Begala just eviscerated Dean on Blitzer

[nomaco-10]

Begala said that Dean has raised 74mil and spent 64mil, and "that's not the way you build a party". He raised his voice loudly and angrily said "Dean has spent alot of money hiring people to stand around in Mississippi and Utah picking their noses".
And so goes the airing of dirty laundry on national tv this afternoon.

[annabanana]

1. He should just quit..

He should slink out of town in the dead of night and cower under his bed in abject shame and misery. He causes more damage to the Democratic party in 5 minutes than can be undone in 5 years.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

93. Begala, right?

:eyes:

[tuvor]

2. I really don't miss Crossfire one bit.

What's Begala done lately, anyway, besides write another book about how to beat the GOP?

[NYCGirl]

4. You mean another LAME book where he talks about moving to the center

to get those mushy-middle voters. That works so well, doesn't it?

[roguevalley]

32. what's an addie for him? anyone know? stupid wanker.

[Avalux]

3. Begala is an idiot.

If he gave a shit about the Democratic Party he'd keep his damn mouth shut - and if he's gonna throw numbers around like that, he'd better show some proof. x(

[shance]

82. Begala is a paid for corporate operative.

No true Democrat would complain about what Dean is doing.

Begala is up for sale. I take that back. He's already been paid for.

[bemildred]

85. Yeah, reminds me of the "How dumb is Wolf Blitzer?" question.

Wolf is well paid. He may not be the brightest bulb, but he knows why he's doing what he's doing. It's the people that watch and believe Wolf that have a problem.

[LSK]

5. DLCers still bitter eh?

[lostnfound]

6. What an asinine thing for him to allow any focus on.

And I think people in Latin America are showing quite well that money is not what it takes to build a party.

[IndyOp]

7. SCUM. Begala wants to keep his consultant job and

keep his buddies' consultant jobs and suck * of the DLC.

:nuke:

[Debi]

8. Dean should hold on to all that money, lose the midterms and

then give all the cash to Hillary & Co. in '08!

Signed:

Paul Begala

[faithnotgreed]

18. ps: if you are interested in actually winning please contact james

carville or me directly

we are excited to announce a radically different model for winning in washington
our preliminary team includes bob shrum and donna brazille with more of the best and brightest names to follow
although quite late, it isnt too late to make a difference if you really want to

[wryter2000]

41. Oh, my aching sides

:rofl: You two nailed it. :rofl:

[faithnotgreed]

62. it writes itself - which is all the funnier (or sadder)

i wanted to include a call for money for this new venture of theirs but figured debi got that needed jab in already

[wryter2000]

38. LOL

That's Begala's strategy, for sure. :rofl:

[lonestarnot]

9. WTF?

[0007]

10. Ta think I use to look forward to Begala & Carville and now

I can barely take either of them for two minutes.

[DinahMoeHum]

54. Yeah, they've hung around the DC Beltway for too long. . .

As far as "good old boys" go in political strategy, I'd rather now side with Steve Jarding and Dave "Mudcat" Saunders. They have a great book out called Foxes In The Henhouse.

www.foxesinthehenhouse.com

:kick:

[0007]

56. Have check the book out...thanks

[TheWraith]

11. Here come the Deanie boppers.

God knows we can't have any suggestion of disagreement with our own Imperious Leader. Folks, kindly remember that Begala got where he is by winning a couple of presidential elections, and that Dean barely won his own home state in the primaries. You may not agree with Begala, but he has credibility whether you like it or not.

[xxqqqzme]

17. correction - those elections were won

by Bill Clinton NOT begala. He has no credibility w/ me! I owe him nothing!

[Emit]

19. Well, being a newcomer to politics, I can't really say, except

We have a paid fulltime Field Ops Director here in my hometown, thanks to Dean, and we will have two paid staff members to help him out within the next month. We started meeting back in October for the upcoming November midterms, we have volunteer district coordinators, section coords. etc all the way down to doorknockers and phone callers, and we're still gaining speed -- adding volunteers to our list daily. We've already started canvassing our neighborhoods, have had all kinds of precinct training classes and computer training...

The list goes on and on. And as I understand it, it is all because of Dean wanting to hire people in areas such as mine, and areas such as Utah, as Begalia referred to. We aren't just picking our noses out here. We're working our butts off -- and the morale is good. With paid field staff who are working hard to put together teams of grassroots volunteers for this upcoming election and for '08 and beyond, I think the plan is working quite well.

[TheWraith]

49. Good for you.

I'm glad things are going well for your group.

[frustrated_lefty]

52. That's good news, Emit!

If you could post occasional updates on what you see happening in your hometown, it would be appreciated. :)

[wryter2000]

67. Thanks for all your hard work!

:hi:

[rodeodance]

70. thanks, nice informative post.

[tnlefty]

75. I have a friend who is a field director in CO and she is constantly on the

run, helping counties get better organized, attending events in counties, etc. She is on the go all of the time! Yeah, Begala is off base here as far as I'm concerned.

[BurtWorm]

79. Thank you for the report, Emit!

:toast:


(and fuck you, Begala!)

[idlisambar]

86. Cool, good luck n/t

[Malikshah]

20. Rewrite history much??? Jeez

Begala probably created the wheel and the internets too.

Hmmm. January 2004 here we come again!!!!

Where's Carville...he'll show up soon enough.

[jsamuel]

25. I'm no "Deanie bopper", but Dean is right here and Begala is wrong

You don't stay competitive by curling into a ball in the corner of the country.

[roguevalley]

34. you don't air your dirty laundry in public. Begala is wrong here.

dead wrong. when dean wipes up the floor in November, the first win we're going to have in six years in the triangulation wilderness, what then, Begala? Et tu, Begala?

[TheWraith]

44. Do you think anybody but us cares about what Begala says re: Dean?

Hell, most average people probably couldn't even tell you who Begala is. And people have been saying that same thing about Dem candidates for way longer than six years. The fact is that our last two presidential candidates have been farther left than Clinton was.

[wryter2000]

69. The only reason I care about what Begala says about Dean...

...is that it perpetuates the "truthiness" that "the Democrats are in disarray." And plenty of rwers and pundits who ought to be neutral but aren't will jump all over it.

"There goes that crazy Dean again. Even Begala thinks he's crazy."

[LincolnMcGrath]

26. I'm certainly no Deanie bopper, but you need to check your facts.

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/primaries/pages/states/VT/index.html

[TheWraith]

40. A figure of speech.

Care to name all the other states Dean won? Were there any? So he "barely" won his home state, in the sense that he "only" won his home state.

[LincolnMcGrath]

51. Looks more like "Loose with the facts" when veiwed from here.

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/primaries/pages/candidates/1772/index.html

[sandnsea]

66. Oh bullshit

Clinton won because of Perot and couldn't even break 50% against Dole. Begala and Carville aren't gods, they totally fucked up the Kerry campaign, it was NOT the economy stupid and any Kerry supporter could have told them that. In any event, I am sick of the circular firing squad and I don't care WHO is doing the firing.

And don't even pretend to call me a Deanie bopper.

[BurtWorm]

77. Which presidential elections did Begala win?

[katinmn]

12. And Begala is getting paid as a consultant for this? Somebody

better yank his contract or at minimum instruct him NEVER to speak to the media. That was no mistake. That was malicious.

[WI_DEM]

13. Begalia can shove it

He's nothing more than a media whore.

[BurtWorm]

14. Ahhhhhh shadddapppp!

My well-reasoned response to Begala.

[Renew Deal]

15. And losers like Begala are finding themselves unemployed.

Fuck him.

[bemildred]

16. The Democratic Losers Committee doesn't like grass roots politics.

If we rule, they don't.

[adriennui]

23. dean lost me

after the 700 club BS.

[jsamuel]

28. fine you don't have to elect Dean President, but his 50 state strategy is

right and Begala is wrong

[bemildred]

39. Hey, it's your vote.

I'm not sure where or when you would get to vote against Dean, but that is fine with me.

[adriennui]

95. i didn't say anything about voting for him

i've lost respect for anyone who even acknowledges that schizophrenic asshole pat robertson even exists. howard did not have to go on the 700 club....it was completely unnecessary.

[bemildred]

99. OK, keep your money too. And your "respect".

Don't "respect" me either while you are at it. I don't have much use for "respect" that is so precarious.

[M_Moretti]

33. Deaniacs are NOT grassroots..

They might like to apply that label to themselves... as some sort of earned title.. but the point remains that Dean supporters can be in no way mistaken for grassroots. They're grasstops for sure, an elite that is disconnected out of touch with the real grassroots. I had some hopes that the hardcore Deanies might actually have their awareness raised after their fearless leader took over as DNC chair, but sad to say, some people just never do care to learn. Begala has been more than fair to Dean in the past, and I doubt he'd have criticized Dean unless he deserves it.

As to their attempts to marginalize democrats who don't march in Deanie lockstep, I'll take a centrist democrat, who has their priorities straight on social issues, civil rights, worker's rights, health care, getting us out of Iraq, the environment over a hardcore Deanie who lacks any real understanding of any of the issues, and who can only spew abuse when they realise that the public by and large won't be snowed.

You can sit around and have your pity party, but it doesn't change the fact that Dean is showing himself to be truly lame-ass as party leader. It was apparent during and after his campaign.. and our need to take back the congress is crucial.. we don't have the time to play the Blog for America whine-fest and label everyone who disagrees as a troll game. If you lack the capability to even be accountable for your mistakes and those of the leaders you advocate for, then why should anyone even listen to you?

[AX10]

36. Howard Dean comes from a rural state.

He knows how to connect with rural voters. He is NO elitist (you might be, but...) Howard Dean is a grassroots populist.

Bye now. :hi:

[bemildred]

42. I guess I'm not grassroots then. Thanks for letting me know. nt

[NYCGirl]

43. FYI, Howard Dean is a centrist, in case you didn't know.

And Begala is a highly paid, elite consultant.

[Bucky]

53. Thanks. Interesting first post, M. Moretti! Welcome to DU!

Good advice: don't take internet discussion boards seriously unless most people can say something brighter that "Fuck you." I personally think building a 50 state ground game is great long term thinking rather than short term tactics, which we need for the '06 elections. But then again, one of the great traditions of American liberalism is our gradualism, a willingness to take victories one at a time and move the interests of middle class and working class families forward one issue, one bill, one step at a time.

If Dean has spent $64mil on grassroots, I'd love to see the results, the actions, the party building they're engaging in. Begala's very sharp sound bite doesn't really address that, unless they really are just "picking their noses," which I doubt. I do think the natural tension between Dean's surface populism and Begala's "creeping Beltwayitis" is good for us. We have to think both short and long term.

[Skidmore]

59. Out here in the boonies of Iowa, we're as about as grassroots as they

come. I caucused for Dean and would do so again in a heartbeat. To hell with me-too centrist Dems because they are part of the the reason we're in the mess we are in today.

[M_Moretti]

71. Dean fundraising, etc..

Let's get something straight here. Democrats, whether liberal or centrist do share a commitment core democratic ethics and values, and to the people. So spare me the centrist bashing, because it's just a tactic of those who can't debate honestly and intellectually on the issues.

The fact is that Dean always painted himself a centrist if you had researched his record during the primary season you would have learned that for yourself. To anyone thoughtful democrat who researched him though, and his record as governor of VT was just horrible.. it seems to me that he's democrat in name only. Dean just doesn't get the issues or have any connection to the people. It seemed farcical to me that Trippi selected Dean as his fearless progressive leader, because the truth clashed so stridently with the myth Trippi and co. were trying to paint for the campaign. All I can assume is that Trippi knew that those who would jump on board were more inclined to buy into a campaign to market a candidate, rather than engage intellectually and honestly in a campaign on the issues.

I didn't hear Begala's remarks, wasn't watching CNN, but it's been in the press for some time now that like during his presidential campaign, Dean's people just overspend as quickly as it comes in... and that fact alone is causing many democratic contributers to hold back in concern with their money not being used practically.. to win the mid term and then the presidential in '08. Personally, I haven't been donating to the DNC, but to individual candidates.. because that's where I want what little this student can afford to donate to go.. to campaigns and the hard work they have in front of them.

Begala is a progressive guy, and he's a decent one as well. He's as far from elite as one could get. Frankly, if I'm going to cast my lot in with one or the other, I'll put mine in with Begala any day of the week.

[dave29]

74. You are so unbelievably wrong it's not even funny

Now is not the time to re-open old wounds, so I will respectfully ignore the innacurate and completely misinformed comments you have made in your 2 posts at DU.

[NYCGirl]

94. If he was such a horrible governor of VT, why did he get reelected five

times?

Begala, progressive?

[Malikshah]

101. Wow. Just wow.

Be honest. He hits you, right?

[dave29]

63. Wow! I'm an elitist!

I had no idea!!!!


Sweeet!!!!

:wtf:

[madfloridian]

72. LOL

Just wow!

[CAcyclist]

91. Wow, I'm one of the elite and I didn't even know it.

And I don't even own any property. How did I get here?

[AllieB]

103. Hi M_Moretti

In case you've never been to VT, its major industry is agriculture. It's a beautiful state dotted with small, quintessentially American towns.

You've certainly made a splash here with your criticisms of Democrats. Welcome to DU. Hopefully you'll learn a few things while you're here.

[AX10]

21. Begala is just a bitter prick because his DLC...

APPEASE the right strategies don't work. Also, Begala is a friend of Karl Rove's.

Drop dead Paul!

[Zynx]

22. I suppose Terry McAuliffe was just great. Look at all those elections

we won. Wait a sec...

[Odin2005]

24. STFU, Begala.

:grr: "Dean has spent alot of money hiring people to stand around in Mississippi and Utah picking their noses." Yeah, great way to get the votes of people out here in the boonies, call us nosepickers. Stupid dumbass.

[leftchick]

27. Begala SUCKS!

I hate him! What a DLC sell out!

:grr:

[William769]

29. Good for Begala!!!

FIRE HOWARD DEAN!

[in_cog_ni_to]

30. FUCK YOU, PAUL!

At least is trying to DO something to BUILD the party....unlike the LOSERS in the DLC!

[xultar]

31. OK. How much have we raised and how much have we spent?

Is Begala lying?

[Bucky]

37. Damn you and your blasted Vulcan logic!!!

I'd disagree with the premise that spending $64mil is not the way to build the party, but establishing facts is a pretty solid way of looking at our situation.

[charlie]

45. What logic?

I don't see any contention about the figures. Saying the is money being spent on nose-pickers is stupid.

[xultar]

50. OK but the money has been spent correct? I just want to know

if we have spent 64 million. Then I'll find out what it is for.

[charlie]

55. Ask Paul

He's the one howling. Dean said he was going to build a 50-state ground infrastructure, something we haven't had in a long time. That's an expensive undertaking. Is it worth it? I think so, we'll know soon enough. But it does run at cross-purposes with the likes of Begala, who favor dispatching "experts" from command central.

[xultar]

58. OK so if Begala is correct why are we telling him to Fuck offf. He doesn't

agree.

I got blasted yesterday for wanting Democrats to all get along and suppoosedly agree to the same thing. Why must Begala agree? And if he doesn't why can't we respect his disagreement instead of telling him to fuck off?

That is what I wanna know. 'splain that 4 a sistah.

[charlie]

64. Can't say

Not interested, in any case. I think Begala is wrong. Apart from that, you'll have to make adjustments to your long-running "observations" about DUers yourself.

[wndycty]

90. I remember when we said Cegelis burned through too much money. . .

. . .we were jumped on, however it was true. I'm with Xultar, lets get the facts before we react.

[bemildred]

92. Perhaps if Mr. Begala had avoided the use of "nose-pickers" and the like.

Then there would be an argument for being polite in return. As it is, he chose the weapons.

[xultar]

46. I have been doing a lot of Trek lately. I'd love the facts then I could

make the appropriate statement.

[wryter2000]

35. Fuck you, Begala

Great party unity, asshole. Dean doesn't give his honest opinion of you on national television.

[Malikshah]

47. Dance, puppets, dance!!! Folks-- get a grip.

Nothing like playing to the enemy's tune.

Pull the Dean Card out of the deck of dirty tricks? Check.

Divide the opposition? Check.

Pull the GOP kiester out of the fire in 2006? Check.

Neoconland, neoconland uber alles? Check.

[redqueen]

48. Begala's great at pretending he's on our side.

Wish he'd just shut up and go away.

[BurtWorm]

57. I'd like to hear from the guys Dean hired in Utah and Mississippi.

Think they'll cop to being nose-pickers?

:eyes:

[xultar]

60. What if they hired Kstreet type people to work in UT and MS?

Would everyone be mad @ that?

[frustrated_lefty]

61. Wow. If you read the thread

you might notice post 19 provides first-hand perspective.

[SeattleRob]

65. Dean's sin

Not kissing the rings of the establishment, DLC losers.

[Skidmore]

68. Earth to Begala..

We don't need no more Clintons or DLCers. Period.

[M_Moretti]

76. You really don't get it, do you?

Perhaps you believe that you can buy elections? If so, then there really is no difference between yourselves and the Bushistas, so quit deluding yourself.

Dean lost in '04 because his campaign primarily appealled to those who would prefer not to have to think and reason for themselves. It's just so easy for them to be sold a bill of goods, even if it's total garbage, as long as it looks and sounds right.

When that campaign and it's zealouts hit the campaign trail, voters were alienated because they could see that Dean's so called plan lacked substance, it would be as much a cockup as Bush's plan.

It seems to me that the Deanies have a problem with their need to control others thoughts and opinions, I don't think they can handle power even that of political office, because they're so quick to demand autonomy.. just not very democratic at all.

[Skidmore]

81. Let's see. We have a strident anti-Dean, pro-DLCer

who appears out of the blue and lobs 4 Molotovs in the mix.

[paulk]

88. what's your point?

do you have one?

[Odin2005]

73. DLC Logic: only people who suck up to upper middle class soccer moms...

...are good politicians. :eyes:

[M_Moretti]

78. DFA logic-sucking up to..

majority white, affluent single issue burnouts for whom the only issues that matter are legalization, legalization and legalization.

[idlisambar]

80. I get the feeling you don't like Dean that much n/t

[madfloridian]

83. Fundraising facts...

I have the breakdown..will find and post.

Over the 2005-2006 interim, Dean raised considerably more than the DSCC and the DCCC. He is spending it on the states instead of keeping it banked.

He has said that was his first priority, then he would help other races. He said he has his job, they have their jobs.

I will find the numbers.

[KoKo]

84. Did he report on "remote" from his "FARM" in Virginia where his "boys"

shoot Ground Hogs? He was so PROUD of the fact that his "boys" have guns and shoot the Ground Hogs on his Ranch/Estate/Farm in Virginia which just happens to be "down the road" from Carvill's.

:puke: Give me a break....

[helderheid]

87. I personally know the people he hired in Utah and I can assure you

they are far too busy building the party here to have time to pick their noses.

[madfloridian]

89. Fundraising....DNC more than the DSCC and DCCC for the year.

"The DSCC reported raising $6.9 million in March, bringing its total for the 2005-2006 cycle to $56.4 million, with $32.1 million in the bank. The NRSC reported raising $5 million in March, bringing its total to $50.4 million for the cycle, with $16.5 million in the bank."

The DCCC has raised a total of $52.8 million in the 2005-2006 cycle, compared with the NRCC's $83.3 million. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee reported having $23 million in the bank.

"The Democratic National Committee reported quarterly figures showing that it has raised $74.1 million so far in the 2005-2006 cycle. That puts the party on track to break its 2001-2002 record of $93.4 million for a year with no presidential election -- with the best months for pulling in cash still to come as the midterm elections approach.

But the DNC had only $10 million in the bank, less than a quarter of the Republican National Committee's $43 million balance."

Dean says the RNC can bank theirs as they are not having to the build the party like he is doing. He is right.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/20/AR2006042001870_pf.html

[sendero]

96. Begala..

.. is a fucking has-been loser. Crying is his beer because his reign of highly-paid failure is coming to an end.

Fuck the stupid bastard.

[MisterP]

97. yeah, Begala, there are no Dems whatsoever in the Basin or SLC

friggin' pod person--only explanation, besides "scared stupid" like Ron Silver.
Maybe this is why Emanuel prissed his way out of Dean's office some days ago: the Party would support REAL candidates instead of cons.

[ny_liberal]

98. What was the $64 million spent on?

[bemildred]

100. Please see post #19. nt

[wisteria]

102. Begala was wrong to air this on CNN.

Actually, I don't see where it is any of his concern. However, he may well be doing some dirty work for some in the party.

Emanuel and Schumer had a meeting with Dean about this very issue of money and it did not go the way the two had wanted it to go. I believe Dean mentioned that he ran for DNC chair on the grass roots platform and he intended to keep his promise.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12729892/


IMO, this all comes down to the possibility of not having enough cash on hand for those running in the primaries and generals. There are concerns the Repubs could easily outspend us at the last minute and win the elections.

I believe in the grass roots, and it is taking a lot of money to reach out. I would be willing to give Dean more if he needs it for this purpose. Why not do some more fund raising?

In the meantime, Begala needs to shut up!

[Toucano]

104. Isn't that the same way he ran his presidential campaign?

Dean is very thrifty in his personal life, but not so much in his political role.

On the other hand, I don't know that the money is wasted.

Democrats are leading in many, many polls and spending a lot of money may be what's needed.

If Democrats take back the House and Senate, no one will complain about how much money was spent doing it.

[leesa]

105. Begala is so useless. Is he still on teevee spewing nothingness??

Haven't he and Carville helped the GOP enough?

[dogday]

106. Begala?

Didn't Jon Stewart already tell him what we think of him? He is just for show, no substance, not helping the party... I don't know what the hell he is doing, but I wish he would shut up....

[adriennui]

107. i don't like begala either......

but why the hell would dean appear with robertson on the 700 club??? folks, remember the word fascist?