Watching Howard Dean's ads is like Prozac

[AngryYoungMan]

I just went over to the website and watched his QuickTime messages (including the Austin ad). Oh wow!

I'm not saying he'll win or be nominated or anything like that. I'm just saying, from an emotional standpoint, that it's just a profound relief to watch a politician and not have that horrible, strangling, helpless feeling of being badly conned by some smiling corporate/ shill cynically appeasing wingnuts and the bible belt.

I'd forgotten that it's even possible to listen to a politician and have that reaction. It honestly reminds me of the pre-Reagan days, when this slick, Disney-ized machine of national politics was stumbling and we saw some flashes of real, American humanity.

I don't get this feeling from any other candidate. They all sound like lite versions of what we've got now. I'm reminded of the very first time I saw Clinton speak in New Hampshire in 1991. The same feeling went through me: you picture the man getting out of Air Force One and you get this feeling like a hangover or a headache going away, or the sun coming out after a rainstorm.

I don't usually get sappy like this; I apologize for the juvenile tone. But I can't believe this guy is the nominal front-runner. And, I'm aware that there are troubling elements in his platform. I'm just posting in order to describe a non-rational, romantic reaction to what I've seen.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

1. Eww, I vote on issues and strategy, not on TV commercials

I mean, people voted for Ronald Reagan because he made them "feel good" - look how that turned out.

[XanaDUer]

2. Christ, you can say that again...

n/t.

[dajabr]

3. Yes,

He ONLY served 2 terms. Face it, image is important, right or wrong.

[Cha]

6. That's right compare Dean to reaguns it makes it look so

hip.

[AmyStrange]

11. The Good: Gephart?

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

you just lost all credibility,






Dave (AmyStrange.com)
http://www.SeattleActivist.org/MyLifeStory.html
DU (slang/ folklore) Glossary (Dictionary): http://DUG.SeattleActivist.org/
Index of WMD Articles: http://WMD.SeattleActivist.org/

Here are some excellent resources and timelines of quotes and interviews and newspaper article quotes documenting the different things Bush and Co did and said for the last two plus years concerning the war in Iraq and WMDs (and other fun things) from the Howard Dean Website---even if you're not a Dean Fan, these are still excellent resources:

The Bush Administration And WMDs: Then And Now:
http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/PageServer?pagename=bush_wmd_summary

Niger-Uranium Timeline:
http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/PageServer?pagename=niger_timeline

Bush and WMD: Assumptions vs. Reality:
http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/DocServer/TikTok_-_Bush_-_Iraq_-_Side_by_Side.pdf?docID=781

The Bush Administration and WMD: What did they know and when did they know it?:
http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/DocServer/TikTok_-_Administration_-_Iraq_Deception.pdf?docID=762

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

14. I lost credibility with the pro-corporate "New Democrats"

a long time ago, if I ever had any. I wear my "lack of credibility" with the pro-corporate Dems as a badge of honor.

Gephardt, Kucinich, Moseley-Braun, and Sharpton have taken public, official anti-corporate stances, while Dean, Kerry, and Lieberman have spent their careers promoting corporate power. I know which side I'm on, do you?

[ibegurpard]

15. I know whose side you're on too

The side of losers who sell out the other members of their party for their own quixotic presidential ambitions.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

16. You mean like Dean?

God fobid we have to watch Dean lose to Bush in what should be an easy election.

[ibegurpard]

17. Your posts remind of kindergarten insults

You know...like "I know you are but what am I?"

[poskonig]

18. You seem to want Dean to lose.

Sick. You should be behind any Democrat, even if Holy Joe finds a way to win.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

20. I want Dean to lose the primary

If Dean wins the primary, I'll hold my nose.

Anything else I should be doing, aside from voting Democratic, participating in the discussion, and donating money to DU? I anxiously await your advice.

[poskonig]

22. For starters, you can stop making baseless accusations.

If you want to say we should support Gephardt or Kucinich because of their deep support for labor, more power to you. Their records are something to be proud of.

However, calling quality candidates like Dean and Kerry pro-corporate thugs with zero evidence is dishonorable. I admit, there is a lot of evidence in Lieberman's past, but painting Dean and Kerry as anti-labor is an impossible task. Perhaps you should reflect on giving it a rest.

[dansolo]

23. You seem to ignore Gephardt's backstabbing

Gephardt and Lieberman betrayed the Democratic party. Don't you remember the photo op in the Rose Garden after they basically killed any chance to have a reasonable debate about the war resolution? I can't see how either one of them could ever be considered for President.

[AngryYoungMan]

19. I don't usually say this, but...

...your post is stupid.

I don't flame DUers, but this is the first time a response to something I've posted made me genuinely angry. You are not just ignoring the realities of American politics, you are disregarding the essence of what I said.

Look at all the disclaimers I put in there. I took great care to be as clear as possible. I said:

"...from an emotional standpoint..."
"...sappy..."
"...apologize for the juvenile tone..."
"...troubling elements in his platform..."
"...non-rational, romantic reaction..."

Why did you have to succumb to a badly-thought-out, knee-jerk reaction to my post?

[unfrigginreal]

25. Reagan...really?...Well this one is on YOUR TEAM!

You should be damned thankful that we have a candidate with the appeal of Reagan, of course you can stick with your principle and vote for a loser if it'll make you feel better.

[mandyky]

4. Dean = Hope + Trust

(Pay no attention to the Dean haters)

[Cha]

5. Thank you for posting this! I really enjoyed ready it!

Especially as a Dean Supporter since late last year I'm happy that you get the same reaction that I do!

Dean is not slick but he's a really intelligent, Courageous, man who is trying to do something Great for our Country! :kick:


How poignant you sound!
"I don't get this feeling from any other candidate. They all sound like lite versions of what we've got now. I'm reminded of the very first time I saw Clinton speak in New Hampshire in 1991. The same feeling went through me: you picture the man getting out of Air Force One and you get this feeling like a hangover or a headache going away, or the sun coming out after a rainstorm."

[poskonig]

7. The trusted family doctor.

If we want to be labeled anything, this is it.

[Ilsa]

8. I give Dean high marks

for running an ad in The Dark Lord's backyard the day after he returns to his snare.

[Cha]

9. Really! In your face style! not back seat namby pamby stuff..

we've been getting for 3 freakin' years! :kick:

[jab105]

12. IT'S ABOUT TIME!!!!

I want to scream at that wimp Dashcle sometimes, they seem to crawl in front of each other to apologize for everything....

Dean isn't like that, finally someone who stands up for what I am thinking....

I think he just might do it, and I believe he's the only one that can actually win against Bush!!

[Le Taz Hot]

10. There seems to be . . .

a few "angry" people here today. :evilgrin:

[AWD]

24. I'd like to point out....

....that I changed my name FROM "Angry...."

[mandyky]

13. Beats the hell outta spineless

Dems we've come to know and hate the past 3 years, huh?

[killbotfactory]

21. I like politicians who don't make me cringe when they speak.

Dean is one of them.
Bush is not.