Dean's getting Kuciniched

[Deathadder]

Every time another event goes down, Dean is right behind Kerry with double-digit %, and Edwards and Clark will get single-digit %. All I hear is how Dean's out, and Edwards and Clark are the only candidates who can stop Kerry. It seems to me that Dean is in second. I hate to defend Dean, I'm a Kucinich fan, and hated the early press/media Dean got, but I got to call it fair, you know? Even Kucinich gets double digit % wins lately, or wins over Clark and Edwards, and yet most people think Kucinich is not even running. I understand that its up to us to think for ourselves, but wow, the media really shown it's true colors this election. Do we really want a candidate who has the media win it for him. I think the media has done Kerry an injustice, one that won't be forgotten.

[George_Bonanza]

1. Dean's expectations were so much greater though

Going into Iowa, he was far and away the leading contender. He had twice as much funds as Kerry, had most of the key endorsements (SEIU, Gore, Harkin, etc.), and was leading in almost every state. Going from that to a distant second place in states he was supposed to win, like Michigan, Washington, and Maine, is not such a great feat to be touted. And although Edwards and Clark have done poorly this weekend, they have better prospects than Dean. Kerry has already taken the NE mantle, and the only viable alternative is the southern mantle, which of course Dean is not.

[madfloridian]

2. Death knell.

Sharpton from the right....Kucinich from the left. Death knell for Dean......but maybe not. Maybe not.

[George_Bonanza]

3. Sharpton from the right?

Sharpton definitely and strongly supports gay marriage, and I believe he also is a vocal supporter for universal health care. Those are two left-wing positions Howard Dean doesn't associate himself with. What makes Sharpton more right-wing than Dean?

[JohnKleeb]

4. Sharpton is definely to Dean's left

I take tests and my order is generally as follows: Kucinich, Sharpton, Kerry. I am generally as idealistic as possible when I take these btw too. Anyhow, I dont think Dean is getting even close to being Kucinichized, Ive look at the news magazines and while hes not on the cover he gets a section written about him, Kucinich heh I considered myself blessed to find articles. Sharpton is a hard to understand figure but I do believe he is indeed to Dean's left.

[SadEagle]

6. Sharpton's campaign is run+funded by the Miami rent-a-mob organizer.

Yes, a GOP operative. I say that's pretty right-wing, no?
Read this:
http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0405/barrett.php




Edit: add a link

[madfloridian]

8. Not what I said.

Think, Republican named Stone financing him. It is in the NYT, I think. Will have to look tomorrow.

[Mairead]

15. Sharpton from the RIGHT???? I'd stop smoking whatever that is.

Sharpton and Kucinich are the only left-of-center candidates.

[madfloridian]

17. This is what I meant.

http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0405/barrett.php

[MurikanDemocrat]

5. But Dean isn't "right behind" Kerry

They are not even close. Kerry is often 15 to 20 points ahead. That's a pretty big margin. That's not even a race.

The expectations were that Dean would walk away with the nomination. The fact is he is 0 for 12 now as far as the media is concerned. Kerry is 10 for 12. That's a huge difference. The media is just reporting the score.

[Deathadder]

7. I'm A Kucinich Man

I'm just saying the race isn't being covered correctly. Kerry should tell the media to back off, that he can win it all on his own. I'd figure a stand up guy like Kerry would say, "Do it right, or don't do it at all." Sorry, I meant "Bring it on" When's Kerry going to challenge for the belt at Wrestlemania, no wait, wrestling's fixed. Even if you believe Clark and Edwards, to stand up guys also, are kicking Dean's tail, why is everyone acting like Dean has not any delagates, just because he didn't get what was expected. To much smoke and mirrors for my liking.

[MurikanDemocrat]

9. But you and I don't agree on the media

I don't agree that the media is winning the votes for Kerry. I know better. He didn't get shit for media coverage until AFTER he won IA, and then NH.

I'd have to say that he IS getting some benefit from the momentum now, but what do you expect the media to report? This unbroken winning streak is pretty unusual in primaries. After he won 7 of 9, were the media supposed to ignore it? After 10 of 12, are the media supposed to ignore this and hoop and hollar about Dean instead, who hasn't won a single primary, hasn't contested most of them, and the few he did come in 2nd place were 15 to 20 points behind? That's not smoke and mirrors, that's just plain bad news.

I'm sorry if I sound harsh, but as far as the primary coverage is concerned, I think the media is just covering the facts the way they are. They are not winning these primaries for Kerry. People are making a concious decision to vote for Kerry.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

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[MurikanDemocrat]

12. I didn't miss it

What was the media supposed to report? Dean and Gephardt WERE in a mud fight, as you put it. One that Dean started, I might add. The public doesn't care for it, and both of them paid for it.

In the meantime, Kerry and Edwards were smart enough to stay out of the mudslinging and stick to the "issues". You say he got caught up in the issues like there is something evil and underhanded about that. God forbid, a candidate that talks about the issues! The nerve! And he talked about being electable! gasp! The audacity!

So how the f*** is this the media not covering the facts? It looked to me like they were. Kerry and Edwards were connecting with the voters while Dean and Gephardt were busy making asses of themselves. What else were they supposed to report? They reported what the candidates were doing. We report, you decide. That's how it works.

[dansolo]

16. I think this is bull

Kerry was just as complicit, as was Lieberman. The reason that Kerry and Edwards did as well in Iowa is because they weren't the targets of the attacks, not because they weren't attacking. I believe that Gephardt's support went to Kerry in order to take out Dean, because I have a hard time believing that Gephardt had less than 20-25% solid support, that would have backed him no matter what.

[sandnsea]

11. The story last week...

was Dean was getting too much media because Edwards and Clark had won states and Dean hadn't. Edwards and Clark were being treated unfairly.

Whine, whine, whine. If we don't win in November, that will be the reason.

[BruinAlum]

13. For heavens sake

If you're talking about Maine, Kerry got 45% of the vote last night to Dean's 25%. That's a 20 point difference. Let's be realistic. That is NOT good news for Dean, no matter how you try to spin it.

[Egnever]

14. No its not great news

But its not a death knell either.

[Deathadder]

18. So Then We All Agree

Kerry's doing well, so is Clark and Edwards, and Dean, and Kucinich, and Sharpton, so its a good race, right?

[loudnclear]

19. Too bad, wouldn't Dean/Kucinich be a hell of a Dem ticket...

But probably too good for America right now.

[George_Bonanza]

20. DK would probably rather run with Edwards than Dean

Unless you still believe stories about Green Dean, he's not liberal enough to be considered as a new entry into the progressive caucus of the Democratic party.

[George_Bonanza]

21. Dean lost states he should've won, by huge margins

That twenty or so percent looks nice, until you look at Kerry's fifty. States like Washington and Maine are friendly to NEers, and Edwards and Clark were probably not expected to compete very hard there. So it was basically a Kerry and Dean matchup. And what happened? Kerry trounced Dean by 20 or more points in each state. The media pays no respect to sputtering candidates who win a default second-place victory when only a few weeks ago, they were dominating.