Wary Democrats drawing provisional bead on Dean

[cali]

Just ugh.

It's beginning to dawn on Democrats that they may not win control of the House or Senate in the November elections, so a pre-emptive blame game has begun. And the designated fall guy is Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

Dean, the former governor of Vermont and failed presidential contender, is an easy, consensus target. He would certainly deserve part of the blame but would probably get a disproportionate serving of any crow after Nov. 7. Conversely, Dean will get little, if any, of the credit should the planets align and Democrats gain a majority in one or, mirabile dictu, both branches of Congress. That's just the plight of party chiefs.

Dean has few friends in Washington and no power base outside the committee, the majority of whose members are scattered around the country. Some offer support for Dean, but they have other fish to fry, both now and after the voting — when the long knives really will be drawn if Democrats strike out on the congressional level for the seventh national election in a row.

Welcome, Howie, to the land of easy marks.

<snip>

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/hines/4208729.html

[babylonsister]

1. That's repugnant. They're sounding more and more like repugs

daily.

[ClassWarrior]

5. They?? They who, sis?

It reads like another anonymously-quoted Corporate Media hit job to me. If they sound like Rape-publicans, maybe it's because this was fabricated by Rape-publicans.

NGU.

[babylonsister]

9. Cragg Hines is considered a liberal writer here in Houston, so

I don't know how manufactured by corp. media this is. So the 'they' I refer to are any Dems who are throwing Dean to the wolves instead of addressing their own ineptness.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cragg_Hines

[cali]

12. Unfortunately, I don't think this is

media generated. That Dean is not a favorite with the dem power elite in DC is hardly a secret.

[ClassWarrior]

19. True... But if it's as bad as this hack contends, then why can't...

...he get anyone on record?

I'm sorry, but I'm not giving up hope based on any vague Corporate Media report. I don't care how "liberal" this joker is considered in Houston. I'm familiar with the Chronicle. Calling anyone who works there "liberal" is like calling John McCain "liberal."

NGU.

[janx]

35. And how many more are there like him?

Loads of them!

[Totally Committed]

2. That's disgusting!

He's been a breath of fresh air for this Party! I think he's done a good, if not great, job, too. Sometimes I read stuff here, and I push myself back in my chair and stare at the screen and wonder if I've fallen into a different dimension and don't know it yet.

TC

[AX10]

3. Dean's not to blame for Democratic loses.

The Washington elite who continually bad mouth Dean and the base of the party are to blame for any failures not win this fall.

[me b zola]

28. Not only do they bad mouth Dean...

...but they continually undermine his efforts.

[ShortnFiery]

4. ugh is right

We need NEW (and hopefully not corrupted) DEMOCRATIC blood in both The Senate and The House.

Sure, let's do vote all democratic but pay closer attention to those seemingly Almighty Incumbents. If your democratic representative does not speak for you, give money and help his Primary Challenger score the seat.

I fear that SOME of our Representatives think that their re-election is "a given." We need to let those who DO NOT support their constituents a reason to SERVE US before their big money Corporate Donors. :grr:

Here's a valuable site:

http://voidnow.org

REMEMBER, we can still vote for DEMOCRATS, but turn out the incumbents who are out of touch with the true needs of their constituents. It's going to be like those "Trane" commercials = a long haul, but WE THE PEOPLE can do it. We can, and we must. :-) :hi:

[Skidmore]

6. Let me guess.

I heard an interviewer the other day ask Terry McCauliff if he was going to be DNC Chair again. Paving the way for Hillary. Wow! We don't even have a Poppy on our side, but we're learning the game well. Make way for Begala, Carville, McCauliff, Emanuel, and El Sid again.

There's a lot they could learn from Dean if they'd only listen.

[janx]

7. Who are the people who are targeting Dean?

Hines doesn't cite sources.

[seabeyond]

10. i ask the same. how easily we allow ourselves to be manipulated

this is truly one of the most ridiculous articles attacking dem on dem with NO information

are we sooooo stupid?

[janx]

16. How easy it would be to be a columnist these days. n/t

[msongs]

23. a good essay on why repubs win and dems lose ->

repubs make statements and the dems defend themselves

the statements have no facts or content, doesn't matter if true or part true or total lies

the point is to throw it out there and make the dems defend themselves

thus the dems are always on the defensive and reacting instead of leading the charge

currently the repubs mantras are: dems weak on terror, dems will raise taxes

Dems response should be:

torture is a republican family value
Bush is the NUMBER ONE recruiter for al queda
Republicans are selling America to the COMMUNIST Chinese
The republicans birth tax pays for their reckless spending

Howard Dean has pointed out some of these strategies.

Msongs
www.msongs.com/political-shirts.htm

[seabeyond]

26. yes and when dems dont respond (kerry swiftboats) we and they

kick the dems ass

cant win for losing huh?

[seabeyond]

8. what BULLSHIT. nowhere did i read where ANY democrat

elected official was dissing dean or blaming dean in this whole article. whata total bullshit to stir the pot dem against dem. wtf is this article all about. and why are we allowing total nothing to divide us.

wtf???

[gully]

14. Thanks for seeing through this media bullshit.

eom

[skipos]

15. Please don't interrupt our circular firing squad with logic. nt

[seabeyond]

22. bah hahhahaha. you funny. seems to me

all my posts next couple months to election is going to be calling the bullshit lies to divide dem on dem. they are out in force today. lordy..... give me strength.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

17. No elected Dems quoted on the record = Rove machine plant

[janx]

20. It's just lazy journalism--nothing to do with Rove. n/t

[rodeodance]

11. this article seems like it is hatched from the Rove poliical machine.

[dogman]

13. I would bet the Dr. had already made this diagnosis.

He has been in politics long enough to know this is how it works. It is even more difficult in the present Democratic party because of the current competition for leadership. This is one of the reasons, I believe, that many supported Dean as Chairman. He is tough and smart. I'm confident that he will survive and the Party will too.

[janx]

24. Good analysis, dogman.

These are growing pains.

[midnight]

30. Like to hear it Dogman......

Howard Dean is able to say the tough things that many politicians won't.....

[janx]

32. He will not be cowed.

And we shouldn't be either.

[ruggerson]

18. Is the Houston Chronicle a rightwing rag?

[ClassWarrior]

21. Yes.

NGU.

[ruggerson]

27. Well then why was this even posted? It's just RNC propoganda.

[cali]

34. And here's your answer:

I posted it because I thought it was an interesting article, and because it reflects my fears that Dean will be thrown under the train by the DC power elites if we don't take back one of the houses of Congress in November.

Surely you're not suggesting that I did it to spread RNC propaganda and disrupt.

[janx]

36. Don't fall for the fear.

Journalists make a lot of money on it, but don't fall for it. Dean's not going to be thrown anywhere. It's not up to the D.C. people--they didn't elect him.

WE did, through our state DNC members.

[ClassWarrior]

38. That's correct. The DC power elite was well represented in that article...

...the hack consultants whom Dean makes nervous. They have no say in this, unless we give it to them.

NGU.

[janx]

39. Yeah, and we still don't know who they are.

Is this guy just spouting BS off of the top of his head? Is he just making things up to sell his columns?

[Lusted4]

25. This is winger BS they are afraid Dean will get nod in 2008

and that scares the living shit out of them. 2004's "yeeeawww" yell has gotten old and tired and they have
nothing else.

[Greyhound]

47. And yet that stupid, totally manufactured, moment drove how many

of "us" away from him and into the Kerry camp?

[Warpy]

29. "No power base outside the committee????"

Just how far up his ass is this guy's head?

Dean's power base is outside the I-495 Beltway, stupid, those millions and millions of people supporting DFA and the 50 State Initiative.

I guess if you describe power bases only in terms of wealthy, business suited, timid conservatives in a certain geographical location, this boob is correct.

However, it shows his provincialism and myopia more than anything else.

[janx]

31. Yep.

He's based in D.C.

[janx]

33. HAHA Warpy--

When you mentioned provincialism--I notice it frequently too--I checked your profile to see where you were from.

You're in the same state I am! :rofl:

[Warpy]

43. I've lived all over the country

with the exception of the west coast, and have run into it every place I've lived. Some of the most astonishing provincialism was in Boston. People there honestly thought they represented the rest of the country. I got into hot water with the SDS for trying to tell them what the rest of the country was really like and what they needed to do if they were serious about pushing the country to the left.

That Bostonian sort of provincialism now resides within the I-495 beltway around DC.

This state is so poor it can't afford much provincialism.

[janx]

44. Yep, I've seen it--I've lived in different areas also.

Boston was horrible, but the whole big bad northeastern corridor is pretty bad. Plenty of people there have never been west of the Ohio River.

The Land of Enchantment might not have a lot of money, but we're rich in spirit! It's beautiful here, too. I hope to hop on over to the Sandias before the day is over. (Jemez Falls will have to wait until next weekend.) :hi:

[mandyky]

45. Yeah, who wrote this?

Let them think what they want. Howie's a big boy and can handle the Democratic machinery. His job is to build the party outside of Washington DC, anyway.

[bigtree]

37. you've got to love the way this guy calls the election before it's begun

typical arrogant media bullshit.

They just can't stand to let the voters have their way.

Look at how he determines our resolve, by counting the money that republicans and others use as a substitute for democracy. Money doesn't necessarily determine the outcome of elections. His premise is as weak as his faith in our party.

[dkofos]

40. Republicons steal another election so lets blame Dean

Maybe Howard should change his stategy to the ELIMINATION OF VOTING MACHINES

[janx]

41. For information on Election Day help and protection for voters,

call 1-888-DEM-VOTE

[kerry-is-my-prez]

42. Where's Howard Dean been with regards to torture and illegal wiretapping?

He's been a big disappointment if you ask me. I had bigger hopes for him to be honest.

He is the leader of this party. If the Democrats have been weak and feckless isn't it partially his fault?

[janx]

46. It's not his job to establish policy.

Are you aware of the six=point plan that Dems have for the midterms?

[Cha]

48. Howard Dean hasn't been a

"disappointment" at all. Dean is doing his job but I don't know if the same can be said about the senate dems? Is it the dems who are "weak and feckless" or the media lying about them?

They've told Dean he can't have anything to do with policy so please don't try to blame any weakness on Dean cause it ain't gonna fly.

[janx]

49. That said, I would not be at all surprised to hear Dean

bring it up in the near future... ;-)

[Cha]

50. Yeah, cause he's not weak

and he doesn't like to follow orders from the freak beltwayans.}(

[janx]

51. FREAKS!

They're FREAKS, I tell you! :rofl:

Seriously though, was T. MacCauliff ever held up to such scrutiny? And if he wasn't, why not?