Dean Under Fire for Comments on Saddam

[RamboLiberal]

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20031217/D7VGBGJ00.html

By declaring America no safer after Saddam Hussein's capture, Howard Dean defied conventional wisdom and opened himself to intense criticism from his Democratic presidential rivals.

Again.

But baiting his foes and plowing new political terrain didn't irreparably harm Dean when he opposed a popular president's push toward war, subjected his candidacy to the whims of the Internet or abandoned the public finance system. And several Democratic strategists and independent analysts predict there will be no immediate backlash this time, either.

<snip>

(Michigan pollster Sarpolus) "For regular people here, how does capturing a guy in a spider hole stop terrorists from bombing me or my kids? It's great that we got him, but it doesn't affect me personally. I'm still scared," Sarpolus said, adding that Dean communicates hopes and fears in ways that fail his Washington-based rivals.

John Glenn - former hero-astronaut, Democratic senator and failed presidential candidate from Ohio - paused amid celebrations marking the 100th anniversary of the Wright brothers' first flight to ruminate on Saddam's capture.

"No," he told CNN. "I guess I don't feel that much safer."

And remember Glenn is an ex-Marine fighter pilot from WWII and Korean War.

[Cronus Protagonist]

1. hahahaaa Shouldn't the title be "Dean Correct - US Not Safer" - John Glenn

:)

FUCK BUSH Buttons, Stickers & Magnets

[cthrumatrix]

5. I'm sure Faux will be airing that...maybe "Insannity" can have him on.

[napi21]

2. Dean on SH

These guys are right! Bush has a TEMPORARY blip in his poll numbers, but most people will soon realize finding SH isn't going to make any difference in terrorist activity or make them any safer.

Dean is right in sticking to his opinions! I'm glad to see the fron runner not crumbling under attack like most of the Dems in office do now.

[joefree1]

3. More Dean straight talking

While everyone else looks how too play this for public sympathy Dean just says what he believes. Glenn for VP?

Has a Presidential candidate ever been so candid?


Images from Dean Rocks the House of Blues, Hollywood, December 15
From wtmusic http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=919849
From Joefree1 http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=921300

If you went check in here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=106&topic_id=4536

[Cha]

9. I don't know but I love him for it!

If Dean said something "pc" then people would accuse him of "pandering".
I'd much rather have it the truth way!

Go DEAN!

I love it that Dean is out there calling on all Dems to stop with the Smear Shit, too. My words.

[madfloridian]

4. Good for Glenn and Dean. I wish I had heard Glenn.

Gallup's latest national poll, taken from December 11 to 14, shows Howard Dean leading the pack (the two most recent polls, from 12/5-7 and 11/14-16, respectively, in parentheses):

Dean 31 (25) (17)
Other 15 (10) (13)
Lieberman 13 (10) (13)
Clark 10 (17) (17)
Kerry 10 (7) (9)
Gephardt 8 (14) (13)
Sharpton 5 (3) (5)
Edwards 4 (7) (6)
Braun 3 (5) (4)
Kucinich 1 (2) (3)

[Journeyman]

6. Even BushCo admits we're no safer. . .

as the Color-Coded Terrorist Threat Level has not been downgraded since Sadam's capture. A "major terrorist threat" is gone but the threat level remains the same. Guess he wasn't all that big of a threat.

[asjr]

7. The voters

in this country are so much smarter than the newspeople and pundits. The newspeople are becoming caricatures of themselves. And it is all political with the pundits. They seem to think they can sway people by bashing another. I think also, that Lieberman is trashing himself when he trashes another Dem. We are fast becoming a very uncivil country.

[Cha]

10. And I love it, too.. "the newspeople are becoming

are becoming caricatures of themselves. And it is all political with the pundits"

The media should be Indictable for treason against the USA.

[7th_Sephiroth]

8. saddam has never had any say

in the actions of most if not all of the attackers after "mission accomplished"

[mydawgmax]

11. Here's what he said.

"There's no question that Saddam Hussein is a threat to the United States and to our allies."

-- Gov. Howard Dean (D-VT), on CBS' Face the Nation, September 29, 2002.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/09/30/ftn/printable523726.shtml

[madfloridian]

14. Would you like to put the whole quote? That is the right way.

"GOV. HOWARD DEAN, D-VT: Not quite yet. There's no question that Saddam Hussein is a threat to the United States and to our allies. The question is, is he an immediate threat? The president has not yet made the case for that.

I think it may very well be, particularly with the news that we've had over the weekend; that we are going to end up in Iraq. But I think it's got to be gone about in a very different way. It really is important to involve our allies, to bring other people into the coalition, to get a decent resolution out of the U.N. Security Council. "

[w4rma]

15. Yup. That was back when Saddam ruled a country. (n/t)

[bowens43]

12. Dean is the candidate with courage to tell the truth.

All the others play to the camera and polls.

[Guaranteed]

16. Yup....

Of course, after the last couple of months of the other candidates' BS, it looks as if we're going to have to relearn it.

[maxsolomon]

13. since we were perfectly safe before...

i don't feel "safer". you cannot feel 100% safe, only 99% safe.

why is everything in american politics expressed in terms of fear?

(rhetorical, i know the answer...)

[dusty64]

17. I agree with what he

said and all the other candidates are only making it harder for me to support them later if they happen to get the nomination. There is one that shall remain nameless, that in the unlikely event he earns the nomination will have me voting third party for the very first time. I sense a desperate attempt to try and justify blank checks given to our regime and grasping at any straw to try and make it seem right, WRONG!

[gate of the sun]

18. I agree with Dean

I don't think we are any safer and I'm glad he's speaking out. I am not a Dean supporter but he is right.

[MODemocrat]

19. So Dean's under fire for speaking the truth?

Oh well, this is Bush Country right now, so anything goes in order to protect him.