All the Dem leaders should back Howard

[Nancy Waterman]

They need to not talk about agreeing or disagreeing. They should reframe what Howard is talking about and hammer it home.

For example, when asked to comment on Howard's statements , such as about Repubs never working:

"Well, most of the GOP policies are harmful to working people and show almost no sensitivity to the daily struggle people go through."

In response to the White Christian Party comments:

"The Repubs certainly don't stand up for minority Americans on issues of jobs and health care needs, etc., and they talk a lot about Christianity in public. There are reasons that minoirty voters tend to support the policies of the Democratic Party."

The Dems need to SUPPORT WHAT IS BEHIND WHAT HOWARD SAYS, ignore the criticism and the aspect of agreement or disagreement. They need to keep the GOP on the defensive, not let the whole thing become about Howard but refocus it back on the lousy GOP polcies. They play right into the GOP's manipulative hands now!!

[knowbody0]

1. we need to take note

of the idiots who dis him today..

[David Zephyr]

2. I'm with you.

:thumbsup:

[jody]

3. Why? Dean is not the sole spokesperson for the Democratic Party. n/t

[Erika]

4. I think it's a lot good cop/bad cop role playing going on

to keep our issues up front and playing.

[Nancy Waterman]

9. But Howard has become the issue!!

They have completely derailed what he was trying to say.Put leaders need to reiterate Howard's words in another form, if need be, but stay on message. The GOP immediately take over the message here and make it about Howard, not about how Christian and white the GOP is and not about how they hurt working people. No one is talking about that.

[DenaliDemocrat]

5. I am sending Howard $25 bucks tonight!!!

it's so refreshing to hear someone finally call the republicans the pigs that they are!!!!!!!

[cascadiance]

17. I want to as well! I'd go to the DNC site to donate...

... but I'd prefer finding a link that would credit Dean more for getting me to ante up the donation. I'd like to find the best way possible to give him more ammunition to continue fighting the good fight! Anyone know of a link that would credit him more than just a generic DNC donation would?

[cascadiance]

19. Answering my own question...

Here's a link to "We've Got Howard's Back" campaign.

Everyone go here!!

http://actblue.com/list/dnc

[Jon_da_brockman]

6. Problem with such firey rhetoric

is that, truth be told, The Republicans are better at it. Better at twisting words, spin, and general negative politics. In all likelyhood, the Republicans would be able to spin his comments against the party, and your average Joe American would be too dumb to catch the hypocrisy.

[slay]

7. I have no doubt that Dean wants what's best

for the Dems and the country - and he's doing a kick ass job IMO. Just listen to the man. His bluntness gets attention, his goals and plans make sense, he's very intelligent, and he pisses off the opposition. Lets see, Dean vs DLC.. hrmm.. I think I'll go with Dean. (Duh). :)

[AmericanDream]

8. No two politicians are going to agree on everything but...

they all DO support the common goals of the party... I don't know what some of you are getting worked up about. Biden and Richardson should not have gone on TV and said what they did... but let's move on. This is what the MSM wants... to focus our energy on infighting.

[Nancy Waterman]

11. Biden and Richardson and Edwards need to stay on message

and not get derailed into talking about Howard.

[AmericanDream]

14. I think Edwards has made his point clear that he is with Dean.....

in the progressive fight. And, yes they need to stay on message, which Richardson and Edwards usually do. Edwards rarely trashes other Dems... heck, he didn't even do much of that during the brutal primaries! As for Biden... I don't understand why people even care about him?!

[Nancy Waterman]

15. Because Biden is on TV all the time

sticking his face in the limelight. I don't much like his hawkish ways. But somehow he needs to get with the program. You never hear the GOP disagreeing with each other. They stay on message no matter who asks them what.

[AmericanDream]

16. And you know why? because the MSM loves his big mouth....

he should be banned from national television... ;)

[Cha]

10. Thanks, Nancy..this is just what should

be happening ..if those types weren't just in for themselves.

At least John Edwards came out soon after what he initially said and clarified what he and Dean agreed on.

[KoKo]

12. Agree Nancy...if only they could see through their clouded glasses but

then those $$$$$$$$$ marks are in the way.

[Nancy Waterman]

13. I think they just need to be educated on a coherent strategy

It is very clear they are being derailed and don't even know it. The central thing is they need to stay with Howard's message and not let the GOP make Howard the issue. I am sure they all agree with the underlying meaning of what Hoawrd was saying. They just fell into the GOP trap for the millionth time.

[LittleClarkie]

18. Herding puddy tats

We've never been a lockstep kind of a party. That would appear to be a Republican thingie.

[Adelante]

20. I agree

It's not like he's saying anything wrong. So he left a word out, but that's unimportant, because the basic message is correct. The Republican Party is not working for the good of the nation and regular Americans.

Anybody can disagree with the way it's phrased, but they should not undermine the chair publicly. Democrats should not undermine ANY Democrat publicly. All they have to do is rephrase in their own words, "The Republican Party is not working for the good of the nation and regular Americans," without saying anything at all about disagreeing.

Then if they want to go bop Dean over the head, they do it away from television cameras.

I thought Jamal Simmons handled it best on MSNBC with Ron Reagan today. I have no idea from Jamal whether he agrees or disagrees with Dean, because what he did was take control of the discussion.

Instead of answering agree or disagree, he went straight into Dean's 50-state strategy, talking about the job Dean's doing for the party, straightening them out on fundraising, about building up the locals, and so forth, instead of falling into the media trap. They tried hard on that show, and it was four to one, but Jamal didn't bite. And no Dem should be biting.

All of this said, the Dem leaders and Dean need to sit down and bang out a comprehensive agenda message that they're all out there pushing.

[Nancy Waterman]

21. kick!

kick!