Joe Trippi in Q&A session on what happened in Iowa and may in Wisc ...

[Casablanca]

http://www.itconversations.com/transcript.php?id=72

Edited for length.

Ed: So this organization has a chance to continue?

Joe: ... I really do believe that Wisconsin is an opportunity to turn things, and let me tell you why really quickly, and then I think we've got to end this. What's going to happen here…it's the same dynamic that happened to Howard Dean. For about 12 months the question was: change versus the status quo. And for 12 months Howard Dean dominated that campaign. That status quo changed Dean. That's what got him to that high place where he wasn't rolling. Three or four weeks after Al Gore endorses this and now the press says -- and I'm now talking about the maliciousness now, I'm talking about the equation changes. It's now, "If you vote for Howard Dean in Iowa, he's the nominee." It's not, "Are we voting for change or status quo?" Howard Dean wins that. It's now, "If you vote for Howard Dean he's the nominee." So it's now are you ready to do that or you're not ready do that. The people of Iowa did not reject Howard Dean. What they said is, "Not yet. Not ready to do this." Yes, is a vote for dean. No, I am not ready to this looks like a flight away from the frontrunner. This happened to Bill Clinton in Colorado with Jerry Brown. It happened to Jimmy Carter in 1976, Jerry Brown again. It happened to Mike Dukakis with Jessie Jackson winning Michigan. The problem is that that whole movement got moved up before there had ever been a single vote. Now guess what is going to happen? I'll tell you exactly what's going to happen. John Kerry has been rolling. It's been, "Are we voting for momentum and he can win?" "Well, yeah that's we are voting for because I don't know anything else about him."

He wins Virginia and Tennessee tomorrow nigh, the press is going to say, "There is one thing left, Wisconsin. If John Kerry wins in Wisconsin he is the nominee." And for the first time since Iowa you're going to have a state where the equation is no longer change verses status quo or momentum and winning, but just like Iowa, if you vote for John Kerry you're saying, "Shut it down, he's it." And at that moment, every time in our history -- in the Democratic party's history -- whether it was Colorado, Iowa, wherever that happened, voters moved away from the frontrunner and said, "No we're no ready yet." I'm not saying that's going to happen, but it can happen and if it does then the fight is there, and in March 2 if this continues. And there's a chance right now for this moment to continue to build within a primary-nomination fight by Dean for America. If Kerry wins Wisconsin, it is over guys. It's over. He's the nominee. ...

----

Despite what Trippi says - stay in, Dean!

[rfjockey]

1. Thanks for posting that

I had read the speech, but not the Q & A. I think he should at least stay in until super Tuesday. After that it will be important to figure out what to do with the movement. Personally, I like the idea of using it to try to help take back the house and senate rather than using it to support Kerry directly.....

[Casablanca]

2. Agreed, and maybe a slush fund to buy our own lobbyists? nt

[rfjockey]

3. Well, if we continue to be a force in the election,

then maybe we won't need the lobbyists. The elected officials will owe us directly.