Dean grilled, stands ground

[Khephra]

Dean grilled, stands ground
Questioning focuses on draft exemption
By Sarah Schweitzer, Globe Staff, 12/2/2003

CAMBRIDGE -- Democratic presidential contender Howard Dean parried energetically last night with cable news television host Chris Matthews, defending his exemption from the Vietnam draft for back problems and showcasing his new book before a largely student audience at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government.

In the hourlong question-and-answer session broadcast on MSNBC's "Hardball," part of a series of discussions with the Democratic candidates, Dean seemed to enjoy himself as he volleyed with Matthews, getting in a few laugh lines, most at the expense of President Bush.

Asked whether Osama bin Laden or Saddam Hussein should be tried in the United States or the Hague should they be captured, Dean responded that the issue was premature for discussion because "the president can't find either one of them."

The evening's hardest line of questioning came when Matthews dug into Dean's 1970 medical deferment from the draft, one he received after showing military doctors X-rays that he says were evidence of a back condition.

Matthews pressed Dean repeatedly on whether he felt bad about someone else taking his place fighting the war, to which Dean replied, "I thought the war was wrong." Asked whether he had been hoping to be deferred, Dean said he had not been looking forward to going to Vietnam. When Matthews pressed again with the same question, Dean replied, "Yes."

more.....................

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/president/dean/articles/2003/12/02/dean_grilled_stands_ground/

[truthspeaker]

1. I wish he'd mentioned Bush's AWOL incident

The draft-dodging charge won't stick if people know the truth about Cokesnort's extended unauthorized leave and early discharge.

[grannylib]

2. Tweety acknowledged him as 'an honest man' but made sure he

slammed Clinton twice ("more honest than Clinton was with us," repeated to ensure it was heard)during the post-show interview with another 'news'caster....pissed me off.
Dean did all right!

[el_gato]

3. yep unlike certain people who supported Nam but got deferments anyway

like dick cheney and tom delay

[meegbear]

4. DUPE

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=108&topic_id=94511

[demdave]

6. It isn't a dupe if it hasn't been posted to LBN before

being discussed in other forums do not coune, unless the mods have moved it there, I suppose.

[9215]

5. The beauty of the corporate whore/fascist media

If you want to call Tweetyturds hour newsworthy.

This is the stacked deck in full regalia. Not a fucking thing about Bush's AWOL, but a constant grilling of Dean.

Dean should just say that Mathews is being disengenous (at best) and ask him to move on to the next topic if he will not call into question Bush's AWOL.

Any candidate when asked about their past should just reply:

"I am willing to discuss my past if and when Bush discusses his. Until then you will have to use some other tactic to assasinate my character."


PUT THESE TALKING HEAD ASSHOLES IN THEIR PLACE!!

[damnraddem]

7. I'm a Vietnam-era draft dodger and proud of it.

Go Dean!