Dean Sharpens His Stop-Kerry Rhetoric

[sleipnir]

By ROSS SNEYD

Associated Press Writer

DURAND, Wis. (AP) - Howard Dean knows all too well that time is running out on his once high-flying presidential campaign, and yet he plows ahead, hoping Wisconsin voters will reconsider a decision even he concedes may already be made.

His message is simple and blunt: Democrats are about to make a grave mistake if they nominate John Kerry.

"We're not going to win this election if in October George Bush turns to the Democratic candidate and says: 'You were with me on the war; you were with me on No Child Left Behind; you were with me on tax cuts. Why don't you just support me?'" Dean tells his audiences.

"This is not the person we need to head the Democratic Party," Dean said midweek at a Milwaukee event. "I think Senator Kerry is clearly not the person to carry the banner of the Democratic Party because he has acted so much like a Republican."


http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-3745357,00.html

[JVS]

1. A reasonable critique

[stickdog]

2. Dean is true patriot. Once again, he fights against all odds to save the

Democratic Party from its "leaders."

[NewYorkerfromMass]

5. and Kerry fought against all odds to save the party

from Dean.

[Larkspur]

14. Kerry took out a loan which he'll repay with campaign contributions

that would better be served to oust Bush to re-float his campaign. It worked in the short term but it also shows how unethical and cowardly Kerry is.

If Kerry had liquidated his $6.4 million mansion with no hope of getting it back, then I'd say he showed guts. But he took out a loan and those interest payments per year are more than what he earns per year, so the only way for him to repay that loan is with campaign contributions. And No Heinz can't buy that loan from him. FEC prohibits that act.

[stickdog]

18. Thank God he had Gephardt, Vilsack, millions and the corporate media

to help even things up.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

20. Money wasn't an issue (to both of you)

Obviously or Dean would have won.
Kerry had the Vietnam Vets, (among others) and real live flesh and blood behind him.
What did Dean have? He came up short. Iowa rejected him.

[stickdog]

22. The issues were: 1) the corporate media's ubiquitous "electability" meme,

2) Gephardt's kamikaze negative anti-Dean campaign,

3) Vilsack's party insider support of Kerry,

4) the Club for Growth's xenophobia ads & the Gephardt/Kerry Dean loves Osama ads,

5) Kucinich's election eve deal with Edwards to pool supporters,

6) Dean's shitty TV ads vis a vis Kerry & Edwards,

7) Dean's piss poor reaction to points 1-5, and

8) Kerry's ability to borrow millions to keep his candidacy afloat.

Then the bullshit coverage of the scream and the compressed primary calendar sealed the deal.

It was a "Perfect Storm" all right. I give the Kerry campaign all the credit in the world, but we'll all pay dearly for the mistakes of a few thousand Iowans come November.

http://www.makethemaccountable.com/podvin/media/040201_TheScream.htm

[Debi]

24. Don't blame me!

I stood up for Dean...and am still standing.

Today on the elevator someone asked, "So, when do the Dean buttons come off." To which my husband replied, "When the Governor asks me to take it off....we may not have won, but we are loyal....now we know who will be sitting in the lifeboats when the Titanic sinks..."

I love this man.

[Larkspur]

26. Money was an issue to Kerry by end of 2003

He didn't have enough contributions to tie him over Iowa and that is why he took out that loan.

[boxster]

3. Do you really see GWB saying that?

Come on, be honest.

Think about who we're referring to here. Bush is NOT going to give Kerry credit for anything, not even issues where he voted for things Bush wanted.

All Kerry has to say is, "Yeah, George, I voted for the IWR because I thought you were going to get the UN involved, like your father did.

Those of us who voted for the IWR expected you to do what you told us you would do and what you told the American people you would do. Build a coalition. Look for a diplomatic solution.

Did I think when I voted for IWR that you were going to fuck things up as badly as you did? Nope."

Repeat as necessary.

[MercutioATC]

28. I DEFINITELY see him saying that. What better way of dealing with

an opponent than saying (with justification) "Thanks for your support".

Kerry has virtually no ammo to use against Bush because of some of his votes. Bush WILL use that to his advantage.

[WilliamPitt]

4. Sounds like Dennis

[WarNoMore]

27. You read my mind. eom

[Debi]

6. Go Governor Dean

The Tea is in the Harbor!

Keep telling the truth (Kerry may just use it in his next speech by mistake!!) }(

[eileen_d]

7. Well, Dean knows his audience well.

It will certainly be ironic if Kerry does get the nomination and Dean endorses him.

[redqueen]

9. What does 'endorse' mean, exactly?

I can see him saying we need to unite to oust bush, I can't see him saying he endorses someone who voted with bush on IWR, NCLB, etc.

Not to mention Kerry's echoing bush's WMD threat lies.

[eileen_d]

16. I have no idea what Dean would, or will, do

Maybe Dean will be the Democratic nominee. Maybe he won't, and he won't endorse Kerry (I mean this in the sense of traditional political endorsements, like Clark's endorsement of Kerry today).

Maybe Dean will rip off his mask and reveal himself to be J.D. Salinger.

Maybe Dean will grow wings and fly.

[WiseMen]

8. Say it again Howard. Kerry is Republican, Kerry is Republican. Could Help!

[ibegurpard]

25. Too bad Kerry left himself open for that one, huh?

eom

[Straight Shooter]

10. That will only encourage Repubs disappointed in bush to vote for kerry

Oh, well, half a loaf of Repub bread is better than none.

kerry really needs to distance himself from comparisons with bush, but it's going to be difficult to defend his record which supports bush on so many important issues which have been brought up on DU ad nauseam so I won't reiterate.

edit: Dean bread, the Wonder Bread, has no expiration date

[sleipnir]

11. "because he has acted so much like a Republican"

The truth hurts I guess. Damn shame it's true. I wish Kerry hadn't sided with the bad guys time after time over the last couple of years.

[Meldread]

12. Once again Dean speaks the truth. -nt-

[Cheswick2.0]

13. I hope it works, america will not elect another serial philanderer

I know Kerry's indisgretions have not been proven, but that doesn't matter. It's all about electability and Kerry won't be electable when the right wing is finished with him.

[madfloridian]

15. Your link is to a story abou Vilsack.

:shrug:

[Skip Intro]

17. This Sunday's debate should be good -

One thing about Dean, you never have to wonder if he's speaking his mind.

And he's bringing up some valid points. How does Kerry answer when rove/bushco say "thanks for the support?"

Questions that deserve answers.

[Emillereid]

19. In order to win in November we HAVE to offer the American

people a clear, unambiguous alternative to Bush. That difference is best represented by Dean or Kucinich. The repuke lite approach did not work in 2002 and will not work in 2004. If Kerry is our nominee he will have to somehow re-invent himself, disavow his support for Bush's policies (authentically -- no artful dodges) and throw caution to the wind -- real courage and conviction is in order. And he should repudiate and expose the stupid Skull and Bones crap.

[retyred]

21. Another endearing dean quality

attacking at every turn has worked so well /sarcasm



retyred in fla
“Good-Night Paul, Wherever You Are”
So I read this book

[Debi]

23. Because Kerry has been a choir boy?

How many times did he attack Dean in debates?
How many times did he attack Dean at public events?
How many times did he say...Dean, Dean, Dean, Dean....?

[drfemoe]

30. It sounds like the Truth

to so many. If the Truth stings, surely it is not the fault of the speaker.

[MurikanDemocrat]

29. Your link goes to a different article about the Gov of Iowa

Dean's attack tactics and calling other candidates Republicans have not scored him points in the past and it still doesn't work.

His support keeps dropping and he continues this rhetoric. The man is on self-destruct.

[DU GrovelBot]

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