"To bash Dean or not"

[sleipnir]

E. J. Dionne
Indianapolis Star

WASHINGTON -- Many of the Democratic presidential candidates who once competed over who could sound the most hostile to George W. Bush are now in a contest over who can offer the toughest critique of Howard Dean.

These scuffles reflect the extent to which Dean has dominated the campaign and forced his opponents to react to him. Dean set off the anti-Bush competition and is now the clear front-runner. His opponents are scrambling for a new strategy, and the capture of Saddam Hussein allowed them to pivot to denunciations of Dean as unelectable, inexperienced and out of touch on foreign policy.

Sen. Joe Lieberman won the contest for the harshest words. (Dean, he said, would "take us back to the days when we Democrats were not trusted to defend America's security.") Lieberman has decided, probably shrewdly, that his only chance of emerging alive from the early primaries is to establish himself as the most forceful anti-Dean candidate.

The reticence of Clark and Edwards is instructive. Both are placing their biggest bets on the primaries that take place after Iowa and New Hampshire, especially the Feb. 3 contests in South Carolina, Oklahoma, Arizona and New Mexico. By contrast, Gephardt and Sen. John Kerry are in life-and-death struggles with Dean. Gephardt needs to win or do very well against Dean in the Iowa caucuses on Jan. 19, and Kerry must do the same in the New Hampshire primary.

http://www.indystar.com/articles/7/104489-2827-021.html

This is a very interesting op-ed piece, worth reading no matter who you support!

[jmaier]

1. Lieberman

wins my vote for running the most Rethuglican campaign.

[Melodybe]

2. No where does the article say that Dean was right! We are not safer!

This glaring omission pisses me off. The author can kiss my ass!

[FightinNewDem]

3. Dean Logic

Lieberman points out Dean's flaws: "bashing".

Dean lies about John Edward's position on Iraq, accuses his opponents of being "Bush Lite", encourages his supporters to spam the e-mail accounts of anyone who questions Dean's strategy, runs the first negative television ads of the cycle versus Gephardt, allows his backers to heckle other candidates at party events: ???

Suck it up. Politics ain't beanbag.

[ibegurpard]

8. And Dean will point out Lieberman's "flaws" right back at him

That's politics.

[worldgonekrazy]

9. When did Dean lie about Edwards' position on Iraq?

Dean said Edwards supported IWR and voted for it. Edwards did support IWR, did vote for it, and continues to say this everywhere he goes. Wherein is Dean wrong?

[liberalnurse]

4. Lieberman and Gephardt are the most offending bashers.

I hope Dean just sticks to the plan.......the bashing should roll off like water on a duck. He does not need to respond....folks don't buy into the bashing anyways......

[auburnblu]

5. Joe L has been too much on the attack

The candidates who want to catch Dean should spend more time outlining their vision for the country on things like the economy, education, etc... and spend less time bashing Dean. If someone's number one campaign theme is "Don't vote foir Dean, I'm more electable", well that is kind of weak. Unfortunately my fave Joe L is doing just that, sigh.

[DFLforever]

6. Have a bone to pick with E.J.

"Many of the Democratic presidential candidates who once competed over who could sound the most hostile to George W. Bush"..

oh yah, we should have been so lucky... that's the real irony of the anti-Dean contest...if these candidates had been anywhere near as hard on Bush as they are on Dean, we would be hard pressed to choose the toughest candidate to go up against Bush...instead most of these guys have made that decision pathetically easy.

[DFLforever]

7. Giving this a kick - should interest supporters of every candidate

:kick:

and worth considering in terms of this board as well.



edit: morning typos