What Party Elders Overlook in Dean

[Walt Starr]

Dem bigwigs may scorn his campaign, but his ability to attract young and other disenfranchised voters could be just what the party needs

Why on earth has Howard Dean generated so much enmity from the Democratic political Establishment? Two reasons: He hasn't shown the proper deference to those he calls -- with more than a touch of contempt -- Washington Democrats. The other is that Dean is dangerous, subversive even, for the party's congressional incumbents.

Most of these insiders are convinced that Dean is destined to be crushed in November. And they may well be right. Of all the Democratic candidates, he has the greatest chance of not just losing but being blown out by George W. Bush. But the pugnacious ex-governor of Vermont might also have the best chance to beat Bush. Either way, he may not be much use to many sitting congressional Democrats. And right now they're much more worried about their own survival than electing a President.

POLITICAL POISON? The Establishment Dems, who lean to retired General Wesley Clark and Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), would rather see a candidate who will lose respectably to Bush than one whose candidacy is as much a roll of the dice as Dean's. Congressional incumbents would be far more comfortable with a mainstream Dem who can help them in traditional ways, such as drawing crowds and raising money.

http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/jan2004/nf20040112_1950_db015.htm

This is precisely why, any other candidate stands no chance against Bush. The Party Elite would rather have a respectable loser than a winner.

[Hoppin_Mad]

1. Perfect ! " A candidate who would lose respectably " -eom

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

2. Don't put words in my mouth sir.

You write "The Establishment Dems, who lean to retired General Wesley Clark and Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), would rather see a candidate who will lose respectably to Bush than one whose candidacy is as much a roll of the dice as Dean's"

What a load of horseshit. I support Wesley Clark because I believe he is the candidate who most represents my point of view.

If Howard Dean wins the nomination I will support him. But let him and his supporters win it through the process rather than act like it's a mantle they're owed.

If Dean does not win the nomination will you likewise support the party's nominee?

[pasadenaboy]

3. I don't think you are an establishment democrat, are you?

I think they are talking about the traditional democratic leadership and interests in Washington.

[BuelahWitch]

4. That was a fantastic piece Walt

And oh so true!

I don't want to lose in 2004! This country can't afford 4 more years of G W Bush!

[dajabr]

5. This part is very exciting!

NEW BLOOD. Dean's message to voters: "Only you have the power..." seems to be catching on, not just with Americans in their 20s, 30s, and 40s who have felt disenfranchised from politics but also among rank-and-file Dems. His candidacy is unfolding in much the same way that Arnold Schwarzenegger lit a fire under California surfer dudes who had never before seen the inside of a polling booth. Dean's firebrand populism has these political outsiders sending money and chatting on the Web. If he can get them to vote, Dean may really be on to something.

Former New Jersey Senator Bill Bradley, himself a past Democratic Presidential candidate who recently endorsed Dean, has figured out what party insiders haven't. With turnout below 50% in Presidential elections, millions of potential voters are up for grabs. It's the Democratic Party that has the best chance to win them over. But without that infusion of new blood, the party will be trapped like a hamster on treadmill, frantically running in place to hang on to those seniors, minorities, and women who form the old party base.

Yes, Dean may be the riskiest of the Democratic hopefuls. But he also offers the party its best chance of breaking through the red state/blue state, 50/50 split in the popular vote that has thrown modern-day Presidential elections into gridlock.

I concur.

[JNelson6563]

18. Exactly!

So, I wonder, how many is 50% of the voters? What if enough people came out and voted that normally don't! Many are not happy. We all saw the many stories during the war protests of people from all walks of life, who've never done any such thing before. I believe that immense dislike of Bush is one of the most uniting forces I've seen yet.

If Dean wins the nomination we will see how deep the dislike of Bush the establishment really has.

Julie

[hellhathnofury]

6. It's the truth.

They have poor memories. McGovern lost to Nixon(CRIMINAL!).

[candy331]

8. I Hate to think it because it so depressing but

I too think they would rather lose. But really when you think of it what do the insiders have to lose? They can go on pretending that all is well and putting up a front voting with the repugs. Surely they realize that changes have to made but they rather do the same things and hope for different results.

Drats, got to give even the repugs credit because even they knew they had to change strategy to win even if they do play dirty to do it.

[hellhathnofury]

12. I found my revolution.

[TexasSissy]

7. How 'bout just someone who doesn't call his peers "cockroaches"?

I'll settle for that. But of course, that strikes Dean off the list.

He doesn't play well with others. Like someone else we know (who shouldn't be President).

[slinkerwink]

9. none of the candidates have played well with each other....

[silverweb]

10. How 'bout we get our quotes straight?

Dean said that if he were elected, Congressional members were "going to be scurrying for shelter, just like a giant flashlight on a bunch of cockroaches." That's not name calling or even a metaphor, honey; it's a simile. :)

Since Congress is currently GOP dominated, I take Dean's comment to mean that the GOP's sneaky, secretive, Democrat-banning, discussion-thwarting tactics are going to be subjected to the bright light of scrutiny and truthseeking. If in the process, it makes wimpy, go-along Dems take offense, maybe they should - and it's about time!


It's true that the comparison is not flattering, but if the shoe fits....

Ya know? :P

[Walt Starr]

28. It is apparent to me, the anti-Dean forces are Goring him

Misquoting, taking out of context, and in many cases just plain making shit up.

It reminds me of 2000.

[ShimokitaJer]

36. I've been misinterpreting that quote for months!

I could have sworn the original quote was about Washington Dems' reaction to Bush and their caving in to pressure to the Bush administration rather than Dean's effect on them. My mistake.

Nonetheless, you are quite correct. Dean describes their actions as scurrying away "like cockroaches" rather than actually calling them cockroaches. Criticism of the statement is unfounded.

[jonnyblitz]

21. The DEM Bush enablers in DC deserve to be called names

I think he was being rather kind myself.

[Printer70]

11. Proud to be a Howard Dean Democrat as well

eom

[Walt Starr]

13. Now everybody needs to get DAMN PROUD

to be a Howard Dean Democrat!

Shameless bunp.

:kick:

[Padraig18]

14. Awesome post, Walt!

:D

[Walt Starr]

15. Yes Padraig. This article is the elephant in the living room

And about 70% of the Democratic Party is choosing to just ignore the elephant. Maybe if it knocked over the TV...

[KoKo]

23. Yes, Walt, definitely the "Elephant" and look at how we lost in mid-terms

due to those elephants in the room. Great post. Nice angle.

[seaglass]

16. Who cares what party insiders want?

The voters are the ones who will make the decision. Geez as a Dean supporter I'd think you'd know that the people have the power, what's all this party elite crap?

[kayob1]

17. Thanks for posting!

Good article.

[Hep]

19. Sooner or later they'll realize that what Dean is doing is WORKING.

What they do at that point will determine their future in politics.

[Cheswick2.0]

20. I call them the hand ringers

those folks who say we have to nominate Clark so the republicans can't beat us up on national security. It is so wrongheaded. Republicans and the media will beat up anyone who allows them to decide what the issues are.
Kerry killed himself with this thinking. At least Gephardt has the unions to help him out.

[blm]

22. This article is BULL.

Business Week is an establishment TOOL, that loves Dean's deregulating of big business efforts as governor.

Anyone working against Kerry is an establishment tool. They want to PUNISH the man who exposed more government corruption by the establishment powerstructures than ANY other lawmaker in modern history. They need him and his allies, Rand Beers and Joe Wilson silenced or their decades of covert actions and crimes will be exposed in a general election campaign with all attention focused on two men, Kerry and Bush.

Those powerstructures USE Dean and his campaign to do it.

Traitors to the party and traitors to the country.

[Walt Starr]

29. Wow, I get a sense of vague familiarity in the tone of this post

B-)

[ShimokitaJer]

24. The Democratic Party is an established business that feels threatened

by the new model that is the Dean campaign. Of course they're going to prefer what seems safe, even if it hasn't always been successful.

Machiavelli said, in The Prince:

Innovation makes enemies of all those who prospered under the old regime, and only lukewarm support is forthcoming from those who would prosper under the new. Their support is indifferent partly from fear and partly because they are generally incredulous, never really trusting new things unless they have tested them by experience.

Of course the Democratic Party prefers winning to losing, but those in the establishment aren't going to encourage an untested strategy, even if it means surrendering a bit of familiar ground. That's why they were scared to stand up against the 2000 corruption in Florida and why they did such a bad job dealing with the new reality of 9/11.

The Democratic Party is still trying to sell us 8-track cassettes and can't believe anyone is willing to make the switch to CDs. The only question for us is, are we tired enough of losing to risk the effort to win big?

[Rose Siding]

25. Well, screw us

They'd rather lose than upset the apple cart. That's antithetical not only to what's frequently referred to as "the American spirit", but to human nature as well.

[Walt Starr]

31. The reason the Party Power Elites would rather lose than have Dean win

is pretty simple. They're protecting their cushy jobs. They could give a fuck about America, values, the American People, solving real problems with long term solutions, or anything else.

All the COCKROACHES want is to line their filthy greedy pockets. And yes, anybody who would support losing over winnning is a fucking COCKROACH!

[maxanne]

26. great article, Walt

thanks for posting it. The absolute party failures in 2002 should be teaching us that the same old stuff isn't working. That the Democratic party's swing to the right isn't working. Why elect a conservative Democrat when you can get the real thing by voting for a Republican?

It's in the best interest of a lot of people in the power structure if voters stay home.

:kick:

[sandnsea]

27. The Party is helping Dean

This little fantasyland where Dean is the outsider is alot of fun. But it's not reality. Dean has as much or more support from heavy hitters from Washington as anybody else. He's had a free ride from the media for months. He's had everything in his favor. And he generates more animosity than support.

If anybody thinks we can win being the pity-party, they're sadly mistaken. I am sick of it. We've got some great candidates with an amazing command of the issues, strong leadership abilities, and long records to back up what they say. There isn't any reason to gamble on Howard's pity party with so much at stake.

[ShimokitaJer]

30. You just keep thinking that, sandnsea

I'm nothing will change your mind that the only thing keeping Kerry from scoring big was that the party has given its support to Dean instead of to the more deserving Kerry. The fact that it is out of touch with reality shouldn't keep you from believing it.

Dean has support from Washington insiders now that he looks like a winner, but where was all this support when he was starting his run? If I remember correctly, that's when everyone was calling him unelectable. Dean has earned that party support, and he did it from the ground up, one endorsement at a time rather than according to DLC directive.

A free ride from the media? I don't know what media sources you read, but I can't open a paper without it telling me how angry Dean is, how he can't open his mouth without making a mistake, and how the Democrats are scared to death he isn't electable. Of course, since you parrot these same statements, I'm sure you view these all as the absolute truth... in which case you should praise the media for keeping our attention focused on them.

You're right about one thing: no one thinks we can win being the pity party. And as soon as Kerry supporters stop whining about losing their deserved place at the head of the party, they can move on from that and join Dean's more optimistic approach. We'll be waiting for you.

[sandnsea]

33. Dean is an idiot

There's just no amount of anything that will change that. He's an idiot and he won't win. He had a free ride with the media up and until a month ago. Just like Clark is getting a free ride now. Now that people are finally getting a look at all Dean's flip-flops and real record, they're seeing what alot of people have seen all along. That's why he's lost 11 pts in NH and has slid in IA and nationally.

All the man can do is cry and whine and attack people. If we nominate this idiot and have him and Bush as the best this country can do for Presidential candidates, we deserve to live in poverty and the rest of the world shouldn't follow us anywhere, ever.

Pity party. That's what he'll turn this party into and it makes me sick.

[Hep]

34. LOL

The best part will be when we say, "John Kerry couldn't even beat an idiot in the primary!"

Can't wait.

[Walt Starr]

35. I have sweet Grapes

Yours must be pretty sour.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

32. "Respectable losers" - how apt for the appeasers.

Those that insist that the "only" way to win is to become the moderate wing of the republican party.

What they fail to realize, or choose to ignore, is that Dean isn't the leader of a movement to the left, but the symbol of that movement.
It's the people who are supporting Dean that are demanding a change in the Democratic Party from an ineffective coalition of compromising, apathetic, pollwatching, "not as bad as the republicans" moderates, to a true opposition party with actual ideals that it's willing to fight for.

They whine and snivel and say that we're too angry, too liberal, too impolite, too impractical, too optimistic. While disguising the fact that the politics of appeasement have accomplished nothing but to sell out the people it's supposed to represent.

They cling to the failed tactics of the DLC and Clinton of "triangulation" which is just a way of denying the republicans the worst excesses by allowing the lesser excesses.

Dean isn't the revolution taking place in the party, he's just part of it.