Can someone please explain to me why the WH is going after Dean? Is it because

[jillan]

right now Dean is more popular than Obama?

If they were smart, they would do all they could to get the good Doctor to work with them...imho.

[AzDar]

1. Because he knows what he's talking about, and he's telling the TRUTH.

That's frightening for some...

[Le Taz Hot]

2. I'll refer you to MF's

excellent post about Gibbs and his history with Howard Dean.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7249025

[MercutioATC]

3. Dean is pissing on their little parade.

The White House is trying to sell bad legislation to the public and Dean is exposing the legislation's flaws.

[jillan]

5. That's all the more reason for them to invite him over and listen to the man...

rather than publicly trash him. It's ridiculous, Dean is speaking the truth and the WH is trashing him.
It's like grade school. Billy was mean to me so I'm gonna tell all my friends bad things about him.

Give me a break.

[Possumpoint]

6. Same Tactic Used By The Bush WH

Seems it's easier to trash someone's good name then admit you might be wrong.

[MercutioATC]

8. You're assuming they're looking for good legislation.

They're not.

The have exactly what they want, they just have to get it passed...or, in a worst-case scenario, get it killed. The only way they really lose is if they write a bill that would be good for the American public.

...and, since that's what Dean wants to do, there's really no reason for them to talk with him.

[RainDog]

9. you speak the truth

that's exactly why. I am so sick of the political class fucking over the people they are supposed to represent.

[wordpix]

4. the WH cut some deals to get this shitty health care bill through - info re: drug reimportation vote

You need to read the whole article to get the FDA letter referral.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...

President Obama writes a new health reform prescription

By Dana Milbank
Wednesday, December 16, 2009

On the campaign trail, Barack Obama vowed to take on the drug industry by allowing Americans to import cheaper prescription medicine. "We'll tell the pharmaceutical companies 'thanks, but no, thanks' for the overpriced drugs -- drugs that cost twice as much here as they do in Europe and Canada," he said back then.

On Tuesday, the matter came to the Senate floor -- and President Obama forgot the "no, thanks" part. Siding with the pharmaceutical lobby, the administration successfully fought against the very idea Obama had championed.

"It's got to be a little awkward," said Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.).

It's even more awkward for millions of Americans who are forced to pay up to 10 times the prices Canadians and Europeans pay for identical medication, often produced in the same facilities by the same manufacturers, simply because the U.S. government refuses to rein in drug prices. snip

One after the other, the drug industry's friends from pharmaceutical-manufacturing states New Jersey, Delaware and North Carolina went to the floor Tuesday to cite the FDA letter.

Sen. Robert Menendez (D-Bristol-Myers Squibb) warned that "you may have a heart attack" because of counterfeit medicine from abroad.

"This is a matter of life or death," agreed Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-Merck).

Carper (D-AstraZeneca) cited "remaining safety and soundness and health concerns," while Sen. Kay Hagan (D-GlaxoSmithKline) voiced "serious doubts that we can adequately ensure the safety of the drug supply."

These arguments don't hold up well, considering that 40 percent of the active ingredients in American prescription drugs come from India and China, and that the latter slipped tainted heparin past the FDA. But fright was about the best argument opponents could use to defeat a popular proposal that would save the federal government $19 billion over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Consumers would sa

[baldguy]

7. Because Dean is pointing out the obvious truth.

The goal WH and the Dem leadership is NOT to get comprehensive health care reform for the majority of Americans. Their goal is to get A BILL - ANY bill - with the slim hope that GOPers and blue dogs might support it. And they've traded away huge chunks of reform to get them - with no guarantees.

When Dean says the resulting bill has been so watered down as to be meaningless, they get pissed off.

[Raster]

10. Winnah!!!

+10

[piratefish08]

11. Because he is a much easier target than anyone on the right.

[BzaDem]

12. May because he is spreading bullshit all over the place? n/t

[dgibby]

21. You're right about the bullshit,

but you're wrong about who's spreading it.

[KharmaTrain]

13. Cause This Is A High Stakes Game Now...

This administration has gone all in for a healthcare bill...no matter how dilluted or full of holes, this is a legacy, a battle that's gone too far to stop now. It's getting something/anything passed or face being labeled a failure and not be able to move any other meaningful legislation...as well as losing power and money. The game now is to "join ranks"...get with the team...as a final bill is within' sight. It's turning the screws on any who have reservations and to present a united front and those who oppose are either ignored or rolled over.

[lib2DaBone]

14. The Democorps and Republicorps will go after anyone.....

..who is a threat to the Bankster/Gangsters

[shadesofgray]

15. Because he's an actual liberal Democrat, that's why.

[mitchum]

16. Because Dean is saying that the emperor is bareassed naked

[rudy23]

17. In their fantasy world, Republicans are the new Democrats, while the old Dems are out in the cold

They have a fantasy about building a coalition from the center that doesn't exist. They're finding that out today--we always knew it.

[peacetalksforall]

18. Less than a year and many ardent supporters are now supporting someone else.

[jillan]

19. Wanting this administration to sit down and talk to Howard Dean and listen to his concerns

is not supporting someone else. I still want Obama to have a successful Presidency, but I am very concerned that won't happen.
I believed him when he told us that he would listen to the people, not the corporate lobbyists.

[NorthCarolina]

20. Because the #1 priority for all GOP/DLC Corporate Conservatives

is to kill the populist message at all costs by marginalizing/demeaning the messenger. It's for the good of the people to be kept in the dark dont'cha know.