If the Democratic party were to nominate Howard Dean...

[0rganism]

...what would you do?

[Rashind]

1. Kick

I'm a Kucinich man, but we should give this poll a few more moments at the top, in the interest of letting everyone see it and vote on it.

(Edit: Just so no one jumps my ass, I voted "some trepidation", Dean is my 3rd, for now)

[no name no slogan]

2. Hold nose, darken circle by "Howard Dean",...

and pray he can beat El Arbusto at his own game.

[w4rma]

7. What "game" would that be? (n/t)

[Sean Reynolds]

3. Just look at my sig.......

Err...I just said that!

[Cascadian]

4. I support him and I will gladly vote for him.

I think he can actually win.


John

[juajen]

5. Well, you got me on that one

There is something about him that scares me. I would vote for him, but with trepidation.

[Sean Reynolds]

6. May I ask what scares you about him?

Not asking for a flame war. Wondering if I could possibly ease your mind.

[Cascadian]

14. What scares you about him?

He is not as scary as Lieberman, Clark, or the idiot we have now in the White House.


John

[xJlM]

8. Depends...

On how many times he flip-flops on his statements between now and then. Canada sure looks nice, but I've probably got too much of a criminal record for them to allow me in. Mexico is another option, porque Yo hablo su lengua, but they don't like pale-skinned Yanquis there much.

[w4rma]

10. As a Kucinich supporter, you

really can't say much about "flip-flops" considering Kucinich's recent change of heart on a woman's right to choose, IMHO.

[Rashind]

11. At least he admitted the flip flop.

Kucinich is crystal clear on the issues, and where he has changed his mind, he explains himself. He doesn't waffle about trying to have it both ways.

[w4rma]

12. Dean also admited his change in position from the one he held in 1995.

Dean Says He Misspoke on Social Security

WASHINGTON -- Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean said Wednesday that he misspoke when he told the AFL-CIO he never favored raising the retirement age for Social Security benefits to age 70.

Dean acknowledged that he had called for such an increase when the country was faced with a deficit in 1995, but said he no longer thinks it is necessary. He said former President Clinton set an example of balancing the budget without raising the retirement age.
…
During an appearance on NBC's “Meet the Press” in June, Dean said an increase to age 70 is no longer necessary, but he would entertain an increase to 68.

He said the way to balance the budget now is to repeal President Bush's tax cuts and restrict spending. He said to balance Social Security, he would consider raising the retirement age to 68 and letting more salary above $87,000 fall under the payroll tax.

On Wednesday, Dean said since his appearance on “Meet the Press,” he has consulted with experts and concluded that no increase in the retirement age would be necessary. A better solution, he said, would
be to raise the salary limit.

“I'm willing to take it off entirely if we need to,” he said.
…
http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-dean-social-security,0,2509226.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=54995&mesg_id=54995

When Dean notices he made a mistake, he has been correcting himself immediately. I am respecting that, alot.

I'm *very* impressed with this and his solution to balancing the budget, above.

I'm also impressed with the short list of Dean's misstatements that the AP is building at the bottom of all Dean apologies.

And I'm wondering where Bush's list is.

[xJlM]

17. Has also changed his mind a few times about Iraq

First thing I remember him saying was about allowing the inspectors another sixty days, then going in. Then it was get the Americans out of Iraq. Now it's stay and finish the job. Finish Bush's job? He must think there's still some oil money in Iraq that would make his doctor's salary pale in comparison.

[w4rma]

20. Even Sen. Lieberman says Dean was "clear and consistent against the war."

…
LIEBERMAN: Thank you, Judy.

(LAUGHTER)

Not always easy with this crowd. Thank you very much.

This is a very important discussion, because each of the nine of us want to be the commander in chief of the United States military and protect the security of this country. That requires a clarity of judgment and the courage to stick by the judgment you've made.

Dennis Kucinich, Howard Dean, Al Sharpton, Carol Moseley Braun -- they were clear and consistent against the war. I was for it clearly and consistently, but I respect them for that clarity.

I must say that I've been very disappointed since Wes Clark came into this race about the various positions he has taken on the war against Saddam Hussein.

Howard Dean is right, last fall, a few days before the voting in Congress, he said he would have recommended it and would have supported the resolution. After the war, he wrote a piece in the Times of London praising President Bush and Tony Blair for their resolve. When he became a candidate he said he probably would have voted for the resolution.

There was an uproar. Then he said: I never would have voted for the resolution.

The American people have lost confidence in George Bush because he hasn't leveled with them. We need a candidate who will meet the test of reaching a conclusion and having the courage to stick with it. And I intend to be that candidate and that kind of president.
…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A5841-2003Oct9.html

[Kucinich04]

23. DINO JOE...

What a joker.

He wants to portray himself as 'honest', while in the same breath he uses the term "after the war".

Hey DinoJoe? THE "WAR" AIN'T "OVER", buddy!

[xJlM]

27. Well, if Holy Joe says so...

I guess it doesn't matter what I remember. After all, I'm just a private citizen. JL's probably seen all the secret documents and stuff

Actually, Joe Lieberman enters into my working this equation out only in a slight way. If he's nominated (which I highly doubt) I'll vote for him like I did when he ran with Al Gore back in 2000. That's it. No money, no signs in the yard, no doing any of the footwork which helps make a campaign successful.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

29. If Lieberman says it it's true?

Give me a break. :eyes:

[Feanorcurufinwe]

28. Maybe I'm missing something.

It's hard to tell because the link doesn't work. When did
"Dean acknowledge that he had called for such an increase when the country was faced with a deficit in 1995"? As in, what date. Do you have another reference for this?

[JaneQPublic]

38. Another reference

An AP wire story. And the date was 6 Aug 2003:

http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/politics/6473340.htm

Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean said Wednesday that he misspoke when he told the AFL-CIO he never favored raising the retirement age for Social Security benefits to age 70.

Dean acknowledged that he had called for such an increase when the country was faced with a deficit in 1995, but said he no longer thinks it is necessary. He said former President Clinton set an example of balancing the budget without raising the retirement age.

"Clinton proved that if you run a decent economy and have a budget surplus and some jobs, then you don't need to raise the age to extend the life of Social Security," Dean said in a telephone interview after The Associated Press questioned conflicting statements he has made on the issue.

The current retirement age for receiving full program benefits is 65 years and two months. The retirement age will gradually rise to 67 over the next two decades.

MORE...

[Bombtrack]

9. Hold my nose and vote for him

because in all likelihood he would actually make Massachusetts a competative state, so my vote would count, but I would never forgive him for not giving the party a legitimate electoral chance of beating Bush

[Classical_Liberal]

43. No you wont' forgive him for undermining neocon dems

who are a minority in our party and country.

[Kool Kitty]

13. I'd vote for him

without question.

[Kahuna]

15. Nose hold time.

:7

[Dob Bole]

16. I'd leave it blank

and vote Dem for Congress. I'm not going to vote in a choice between two campaigns based on hatred. I'll write in the Care Bears or something before that crap.

[w4rma]

19. I'm honestly curious how you came to that conclusion.

Extremely massive information dump on Gov. Howard Dean, M.D. (v2.0)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=108&topic_id=41214

[ozone_man]

44. After that thoughtful thread that you started

about what we liked about Dean? OK, now it's your turn, what don't you like about him?

[Il_Coniglietto]

18. Even though I can't vote

I chose to do it, but with some trepidation. There's something about him that gives me a really bad feeling and some of his issues bother me a good deal. Still, he's much better than Arbusto and I would wish him all the luck in winning because four years of Dean is infinitely better than another four years of Bush.

[ShaneGR]

21. I always vote for GLADLY in all of these candidate polls

TRANSLATION: I'll gladly vote for ABB.

[JI7]

22. would GLADLY vote for him

.

[Zynx]

24. I can't believe...

that our party has become divided enough that only 87% of those on this forum would vote for him if nominated. Not ideologically pure enough for you? Not stylistically in tune? If that's our attitude, we deserve to loose.

[MODemocrat]

25. I want to get Bush out of his illegal "position"

therefore, although I prefer Howard Dean, I'll gladly cast my vote for whichever DEMOCRAT is nominated. Not voting for Dean, if nominated, would be a vote for George Bush, and that is pathetic. :crazy: :dem:

[AP]

26. I'm not worried about me (or 60% of DU'ers). I'm worried about people

in the middle of the spectrum, and I'm worried about the Democratic base -- ie, black people.

[hedda_foil]

30. Looks like 8 freepers voted for Bush.

[seventhson]

31. Almost 90% of us would vote for DEAN!!! Very Good!

But I think it should be higher here.

[Speck Tater]

32. The results of this poll show why the Repugs are in power.

They stick together while we pull each other down. A house divided will never prevail.

[demigoddess]

33. my motto from now on is

anybody but bush
anybody but a republican.

[Piperay]

34. Clarks my man but...

I will vote for ANY Democrat that gets the nomination...I WANT BUSH OUT!!!!

[Terwilliger]

35. kick

[Silverhair]

36. Can you say McGovern 72 or Mondale 84?

[Name removed]

37. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Loyal]

39. LMAO!

:P

[Silverhair]

42. No

I lived through 72 & 84. Maybe I don't want to see that happen again. Those how don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Mondale campaigned on a promise to raise taxes. He did it at a time when Reagan's alzhimers (I spelled that wrong.) was beginning to show. In the first debate Reagan stumbled and there were questions about his health. YET, MONDALE LOST 49 STATES. Idealogical purity may be exciting for the base, BUT IT LOSES ELECTIONS.

[GOPBasher]

40. Vote for him gladly, of course.

That's a no-brainer.

[JaneQPublic]

41. Thanks! And I'd gladly do the same for your guy.

Although, if Wes gets the nomination, I'd hope he'd pick Howie for VP.

If we run with a warrior (general) as the head of the ticket, it would be good to have a healer (doctor) as Veep.

[Skittles]

45. IF THEY NOMINATED A HAM SANDWICH

I'F F***ING VOTE FOR IT.

[greendog]

46. People don't vote for president .......states do...

...and my state (Montana) is very unlikely to choose ANY Democrat for president. I plan to use my vote to build the Green Party.