Dean, Gephardt test buddy system

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2003/09/14/dean_gephardt_test_buddy_system_boston_globe/

Early this year, Howard Dean's staff issued a press release strongly criticizing the health care plan of Representative Richard A. Gephardt, one of Dean's rivals in the Democratic presidential race.

The former Vermont governor hadn't approved it in advance, and thought the tone was too harsh.

"He came in and said: `Dick Gephardt's a friend of mine. I don't think his health plan can get passed, but make sure that never happens again,' " Dean campaign manager Joe Trippi recalled.

It wasn't an isolated incident. Trippi said Dean, who rarely criticizes staff, has chewed out him and other aides "when he thought someone was a little overexuberant in saying something about Dick Gephardt."

<snip>

The reason for the cordial byplay? Dean and Gephardt have been friends since 1988, when Dean campaigned in New Hampshire and Iowa for Gephardt's unsuccessful presidential campaign.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

1. Hard to stay friends...

in this environment.

I think sometimes we forget that politics is an ugly ugly business; who didn't think Dean would be mercilessly attacked, even by his "friends", or that Kerry would be pumped up and then criticized for not being ahead at this point?

All of these guys have been through this before -- they have all campaigned before, they know the deal. They are ready.