Will Dean supporters abandon the Democratic Party if Kerry is the nominee?

[DJcairo]

just curious...

[benddem]

1. NO

[diplomats]

5. I don't see why they would

Judging from the Dean supporters on DU, I'm under the impression the vast majority would unite behind the nominee. Getting rid of Bush is priority No. 1.

[Ediacara]

6. the original thread is flame bait, nothing more

[LightTheMatch]

8. DU does not represent all Dean voters.

I'd say that a decent percentage of Dean supporters will not support the Democratic candidate if it is someone like Lieberman. There is a certain element in Dean's support that is looking for a "reform" type candidate.

[budmo]

38. If not Dean???

I am a Dean supporter and I have to say I'd be hard pressed to vote for Lieberman BUT in saying that, I'd have to otherwise we'll have another 4years of Shrub.( though I sincerly believe that Lieberman would not be able to handle the Bushe re-election(or should I say the obvious-election!) machinery that will be coming. And I don't think the Dems are willing to watch another Nader type split happen. I just can't stomach Lieberman. He really makes my skin crawl. Well anyway, I'll just wait and see and in the mean time.....work like a dog for Deano!:boring: :thumbsup:

[Kahuna]

23. Sorry but Dean seems to believe that his support...

is not transferrable...
http://www.tnr.com/primary/index.mhtml?pid=650


snip:
(in response to a question about Clark entering the race)

"It's going to be very hard to start late," he says, "and think you're going to do well in Iowa and New Hampshire. It's going to be incredibly hard. I mean, we've already got 39,000 people working for us all around the country ... 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."

[diplomats]

26. I must've missed that

When all is said and done, though, I can't believe Dean wouldn't work to unite the party in order to defeat Bush.

[liberalnurse]

27. He already acknowledged that he would.

Smeone asked him if he would go independent...He said No, he is with the democratic party all the way.

[Kahuna]

28. I didn't post that to suggest that Dean would bolt...

I don't think he would.

I posted it because Dean doesn't seem to think that his supporters know what's at stake. He seems to believe that some of his supporters would not support anyone but him. There could be some truth to this. I'm sure that you couldn't say that all of his supporters would vote if he isn't the nominee. You can't say that about any candidate's supporters. However, I don't think it's respectful to his supporters to make statements like this. He refers to the "kids."

[helleborient]

44. And Kerry could...

Just say to all of his supporters...I lost now vote for Howard Dean? And they all would?

It seems to me this is another example of Howard Dean being pragmatic and realistic.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. NO

because Kerry is not the enemy to America-Bush is. I don't care if the Democrats nominate a yellow dog, that's who I'm voting for and encouraging others to vote for-Bush must go!

[LightTheMatch]

3. Probably some.

Some will go back to either not voting, or voting independent/green. He has really attracted an interesting mix of people by campaigning on a very wide array of center-oriented issues.

His campaign actually reminds me of the book, "The Radical Center" and the New America Foundation, www.newamerica.net.

[Ediacara]

4. no

they'll just shoot Kerry and the other eight because Deanies and meanies!!

Get a life, and stop these kind of threads...

[DrFunkenstein]

7. Actually, About This Time We Can Make A Point

Of reminding Dean supporters that we won't abandon the Party if Dean is given the nod. Right now he's a pincushion, but - by gum it - he's our pincushion.

[liberalnurse]

22. Since when did you ever support Dean?

You flame bait constantly with Dean issues. You did say "we" in your reply. Tell the audience who you really support.

:puke:

[DrFunkenstein]

34. I Support Kerry

You would know that by the many positive threads I create that quickly drop off the page, because no one wants to discuss policy much here.

Nothing I say isn't backed up. Secondly, I have said consistently that Dean is my (albeit distant) second choice. I find his personality a tad grating, like his willingness to distance himself from other candidates on false assertions, but I think he has the political vision closest to my own (and Kerry's). I don't think he has the depth of Kerry, or Kerry's statemanship, but I think he is at least moving in the right direction. I can't say the same for the other candidates, whom I find uninspiring.

Of course, that is taking Kucinich off the list (who truly comes closest to my own ideas). If he had a realistic chance, I would be devoting my energies to him. But I would be proud to have what will be the most progressive President in over a quarter century - President John Kerry.

[budmo]

40. Well Now!

I respect your favor for Kerry..I respect Kerry and I'm a huge Dean supporter. You see....if we can get along how come they can't?

No matter what comes down the line in terms of bashing each other, we need to keep our eyes on the prize. We need to beat Bush! Who's the most capable of doing it?
Well I tend to agree it will be either Dean or Kerry -the others just don't have it, but I respect the forum that they are buliding from being in the race.
I just wouldn't be able to deal with 4 years of Lieberman or Gephart....I'd want to nap every time they opened their mouths.
And I don't think I could stomach the false -photo op-aggression they put on to stimulate their campaigns and catch the news cycle.
Oh man...tell me we won't have to back these guys!:toast: :boring:

[Frances]

9. No politician--Democrat or Republican--can control

how his supporters will vote.

But usually what happens is that the majority of one candidate's supporters will support the party's candidate.

A minority will either
not vote at all
vote for the other party
vote for an independent

[jburton]

10. Of course they will !!!

Just like Dean will run as an independent...

Just like Dean in the new McGovern...

Just like Dean is the new Newt Gingrich...

Just like Dean is too Pro-Israel...

Just like Dean is too Pro-Palistinian...

Just like Dean is an internet-phonom who will never raise $$...

just like Dean is too anti-Iraq-war against a popular prez...

and on and on :eyes:

[LightTheMatch]

11. That's silly.

Oh come on, this is a real issue, not just flame-bait. This is really something to consider.

[Ediacara]

17. it's no more of an issue than

what Kucinich's, Kerry's, Gephardt's, Lieberman's, Graham's, Sharpton, Edward's, Mosely-Braun's, or Clark's will do. It IS flamebait and NOT a real issue.

[demnan]

12. *yawn*

[clar]

13. Flame bait

Again. You've been around here long enough to have seen this discussion before. The answer is always the same.

[artr2]

14. This Dean supporter will not abandon the party

but sometimes I feel the party abandoned me

[liberalnurse]

24. Especially here at DU.

Repeatedly the same posters flame Dean supporters. I thought we all belonged to the same party. I've read so many intrusive and invasive flame posts that I question their true intention. I can get trash talk from Fox, Rush, Hannity and Weiner....I do not expect it from my party peers.

They intrude upon nice, productive threads like a spoiled child having a tantrum. This thread is reflect of such sad behavior.

It is non-productive.

[Duder]

15. Won't ever happen

Kerry supporters will make John go crazy long before he'll have any chance to be the Democratic nominee by their incessant obsession with...

"Dean, Dean, Dean, Dean, Dean."

IMHO.

[Pavlovs DiOgie]

16. I don't get you

If you like Kerry, post pro-Kerry stuff. Why spend your entire day posting about Dean (and his supporters)?

[bowens43]

18. Yes

If Dean isn't the nominee I'm voting for bush /sarcasm

[goobergunch]

19. No

see my sig line.

[Tim The Enchanter]

20. I will support anyone but Lieberman

I am supporting Dean, but, if he fumbles his way out of the race, I will support the nominee. As much as Kerry is being portrayed as Dean's enemy, I think he is still progressive enough lead an administration I would ultimately be happy with, and let's face it- Kerry will not trip up when going head to head with GW. I have a lot of respect for Kucinich and not much for Lieberman. The rest fall somewhere in between for me.

I think a Lieberman presidency would jeopordize the Democratic Party and bring it's leaders over the center line. Gephardt would look like Wellstone and Kucinich would seem so far left no one would comprehend what he was talking about (sadly that's not far from the present situation).

Well, as someone who supported Anderson when I was in the third grade, Mondale in '84, Dukakis in '88, Clinton in '92 and Nader in '00, I am grounding myself in reality now and am looking for a victory against the GOP. Clinton was the only winner I picked (whether I was old enough to vote or not), and I want a winner in the ring for '04. I am confident that, when the dust clears, we will have a winner.

[goobergunch]

21. Welcome to DU, Tim the Enchanter...

and you make some good points. :hi:

[TSIAS]

25. Yes

I will not consider voting outside the Democratic Party in 2004. However, I would like to see this question asked of Kucinich, Kerry, and Clark supporters as well. I've seen Kerry, Kucinich, and Clark supporters say that they would never vote for Dean.

[gristy]

29. One more for my ignore list.

What a question...

[tedoll78]

30. NO WAY.

I want Bush out.

We may get an enabler, but at least we'll also get better court appointees, and just all-around better domestic policy.

edit: didn't read the title properly (*oops*)

[Demobrat]

31. No. We love Dean.

But we hate Bush more.

[LuminousX]

32. Why does this question get asked so often?

Especially when there are Kerry supporters who clearly state that they will vote for anyone BUT Dean.

Dean supporters aren't the threat.

The issue with Dean is he is drawing in a lot of apolitical people who may go back to being apolitical if he doesn't get the nomination. So be it, those people aren't the backbone of the Democratic Party.

[sandnsea]

33. Who said that?

I have never seen a Kerry supporter say that. Who said it because I'll personally pummel them.

[LuminousX]

37. Nicholas_J

I also believe genius has stated similar sentiments - though genius never claimed to be a Kerry supporter.

[sandnsea]

39. Consider him pummeled

Although I've never see him say that.

[davidinalameda]

35. Why???

because a few times a week, we have some Dean supporter posting--I'm leaving if Dean doens't get the nomination

unless they aren't real Dean supporters or whatever--it makes other Dean supporters look really bad

[LuminousX]

42. Who?

Name names.

If it is the same person over and over, you should be smart enough to realize that that person doesn't represent the whole, just like N_J doesn't represent all Kerry supporters.

[lcordero]

36. I'm not ABB and I support anybody that makes a decision not to be ABB

I will not tolerate and will not support having to elect the lesser of two evils. I will not vote in an election that was already fixed AGAINST me before I could even cast a vote.

[chaumont58]

47. I'm ABB because any of the nine(or ten) would be fine, except for .....

Holy Joe. I don't want to decide between two repukes.

[caledesi]

41. Uh no...we just want * removed.

[Doomsayer13]

43. No

I like John Kerry, and will support him

[deutsey]

45. No, but

I fear the Democratic Party is going to leave me.

[UnapologeticLiberal]

46. I won't

I won't abandon it if any of the 9 candidates is the nominee, but if Dean does not get the nomination I want Kerry to get it.

[Upfront]

48. Have to Think About It

Kerry and his people have almost pissed me off enough to make me consider staying home. I am not sure I am a Democrat any more.