Old stager Gephardt scours the farms for Democrat backing

[T_i_B]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-957594,00.html

This is a million miles away from Iraq, Saddam Hussein and weapons of mass destruction. Mr Gephardt’s stump speech ignores the subject. This is his third stop of the day, and no one has even asked about it.

But it is the frontline of the 2004 election. And after an exhausting year of the “invisible primary” — the ceaseless travel, the non-stop quest for cash, the endless nights in Super 8 motels and round-the-clock pleading for support — the quirky truth comes down to this: if Mr Gephardt, 62, a congressman from neighbouring Missouri, fails to win Iowa he is finished. But if he wins he may have a better chance than anyone else in the nine-man field of stopping Howard Dean, the former Vermont governor, from claiming the Democrat nomination.

Mr Gephardt’s greatest strength is also his most obvious weakness: he has experienced all this before, which is another way of saying he is a has-been.

He has raised less money than his serious opponents, and is currently running low on cash after spending time and money in other states with looming primaries. But, as one undecided caucus-goer said in Sam’s Sodas and Sandwiches: “If he’s so experienced, what’s he got to show for it?” The answer is that he helped President Clinton steer his 1993 budget through the House. And since the Democrats lost control of the chamber in 1994 to the Newt Gingrich revolution, he has failed to regain it in a record four consecutive congressional elections. Mr Gephardt is not solely responsible, but it is hardly the record of a winner.

[ClintonTyree]

1. One petty point.....................

I doubt that Mr. Gephardt is staying at "Super 8 Motels". I won't stay at a Super 8 Motel. I did once, but I was afraid to disturb the police chalkline on the floor and went elsewhere.
Getting back to the subject, yes Mr. Gephardt has pinned his entire aspirations on winning in Iowa. If he fails there, he is for all intents and purposes, finished.

[SahaleArm]

2. Gephardt prefers Marriots...

http://www.fundrace.org/gephardt-spend.html

[T_i_B]

5. Even if he does win Iowa...

...he could be out of it. Here is some more of the article.

When he first ran for president in 1988 he took the state by storm, snatching it from beneath the noses of rivals Al Gore and Michael Dukakis. But in doing so he blew all his money. He remembers checking into a Texas hotel, switching on his television, and having to endure three Gore adverts and three Dukakis adverts in half an hour. He knew it was all over.

Is Gephardt about to repeat that same mistake? Only time will tell.

[tedoll78]

3. I don't know why..

but I feel kinda bad for him. I know, I know.. he's been something of a political coward in the past few years. But still, this is his own back yard! And he has done good things in the past.

I was watching C-SPAN tonight, and he had some really decent domestic policy ideas. When people were filing-out of where he gave his speech, he was standing at the door shaking hands and asking, "Are you going to caucus for me? Are you going to caucus for me?" And the answers he got were embarrassing..

"I'm considering another candidate."
"Maybe."
"I don't know."
"I'll try."

I'm paraphrasing, but that was the temperature of the audience to him.. kinda lukewarm.

[sventvkg]

4. he needs to go down with dignity and be done..He aint winning the Nom.

This is obvious....It's pittiful to see, and even if he does pull off an upset in his own back yard he will not win elsewhere and we all know it..Also, if the people of Iowa want to waste their vote on someone who is not going to win the presidency, when it's never been more important to get Bush out of office, then I have little respect for them...they and we all need to be smart about who we elect and we need to stand united to beat the right Wing political propaganda machine....

[the populist]

6. Gephardt has a better chance of beating Bush than Dean does

If you think Dean can beat Bush the "compassionate cowboy", then you are deluding yourself and misunderestimating the stupidity of the masses (remember the Club for Growth ad?).

There are more idiots in this country than there are lefty college kids.

[slinkerwink]

7. oh come on.....calling us lefties is now an insult?

[ShimokitaJer]

8. And Gephardt appeals to those idiots?

Nothing in your post tells us what Gephardt's appeal is. If he's your candidate, tell us why rather than attacking Dean.