Just got home... From Howard Dean's hotel room.

[Maine Mary]

:evilgrin: HA! Got you to look. :-)

Yes I was in his ("greeting") room but so too were various other Maine Legislators as well as both of our US Dem. Congressmen. (Tom Allen and Mike Michaud) All in all about 20 of us. Quiet conversation, no booze but plenty of coffee. I mentioned DU to Gov. Dean and a spark of recognition seemed to appear on his face but someone else sidetracked him with a totally different subject so that was the end of that.

Both Dean and Kerry had attended our Jefferson/Jackson Maine Dem fundraiser earlier in the evening. It was a huge success, packed beyond capacity in a large resort/restauraunt in Southern Maine. People who have attended these events for years say they have never seen such a turnout.

Dean and Kerry spoke to us at the event and I was impressed by both. I am a Dean supporter but I must say Kerry did an excellent job too. In fact, I like the fact that he came there w/less fanfair (No one up on the stage but him- Sorry SEIU- I love you guys but you looked like a bunch of groupies IMHO)

Fun night. I could've gone to Kerry's "greeting room" as well but was just too plum tired. Hmmm. Wonder if they had more then coffee over there? :shrug: Nah, I doubt it but yah never know.

[undergroundrailroad]

1. Thanks for that excellent report. Now why would someone

interrupt your conversation when you mentioned those two precious words, DU??

Thanks for attending and providing the details of the evening Maine Mary. If Gov. Dean is the candidate your should head up the health and fitness program in our country. Your a role model !

Best wishes,


UGRR Mina :hi:

[Maine Mary]

2. LOL!

Health and Fitness- Maine Mary? It'd be kind of like the "compassionate-conservative" term. The two just don't go togethor.

:-)

[Ellen Forradalom]

3. excellent!

I organized the Dean Anagram Squad for the Chicago fundraiser. That put a smile on the Gov's face:

[realFedUp]

6. which one are you in the picture?

[Capn Sunshine]

4. Howard knows about DU

I've made a point of that.
Trippi thinks we're dangerously unbalanced.
I agree. But that's why I love this place.

[MaineDem]

5. I was with John Kerry before the dinner

We were at a reception for JK at a near-by pub. The locals at the bar watching the ND-Navy game were quite surprised that JK was actually in "their" bar. I was taking pictures for the web site.

It was good to see you at the JJ Dinner, Maine Mary. Too bad the room was so crowded that it was impossible to mingle and talk. I can't believe they had so many people crammed into that one room.

In fact, the room was so crowded that the waitstaff couldn't get between the tables. When Kerry came in he actually walked on the chairs to reach the podium! It was quite funny.

It was a good night. Both Dean and Kerry went after the current administration big time.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

7. did either one of them mention an exit strategy for Iraq?

I am dying to hear one of the candidates come up with something original.
other than Kuchinich, who supports withdrawl (simplistic at best) I have not really heard any difference between them and *, which will be very bad come next year if they don't come up with something fast.

[Kat45]

9. Clark has outlined an exit strategy for Iraq

in a speech in South Carolina. The info is on his website
http://www.clark04.com/

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

11. So I see. And it is just as I feared... here are excerpts...

"Every American should understand: early exit means retreat or defeat. There can be neither. We need a success strategy -for it is only success that can honor the sacrifice of so many American men and women; it is only success that will allow Iraq to stand on its own; and it is only success that will allow our soldiers to come home."
"When it comes to our force levels, it's possible that some may need to be added initially to create the right mix of capabilities. You cannot measure success by a reduction in forces, and you can't declare failure by an increase in forces."

So he is for continuing status-quo essentially, trying more spy stuff, more Spec-Ops, and trying to get the international community to help more. I do not believe he understands how opposed the rest of the world is to this illegal war.

and

"Success means that representative government has taken root, so that it can be a model for the future in the Middle East."

So what do we do if the Iraqi people don't want representative government? Who are we to say they have to have it? How has representative government helped us in the past 3 years?

and

"We should start by calling the old Iraqi army to duty. We have to have thorough background checks, pay generous rates, and appeal to their sense of nationality. We need these security forces quickly so we can free up US soldiers to focus on our most urgent tasks of counter-insurgency - some Iraqis may go to police, some as guards for installations or borders, and some will be the nucleus for a new, still to be formed Iraqi army."

Yeah, that will work. Those cats are so hated for the attrocities they committed, I am sure the people will just love to have them back where they were before. Nationality? They are tribal peoples, they have loyality to their kind alone.

and even

"The French are wrong: we cannot transfer full authority to Iraqis before they are ready. But the administration is also wrong: we can give the Iraqis a much bigger sense of ownership over their country and move more quickly towards a government that answers to its people. Until Iraqis believe that they can control their future, they will huddle in fear and watch others attack - rather than stand with pride, expose the guerrillas and stop the violence."

But he thinks we can convience allies to help us more? By saying things like this...hmmmm. And yeah, Iraqis do not believe they can control their future, or they would have tossed Saddam out on their own.
and finally

"This New American Patriotism recognizes the simple truth that we can't be safe at home unless we're secure abroad. We can't solve our domestic challenges - the economy, health care, and education -- unless we succeed in Iraq and extinguish terrorism around the world."

Shades of Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon here. Oh my God. We are in for it if this is the best he can come up with.

[MaineDem]

10. I don't remember either mentioning it specifically last night

Here's Kerry's plan for "winning the peace" in Iraq.

http://www.johnkerry.com/issues/iraq/

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

12. Yeah, a sitting Senator who ducked the chance to vote

against the 87Billion now says it is wrong to give it to *..

Hey, I thought he was a Senator... how come he did not show up to vote against it if he feels so strongly about it?

I like and respect Kerry, but his actions of late speak much louder than his actions of 30 years ago.

I am not so sure that ANY currently elected member of Congress should be considered to run for President on the Democratic ticket next year.

They were measured and have been found wanting.

[corarose]

8. Are we going to hear about a scandal or what?

Come on tell us about before Tweety broadcasts it.

Just kidding!