"Assessing Mr. Dean" editorial from today's Washington Post...

[flpoljunkie]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A35208-2003Dec27?language=printer

Assessing Mr. Dean

Sunday, December 28, 2003; Page B06

WITH THE Democratic field crowded and the first tests in Iowa and New Hampshire approaching, now is a good time for a midterm review of the major candidates. The logical place to begin is with the man whose candidacy was viewed as quixotic at the beginning of the year but who is now widely seen as the Democratic front-runner -- former Vermont governor Howard Dean.

The first question is, which Mr. Dean? The centrist, fiscally conservative, New Democrat NAFTA backer who was governor, or the fiery, antiwar, anti-free-trade populist who has emerged on the stump? We'd prefer the former -- and we suspect that, if Mr. Dean indeed nails down the nomination, we'll see at least his partial return in the general election campaign. Indeed, Mr. Dean is a canny, if loose-lipped, pol: In an interview in August before a rally in Falls Church, he said that while he planned to give the Democratic crowd the red meat it craved, "I won't be talking like this during the general , if I get the nomination."

Mr. Dean and his campaign team have been able to energize Democratic voters and to tap into the power of the Internet. Mr. Dean winds up his speeches pointing to his crowd and repeating, "You've got the power," and his followers respond with enthusiasm that no other candidate has generated.

Yet we are troubled by aspects of Mr. Dean's character and personality. He can be condescending, and unwarrantedly so, as when he said at a town hall meeting in New Hampshire last month, "Mr. President, if you'll pardon me, I'll teach you a little about defense." He is quick to bristle, slow to admit error; see, for example, his ill-considered comments about Southern voters and the Confederate flag. He suffers from what he recently described as "smarty mouth," a tendency to glib remarks and unsubstantiated or incorrect assertions. His citation of rumors that Mr. Bush was tipped off to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 by the Saudis and is now trying to cover up that advance warning is one example of such irresponsibility.

...more...

______________________________

Which Dr. Dean, indeed? Primary voters in Iowa and New Hampshire have tremendous power in our primary system. Let's hope they use this power wisely.

"Don't Just Send Them a Message. Send Them a President." -John Kerry

[Racenut20]

1. Shrubs vs Scrubs ?????

[WiseMen]

9. Notice Dean Opponents Linking to Press on Dean. Dean Supporters Dumping

on most of the news. It is sad that the front-runner for the
nomination (1) seals his records, (2) attacks the press (3) attacks his party -- DLC is Repub wing, and (4) cannot take much scrutiny without lashing out.

Dean supporters are asking us to accept a hope that rests of the public tendency to just catch a brief impression of candidates from the Network news and not look into detail. Dan Rather is not going to do and expose on Governor Dean. But come general election time the right-wing outlets are going to turn on the hose and only the staunch Party base is going to be able to withstand the stench -- there is just too much stuff for them to put into the pipe.

All the signs are WARNING SIGNS. I like Howard Dean, but something is does not feel right going into this incredibly serious election saddled with apparently horrible weaknesses.

[Eric J in MN]

2. MDs are supposed to be called "Dr. Dean," for example, not Mr. nt

nt

[Rose Siding]

3. How droll

*HE* can be condescending? When he speaks of bush in the way bush deserves, Dean is deemed condescending by The Paper of Record? No wonder the other dems are so timid. You'd need courage and committment to risk that.

Twisted panties. But wait a minute! I thought Dean is the media's choice.

[patricia92243]

4. Can always spot a "anti-Dean" person - they never say Gov. Dean or Dr. Dea

ust "Dean" or Mr. Dean"

[flpoljunkie]

5. Perhaps you ought to send your complaint to the WP editorial board...

They are the ones who titled this editorial "Assessing Mr. Dean". I prefer "Dr. Dean" which I think best suits his personality.

[robbedvoter]

6. Wow! That easy, huh? And the punishment for that is?

[Octafish]

18. Some nicknames for him made some people really mad.

They must have hit too close to home. Oh well! The truth hurts.

[TeacherCreature]

14. I guess he didn't get the memo to push Dean so he could lose in Nov

I think this is just another pissy media insider who is not enjoying he loss of power to the internet. They are getting awfully snitty over not being able to control the storyline.

[November 2004]

7. Thanks for the editorial.

I found it completely sound.

[polpilot]

8. More good, free publicity for The New Democratic Leader of The NEW

Democratic Party!!

Dean '04...Up, up, and away!!!!!!!

[bearfartinthewoods]

10. reading this description of dean, i can't help but think about the old

predictor question re: success in the GE...

Who would you most like to go on a looong car trip with?

[killbotfactory]

11. "We believe the war in Iraq was a battle worth waging;"

Well, that sums it up, then, doesn't it?

And Dean supporters know he's centrist. If he wasn't, he'd be where Kucinich is now.

It was the media who got him wrong, with their superficial analysis in assuming everyone who was against the war was a raging left wing peacenik, and then figuring it out months later and assuming his supporters are idiots like them.

[askew]

17. Exactly.

The media simply cannot comprehend that many, many americans are against this war, not just the "radical left". And Dean has been consistent in his messages, the media just hasn't been consistent in reporting Dean's messages.

[Octafish]

12. "I won't be talking like this during the general , if I get the nomination

Gee. What other surprises will Democrats learn about once the general election campaign begins, should Dean be the nominee? Bet a bunch of his supporters would be surprisded to discover that Dean only says he's from the "Democratic wing of the Democratic Party." How droll.

[TeacherCreature]

13. whoever wrote that has one vote just like me

he can vote for whoever he wants.

[Raya]

15. Wish I was the Lone Crazy x-Dean who feels Dean has Decieved Us

But, I am not. This article describes our worst fears: Dean is not
really a staight-talking progressive but a politics-as-usual panderer who told us what we wanted to hear in 2003. Will he "move to the right" in 2004 and start telling the "Amen, Haleluya" crowd what they want to hear?

[blm]

20. Dean grabbed that "straight talker" mantle just like Bush did in 2000.

Neither are true. Another similarity between Dean and Bush.

[dsc]

16. Your computer editted this out (I hate when this happens)

Where we diverge most sharply with Mr. Dean is on his emerging world view. We believe the war in Iraq was a battle worth waging; Mr. Dean does not, and he has catapulted himself to front-runner status in large measure on the basis of that stance. Now that Saddam Hussein has been captured, Mr. Dean must confront the difficult fact that, had his counsel been followed, the brutal dictator would still be in power. In some ways more worrisome, though, are his shifting stands on postwar policy. Earlier this year, Mr. Dean was articulating the principled position that the war had been a mistake, but that leaving Iraq too soon would be a bigger mistake. But the candidate has retreated from that view. He did not support the administration's request for funds to rebuild Iraq, and he holds out the illusory prospect of a quick substitution of foreign forces for U.S. troops.
end of quote

It really does get down to this now doesn't it. On today's this Week, otherwise a Bush panderfest, the very end of the show got us to a new milestone. 475 soldiers dead. 14 last week, the week we were so much safer BTW, alone. Yes, if Dean were President maybe Saddam would have saved his worthless hide. But we also wouldn't have 475 dead soldiers and a President who has been to not one funeral and on only two visits to the injured. We wouldn't have a President who sends 475 people to their deaths and cuts their combat pay while doing so. We wouldn't have a President who sends Lord alone knows how many to being maimed, cuts the budget for their medical care, and refuses to visit them. Was Saddam worth it? Where are the WMD?

[mandyky]

19. First thing I want to know - who is their "we"

As for Dean and his records, only 40% are sealed. Non-issue for me.

Dean's attacks on the DLC came after months of From and Reed attacking Dean as he began his rise. Dean is not attacking centurist Dems, he is giving the DLC a bit of what they gave him. (Dean actually would be a good member of the DLC, but they did not like his Iraq war stance, best I can tell)

These people who wrote this are seeing a different Dean than what I see, I doubt anyone who can agree with much of what the current administtration does is going to get many votes from anyone. How is that condescending?