Washington elites are terrified that Dean will disrupt their power base

[UpInArms]

http://www.msnbc.com/news/1004328.asp?cp1=1

Dec. 12 — History is repeating itself with another little-known governor from an obscure state vaulting ahead of the pack to become the favorite for the Democratic nomination for president. Once again, Washington insiders are apoplectic.

Congress is out of session this week, which means congressional aides have plenty of time to indulge in their fear and loathing of Howard Dean. A Republican Senate staffer calls Dean a “militant secularist” who never wants to talk about religion and refers to churchgoers as “those people.” He predicts that Karl Rove will do such a job painting Dean as a far-out liberal that the Vermont governor won’t be able to get back to the political middle even if he wants to. A Democratic House staffer detects an emerging backlash to Al Gore’s surprise endorsement of Dean, tarnishing the former vice president’s martyr image and making him look opportunistic. He predicts Gore’s move will only accelerate the Stop Dean movement.

Dean should sweep the D.C. primary on Jan. 13. It’s the city’s first-ever presidential primary, and Dean is the only viable candidate other than Al Sharpton this majority black city. But the inside-the-beltway elites are terrified that Dean will disrupt their power base and consign Democrats to the wilderness for another four years. Last weekend, Hillary Clinton appeared on all the Sunday shows, insisting President Bush did the right thing in Iraq and defending her vote giving him the authorization. Dressed in soft pink, Clinton’s tough line on the war made her the rallying point for Democrats unnerved by Dean’s anti-war rhetoric.

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