Do you regret not voting for Howard Dean in your primary/caucus?

[dhinojosa]

Poll question: Do you regret not voting for Howard Dean in your primary/caucus?

Howard Dean is experiencing a resurge in his popularity in becoming the new DNC Chairman. Many Democrats like what he has to say and how he will be reforming the party by bringing the south, midwest, and west to the big tent.

Question: Do you regret not voting for Howard Dean in your primary and/or caucus?

[jpgray]

1. No--I was pretty much always going to vote for Dennis.

I did give money to both Dean and Kerry.

[eridani]

71. Yep. Me too, though--

--I think Dean will do very well as DNC chair.

[iamjoy]

2. Most Of Us Didn't Have A Chance

It was all wrapped up before Super Tuesday. Less than half the states had had the primaries by then.

But, I'm not bitter....

[JaneDoughnut]

22. Right

And as an independent, I wasn't allowed to vote in the primaries anyway. I have a feeling I'll be marking that D on my voter registration card the next time I update it.

[Skittles]

30. I am very bitter about it

IT SUCKED that Kerry was a f***ing done deal LONG before the voting got my way - it's VERY UNFAIR.

[donheld]

32. I didn't have a chance either

I border on bitterness. But what can ya do?

[janx]

39. I caucused for him anyway!

Colorado had caucuses this time, but I voiced my support--even though it was very late in the game and Kerry was in effect the nominee. The primary process was awful in 2004, and I felt that I should still vote my conscience.

After the primaries were officially over, I volunteered for Kerry

[cidliz2004]

62. BINGO!!!

We really didn't have a chance to vote for the candidate of our choice!

[xultar]

3. So what are we trying to get to with this poll? n/t

[dhinojosa]

6. Whether DUers regret not voting for Howard Dean in their primary/caucus.

That's all nothing else.

[Demit]

4. It was all pretty much over by the time of our primary in PA...

but that's another story.

[Freddie Stubbs]

20. He did come in 2nd, in PA

DEAN, HOWARD (DEM) 79,799


KUCINICH, DENNIS J. (DEM) 30,110


EDWARDS, JOHN (DEM) 76,762


LAROUCHE, LYNDON H. JR. (DEM) 17,528


KERRY, JOHN F. (DEM) 585,683

http://web.dos.state.pa.us/cgi-bin/ElectionResults/statewide1.cgi?choice=USP&eyear=2004&etype=P

[Demit]

23. why so he did. what a squeaker! :)

[Freddie Stubbs]

24. And he wasn't even campaigning anymore, unlike the 4th and 5th place

finishers.

[SCDem]

5. I'm in SC

and I did vote for Dean in my primary. However, sometimes I get disappointed in myself because I think I could have done more locally to help him get more votes. In SC everyone was gaga over Edwards. I didn't think Dean would win SC so I didn't do too much locally other than canvas a few times a attend a local rally. I could have done more.

I just thought (as a lot of us did) that he was going to do better in Iowa and everywhere else.

[GiovanniC]

7. No, I Voted For the Best Guy For the Job

I DO regret, however, that General Wesley Clark did not win the primaries. I don't like playing that "what if" game, but I have a feeling that Dean wouldn't be DNC chairman right now, he'd be a cabinet member or even VP.

[ThorsHammer]

11. Same here; I still think Clark was the best choice

[faithfulcitizen]

35. same here!

[Connie_Corleone]

8. Nope.

Not at all.

[LisaM]

9. Uh no... I voted for a real anti-war activist and an environmentalist

Dennis Kucinich.

I understand that Dean did not support the IWR. He did, however, support the similar Biden-Lugar resolution, he's not really an environmentalist, he supported NAFTA, he is not against gun control, and he is for the death penalty. No, I don't regret that I didn't vote for all that.

[xxqqqzme]

10. I did, even though by

Super Tuesday the DNC/DLC & CMC had already decided Kerry was soooo electable.

[goodhue]

12. No. I supported Dennis from start to finish.

My only regret is that more folks did not do the same.

[dhinojosa]

50. Given the number of Dennis supporters here @ DU....

I am suprised how low the votes for Dennis was.

[Mairead]

74. Too many of Dennis's natural constituents (i.e. most people) chose

to vote tactically in hope of getting rid of BushCo. And of course we all saw how well THAT worked out.

Will they make the same mistake in future?

[no name no slogan]

85. Depends on which state you're in.

If you were in Hawaii, Washington state, Maine, Minnesota or Colorado, you probably wouldn't be saying that! :)

Kucinich came in 2nd in Hawaii, Washington and Maine, IIRC, with at least 25% of the vote. He came in a close 3rd in MN, with 18%. In fact, by the time of the MN state convention in May, the Peace/Progressive/Civil Rights caucus (formed by DK supporters and sympathizers) controlled at least 2/3 of the vote on the floor-- enough to make a big difference on several issues.

Overall, Kucinich got between 5-6% of the primary vote-- about 5× more than what most people predicted.

[MuseRider]

13. Regret it?

Not at all. Not for a minute. Voted and worked for Kucinich, did not care much for Dean.

[no name no slogan]

31. Same here-- ALWAYS for Kucinich

...and if he ran in 2008, I would probably support him again. In fact, he could possibly win the Minnesota caucuses this time, given what we know now.

[Tom Rinaldo]

14. No, but I'll say this though

I would rather Dean were our nominee than Kerry. I supported Clark with no regrets. I think Dean becoming DNC Chair is great for our Party.

[bush_is_wacko]

15. I don't regret not voting for Dean. I started out leaning toward him

and then decided after doing my research Kerry was a better candidate for President at that time. I felt his investigative history would be put to good use in the White House and some of what is going on right now could have been averted. I also realized he was more than qualified to direct our soldiers and thought he had a pretty good idea how to get us out of that situation.

I LOVE Dean too, but I think he is THE BEST MAN FOR THIS JOB not necessarily president of the US. Dean is a natural for this job. He will bring this party together and he will use grassroots groups far more efficiently than other Dem's that were up for the seat would have.

I wish we had a different president but I'm THRILLED we have Dean leading the direction of this party!

[MaineDem]

16. No

However, he was the best choice for DNC Chair.

[dhinojosa]

17. I supported Clark; but I know he would've been seen a republican-lite...

..given some of the decisions and speeches that he has made in past. He might have fallen victim to the 'flip-flopping' scam Kerry had to endure. I love Clark's record, and I do think he could've pulled it off, and I was disappointed how quickly he gave up his bid. I voted yes, because I should've voted for Dean's opposition to the war. I might change my mind on a candidate in '08 but that's a whole other year.

[Adelante]

18. I voted Clark in the primary

By the time it came around Kerry had it sewn up, so my vote was symbolic, but I wouldn't have voted Dean in any case and don't regret it at all. I am glad he is DNC chair.

[blm]

19. Face the fact, Vietnam era Ski-lift Operators for Truth waited on deck

for Dean.

Generals and Officers of Honor and Truth were on deck for Clark.

The GOP still would have owned most of the media and most of the voting machines. Until those two issues are resolved, there will never be a Dem president, even if you ran Four-star General Jesus Christ.

Then some of us would be sitting around complaining that Four-star General Jesus Christ was our nominee.

[Osamasux]

45. Nicely put.

[dhinojosa]

49. A 4-star general Jesus Christ?

That's pretty serious. He'll forgive your sins before he sends his troops in to annihilate ya.

[blm]

51. Yeah, but the GOP controlled media would peg him as a "wimpy degenerate"

by the end of the campaign.

[FrenchieCat]

65. Sounds like it's seems better just not to vote at all...

I think that the problem with a certain candidate was that he waited too long and then came out with a weak ass response. Timing is everything, ya know. I wouldn't bet hypothetically on what a certain 4 star General would have done...but I don't think it would have been to wait and hope that it all went away.

In a different campaign, maybe the one that would have been called the wimpy degenerate was the one that was prancing around on the aircraft carrier with his little banner.....as a certain General Aptly described it.

[blm]

70. The best thing to do is expose the GOP control of the media.

It doesn't matter if you come out and say exactly the most perfect response.

The Chicago Tribune piece by Rood and the Nightline piece should have put an end to the Swift Lies, but the broadcast media, instead, kept giving them credence.

There is no stopping ads that are wall-to-wall lies and run every 30 minutes all over the country, unless SOMETHING IS DONE ABOUT IT. This is an area where the DNC and lawmakers should develop a strategy to end this practice.

[KissMeKate]

21. I should have showed up to vote for Dean after Iowa and New Hampshire

decided for me.

I remember how the media hyped up how much participation there was in iowa and new hampshire, and then you didnt hear a peep about it after Dean dropped out- I guess participation dropped too.

Yes, I regret not showing up for Howard Dean.

[RealDems]

25. I took off work early

drove from DC to central Maryland in rush hour traffic (actually caught a ride with my brother since I didn't have a car) and cast my vote for Howard Dean -- the month after he dropped out of the race. And I'm still proud of my vote.

[HR_Pufnstuf]

26. who knows.

Like most of the democratic nation, the national primary system/media got rid of him before they had a chance to vote for him.

[AngryAmish]

27. I didn't get the chance

The powers that be decided that the race was over before I got to vote.

[CBHagman]

28. Non, je ne regrette rien

N/T

[MrSlayer]

29. No, it didn't matter by the time my primary came up in PA.

I voted for Kucinich because Clark was long gone as well.

[DU GrovelBot]

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[bigwillq]

34. I voted for Dean in my primary!

Even though by that time when the primary came around in CT, Kerry had all but locked up the nomination but I waited so long to vote for Dean.

I'm glad i did. :)

[Uzybone]

36. Not at all

he would have been slaughtered in the General election. Lets see what kind of job he does as DNC chair.

[Radical Activist]

37. If I wanted another status quo politician

I would have just voted for Kerry.

[The Revolution]

38. I voted for Dean in the Iowa caucus.

EOM

[Debi]

46. You mean caucused right...

I know semantics...but none of us voted that night...(and most Dean supporters barely caucused, we were too busy getting our asses kicked by the Kerry/Gephardt/Edwards/Kucinich/Clark/hell I'll support Sharpton just don't make me stand up for Dean folks!!) I was scared :scared::scared::scared::scared::scared::scared::scared::scared::scared::scared::scared::scared::scared::scared::scared::scared::scared::scared::scared::scared::scared::scared::scared::scared::scared::scared::scared::scared::scared::scared::scared:

[The Revolution]

60. We had decent turnout in my group.

I believe rankings in my district/precinct/whatever were:

1. Kerry
2. Dean
3. Edwards
4. Gephardt

No one else had any support.

[Crunchy Frog]

40. Nope.

I'm very satisfied with having voted for Kucinich in my state Caucus. I do regret not having had the opportunity to vote for my real choice, Wes Clark, but both he and Dean were really out of the picture by the time the caucus rolled around to Colorado, and Kerry had it completely sewn up.

I do regret that our caucus was scheduled in such a way that my vote had nothing more than symbolic meaning. I would like to see some sort of restructuring of the primary system that would give more people a real say.

[dhinojosa]

48. You Kucinich supporters are unbreakable I'll give you that. eom

[Crunchy Frog]

52. Actually, I thought I had made it clear that

I'm a Clark supporter, (check my avatar). I supported Kucinich in the Colorado caucuses because I was not yet ready to get behind Kerry, and I wanted to cast a symbolic vote for true progressive values. I would still have voted for Clark if that had been an option, but it wasn't.

I did get to meet alot of really nice people in the Kucinich campaign, and I got to see Kucinich speak a few times. I value the experience a great deal, and have no regrets about it.

A small number of people in my state did caucus for Dean, but there was no way that he was going to get any delegates out of it. We did manage to send 15 delegates to the Convention for Kucinich.

[Clarkie1]

54. Couldn't you have wrote Clark in?

[Crunchy Frog]

55. Not in a caucus situation. It's fundamentally different

from a primary. The vote would have been absolutely meaningless.

Anyway, I felt that it was a good experience to caucus for Kucinich and get involved in his campaign. I met alot of really nice people, and as an added bonus, I had the opportunity to spread a positive impression of Clark among people who otherwise might only have had negative views of him.

Overall it was a very positive experience, and it was pretty thrilling at the state convention when they announced that we had 30%. I have no regrets, other than the obvious one, that Clark didn't actually get the nomination.

[CarolNYC]

73. Kucinich supporters

People I worked with in the Clark campaign who attended events with supporters of other candidates sometimes found them to be a bit hostile, sometimes more than a bit...except for the Kucinich supporters who were ALWAYS lovely, like the man they supported.

I originally supported Dennis (and still love him) but I felt it was most important to get rid of Bush no matter what because he's so damn dangerous and I just didn't think Dennis was going to do it. A four-star Gen, touting the right and duty of people to speak out against the President if he was doing the wrong thing, caught my eye. At first, I checked him out because I thought he had a good shot of winning. It was during the draft, though, and I felt that if I was going to encourage this guy to run...if I was going to give money to the first political cause I ever donated to...I needed to know if I really thoguht he would be a good President. And so I researched him thoroughly...and the more I learned, the more I liked. I remember writing to friends and family that it wasn't just that I thought he could win but that I was struck by what a really good man he was. Soon after, I was totally on the Clark bandwagon and there's no getting me off now.

Even though he'd dropped out before my primary in NY, I voted for Clark. I'd worked hard enough to get him on the ballot. I wasn't going to give up that chance.

I think Dean is a fine choice for DNC chair, though, and hope he kicks butt!

[Crunchy Frog]

75. My mom in Syracuse voted for Clark,

partly because she was a Clark supporter herself, and partly for me and my sister because she knew we wouldn't have the opportunity to in our own state.

I remember we had a Kucinich person come over to Clark here. She was around for the last few meetups before he dropped out. Also, a number of the Boulder area Clarkies went for Kucinich in the caucuses. I saw several of them at the Boulder County Convention. Of course, Boulder is one of the most liberal/lefty areas of the entire country. The Boulder area Clarkies were no exception to that general rule from what I could tell.:)

[CarolNYC]

81. Kucinich-Clark

I knew a number of Kucinich supporters who ended up supporting Clark, not just because they thought he could win but because they truly believed in him and his goodness and integrity, etc....I think we all found that it wasn't as big a leap as it seemed, Dennis to Wes. Clark is actually very liberal when you look into his positions on issues....and he wasn't afraid to claim the mantle of liberal...that was nice.

[lojasmo]

41. I caucused for Dean in Minnesota....NO REGRETS HERE!

Woot!

[no name no slogan]

83. No kidding? In our precinct, (nearly) all Dean folk went for Edwards

...who then announced that he (Edwards) was dropping out of the race, a few minutes after caucuses convened in MN. It was quite annoying at the time for some Kucitizens, but not too big a deal in the scheme of things.

However, I do recall that Dean did get a handful of votes in the presidential preference poll in my precinct (4 or 5 out of 197, IIRC). That was good to see! :)

[lojasmo]

84. Edwards was as unpalatable to me as Kerry was....

Due to their undistinguishable votes on IWR, patriot act, and NCLB.

I heard that MN Dean supporters were caucasing for Edwards, but I just couldn't bring myself to do so.

[mhr]

42. No - He Had Dropped Out Of The Race Before The Texas Primaries

eom

[Bouncy Ball]

59. He was on the Texas ballot, though.

I still voted for him in the Texas primary. He was my choice and I was going to register my choice.

[fudge stripe cookays]

76. Yep!

Dot (from my party) and I and her husband were the 3 for Dean at our precinct caucus.

The guy running the caucus was completely blown out of the water at how much attendance there was from us first timers. When he asked how we'd gotten interested in it, we told him-- Dean's organization had re-educated us on the process and instructed us on what to do when we were there.

Kerry supporters outnumbered us, but only by 2 people, because they figured it was over already. Two of them have since told me they wish they'd caucused for Dean.

I've talked to people since the election who had no idea what the caucus was. Their candidate was running nationally. Dean's state-by- state organization figured out how to get supporters out locally. I LOVED that. Some of these people I've talked to are now regretting that they did not support Dean.

I'm glad he's in at the DNC, even if we couldn't have him in the White House.

And I'm really glad I wasn't here during the primaries. This thread is mighty indicative of the crap that was going on at the time. Some of these posts are just rude.

FSC

[Bouncy Ball]

79. I wasn't on DU during the primaries, either, hadn't even found this

place yet, not even to lurk (which I did for a very long time).

[InvisibleTouch]

43. I did vote for him.

Even though by then, Kerry had it all wrapped up. I felt good about making the symbolic gesture, though.

[dhinojosa]

47. What state? eom

[InvisibleTouch]

57. Ohio n/t

[Osamasux]

44. No, I campaigned for the man most deserving for the job.

[Clarkie1]

53. Nah, I voted Clark on my California ballot.

I think Dean is a great democrat though, and the best person to be chair at this time.

Wish our primary was sooner.

[LittleClarkie]

56. No, I supported him for Chair because he's just what we needed there

but I still think John Kerry is who we needed in the White House.

I voted for Clark in the primary, though, even though he'd dropped out by then. He was still on the ballot. I wasn't alone either.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

58. For one thing, Dean was out of the race by Super Tuesday, which is

when Minnesota had its caucuses.

For another, I was a Kucinich supporter, and I am very proud of that vote and of being a small part of the effort that gave Kucinich one of his biggest showings.

I believe most of the Dean supporters in Minnesota switched to Edwards.

[bvar22]

61. With you LL.

DK in my precinct in St. Pual. Record attendance. We (the DK faction) were outweighed by the older establishment Dems who had already gotten the WORD from HQ, and formed a Kerry block. But DK finished a STRONG 2nd with Geppie at 3rd.

I am extremely PROUD of having the opportunity to openly vote for the man who BEST represents me.

[Carolab]

63. My fiance and I HELD FIRM at our caucus in Minnesota.

Even though the state party "leadership" was telling us to vote for Edwards or "undecided". We LOVE Howard Dean and were not to be swayed. We plastered our Dean stickers on the front and back of our sweaters. Only four others of our precinct of 200+ stuck with us. Then I counted the votes (just to be sure)...and afterward held forth talking about how WRONG it was for the DNC (McAuliffe) to run an attack campaign against Dean before the primaries and then front load the primaries in order to boost Kerry.

[fudge stripe cookays]

77. WTG Carol!

We were in Texas, so our voices didn't count much either, but it sure felt good doing what we did!

We managed to move out from our precinct caucus with Dean delegates, but I had to caucus for Kerry by the time of the state convention.

FSC

[DemBones DemBones]

64. No way, I'm proud of voting for Kucinich, a real progressive,

and true opponent of this war.

[VOX]

66. Dean had already faded when I voted in CA. I voted for Edwards because...

I wanted him on the ticket with Kerry, and to show that he could get votes in the West.

Dean was my first choice, however -- I contributed to his campaign, and was charged up by the hope that he offered.

[Piperay]

67. No...in CA I didn't have

much choice because Clark who was my choice had dropped out and so had Dean, I voted for Kucinich. I LOVE Dean though and think he was a terrific choice for head of the DNC. :thumbsup:

[PowerToThePeople]

68. I supported Dean

Worked at local hotel in town. One day drove Tom Foley to airport, we talked poilitico for a bit. I said I thought Dean was best candidate for dems. He said they were in process of choosing and it was "complicated." I also said something to the extent that with television today, you only had to have the right "look" and that an FDR could never win an election today. He seemed to depress a bit, but didn't deny that fact.

[NoPasaran]

69. I did vote for Dean in the Texas Primary

And I caucused for him that night. Went to the county convention and was elected as a Dean delegate to state---although I signed in for Kerry so I'd be able to vote for national delegates.

[Spacejet]

72. I voted for (and was a delegate for at the convention) DK

no regrets.

[Norquist Nemesis]

78. I voted for him but it was decided by that time.

By the time it got to IL, it was pretty much already over. But it felt sooooo good to blacken that circle for Dean. *sigh*

[Dave Sund]

80. Nope...

It was already over by the time I voted in my useless Nebraska primary.

[Jackie97]

82. Let me explain something about primaries.

They're never all at one time. By the time the primaries came to NC (where I'm at), Kerry was pretty much already picked out for me. I don't consider this to be a very democratic process.