Has Dean created a third party?

[mandyky]

Some one posted a William Safire op ed in E&A -

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=103&topic_id=27216&mesg_id=27216&page=

Article - http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/24/opinion/24SAFI.html

The poster mentioned a poll but didn't start one, so here's my effort.
Let me know about additional options or choices.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. Same crap every non-incumbent Presidential cycle.

Our historical memories are very short.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

2. I think the Dean bandwagon has attracted some disruptors

who do not have the best interests of the Democratic party at heart.

[liberalnurse]

4. You are a beautiful person.

So insightful and preceptive to the "road rage gang" who find pleasure in the hit-skip slam of Dean.

I really have unity in mind. I wish others did as well.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

5. and Howard Dean?

I'm not so sure he has unity in mind.

[RetroLounge]

6. Then don't vote for him

Like you ever would anyhow...

[liberalnurse]

3. We certainly don't need any more

division of the party support base. That Safire, a hired gun of the right wing, had every intention in throwing out more contamination language to the democrats.

[readmylips]

7. I'm tired of democrat republicans....

I want to be a democrat and not a republican, and Dean stands for real democrat values. If I want to be a republican, I'd be one. People in my Dean MeetUps, talk about democrat values and leadership being lost to accepting republican values, and we've become followers and not leaders. Dean is leading the democrat values. Fook the republicans and I will not follow them.

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

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

[mandyky]

11. I tried to add your suggestion

but it wouldn't let me.

[amyforclark04]

9. Howard Dean is still a hypocrite

...whether he starts a third party candidacy or not. And when he says his supporters are non-transferrable....

Look who's divisive now, Howie.

[LSdemocrat]

10. He doesn't control his supporters

Many Dean supporters are involved in politics for the first time. If Dean for some reason dropped out, many of those people wouldn't remain active in politics.

I will actively support whoever the Democratic nominee is, but I, nor Howard Dean, can speak for what ALL of his supporters will do.

[robbedvoter]

22. He feels he does:

. I really do believe--and I think about
> this--I want to get this nomination, and if I don't ... these kids
> are not transferrable. I can't just go out and say, 'Okay, so I
> didn't win the nomination, so go ahead and vote for the Democrats.'
> They're not going to suddenly just go away. That's not gonna
> happen."
> --
> http://www.laweekly.com/ink/printme.php?eid=46660

[Orangepeel]

12. Dean is a Democrat. Many of his supporters are not.

Many Dean supporters were previously disillusioned or apathetic. Fewer, but a significant number, are libertarians, independents and disaffected republicans. Much of the support won't transfer.

Dean has said repeatedly that he will support the Democratic nominee for President. I, of course, will, too. (But then, I was active in the party long before I ever heard of Dean). But many of his supporters are enthusiastic about Dean, not necessarily the Democratic party. He can ask them to vote for, and even work for, the nominee if it isn't him, but they aren't robots. He can't make them.

Personally, I believe that a large majority of Dean supporters will vote for the Democratic nominee even if it isn't Dean. But I also believe that a large majority will do nothing but vote if that is the case. The national grassroots campaign that Dean can run just can't be counted on for any other candidate.

[mouse7]

27. No... just a fact. They are just tired of politics are usual.

Dean has a lot of support from people who want nothing to do with the current power structure. Candidates from inside the beltway are going to have a very hard time transferring their enthusiasm to them.

If you had stopped to think for a second before you tossed out that attack, you would have also realized that Clark is one of the people who might be able to pick up some of that support. Clark was in DC, but at the Pentagon as doesn't carry the same stigma.

So Amy, what you are damning is actually something that helps Clark, not hurts him.

[Terwilliger]

13. The DLC started the "third" party

and now we're all paying the price for that disloyalty to the Democrats

[JVS]

20. I thought they made 2 parties into 1.5

[Terwilliger]

23. no, three

Republican, Democrat, and Centrist

[iluvchicago86]

14. No

All that Dean has done is awaken a sleepy portion of the electorate. Good for him.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

15. I think Bush v. Gore did that more than anything. eom

[Terwilliger]

17. is that what Kerry referred to when he said "get over it"?

maybe there shouldn't be a groundswell of activism stemming from sElection 2000, since Kerry poo-poo's it.

[DFLforever]

16. It just looks "new" to Safire, et. al., because they've been dealing with

the beltway Democrats for so long...open your eyes, Safire, this is what a Democratic America looks like. Dean didn't find them, they found Dean and put him into orbit.

Also, Dr. Dean has said that not only would he support the nominee of the party but would work 'vigorously' to elect him.

[MGKrebs]

18. The DLC are the one's trying to start a third party.

I'm fairly new at paying this close attention to primaries, but it seems ridiculous that an important segment of the Dem party is constantly attacking one of the candidates we have.

I'm sure they believe in what they are doing, but they are creating the very thing they criticize- dividing the party. They should be helping defend ANY and ALL of the candidates, not throwing more fuel on the fire.

[Padraig18]

19. Why is there no "I'm not a Dean supporter, and no he hasn't" choice?

Seems like a push poll, to me...

[mot78]

21. Read this

http://www.cmonitor.com/stories/news/opinion/other2003/coase121503_2003.shtml

In a sense, yes. The internet is allowing the grassroots to create psuedo-parties based on single issues or candidates. I agree with this article that a 3rd party candidate could be chosen with help of the internet.

[Hippo_Tron]

24. Where's the "I am not a Dean supporter and no he hasn't" choice?

Cause that's my answer.

[Padraig18]

26. Thank you.

Another 'push poll'. What a surprise, eh? :shrug:

[Crunchy Frog]

25. I can't respond to the poll

My answer is - I'm not a Dean supporter and no he hasn't.