Why I am now undecided..

[BayCityProgressive]

I used to back Howard Dean. It is not his stance on most issues that worry me but the way he opens his mouth. His Healthcare and budget balancing would be great issues to run on as well as his crackdown on child/woman abuse and his good pro labor record while he was in the state legislature. His stance on guns would also help us. I am worried however, about the things he says that seem to inflame so many people. With the way he speaks of Democrats in Washington, who will want to work with him if he is elected? Also, i think he will turn off a lot of black voters and veterans. He also should have put out a plan for a middle class tax cut. I think these are the reasons many in the party oppose him and not because he is "too liberal".

[WI_DEM]

1. he has been great this week in NH

especially in front of town hall meetings taking questions. He is the Dean that I like best, on top of the issues and not acting like a rock star at a rally. He should keep working this format--it seems to be doing well in NH.

[tryanhas]

11. The best thing that happened to Howard Dean was getting sick!

It forced him to calm down, and took away the anger from his voice. He was more subdued at the debate because of his cold, and he didn't feel like getting loud.

The more his cold wore off towards the end of the week, the more his negative statements and foolish statements began to come back.

It has nothing to do with Judy Steinberg Dean or going on Letterman or whatever. It has everything to do with him GETTING SICK AND BEING FORCED TO COOL IT DOWN because he wasn't physically up to it.

As you all saw in Iowa on last Monday, how you PRESENT YOURSELF says a lot, and the fact is that Dean's cold helped him look more presidential at the debate and it took away the obnoxiousness from his voice, but it's all coming back...

[meti57b]

2. The four top runners ....Kerry, Dean, Clark and Edwards ...

each advocate a lot of the issues that are important to me but none of them advocate all of them. (I'm much less familiar with Edwards.)

As a result, I'm looking for the most electable of the four, and lately, it is difficult to decide who that is. I'm sure it will become more clear though as the primary season progresses.

[chimpymustgo]

8. Please get more info on John Edwards. He is the darkhorse and

extremely electable - real across the board appeal.

www.johnedwards2004.com

[caledesi]

13. It's hard to decide bec we have such great candidates!

We are going to win in November!

[no name no slogan]

16. Don't let the polls decide who to support

Pick the candidate who is advocating the core Democratic values that have led us to victory in the past: Dennis Kucinich.

He's fought (and won) battles against corporate power. He organized opposition to the IWR in the House. He's fought against NAFTA and the WTO, and he's the only candidate who carries a union card. He has a history of beating Republican incumbents, and gets over 50% of the Republican vote in his district. He also has a truly universal health care coverage plan that will cover ALL Americans, and cost less than what we pay today.

I encourage you to consider the issues, and vote for the candidate who most reflects your positions on them. Don't let "style" or polls come before your conscience.

[reprehensor]

3. But he's right.

And career pols will work with whoever has the power. That's a fact. Especially if he winds up being the President for 8 years.

Did you see him on Letterman, defusing the 'scream' with his 'Top Ten Ways That I, Howard Dean, Can Turn My Campaign Around'? Man, that was so funny and spoke volumes about his ability to take the worst that the media can throw at him.

He's been through the ringer already, and he's still standing. Don't abandon him now. His message is more important than his occasional gaffs.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

4. It's your instincts talking

trust them.

[Dark Star]

5. He's not liberal at all.

Please check out some of the things he's done in Vermont.

Then, please check out www.clark2004.com/.

A liberal general: the repukes will go nuts and we will definitely regain the WH!

[John_H]

6. Bottom Line: Dems know he can't beat Chimp

Dems in iowa proved they know it. And, tomorrow, Dems in NH will prove it. Then Dems in the south will prove he can't win there.

[T Roosevelt]

9. All it proves is Dems are afraid of him

They perceive in Kerry a safe choice, the blah rustle no feathers, rock no boat candidate that won't scare off too many voters.

The problem is that because of this, I'm afraid that a great many voters will perceive the same-old same-old that lost us 1994, 2000, and 2002, and just blow off 2004 as another in list of no difference choices.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results.

If it's Kerry and not Dean, Clark, or maybe Edwards, then I firmly believe we are screwed.

[John_H]

19. I, personally, am scared shitless of Dean

although I have nothing against him, personally. To me he guarantees 4 more years of Bush. And that's scary as hell.

[MercutioATC]

20. Same way I feel about a couple of our other candidates....

The difference for me is that if elected, I think Dean would make the most substantive changes.

[Monte Carlo]

7. Me too; a Washington-blaster going after THE Washington job?

I forsee a huge amount of friction between a man who hypothetically made it into the dead center of Washington politics by campaigning and stumping about it's total evil ickiness. I worry about a situation similar to what happened to Jimmy Carter, when his party abandoned him and left him with few allies, and dead meat in the '80 election.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

10. The party will unite around the nominee

in less than 6 weeks.

[MaineDem]

12. I'd suggest you watch C-SPAN

Watch each candidate in front of voters. Listen to what he says in answer to the questions. Don't listen to news reports or read papers. Go out and meet the candidates personally, if that's feasible. Study their web pages and read their positions.

It's good that you question but question them all and make up your mind based on knowledge and gut reactions.

Just my two cents. :)

[mmonk]

14. Stick with your value system

I am.

[mzmolly]

15. "Opening his mouth" is exactly why I support him. A Must read below!

I am so greatful to Dean for opening his mouth when others would not. This is why he has my support/respect.

Also look at this article accusing Kerry of the same thing. Though Kerry's *gaffes* and lies, appear to be election driven and not driven by integrity as Dean's are.

"The Gaffes of John Kerry"

http://slate.msn.com/id/2089125/

There is much more on John Kerry. I suggest you not let the media determine how you vote.

[ThirdWheelLegend]

17. "opening his mouth when others would not.".... is incorrect..

"ONLY DEAN OPPOSED THE WAR FROM THE START"?

Kucinich was speaking out against the admin a long time ago.

Here is just one example. By the way the Department of Peace idea was being promoted by Dennis BEFORE 9/11.

FEBRUARY 2002:
http://www.kucinich.us/speeches/speech1.htm

"Because we did not authorize the invasion of Iraq.
We did not authorize the invasion of Iran.
We did not authorize the invasion of North Korea.
We did not authorize the bombing of civilians in Afghanistan.
We did not authorize permanent detainees in Guantanamo Bay.
We did not authorize the withdrawal from the Geneva Convention.
We did not authorize military tribunals suspending due process and habeas corpus.
We did not authorize assassination squads.
We did not authorize the resurrection of COINTELPRO.
We did not authorize the repeal of the Bill of Rights.
We did not authorize the revocation of the Constitution.
We did not authorize national identity cards.
We did not authorize the eye of Big Brother to peer from cameras throughout our cities.
We did not authorize an eye for an eye.
Nor did we ask that the blood of innocent people, who perished on September 11, be avenged with the blood of innocent villagers in Afghanistan.
We did not authorize the administration to wage war anytime, anywhere, anyhow it pleases.
We did not authorize war without end.
We did not authorize a permanent war economy.

Yet we are upon the threshold of a permanent war economy. The President has requested a $45.6 billion increase in military spending. All defense-related programs will cost close to $400 billion. Consider that the Department of
Defense has never passed an independent audit. Consider that the Inspector General has notified Congress that the Pentagon cannot properly account for $1.2 trillion in transactions. Consider that in recent years the Dept. of
Defense could not match $22 billion worth of expenditures to the items it purchased, wrote off, as lost, billions of dollars worth of in-transit inventory and stored nearly $30 billion worth of spare parts it did not need.

Yet the defense budget grows with more money for weapons systems to fight a cold war which ended, weapon systems in search of new enemies to create new wars. This has nothing to do with fighting terror. This has everything to do with fueling a military industrial machine with the treasure of our nation, risking the future of our nation, risking democracy itself with the militarization of thought which follows the militarization of the budget."

SNIP-------

***********************

There is a lot more to that speech.

Sure Dean speaks out and is supposedly anti-this-war, but to ignore Kucinich plays into Koppel's hands.

TWL

[Jerseycoa]

18. Never been a fan

But I have to tell you his apparent recovery from certain political death in the course of a week out of hell is nothing short of miraculous. I gotta give the man credit. He's a toughie.

To Howard! :toast: