Howard Dean supporting Hillary Clinton is consistent with his beliefs and values

[ProudToBeLiberal]

People feel that Howard Dean is selling out because he is supporting Hillary Clinton rather than Bernie Sanders. Even Deaniacs have started to question the integrity of the Governor.

I think people are misremembering Dean and his campaign for the Democratic nomination in 2003/2004. His support of Hillary Clinton makes sense and it is the only logical conclusion. First and foremost, Dean is a Democrat. If you remember his speeches, he would start out by saying "I'm Howard Dean and I'm here to represent the Democratic wing of the Democratic party." He meant he was progressive, but at the same time a loyal party member. Also, he became the chair of the DNC and implemented a 50 state strategy.

In his famous address at the 2003 DNC Winter meetings, the "What I want to know" speech, he had great things to say about the Clintons. People remember the fiery parts of the speech, but have forgotten what he had to say about the Clintons. Here are some quotes:

"When all that money was coming in during the good times thanks to Bill Clinton's being willing to balance the budget without a single Republican party vote, when all that money was coming in, we did give some tax cuts, but we also saved money in the rainy day fund..."

"One of the things I thought was terrific about Bill Clinton was that when he became president in 1992 he said that his Cabinet would look like the rest of America. And he did it; and he did it."

So, Governor Dean admired the Clintons and what they accomplished in the 1990s.

Furthermore, Dean talked a lot about change, too. What people forget is that he spoke of change in context of the party. He would always say, "we're going to change this party." So, Howard Dean looked at change through the vehicle of the party.

His vision and loyalty to the Democratic Party would of course draw him to Hillary Clinton. He admires Hillary and Bill's accomplishments. He appreciates the Democratic Party and what they can do as a vehicle of change. So, I wish people would stop attacking Dean. Him supporting Hillary Clinton is consistent with his beliefs and values.

You can check out the transcript of his famous speech (basically what launched his campaign) at http://www.crocuta.net/Dean/Transcript_of_Speech_to_DNC_Winter_Meeting.htm

[cali]

1. Pretty much, but he's being a wee bit disingenuous

But Howard was considered a centrist here. Fairly liberal socially and fairly conservative economically. The legislature was usually quite a bit more liberal than he was during his tenure. The fights were epic.

[ProudToBeLiberal]

2. I just don't like it when people say Dean is a sellout.

Him supporting Hillary Clinton makes the perfect sense. He is standing up for what he believes in.

[uponit7771]

3. To them, everyone is a sell out... we're either with them or.... you know the rest

[ProudToBeLiberal]

9. Or we go under the bus. Nt

[madfloridian]

4. I am starting to have the feeling...

that we his supporters in 2004 were used for his benefit. I wouldn't mind that so much, except that now he is joining the ones who attack us for being liberal...for being against the conservative Dems who took away our party.

I don't care if he supports Hillary, but I do care when he uses that to launch reprimands to his former supporters.

I do care when he blocks me at Twitter. He knows my username from long ago, so do his brother and others at DFA. So it was a move on his part that was not accidental. I criticized his ed reform views.

I do care when he sits with Steve Elmendorf who publicly stated in 2005 that they should use the lefty bloggers, take their money, and then screw them by ignoring them.

I feel I was manipulated.

[ProudToBeLiberal]

6. I'm sorry to hear that, but Dean gave a voice to the anti-war movement

He gave a credible voice. So, I think we should always be thankful for that.

Also, how do you think he was able to implement the 50 state strategy? There is a reason why the DNC focuses on a small number of state. It cost money. The money has to come somewhere. I'm sure he had to snooze with people that had large check books.

I wouldn't be surprised if he becomes the DNC chairman again.

[madfloridian]

7. If he keeps on with the criticisms toward those who once supported him strongly.....

then he will lose his credibility.

[ProudToBeLiberal]

8. I wish were were still on the same side. I miss 03/04. Remember all the Kerry supporters?

We sure had some great fights. Was it blm who was a huge Kerry supporter? Hell we had to fight off the Kucinich supporters, too. We though Kucinich had no electability.

[madfloridian]

12. I agree about that.

I have a lot of mixed feelings now looking back on the Dean Campaign. My late husband was so active in every way. I did a lot of the internet stuff, but he did the footwork and rallies and war protests.

It was the first time we were really politically involved other than voting.

I see so many here now who were working with us. Now it seems like there will be no going back with all the hatred.

[ProudToBeLiberal]

16. Can I ask you who you supported in 2008?

I supported Hillary in 2008. Were you a Barack Obama supporter back then?

[madfloridian]

21. Yes.

I supported Obama.

[ProudToBeLiberal]

23. Hillary would continue Obama's legacy. Or are you disillusioned with him?

If you want to continue his work, Hillary would be the best one to carry the torch. I would say Obama's heir is Hillary and not Bernie. He even picked her as his Secretary of State.

[madfloridian]

24. I think Obama could have taken more firm stances on many things.

His education reforms have done much harm to our schools. I hated having to fight our own party on the chained cpi. I think so many he picked for his adminstration were too close to the Bush administration.

I am voting for Sanders because I want to go the other direction. He may not be able to get a lot done, but he might surprise. At least I feel sure he will speak out on things that matter.

[Live and Learn]

13. So, why is he now supporting someone that voted for the war?

I feel the same as Madfloridian. Everything he stood against then is being swept aside and I am now sorry I ever supported him. I think he has sold out to the establishment.

[ProudToBeLiberal]

15. 2016 is not 2002. After Hillary apologized, I forgave her. i don't hold grudges. nt

[Live and Learn]

17. A war that killed hundreds of thousands. Nice that you can forgive that so easily.

I can't.

[ProudToBeLiberal]

19. 30 thousand people die from gun violence each year. Should I blame Bernie Sanders?

For his anti gun control votes? Hell he hasn't apologized for his votes. Hillary at least did.

[Live and Learn]

25. No. The very few laws he didn't support certainly wouldn't have prevented any of those

deaths so that would be ridiculous. Not supporting the illegal, immoral war would have saved lives. Big difference.

[ProudToBeLiberal]

28. he voted against gun violence research by the CDC.

The research could have saved 100 of thousands of lives.

[Live and Learn]

30. Really? What could the research ever have come up with that would stop gun violence?

I'll give you the research results for free. Outlaw guns period. But good luck getting that through.

[fourcents]

22. I agree and it cost trillions and made much more new terrorist.

[Live and Learn]

26. Yes it did. nt

[Live and Learn]

18. +10,000 nt

[kristopher]

10. He was a victim of the very machine he is now a part of.

And where is his 50 state strategy - which was a means of making strong progress toward the primary goal of expanding the electorate - today?

Your OP is informative and it focuses my thoughts on the nature of change that we are seeing in Dean. I don't believe Dean was corrupt or someone that was lock-step with the party. I do think he was co-opted into a belief system where the money was seen as a necessary part of the system. You know that 'the-other-side-started-it-and-will-do-it' argument. It is true, after all. But the rather obvious moral hazard is always rationalized away by the appeal to necessity.

The trap existing in that path of reasoning is the way the presence of money in the system must inevitably and immediately become its own independent reason for being - the stimulus reward loop in the mind and emotions just takes a shortcut and essentially sublimates the original goal of doing good. This results in behavior where anything that challenges the existence of the money machine is seen as a threat to the original good being sought (greater democracy, remember?), even if it actually accomplishes that good without the money.

Go Ber-nie. Go Ber-nie.

[hollowdweller]

11. Decline of the middle class wasn't a big issue like it is now.

More the budget and economy overall.

Dean has mainly been out of contact with the little people for a while so I think he can be partially forgiven for missing how the party has changed and the issues facing working people have changed.

Don't think he did Hillary any favors with what he said though.

[madfloridian]

14. He always said unions gave us a strong middle class.

He's back to his centrist roots, okay. But I can not stand his criticism of those of us who stood with him.

[fourcents]

20. Howard Dean sits next to Goldman Sachs lobbyist Steve Elmendorfa at debate?

Hillary Brings Goldman Sachs Lobbyist and Fundraiser to Dem Debate nothing wrong with that right?

[leftofcool]

27. Anyone who doesn't support bernie is a sellout.

That's what we keep getting told.

[merrily]

29. Dean-a centrist whose Dad worked on Wall Street and owned places on Park Avenue and East Hampton,

the same "Hampton" where people like Seinfeld and P. Ditty now have homes.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12779709

[mikehiggins]

31. Does supporting HRC require we throw unions under the bus?

Dean really claims unions are the equivalent of super-Pacs?

This reminds me of my favorite Churchill quote: We've already established what you are. Now we are negotiating the price.

I cannot tolerate anyone claiming to be a Democrat who would attack unions in such an underhanded and despicable manner. I certainly hope all those Union execs and boards who rushed to sign on to the HRC campaign are smart enough to see what is going on. I hope their members who stood by and let it happen realize what it means.

[DesertRat]

32. k&r