Howard Dean & Bill Clinton

[returnable]

If the Dean campaign is supposed to be a dagger in the heart of the DLC and its Republican-lite leanings, why does the former Vermont governor keep using Bill Clinton, the DLC's favorite son and the bane of a lot of progressives, as a defense of his own positions?

On Sunday's "Face the Nation", Dean repeatedly invoked the name of Bill Clinton to defend a number of policy positions he's taken.

On his Medicare position:

"What I support was what Bill Clinton signed."

"Bill Clinton signed the bill and Medicare is still solvent because of that."

"The person I supported was Bill Clinton. Bill Clinton signed a bill which was very much like what I was -- I was -- like what I was proposing..."

On Social Security:

"Bill Clinton has shown that when the economy gets better and people start paying payroll taxes, Social Security becomes solvent."

"Now Bill Clinton has shown us you can balance the budget without doing any of the things that we were desperately clawing around for... Bill Clinton got us out of that and we need to stay out of that."

On NAFTA:

"I supported NAFTA and I supported the WT -- the Ch -- the joining of China into the WTO in 1999 four years ago, partly because Bill Clinton supported it, and partly because I thought it was a national security issue."

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/09/29/ftn/main575647.shtml

Just wondering how this sits with some of the Dean folks.

For me, these types of statements are a small part of why I've had a hard time warming up to Dean. He positions himself as a political rebel out to shake up the system and the DLC, yet doesn't waste any time aligning himself with the "Republican-lite" policies of the ultimate DLC/DNC "insider".

[LuminousX]

1. Because when Gore ran away from Clinton

he hurt himself.

Dean is embracing Clinton. It is the smart thing to do.

[returnable]

2. I agree

It IS smart.

But it strikes me as hypocritical when combined with all the "anti-DLC" posturing.

[LuminousX]

4. Love the Man, Not the Organization

I think one can safely seperate Clinton from DLC seeing that the DLC has failed to evolve over the past 4 years. It was good when it was created, but it has stagnated.

[returnable]

5. True

"It was good when it was created, but it has stagnated."

I can agree with that statement to a certain extent.

But at the same time, Clinton is still the face of the DLC, and they champion his policies. To rail against one is to, in essence, rail against the other.

I'm not alone in my concerns that Dean's tactic of painting himself as an "outsider" will eventually peak, and he'll either have to "run back to the middle" or sink from view on a national stage.

I wonder if the "Face the Nation" interview was another early sign that Dean's move back to the middle, where ideologically he's really always been, is underway.

[CMT]

3. the DLC is the one who really started this

Dean is a mainstream politician but because of his stand on the war the DLC incorrectly labeled Dean a "McGovernite". Dean is smart to try and identify with Clinton because he remains the most popular Democrat in the country. Also, my guess is that as president Dean will govern fairly closely to the way that Clinton did.

[returnable]

6. Maybe

"Also, my guess is that as president Dean will govern fairly closely to the way that Clinton did."

I can see that.

But won't that be a slap to the face of a lot of Dean's hardcore supporters who bought into the "new kind of Democrat" rhetoric?

Like I said, I don't think it's a bad strategy for a Dem to align himself (or herself) with Clinton. I just think the duplicity being displayed is a source of concern.

First Kerry, and now Clark, got hammered for being "Clinton" candidates (even though Bubba hasn't endorsed either).

And yet we see Dean trying to hitch his wagon to the Clinton legacy gravy train, too. But somehow, it's "different" cuz he's an "outsider."

I don't get it.

[Speck Tater]

7. The next best thing...

... short of Clinton endorsing Dean, is Dean endorsing Clinton. Either way, the two are connected in the minds of the voter, which is a good thing.

[Larkspur]

8. While I'm not endeared to Bill Clinton, he was a masterful politician

He proved that he could win office after losing it. He lost his governorship to a Repuke and then won it back BEFORE running for President. This is how he got the nickname "Comeback Kid." Clinton also knew how to fight the Right by appealing to the people to pressure the Repuke controlled Congress to pass needed legislation.

Clinton also was very personable to people, especially average citizens. He is a philanderer and used those traits on the media and the media's audience, so he doesn't have as sharp an edge as Dean, who is faithful to his wife, has with the media. With the average citizen, Dean is very personable; the caring doctor attributes come out naturally. He just gets gruff with the media and when attacked, the fighter in him comes out.

Also Clinton's efforts to balance the budget did prove that raising the taxes on the wealthy can balance the budget, create jobs, and keep Social Security solvent.

I think the master politician, treating average citizens respectfully, and balancing the budget are the main traits that Dean admires in Clinton.

Regarding the DLC, Dean supports that organization, but opposes the leadership of Al From and Bruce Reed.

[returnable]

9. Again, I agree...

I don't have a problem with Dem candidates taking what they can from Clinton.

I just see the irony of a politician trying to position himself as a political "rebel" while at the same time openly embracing, and even campaigning on, the policies of the "establishment."

[rucky]

10. Most Voters...

...don't know, care, or care to care about the DLC. As far as they're concerned, there are two parties and no factions. Leiberman's DLC is different from Clinton's DLC and I see no point in continuing the attack against the factions when there's so many big, juicy Republican targets.

Democrat good. Republican bad.

[returnable]

11. I'm with ya on that

"...and I see no point in continuing the attack against the factions when there's so many big, juicy Republican targets."

Here, here. The country, and this forum in particular, would be better off if we kept our eyes on the thugs in Washington instead of bashing each other :toast: