Who created this monster called Dean ?

[kentuck]

This non-politician that makes the Democratic establishment so angry? Why is this little fighter so popular with the people yet so unpopular with the leaders of his Party? How did it come to be that he is the front-runner for the Democratic nomination and not someone like, say Lieberman or Kerry? Why do the people gravitate towards him and no the others? Surely it is not because he is a "liberal", because he is not? He now speaks against the Democratic Party establishment and the DLC of which he was a part. From what slime in the swamp was this candidate born? :)

[deminflorida]

1. He was born when Al Gore turned his back on the grass roots

support of the Democratic party by not running against Bush. He climbed into the swamp as you call it when he accepted Gore's questionable endorsement and revealed his plan to raise taxes on the middle class of America.

[dave29]

7. and he'll also eat middle class babies </sarcasm

Al Gore did what was right for he and his family. He did not want the election to be about the last election. He is very wise. He also saw the errors of his last campaign in which he relied too heavily on advisors. Dean earned Al Gore's endorsement because Al Gore thought he was the best candidate to beat Bush. You can trash Gore all you want, he earned more votes than Clinton ever did - and 500,000+ more than Bush. His opinion COUNTS.

[kentuck]

10. I think Gore was truly a populist candidate....

albeit late in coming around. I think he sees that possibility in Dean and that is why he threw his support behind him..just like he said..

[deminflorida]

16. Still waiting for him to donate some of that 8 million dollar....

campaign warchest he's sitting on to Dean, to prove his sincerity...

[oasis]

2. Dean struck pre-emptively. That's all that comes to mind, but if I were

you I might strike out that last sentence of your message so's ya can get more positive comments.

[QC]

3. Was Dean ever actually a member of the DLC?

I keep hearing that, but I've never seen his name on a membership list or anything like that.

[tedoll78]

4. I created Dean.

I did, along with hundreds of thousands of others. He's The People's Monster.

[hellhathnofury]

9. Soylent Dean.

[JaneQPublic]

17. Have you seen the poster for "Soylent Dean"? Here it is:

[WillyT]

5. Oh C'Mon Kentuck... He Said The Secret Magic Phrase 'Repub-Lite', And...

Turned all his opponents into newts. (No pun intended.)

They are still busy trying to cast off the spell.

:evilgrin:

[billbuckhead]

He's the first "punk" presidential candidate

It's all about channeling anger into money, kind of like a .com televangelist.

[WillyT]

11. You're Not Angry ??? --- I'm Happy For Ya !!!

I've been angry for a little over three full years now.

And I'm definitely NOT ALONE!

:shrug:

[dave29]

12. so you're just dandy

with the Patriot Act, No Child Left Behind, The Doctrine of Preemption, Massive Tax-Cuts for the wealthy, Environmental disaster... I could go on with the things Dems have allowed Bush to get away with.

Anger would be one word, motivation to give the Dems some strong leadership would be another way of putting it.

Is Howard Dean the reason we no longer control any branch of our Government? I think not.

[chookie]

20. ?

Gee -- I think there's other ways of looking at this -- i.e. first guy to get the guts up to confront the Bush Crime Family and successfully articulate the anger that most of us feel?

Dean's doing this because he has the passion to get off his ass and do something meaningful -- like run for the presidency in what is sure to be a vicious campaign.

Dean has been successful -- I seem to recall when he started, "everyone" said he would go down in smoke and flames because he was speaking against a "popular and well-liked war-time president." He made it okay for the pink tutus (i.e. not Kucinich, Sharpton and Braun) to be miffed too, once they saw how well it played with the electorate. While lots of us have been a part of the momentum that has finally built up against His Chimperial Highness, come on, dearie -- you've got to give Dr Dean credit for getting it right.

I'm no Pollyanna, precious, but you're way too cynical, even by my standards.

[MiniMoog]

28. A take off on your music analogy

On edit - post was to BillyBuckhead

Couldn't resist your humor!

Dean - Sid Vicious (viz your "punk" line)
Kerry - Eric Clapton (legacy)
Mosely-Bran - Gladys Knight and ALL the Pips (Pure talent)
Edwards - Bono (a star rising)
Kucinich - Woody Guthrie (messenger)
Sharpton - George Clinton (style AND substance)
Gephart - Pat Boone mixed with Gloria Naylor
Clark - Wynton Marsalis (virtuosity)
Lieberman - Ethel Merman (played backwards, of course)

MiniMoog

[janx]

6. He is the spawn of the American people, I believe.

I hang my head in shame...

:+

[BeyondGeography]

8. They're responding to style, not substance

He's tapping into the outrage in the Party at the Democratic Wimp Factor. His tactical brilliance obscures the irresponsibility of it all as many of the "Bush-Lite" politicians he ostensibly despises have positions to the left of his own (Gephardt's health care plan; Kerry on taxes; Lieberman on gun control, etc.).

The Internet-driven wrapping of his candidacy brilliantly reinforces its "outsider avenger" position. In case the faithful need emotional reassurance, he chants, "You have the power" again and again, which helps them forget he ran a DLC governorship for years.

Yeah, "we have the power," but Howard and Al want the party to rally around them before a single vote has been cast. If those he has attacked hit back, they are degraded with high-minded claims of "sour grapes," and he asks for protection from the very insiders he continues to trash.

He'll be remembered for tactics, not ideology, so it's not a "movement." What we could be left with is an unprincipled nominee from a small northeastern state with no foreign policy experience who wants to raise taxes on the middle class.

My lurid side almost doesn't mind it happening, as the resulting catastrophe will be epic in proportion. But I take democracy more seriously than that, so I'm for Wes.

[stickdog]

21. What Dean opponents are missing.

Dean listened to actual concerned Democrats. Then he said what needed to be said when it needed to be said. And he continues to say what needs to be said.

Dean's opponents just don't get it. So let me spell it out.

TRIANGULATION DOESN'T CUT IT WHEN THE EMPEROR HAS NO CLOTHES!

[Fleshdancer]

23. And who are "they"? I'm voting on substance, not style thankyouverymuch

Here are the subjects I agree with Howard Dean on:

Civil unions and the end of "don't ask don't tell"
Womens rights
Healthcare
Deficit reduction
The Iraqi War
Repeal of Bush's tax cuts
Reform of Tax system
Innocence Protection Act
Allowing ex-felons who have paid their debt to society the right to vote in any federal election
Fair trade
Ending racial profiling
Disabilitiy Rights Platform
Welcome baby visits
National Invest for Success Plan (early childhood education)
Reform of No Child Left Behind
The Energy Challenge
Increase funding for care and treatment of HIV/AIDS
Homeland Defense Trust Fund

This doesn't cover everything, but I think it gets my point across. I, along with many other Dean supporters, did not choose our candidate lightly. I researched all of them and Dean did not win me over because of the internet or because other people think he's angry.

We all get annoyed at the fact that the media doesn't discuss any of our candidates very well and even though Dean has been getting more attention, it's just the same old tired pundits saying the same old tired thing...that Dean supporters are won over by style not substance. I guess it's working because people believe it and repeat it instead of researching.

[BeyondGeography]

26. He's no more of a Democrat

than any of our our candidates. He's made himself out to be a savior who's going to re-make our party. He has taken single-issue votes and tarred long-time faithful Dems as Bush-Lite. All for his personal political gain. People Power is all about Howard Power.

He was asked today if Ted Kennedy is a sellout because he co-sponsored No Child Left Behind. Didn't answer. These kinds of things will make it very difficult for him to govern in the unlikely event that he wins. Like the man he's trying to replace, he clearly doesn't play well with others.

And I think you're lying to yourself if at least part of his appeal to you and fellow Dean supporters isn't the charged-up presentation of his rhetoric. All credit to Howard. It had me on board for a while. But his penchant for the self-inflicted rhetorical wound, most of all, turned me off.

When you're light on defense credentials, use your head, please. Don't say. "America won't always have the strongest military ," when you're trying to make a point about the use of hard power versus the use of soft power. Don't make logically opposite statements about what the capture of Sadaam Hussein means ("It's a great day for America." "It hasn't made us any safer.") Don't say 9/11 was unpredictable and all hindsight is 20/20 to explain away Vermont Yankee. The man is a walking Power Point presentation for Karl Rove.

[DemOutWest]

13. Is he that

popular with the people? I mean if you add up the support the other candidates have, the independent voters, Green Party and Repugs, is he that popular. I think (which is dangerous) that he as the popoularity of those that believe in him. The mass of past non-political intewrnet users.

It will be interesting to see where he is when the real voters in Iowa and NH actually vote.

[dave29]

14. For a guy nobody knew about last year

he's pretty darn popular :)

[madfloridian]

15. He's a.......

"feisty little bastard." Reminds me of Truman in some ways. I think that is what someone called Truman. Can't remember who.
}(

[Dookus]

18. truman capote?

the short, bitter, alcoholic, compulsive liar? I don't think Dean can write nearly as well.

[curse10]

19. Joe Trippi

eom

[pansypoo53219]

22. and what swamp did

the reptilicans find gWb?

[kentuck]

24. I was being facetious pansypoo but....

gWb is not that far removed from the muck of his gooey birthplace.

[Raya]

25. Rose from Swamp of Corporate Media Shenanigans. Joke is On US

I feel sure Dean is a product of some order coming down from
the Corporate Media powers that be. Don't think they know how
to keep him from imploding before he wins the nomination.

[Cascadian]

27. Oh please.

whatever!

John

[Moderator]

29. locked

inflamatory