes doorstep. It's going to be ugly and at times we won't always agree with him, but the time for pussyfooting around is gone. Trying to play nice is just not going to work with these despicable thieves in the WH.
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killbotfactory Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 04:25 PM
Response to Reply #50
55. yep
and he didn't raise record amounts of money as a candidate by being a mealy-mouthed pussy. this stuff appeals to the grass root dems who are sick of being shat upon by the GOP and their cronies at every turn while our "leaders" sit by and play mr. nice guy.
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SiouxJ Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 12:15 PM
Response to Original message
52. I agree; bring it on! I mean, wtf have we got to lose?!
They already control everything. They've done that by defining us while we sit back and let it happen. We need someone to shake things up and the only way to do that is to get the media interested. I'm tired of walking on eggshells. It hasn't worked anyway. For years we've been sitting back and letting them define us, now Dean is defining them.
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Gloria Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 09:20 PM
Response to Reply #52
63. Dean is breaking up the log jam of wimpy, inside the Beltway Democrats...
if nothing else, people know he's a fighter and willing to say something DIRECT.

Now I want Harry Reid to SHUT DOWN Biden, Lieberman, et al and let Howard be Howard!!!!

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Joanne98 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 04:25 PM
Response to Original message
54. Same reaction here in red southeastern OHIO
Rednecks like him for his honesty. He's someone they can respect. The biggest shock of all, they agree with him. I said this a long time ago. Howard Dean will be the most popular in the reddest of red states. The only thing he screwed upon was the immigrant defense. Message to Howard! Watch more Lou Dobbs!
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Name removed Donating Member (0 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 08:51 PM
Response to Original message
60. Deleted message
Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.
 
demgrrrll Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-09-05 09:07 PM
Response to Original message
62. I read that there was a trailer rolling under the CNN reporters that noted
that 82 percent of those who identified themselves as Republicans were white Christians. Dean is right.
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