Dean's 'I Have a Scream' Speech

[JohnLocke]

Dean and his "I Have a Scream" Speech
Verne Gay - Newsday
Wednesday, January 21, 2004

Howard Dean? Howard Beale? Or Howard the duck? Who exactly was that guy on TV the other night - with rolled sleeves, pumping fists, unusual rhetorical flourishes ("aaaarrrrggghhhh!") and a command of U.S. geography? ("Connecticut! ... New York! ... ... ... Ohio! ... ")

And loud. Very loud.

In one of the most remarkable concession-non-concession speeches in recent U.S. political history, the former governor of Vermont and Democratic presidential candidate gave supporters and viewers a performance Monday night that was both inspirational and riveting. But also - let's just get this out of the way right now - strange.

In the process, he left this important question hanging: Did he lose or did he win? (And this one too: Is Dr. Dean running for president of the United States, for the part of suicidal anchorman Howard Beale in a remake of the movie "Network" or for commissioner of World Wrestling Entertainment.)

The experts are divided. "Man, it was a little too close to a wrestling speech for my taste," said Smithtown's Mick Foley, a best-selling author, pro wrestler and former commissioner of the (yes) World Wrestling Federation (as WWE was previously known). "If he had leveled with the people, saying, 'I am disappointed things are going to be tough down the home stretch ... ' Instead, we got a full-fledged WWE wrestling promo and that's not what I'm looking for in my president."

He added that "it appeared to me like he was a guy who had lost his mind, and I don't know if 'president' and 'maniacal' are supposed to be words that go hand in hand."

Edit: Headline slightly modified in message because of apostrophe glitch.

Read the rest here.

[lancdem]

1. I'm sorry, but that headline cracks me up

[chimpymustgo]

4. That was Laugh out Loud funny. I Have a Scream.

nt

[Fenris]

6. Yeah, the headline is great.

[adadem]

16. omg...that's hysterical

but true!

[The Magistrate]

19. All Partisanship Aside

That is a dmaned funny headline. It is not easy to make me laugh like that. This journalist is an awfully competent knife artist, and will go far in his craft....

[joefree1]

2. Wow, still posting this? This is as bad as those who post the

Edwards did no pro-bono work as a lawyer story. We should have a rule that DU get 10 cents everytime these are repeated.

[JohnLocke]

31. Look, I love Howard Dean.

I think he's great, I really do - a firebrand in the mold of Patrick Henry. However, even the toughest of us need to laugh at their candidate sometimes. And come on - you have to admit that speech was a little weird. He probably just had a little too much to drink.

[bitchkitty]

50. How cute, the way

you managed to imply, with such grace, that Dean is a ranting drunk. My compliments. I think you're great, I really do!

[JohnLocke]

62. Ahem.

I never implied that Dean is a "ranting drunk." I respect Dean, but thought that this article was very good.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

38. I like how you try to pretend those two are equivalent.

A non-story about Edwards from years ago that no one cares about, and one of the most talked about events in America this week.

lol

[JohnLocke]

43. How 'bout ... One that is true, one that isn't true.

:crazy:

[BeatleBoot]

3. Yeeeeaaaarghhhh!

:7

[eissa]

5. Oh look

another Dean-speech thread :eyes:

[Quixote1818]

7. Not in the tradition of Edwards

I am tired of people making fun of Dean's speech I thought it was fine! How would you feel if you thought you were going to win it all and then suddenly the rug was pulled out from under you because half of the people you brought to the table jumped ship for something safe? I am no Dean supporter but it pisses me off that so many Democrats don't see how good Howard Dean has been for this party and how many new voters he brought in. Like it or not we need the Dean grassroots movement to beat Bush. We need them to help carry who ever the Democratic nominee is and bring in that extra 5 or 10% vote that was not interested before Dean.

[lancdem]

12. I know we owe Dean a tremendous debt of gratitude

but I don't think a bit of humor directed at his speech means we've lost sight of that. Clinton was the butt of jokes for years, and I got used to it.

[bitchkitty]

53. 50 million threads about the speech

is not a bit of humor, it is a LOT of bad taste. I find myself hoping that all of the other candidates fall flat on their asses because of threads like this.

I will support the nominee, this time. Next time I'm Independent, and they're going to have to work for my vote. I'll never forget what my so-called fellow Democrats have done and are doing to Howard Dean.

Edited for clarity and so nobody will say I'm "attacking". This is how I feel, and everyone should take into account that I'm a registered Democrat, and I was into politics before Dean. I know just how bloody awful Bush is. I can't speak for new voters, who haven't been paying the attention that I have, and I think it's foolish to alienate them with this particular brand of "humor".

[Indiana Democrat]

56. If you can't laugh at "I Have a Scream"...

...I feel sorry for you.


Sometimes, one has to take a step back and enjoy some stuff.

[bitchkitty]

60. Read my post -

Maybe it would have been funny, 50 threads ago, and if people here weren't gathered around like vultures. I've got to stop coming here - I am filled with hatred for my own party. If Bush wasn't in the White House, I'd sit this one out.

[JohnLocke]

74. Humorless?

:nopity: :nopity:

[Castilleja]

72. I'm with you, Bitchkitty

I am beginning to detest certain other candidates, and I will have to really think twice about voting for other candidates rather than feeling relatively comfortable in choosing another if my favorite candidate is not nominated. This will all be hard to just put aside later on. I have seen about enough of this for my taste.

[JohnLocke]

78. kick

[David__77]

21. If Democrats "Muskie" him, it is unforgivable.

Criticizing politics is one thing. Gephardt blasting Dean's positions on Medicare is fine. But this politics is rancid. I haven't always been a Democrat. But I know it can again be the party of the people in the tradition of FDR. If people want to criticize Dean, it should be a political criticism, not a comedy criticism. We don't have time--we have enemy to deal with.

[maxanne]

52. it's happening,

even ask we speak, David_77. Dean's being destroyed by his own party. It's reprehensible. We will get our asses handed to us in November, and we will deserve it. The one genuine political movement that started to get off the ground in years is currently being sabotaged, by people who should be on the same side. Watch the apathy backlash this will cause. It makes me sick. It makes me angry.

[JohnLocke]

33. Hmm...

:nopity: :nopity:

[Clark Can WIN]

54. Hey I have one of those too.

:nopity:

[Jerseycoa]

8. I can't even read it

I'm laughing so hard at the title my vision blurred. :7

[Frederic Bastiat]

26. Same here n/t

LOL

[Feanorcurufinwe]

9. LOL

I think I may end up repeating that one...

[LuminousX]

10. All a matter of perception

If it hurt him, it hurt him. Not much we can do about that. I love all the 'he should've's' the pundits love to talk about. Perhaps they should run for an elected office.

YEEEEAAAAGH! - The battlecry that keeps Bush awake at nights.

[neverforget]

28. Dean's battlecry? Now that's funny!

YEAAAGGGHHHHH!

[beaconess]

34. It keeps him awake cause he's laughing so hard he can't get to sleep!

[Democrats unite]

11. When I finally get over at laughing at the title...

I'll come back & read the article.

I guess all the Joe Liberman cracks around here by some people may not look so funny after all?

[in_cog_ni_to]

13. That is the funniest

title I have ever read! LOL! Belly laugher!

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

14. Oh good...

I always look to Cactus Jack for the finest in political analysis.

Gimme a break. Please.

[AngryAmish]

29. Bang! Bang!

[NewYorkerfromMass]

15. Google News: "Dean Muskie"

119 results:

http://news.google.com/news?q=Muskie+Dean&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sa=G&scoring=d

[ACPS65]

17. hahahahha

:D

[David__77]

18. It's what I'm looking for in a president!

I want a passionate leader. We need to split the political system wide open. It's worth it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Republicans learned that in 1980. Bush is the biggest dolt, the most un"presidential" person I can imagine. If he can rally tens of millions, I am sure that Dean, with a platform founded on justice, can do the same.

[KoKo]

20. Wow! Verne Gay must have gotten his ideas from posts here on Monday

night! Word for word what I read on a couple of threads.
:hi: Verne!
Glad to see you leave the reporting to us! We must be good, but could you send the check please?

[Darth_Ole]

22. Oh, Christ, what a dumb thread...

And what a dumb thing for the media (and Democrats for that matter) to jump on.

If Dean had won Iowa, this wouldn't be an issue TWO DAYS after the caucuses were over.

If the fact that Dean yelled and said "Yeah" changes some people's votes, shame on them. Let's pay attention to policies and ideas and who voted for what, folks. Please...

[lurk_no_more]

23. Any bets on how long it'll take for this title

to become the main stay on the talk radio circuit? LOL funny.


And then there were none!
” JAFO”

[SeattleRob]

24. Clark folks....

Laugh all you want. I hate to say it but your man is going to be the next one trashed by the whore media. It's already starting and it's going to get worse. There are already murmurs questioning his sanity. They will sink very low to stop anyone who threatens the status quo. Unlike you though, I will not be laughing or celebrating. I will be mourning the lost opportunity of real reform.

[Cornus]

27. I'm not laughing at all...

...but I found Dean's *unusual* reaction the other night to be frightening. I've gone to a Meetup for Dean, at one time considered actively working for his campaign, but after the display at the end of the Iowa caucus I question how any of his supporters cna still be working for him.

I'm convinced that any of the other candidates would NEVER lower themselves to this level. His strange display has now placed me in the ABBorD camp.

[Colin Ex]

25. God damn it, JohnLocke!

I just about fucking choked on my Mountain Dew thanks to you, man.

GOD DAMN is that headline funny.

-C

[JohnLocke]

30. Thanks.

I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[Sparkle]

32. I start to get hot everytime I hear that scream of Dean's.

:-)

[meow mix]

35. yeeeeehaaaaaa

i wonder if dean supporters are glad he gave that speech for them..
or maybe,
they would prefer he had given a speech that would have appeal to those undecided votes?
hmmm

[Egnever]

36. I loved it

Sue me.

I thought it was great. The guy has fire thats why I liked him from the get go. I am not affraid of a candidate with passion I prefer them.

[meow mix]

37. so your answer

is that your glad he appealed to you,
(who already supports him)
instead of appealing to those he needs to join him.

seems pretty self-defeating to me.
maybe im just not getting how this helps your campaign. owell..

[mitchum]

39. Winner of the best thread title of the day!

Damn, that's good (and I'm jealous)

[JohnLocke]

44. Thank you.

I accept. Yaaaagggggggghhhhhhh!

[Clark Can WIN]

58. Ouch, stop please

I'm begging you. My abs are getting charlie horsed.

[K8-EEE]

40. YOU HAVE THE POWER!! YOU HAVE THE POWER!! YOU HAVE THE POWER!

Egads....remember when Dean was doing THAT? That was my first bit of discomfort, I forget where he was saying this, very evangelical. But I thought, well, maybe it's just a rally thing, then I started noticing that he just doesn't play to the camera that well -- when he was making fun of the "volvo-driving latte-drinking" ad, he came across, well....geeky.

"The speech" was sort of a culmination of this type of thing...it really resonated but just because it was SUCH a miscalculation and such a bizarre note to strike upon losing.

I don't think by itself it would have been this harmful though -- I think a lot of people were sort of watching him to see how he would react under pressure.

[SeattleRob]

41. yeah...

God forbid someone trying to tell people in a supposed democratic system that they have power.....

[K8-EEE]

69. Not Speaking Of The Message But The Delivery

His whole style is so WWF! Every single politician does the "you have the power I need your vote" schpeil, yawn.

[Southsideirish]

42. Yesterday's news! It will be your guy in the headlights soon.

Don't be so smug - Edwards has been lucky so far by avoiding the onslaught of negativity - his day is coming.

[JohnLocke]

45. See post #31.

Where's the "smugness"?

[JohnLocke]

46. kick

[CWebster]

47. This media lynch mob of Dean

is one of the cruelest taunts on a man when he was down that I have seen since they terrorized Clinton. The Right revels with you. Hope you are feeling proud of yourselves.

[JohnLocke]

48. Huh?

:wtf:

[Native]

49. Put my kids to bed 10 mins ago - they're still laughing.

Just got off the phone with a friend's 15 year old son. Turns out he'd heard it earlier today. He's still laughing. My husband's laughing. We're all laughing. Every time we think about it we start up again. Thanks!!!

[JohnLocke]

51. You're welcome.

[Indiana Democrat]

55. LOL!!!!

"I Have a Scream" speech.

THAT is FUNNY!!

[Indiana Democrat]

57. ...

[Clark Can WIN]

59. Oh ouch.............

I'm going to end up in traction.......... I gotta go.........

[Frederic Bastiat]

63. LOL n/t

[Ficus]

67. HAHAHAHHAHAAH

HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!~!!!!!

[bobbyboucher]

61. What poppycock!

I saw the speech and all this "he is crazy" talk is suspect at best. AT BEST.

Sure, he was emotional, but get ahold of yourselves folks. He did nothing that I saw to deserve this "Rovian" attack.

[rodbarnett]

64. Dean scream gaining cult-like status on Web

By Blake Morrison, USA TODAY

It's been dubbed the "I Have a Scream" speech, delivered on — of all days — the Martin Luther King holiday.

Howard Dean, off a disappointing showing in the Iowa caucuses, let loose with a primal scream Monday night that seems to have inspired a generation.

By Wednesday, the young voters that Dean had hoped to attract — or at least the techno-wizards among them — had set his words to music and created a handful of audio remixes that contained all or parts of Dean's 61-word screed. The more educational ones even featured Dean's dramatic reading of the names of 13 states. (Related audio: Dean clip No. 1 | Dean clip No. 2)

But the highlight of the mixes was the creative use of Dean's closing shriek.

<snip>

The late-night talkers also weighed in. "Did you see Dean's speech last night? Oh my God! Now I hear the cows in Iowa are afraid of getting mad Dean disease," Jay Leno said. "It's always a bad sign when at the end of your speech, your aide is shooting you with a tranquilizer gun."

And David Letterman: "Here's what happened: The people of Iowa realized they didn't want a president with the personality of a hockey dad."


http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/2004-01-22-dean-usat_x.htm

[Indiana Democrat]

65. "Hockey Dad"!!

LOL!!

[JohnLocke]

66. Didn't get that article. Thanks!

[MadHound]

68. Let me start by saying that I'm no Dean partisan

I'm looking at Kucinich or probably Green if one of the Dem corporate whores gets the nod. That out of the way, let me state that I think that everyone, including the media is making a mountain out of a molehill with this ONE speech by Dean. First off, the media is taking this thing way out of context. This speech was designed to hearten his followers and energize them for NH next week. It was a pep rally speech, yet all that we see on TV is Dean screaming, with the inference drummed in that Dean is slightly cracked. Hell, somewhere around here I've got a clip of Bush doing virtually the same scream at one of his rallies back in '00. Clinton could be a riot when he was on the campaign trail, and do we all remember puckin' George I?

Face it folks, everybody does things on the campaign trail that really look strange when taken out of context. Remember that, and cut the guy some slack. Next time it could very well be your candidate who is being lambasted on the tube for some out of context oddity.

[Rich Hunt]

70. ABC / Good Morning America stood up for Dean

They did a montage of other politicians being either very direct or otherwise exuberant. This included Bush I, and Clinton. They showed someone else swearing - I can't remember who it was. They all survived.

I remember seeing former Illinois governor Jim Thompson give speeches like that. He was elected to four terms.

[rodbarnett]

71. Speech Re-Mix set to hip hop ....Real Funny

Hip Hop Dean

Click above to hear it

More Dean Speech re-mixes here

http://home.comcast.net/~cozdemir226/index.html

[JohnLocke]

73. Great stuff.

[Snivi Yllom]

75. I can laugh about it

because I STILL support Dean.

[JohnLocke]

76. That is an honorable stance.

Some here would attack the poster, rather than laugh about it. Your position is admirable.

[Lisa]

77. I prefer "screaming" to a leader who wanders off mumbling vaguely ...

I've worked on campaigns where we lost, and the candidate had literally nothing to say to all the volunteers.

It's really depressing, when you get hammered 77-to-2 (as we were in the last election) and the person who was supposed to be the leader can't even be bothered saying thank-you, let alone trying to point out all the things you did right ...

If Dean didn't care about anything but stoking up the supporters (many of them first-timers) who had worked so hard for him and were now being told by the press that it was wasted effort -- all I can say is, more power to him!