Bob Kerrey turns down "stop Dean" role . Good for him.

[madfloridian]

This verifies what I earlier heard about some governors who wanted someone to run against Dean. I don't think Kerrey necessarily supports Dean, but he has the decency not to do this.

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_np=0&u_pg=1673&u_sid=1313017

WASHINGTON - "A band of Democratic governors seemingly out to stop Howard Dean recently tried to draft Bob Kerrey into running for the chairmanship of the Democratic National Committee.

But the former Nebraska senator and governor said Tuesday that he has all but rejected their entreaties to join the contest.

It isn't wise, he said, to try to thwart the fiery former Vermont governor and presidential candidate. Dean is among a handful of Democrats campaigning for the post, which will be decided in a vote next month.

"It does feel like a 'stop Howard' effort," Kerrey said of the outreach by governors he declined to name. "I don't think that's a good idea - stopping anybody."

[RandomKoolzip]

1. Right on, Bob!

Message to "old school" Dems: Get the fuck out of the way.

[madfloridian]

2. I think there is some of that going around, even in Florida.

I think for FL, MS, OK chairs and a couple of co-chairs (and Utah as well) to endorse Dean now, is saying essentially that. They are being pressured.

The DGA is fearful of image, but they should know Dean well...at least a lot of them.. There is no excuse for that.

[mattclearing]

7. I love this sentiment. Sums it up perfectly. n/t

[Dr Fate]

3. Class act! n/t

n/t

[madfloridian]

4. This article may be connected to that group of governors.

http://www.beaufortgazette.com/24hour/politics/story/2028235p-10062921c.html

SNIP..."TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - The road out of the political wilderness, if there is one for Democrats, could wind through Kansas and 11 other Republican-leaning states that are run by Democratic governors.
These are places where bipartisanship and moderation reign, liberal orthodoxies perish, GOP ideas flourish and the politically charged buzzword "values" means more than gays, guns and God..."

As President Bush is sworn in for a second term Thursday, these "red-state" Democratic governors are anything but blue. Perhaps it's the virtue of necessity.

"I always start with the premise that if I get 100 percent of Democrats to vote for me, I still lose big time," said Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, a Democrat trying to squeeze her third-year agenda through a legislature dominated 2-1 by Republicans. "You never get the luxury of saying, 'I'll just mobilize my political base,'" she said.

And this part bothers me.

They say a key to their success is convincing voters, through their policies and personalities, that they are "one of them." Democrats in middle America must be viewed as part of a state's cultural fabric, clearly distinguishable from the national party in Washington.

"There are a few Democrats - you know who they are, Teddy Kennedy and Hillary Clinton - who Republicans like to tie around our necks, and they are universally disliked in places like Oklahoma," Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry said. "They have a reputation of being ultraliberal, and it filters down on us.."

That sounds good if you don't forget where you came from and don't forget who bought you to the party.

[janx]

11. I'm not going to assume that, necessarily.

The governors who are out to stop Dean--and who are they, anyway? Are they named?--have probably been recruited by other candidates. I think it has less to do with ideology than it does with good old fashioned politics.

[madfloridian]

16. I said maybe. I did not say it was.

I must be in the twilight zone today with everything I post coming out the wrong way.

I do know who some of the the governors are, and it is ok. They are in red states and they must be like the other party to win. That is their right.

[lyonn]

18. Okie here

and I don't know who our Dem. Gov. likes but the people around me that are dems. like Dean alot. But, I did vote in the primaries for Clark since I knew Dean had a real slim chance of getting close here, and sure enough, Clark got OK. Kerry seemed lacking in what it would take to get the votes. Dean is outspoken. People generally like outspoken, isn't that what they say about Bush? Sorry for the comparision since Dean is still my guy. By the way, the twilight zone you mentioned? Well, I've got it bad today also, got to be this dam inauguration thing, and listening to Boxer. I'm all haired up.

[jpgray]

5. Good for Kerrey

I disagree with some of his politics, but I've always liked him. He was great on the Daily Show.

[madfloridian]

6. And it confirms the existence of at least one movement...

And several others will show soon. Very interesting and it will get ugly soon.

[madfloridian]

8. Kerrey has more class than this guy did.

I can not believe Fowler said this in a public forum. This was very poor taste. He could have said Dean was not the man, or I am better than Dean, but this was an ugly way to do it.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/democrats_chair

The question about Dean is: While he will have a third of the vote easily, can he get to 50 percent?" said Donnie Fowler, one of Dean's opponents. Then Fowler referred to Dean's presidential campaign.
"Dean had the oranges," Fowler said, "but he couldn't make orange juice."

Good pic from Yahoo of Dean and Webb at the Mayor's convention.

[Cheswick2.0]

14. Fowler's a twerp

What has he done beside get let go from the Clark Campaign and almost single handedly lose MI?
Thank Goodness for grassroots activists in MI who pulled Kerry over the finish line. I hear that Fowler was such an idiot that no one in the state could stand him.

[NYCGirl]

9. And when Dean started up DFA, he announced it at the New School,

University in NYC, where he was invited by Bob Kerry, who is President of the School.

http://www.newschool.edu/admin/pres/events0304.html

[Zensea]

15. yep

I was there. Saw it for myself.
I started thinking about that when I saw this thread.

[lojasmo]

10. Kennedy also said he'd play no part in "Stop Dean" campaign. N/T

[Edgewater_Joe]

12. ... but who are these Dem governors?

They don't name them.

Which one of them don't want Dean?

[janx]

13. You noticed that too, eh? n/t

[madfloridian]

17. Many govs in red states don't. It is their right not to want him.

It is their right to try to be more like the other party to win. I don't agree with that.

But that is how it is.