Dean Draws Fire From Debating Democrats

[ProudToBeLiberal]

Dean Draws Fire From Debating Democrats
Rivals Target Front-Runner Howard Dean in First Debate of the Election Year

The Associated Press

JOHNSTON, Iowa Jan. 4 — In a feisty, first debate of the election year, Howard Dean drew fire from fellow Democrats on Sunday over trade, terror and taxes, then calmly dismissed his rivals as "co-opted by the agenda of George Bush."

"I opposed the Iraq war when everyone else up here was for it," said the former Vermont governor, invoking the anti-war position that helped fuel his 2003 transformation from asterisk in the polls to front-runner.

Dean's all-purpose rebuttal came midway through a debate 15 days before the Iowa caucuses, the first contest for national convention delegates who will select a Democratic presidential challenger to President Bush.

The narrow window for campaigning prompted Dean's pursuers to attack him from the opening moments of the Des Moines Register-sponsored debate.

more...

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Politics/ap20040104_1031.html

[Rose Siding]

1. They covered my favorite highlight

snip>
The front-runner used his question to ask the other Democrats on stage to say whether they would pledge to support the eventual nominee, then raised his hand to show that he would. All others followed suit Gephardt, Edwards, Lieberman, Sen. John Kerry, Rep. Dennis Kucinich and former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun.

[dfong63]

3. that was a smart move and a mark of a leader

[DemOutWest]

4. Wow

real smart. He is the front runner. If it was that smart, then vote for Joe Trippi.

[KittyWampus]

5. Smart Move? After Saying His Supporters Were Non Transferrable

and thus issuing a veiled threat a second time?

It's called clean up ... something Dean unfortunately needs to do on a regular basis.

[robbedvoter]

8. Second clean up. There was one after last summer 'non-transferable"

thingy. I remember Will Pitt starting a thread "I am affraid that HD"
A lot of HD supporters jumped in with quotes like the one tonight until Will, I and most people said: "OK, I am convinced". But his credibility is wearing thin.
In W's immortal words: I won't be fooled again"

[Rose Siding]

13. Would you want Clark to commit your vote for you?

Dean said he'd support the candidate and work for him but he didn't know what his supporters would do- He can't guarantee to deliver my vote! For him to say they might not go for a Washington Dem is a damn good guess.

[ozone_man]

7. That made up for the last debate

where he was assaulted by Ted Koppell with the question if Dean was electable. Only Dean raised his hand. What a jerk that guy is. Dean can play the game too and collected all their signatures in one fell swoop.

No, Dean cannot guarantee how his supporters will transfer to another candidate. We'll scatter to the winds, though most will land in the Democratic party. I will never vote for Lieberman. Some of the others, too early to tell.

[robbedvoter]

9. Very pro- HD spin. They omitted that Joe said that private records

were already made public, or that kerry said he promissed to open his records if W does. I guess AP subscribes to the TNR scheme:

[Rose Siding]

10. Whoever said Bush's records are "open"

hasn't checked with the Texas AG. Someone didn't prep them very well. And Kerry falt out said Dean said that the Saudis told Bush about the attack coming. Not so- every time, from the Rehm show to Fox to the last debate, Dean said that was ONE of the theories out there because the investigation has been stonewalled- not that it was a theory he subscribed to. But there's Kerry, defending Bush over 911. Stupid!

[fjc]

2. These attacks...

are now having the exact opposite effect they're intended for.

[goforit]

6. I missed that part....what an openning!!

I was so shocked at the attacking from the 4 from Washington
toward Dean. And I was impressed that Dean never attacked back.
He defended himself but didn't attack.

Kucincich was very good and Mosely Braun was very good.
I liked the way Braun said that anyone at the debate would be better than Bush, uniting all the Dems.

Lieberman, Kerry, Edwards and Gepthart appeared stately
but they also appeared out of touch with the common man.

The commenting from CNN appeared to be in favor of Dean which
surprised me considering they are pro-conservative.

Well, thats my take. But I didn't see the whole debate.

[arcos]

11. Will they repeat the debate? n/t

[are_we_united_yet]

12. Just as I was about to throw my support behind Kerry

He attacks Dean rather than stress his own agenda and vision. He lost me again.