Harkin to reconsider his support of Dean

[rodbarnett]

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa said Tuesday that he will reassess his support for presidential candidate Howard Dean after the upcoming Wisconsin presidential primary.

Late last week, Dean said he would quit if he lost in Wisconsin on Feb. 17.

But Dean changed his mind and announced Monday that he would remain in the race regardless of the Wisconsin outcome.

"I think there comes a point when you have to recognize reality," said Harkin, a Democrat. "I understand he made the commitment to go to Wisconsin, but I think at some point there's going to have to be a reckoning here."

http://desmoinesregister.com/news/stories/c4789004/23504689.html

[liberalnurse]

1. Harkin is an honorable man. He did the right thing

supporting Dean in Iowa. Now that the DLC/DNC are effective with the anointment of Kerry, Harkin will need to display unity for his own neck. I truly believe he supports Dean in his heart. We will just have to fight another day.

[Kahuna]

29. Was Kerry the DNC favored candidate? Yes. However,

the voters annointed Kerry.

[ringmastery]

2. Is Gore going to rescind his endorsement next?

Maybe that'll be just the thing to jumpstart the Dean campaign again. ;-)

[DemocratSinceBirth]

4. I Almost Hope He Doesn't Endorse Kerry In The General Election

NT

[Stuckinthebush]

20. Why?

Al Gore is a leader in our party and a good Democrat. A majority of Americans voted for him to be president in 2000. I can't imagine a better endorsement. He felt that Dean was the guy with the message for progressives, but if Dean fails then Gore has to give his support to someone else. At this point, that person would be Kerry since it is very probable that he will be the nominee.

I hope Gore does come out after Dean quits and endorses Kerry.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

3. Who Will Be The Democratic "Wise Men" To Tell Dean It's Over?

I nominate Al Gore, Tom Harkin, and Jesse Jackson Jr. ....

[EXE619K]

7. Kinda like....

"Bush won, get over it!" eh?

That sounds familiar!

[DemocratSinceBirth]

10. Totally Different

Dean is not going to win the nomination...

[EXE619K]

13. You're right!

It was different.

Kinda like John "quit crying in your teacups" Kerry.

Right?

[MrPeepers]

49. Don't forget the context of that quote.

Quit crying in your teacups, get out and do something to win back America.

Peepers

[RichV]

50. You should really go read that quote in proper context

It gets posted around here now and then. It was motivating, not condescending.

[patricia92243]

8. I have a feeling it wouldn't do any good - he is his own man - which is of

course why he is not going to be the nominee if the estabishment has their way. Bah, humbug!

[IndianaGreen]

21. It's not over until the Indiana Democratic primary in May

I don't take kindly to people in other states telling me who the nominee is before I get a chance to cast a vote on it.

In 2000 John McCain got 40% of the vote in the Indiana GOP primary even though he had already dropped out. Pundits think that McCain's vote was a protest vote by Republican voters unhappy about Bush being the presumptive nominee.

[Kahuna]

They can make it happen...

If a study stream of endorsers withdraw their support, Dean will know that it's over.

[Skip Intro]

5. A reckoning huh?

Well, I reckon endorsing a candidate because you believe what he/she stands for, and then withdrawing that endorsement because that candidate hasn't performed to expectations, says more about the endorser than the person endorsed.

Isn't it akin to professing deep felt beliefs, only to change them if they turn out to be not as popular as hoped?

Shallow.

[Edwards4President]

11. Live by the endorsement, die by the endorsement . . .

Dean actively sought the endorsement of all of these people. One of his strongest selling points was that he was a sure thing and they'd better git in while the gittin was good. That argument has collapsed, so he shouldn't be surprised that some of his support is collapsing along with it.

[Skip Intro]

18. All candidates actively seek support and endorsements

I don't believe Dean leveled any ultimatums, as you appear to suggest. As I said, withdrawing support, supposedly sincere support, because things haven't gone as planned, says more about the fair-weather endorser than anyone, imho.

[Mairead]

6. I expected a little better of Harkin. This is ugly.

Particularly saying this BEFORE Wisconsin.

Nobody else is bothered by the timing or anything?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

9. Harkin, Gore, Bradley, SEICU, and AFSCME Were Frontrunners

They just were supporting Dean cuz they thought he was a winnner...


It reminds me of the lyrics from "Positively Fourth Street"

"You gotta alot of nerve to say you are my friend..."

"You just wanted to be on the side that's winning."

[liberalnurse]

12. Harkin is thinking about his constituents now....

If he does not join the unity, he will not have his negotiating clout. It's reasonable. I love Sen. Harkin for his wisdom and guts!

[polpilot]

23. Harkin, Dean & Co. fought the pro-war establishment and lost. Now that

the pro-war DLC has their establishment, status quo candidate in place it is required that Harkin do his best to represent his constituency.

Dean '04...A True Patriot

[NewYorkerfromMass]

31. Harkin. Who voted yes on IWR like Kerry

Perhaps you ascribe things to Harkin which aren't there?

[polpilot]

44. List 'em.

Dean '04...

[NewYorkerfromMass]

48. How is Kerry pro-war and Harkin not?

if you use IWR as a guide.

[clarknyc]

28. There's plenty of time for unity.

What the hell is the rush?

[Mass_Liberal]

40. I'm bothered by the timing

if Dean does bad in the next few weeks, he'll drop out. No need to withdraw your support beforehand.

[Anwen]

54. I am bothered by the timing, among other things.

This is absurd. If you are going to make an endorsement, do it because you support what the candidate stands for -- not because you think he's going to win.

[mmonk]

14. sometimes

principles take a holiday.

[Edwards4President]

15. If withdrawing an endorsement proves a lack of principles

is it possible that the original endorsement was also unprincipled? Could that explain why some politicians with views that seemed antithetical to Howard Dean's jumped on his bandwagon when it appeared that he was a sure thing?

It's hard to believe that those who are withdrawing their endorsements now were so highly principled two months ago but suddenly lost all of their values in the last week. If their change of heart demonstrates a lack of principles, perhaps they have been unprincipled all along.

[Skip Intro]

16. Something to ponder n/t

[AP]

26. Most of Dean's endorsers justified endorsements with argument that...

...Dean was going to win, so we should jump on the bandwagon.

The logic of their own endorsements demands they be rescinded.

What I wonder is whether those endorsements have established a mood that has benefited Kerry: if he's in the lead, he's the one we should support without considering his actual policies and persona.

[mmonk]

27. Principles

also take a holiday in the endorsing process as well. It can be for self interest or plain party loyalty without regard to issue (weathervane approach). I'm not attacking Harkin. I had just rather he stick with it.

[LizW]

17. Sad.

I expected better from Tom Harkin.

This reinforces the perception that there are no men of honor in politics.

[Stuckinthebush]

22. When the writing is on the wall, it is time to leave gracefully

Dean is sunk. His numbers do not indicate a win in Wisconsin. They do not indicate a win anywhere else, if I remember correctly. As a Dean supporter, it hurts to say this but it is probably time for Howard to move on and stump for the eventual winner.

Harkin understands this and he also understands that Dean has very little - almost no - chance of winning the nomination now. Harkin is more concerned with the party than he is with Dean. I agree with that sentiment.

[LizW]

33. You leave gracefully

I'll leave kicking, screaming and biting. No one will notice when you go out the door, but when I go, every conversation in the room will stop. ;)

[Mass_Liberal]

41. same here

screw grace.

[polpilot]

25. Harkin is a man of honor. As a long time (14 months) supporter of Dean

I appreciate Harkin's patriotic endorsement of Dean and his duties as a representative of his constituency. Dean was the ONLY (I said it) viable candidate of clear change and a TREMENDOUS threat to the establishment (demo & repub) who was taken out by a combined effort of the DLC (Go to their site) and the repubs.

Supporters of Dean and his 'throw the bastards out' & 'don't participate in this insane war' agenda won when we supported the right and decent principles for human rights and decency EVERYWHERE. Backing or voting for 'the winner' is a simple notion embraced (usually) by simpletons who are unable to disinterestedly see the world view. Cheers!!

Dean & Harkin '04...America's True Patriots

[LizW]

35. Why do you think he made this statement

before Wisconsin? He didn't have to.

Believe me, I appreciate Harkin's support and endorsement of Dean. He was huge in the days leading up to Iowa. However the forces arrayed against Dean were too strong.

I have great respect for Harkin. However, it is hard to jump off a sinking ship without looking like a rat. If Harkin had waited until after Wisconsin before issuing a public statement of doubt, he would have looked less rat-like.

[goodhue]

39. this is indeed the question

Why make statement to media at this point?

I think it is directly responsive to Dean's recent reassessment that he would stay in the race even if he does not do well in Wisconsin. I believe that there is a split in the Dean camp over this issue and Harkin clearly signals his view here. If this is what gets to the media imagine the lobbying of Dean directly. Must be intense.

[polpilot]

42. Harkin, to me, was the most meaningful endorsement. It was a huge act

of integrity and I believe that all recognized this. I believe that Harkin made the statement because he believes that it is possible for Kerry to win in November and he thinks this early statement may nudge Kerry's numbers a bit and he believes that Dean can't win the nomination.

I believe that Harkin, like Dean, is a true patriot and that Harkins believes that this election could decide the fate of the U.S. We are teetering economically and feared globally. Harkin gave Dean his chance and it didn't work.

Dean '04...America's Patriot

[IndianaGreen]

19. Politicians and bandwagons always go together

There is nothing surprising about this, and it doesn't take away from Harkin.

[Renew Deal]

24. I guess Harkin really is a cock roach.

Oh well.

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[Snivi Yllom]

32. F*ck Tom Harkin

To pull your endorsement before a candidate pulls out is disgraceful.

[Renew Deal]

38. And unnecessary

Dean Will probably be dead very soon. What does that endorsement mean in Super-Tuesday states anyway. Especially if it did nothing in Iowa. These endorsers should just let it all die and move on. It's only going to be a couple more weeks for gods sake.

[goodhue]

34. I feel sorry for Dean

The pressure in only going to get worse.
After next Tuesday almost all of the party establishment including former endorsers will be applying pressure for Dean to drop out.
On the other hand, he has many valiant supporters calmoring for him to stay in until at least Super Tuesday if not all the way.
Depsite his recent assurances that he will state in despite WI, I really wonder if and when he will buckle to party power.
What happens if Gore or Bradley call him and suggests he drop out?

I don't think Harkin talking about this with media is very classy, however. Did he tell Dean personally of his plan to reassess before informing the media? He certainly should have. He undercuts Dean's assusrances from yesterday by speaking of a day of reckoning.

How very dramatic.

[Mass_Liberal]

36. ooohhhh

shit. That would suck. I would completely spazz out.

[Bread and Circus]

37. Harkin is pathetic.

If he is a good Democrat, then I don't know what
the meaning of good or Democrat is anymore.

Pulling support like this is just terrible.

:puke:

[progressivebydesign]

45. I'm ashamed of Harkin..

I had new found respect for him after watching him with Howard Dean, the way Harkin passionately spoke about a man that could change things in D.C. I guess all those wonderful words mean nothing when you have a chance to support a front-runner. I think withdrawing endorsements is cowardice. When someone is no longer a front-runner, there is no need to withdraw an endorsement. You just simply ride it out, no one is paying attention to you anyway (maybe that's the point of withdrawing). Statistically, when it's time for someone to drop out, then you move on.

So, basically, after all Harkin's beautiful talk of electing an outsider, a firebrand who can clean up Washington D.C., he is doing something like this. Unless he's supporting someone else now, what's the point??? If he's suddenly on Kerry's bandwagon after this, then what did he mean by all he said about changing Washington? Was that meaningless tripe?

If Dean were more politically savvy, he would have a high level meeting with his endorsees. Those that wanted out.. he should have asked them to allow HIM to make the announcement, and say he felt it was best for the endorsees to move on for the good of the party. Not the same as dropping out, but makes it look a lot less like the rats are jumping ship.

Some day I'll look back and understand how Dean was blindsided. Yeah.. I know, some of you will say that he did it to himself. I disagree.. the Osama ad was the lowest of lows.. it was downright Rovian, and it was paid for by rival democrats. And, when you have corporate media admitting that they unfairly sensationalized the scream speech, then you know he was handed a raw deal. I guess Mr. Smith cannot go to Washington in real life.

[Zomby Woof]

43. cut Harkin some slack

We've all felt buyer's remorse a time or two. :-)

[candy331]

46. I wonder why we still think we have

a democracy in this country. My have I learned a lot about politics this past year as a newbie. Always heard and to some extent believed how dirty it was and is but now I see with my own eyes and hear with my own ears. "It is all for one and one for all. It is a shame when no one wants to stand up for what is right but I guess that is just what happens when Governments and World powers are on the way out. Yes the demise always is internal.

[mitchum]

47. No comment

JK 2004

[Maddy McCall]

51. Truer words have never been spoken.

"I think there comes a point when you have to recognize reality," said Harkin, a Democrat. "I understand he made the commitment to go to Wisconsin, but I think at some point there's going to have to be a reckoning here."

[waldenx]

52. yikes

this party is becoming really unbearable.

[fujiyama]

53. Withdrawing endorsements...

is pretty cowardly. He made a decision and he should stick with it, as did Gore and Bradley. They shouldn't jump ship just because he's not doing well.

This is the reason I find endorsements sort of stupid and pointless. This primary season has shown how meangless they really are.

If Harkin wanted to give a hint to Dean that the clock was ticking, he could have simply spoken to him privately and given him some advice. IMO Harkin has some experience. Having run himself, he knows the process very well and knows when the writing is on the wall.

Dean, on the other hand, Dean made a mistake in saying he would drop out if he didn't win Wisconsin, then decided that wouldn't be the case after all. When someone says a state is a "must win" it worries the hell out of people. Sure it gave him some money from his die hard supporters, but all the money in the world can't save him if he doesn't win a state. The fact is, he still hasn't win a single state and the longer this keeps going, the less seriously he will be taken.

[mitchum]

55. kick

[TheDonkey]

56. Dean's bandwagon is on fire.

Everyone's jumping out.

[genius]

57. This doesn't say much for Harkin. Values shouldn't change with public

opinion.