What about Dean and rural areas?

[Eloriel]

An Op-Ed piece in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/0803/14towery.html

Dean's rural strategy creates a major player

By MATT TOWERY

My company's latest tracking poll shows that former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, who barely registered in past polls, has catapulted ahead of Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman and now leads the pack of candidates seeking the Democratic presidential nomination. What explains the dramatic leap?

Dean, who recently made the cover of three national newsweeklies, appears to be the one challenger to George W. Bush who is putting a new spin on the time-tested strategy of populism. One might even call Dean's style, with its heavy emphasis on the Internet, "electro-pop."

snip

He has tied positions on virtually every issue -- from the economy to the environment -- to the development and growth of rural areas, where he contends that President Bush's policies had little positive impact.

For many people in less densely populated areas, the Web has become a primary tool, from shopping to entertainment. So it may be that Dean's "small-town" thinking was the genesis of his campaign's celebrated strategy to have Web-using supporters forward campaign literature to others.

snip

Our polling shows Bush continuing to enjoy a significant lead against all potential Democratic foes. But Dean's campaign should give pause to both the president and his Democratic challengers.

============

A comment posted to the Official Blog Comments:

Thanks for finding the Towery article. I think our readers will be most interested to know, after reading his piece, that he is, at heart, a troll, a former GOP candidate for Lt. Governor and a regular contributor to the GOP's Townhall site.

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/matttowery/welcome.shtml

When people like Towery start seeing it, it's there.

=======

In other news -- good article on misc. Dean comments incl. agriculture, GMO, media conglomeration in New Hampshire Union Leader.
http://www.theunionleader.com/prez_show.html?article=24941


Eloriel

[sangha]

1. Freepers support Dean?

In an editorial which says nothing about Dean's agricultural policies?

And this is good?

[Eloriel]

3. Yes, sangha, it's VERY good

Very good indeed.

Did you even read the op-ed piece? Getting an op-ed piece THIS objective, from a Repug, is amazing news, frankly. Towry is pretty darned partisan. I almost think he likes Dean himself.

I also rather liked his polling results. Go, Dean!

The scant coverage of rural in the op-ed is why I posted the NH article. Did you bother to read that? It didn't have a LOT, but what it had was pretty good IMO.

YMMV. :evilgrin:

Eloriel

[sangha]

4. Freepers don't care about farmers

If they praise someone, it's because they serve the Freeper's interests. If they're supporting Dean, it's because they believe Dean supports their interests.

And you think that's a Good Thing.

[CWebster]

7. Here is the irony

You are always ready with the freeper charge while you align yourself against the more progressive factions of the party in concert with the most established wing of the party that is decidely most freeperish.

;-)

[TLM]

9. Shanga, the fact is that even freepers...

want healthcare for themselves and their kids... want good schools for their kids... are also losing their jobs in the Bush economy.


Sure some of the hardcore true followers will buy the crap about this being Clinton's fault... however a larger and larger chunk of the middle right is starting to figure out that Bush only cares about himself and his big money backers.

Even a freeper can see something is wrong when they lose their job and their kid comes home from Iraq in a box while Bush says "bring it on," then goes on vacation.

Remember we do not need to turn all of them... only about 5 or 10 percent of them and that will turn the tide in half the red states.

[sangha]

15. "Freepers are good"?????

So that's the Deanies argument?

How shameless

[Eloriel]

24. Once again, you seem to be using the term Freeper

to refer to ALL Republicans and conservatives. I DO NOT.

And you betcha, any Republicans who vote our way in 2004 are GOOD Republicans. And believe me, there are bunches of them out there who are pretty dissatisfied with Bush and what he's done. And more all the time.

I would have thought most people who post here at DU would be delighted that one of our candidates is pulling Republicans, Independents, etc. I guess not.

Eloriel

[sangha]

25. They are Freepers

who are supported by FreeRepublic, Heritage, Scaife, CPAC, Ollie North, and just about every Freeper org on the planet

Ollie North is NOT A GOOD REPUKE.

[ScreamingMeemie]

8. There is actually a Republicans for Dean Blog...

and yes I agree with you, that's a good thing. Because we're all supposed to vote Democratic anyway, so let's go out and get those waffling Repubs, and fence sitters.:thumbsup:

[Eloriel]

10. Yep, Republicans for Dean -- and others as well

Republicans for Dean
http://republicansfordean.blogspot.com/

Independents for Dean
http://deanindependents.org/

BRAND New Democrats for Dean
http://brandnewdemocrats.blogspot.com

African Americans for Dean (new)
http://www.africanamericansfordean.com/AA/

40th Anniversary of March on Washington, Aug. 28
http://blog.deanforamerica.com/archives/000991.html

Americans with Disabilities for Dean
http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/PageServer?pagename=community_americanswithdisabilities

Crosses all sorts of lines, doesn't he?

Sangha -- you're using the term freeper very differently than I do. I don't consider Matt Towry a freeper. He's a Repug, and a partisan one, but not a freeper, at least not that I know of. To me, freepers are the fascists and esp. the hock-troops in that party. So, and I should have said this earlier, from the get-go I reject your very premise.

Eloriel

[sangha]

16. You are ignorant about TownHall

It's a Heritage funded site. Freeper heaven.

Stop defending Freepers

[sangha]

17. More about TownHall and Freepers

http://www.townhall.com/citizens/

They are supported by "lovely non-Freepers" like Ann Coulter:

Accuracy in Media
dedicated to censoring the news

Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty
dedicated to turning the US into a theocracy

Alliance Defense Fund
The Alliance Defense Fund is a unique Christian legal organization that works to protect and defend traditional family values, religious freedom, and the sanctity of human life.

American Civil Rights Institute
The American Civil Rights Institute is a national civil rights organization created to educate the public about racial and gender preferences.

American Conservative Union
The American Conservative Union is the nation's oldest conservative lobbying organization. ACU's purpose is to effectively communicate and advance the goals and principles of conservatism through one multi-issue, umbrella organization.

American Land Rights Association
The American Land Rights Association advocates private property rights and promotes reasonable recreational and commercial access to federal lands. ALRA supports placing restrictions on the Endangered Species Act and opposes increased land acquisition and regulations on property owners.

American Law & Policy Foundation
The American Law and Policy Foundation is the free-market voice for today's legal issues. If you are interested in a law and policy organization that was created to combat political correctness, anti-business sentiment, and big government, then stop by and join ALPF today! ALPF also offers many free law and policy publications for the public.

Americans for Tax Reform
ATR opposes all tax increases as a matter of principle. We believe in a system in which taxes are simpler, fairer, flatter, more visible, and lower than they are today. The government’s power to control one’s life derives from its power to tax. We believe that power should be minimized.

AnnCoulter.org
Ann Coulter's official site! Read the popular Townhall columnist's bio and columns, or check out her photo gallery.

Bradley Foundation
The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation is devoted to strengthening American democratic capitalism and the institutions, principles and values which sustain and nurture it. Its programs support limited, competent govemment; a dynamic marketplace for economic, intellectual, and cultural activity; and a vigorous defense at home and abroad of American ideas and institutions.

BreakPoint Online
BreakPoint, a program of Prison Fellowship Ministries, provides a Christian perspective on today's news and trends. (Isn't this Chuck Colson's org?)

Cato Institute
The Cato Institute seeks to broaden the parameters of public policy debate to allow consideration of the traditional American principles of limited government, individual liberty, free markets and peace. Toward that goal, the Institute strives to achieve greater involvement of the intelligent, concerned lay public in questions of policy and the proper role of government.

Citizens for a Sound Economy
Citizens for a Sound Economy recruits, educates, trains and mobilizes hundreds of thousands of volunteer activists to fight for less government, lower taxes, and more freedom.

Clare Boothe Luce Policy Institute
Our Mission: 1) to take conservative ideas to young women and to mentor them into effective leaders, and 2) to make parents preeminent in the education of their children.

Claremont Institute
The mission of the Claremont Institute is to restore the principles of the American Founding to their rightful, preeminent authority in our national life. To recover the Founding principles in our political life means recovering a limited and accounted government that respects private property, promotes stable family life and maintains a strong defense.

Competitive Enterprise Institute
The Competitive Enterprise Institute is a non-profit public policy organization dedicated to the principles of free enterprise and limited government. We believe that consumers are best helped not by government regulation but by being allowed to make their own choices in a free marketplace.

Concerned Women for America
The mission of Concerned Women for America is to protect and promote Biblical values among all citizens—first through prayer, then education, and finally by influencing our society—thereby reversing the decline in moral values in our nation.

Conservative Caucus
The Conservative Caucus is the conservative activist's toolbox for restoring constitutional government.

Conservative Petitions.com
Conservative Petitions.com uses internet technology to help conservative Americans let those in charge know what they think.

Conservative Political Action Conference
CPAC is designed to advance important everyday issues such as taxes, crime, culture and foreign policy and to provide basic conservative viewpoints and solutions. America itself was founded on the principles of conservatism and has yearned to return to that basic philosophy.

No, not Freepers

[sangha]

18. No, not Freepers (more)

Conservative Political Action Conference
CPAC is designed to advance important everyday issues such as taxes, crime, culture and foreign policy and to provide basic conservative viewpoints and solutions. America itself was founded on the principles of conservatism and has yearned to return to that basic philosophy.

(You know about CPAC, don't you ELoriel?)

Defenders of Property Rights
Defenders of Property Rights was founded in 1991 to counterbalance the governmental threat to private property as a result of a broad range of regulations. We believe that society can achieve important social objectives such as protection of our environment and preservation of our national heritage without destroying private property rights or undermining free market principles.

Family Research Council
The Family Research Council champions marriage and family as the foundation of civilization, the seedbed of virtue, and the wellspring of society. We shape public debate and formulate public policy that values human life and upholds the institutions of marriage and the family. Believing that God is the author of life, liberty, and the family, we promote the Judeo-Christian worldview as the basis for a just, free, and stable society.

Federalist -- Conservative e-Journal of Record
The Federalist is a concise, highly acclaimed e-journal of anecdotal rebuttal to contemporary political, social and media Leftists -- delivered free by e-mail directly to your inbox. Compiled each week by a national editorial panel, The Federalist's content is carefully selected to provide Constitutional Conservatives with a brief, informative and entertaining survey and analysis of the week's most significant news, policy and opinion from reputable research, advocacy and media organizations.

Federalist Society
The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies is a group of conservatives and libertarians interested in the current state of the legal order. It is founded on the principles that the state exists to preserve freedom, that the separation of governmental powers is central to our Constitution, and that it is emphatically the province and duty of the judiciary to say what the law is, not what it should be. The Society seeks both to promote an awareness of these principles and to further their application through its activities.

Freedom Alliance
Freedom Alliance, founded by Oliver North, works to "keep America strong, keep America prosperous, and keep America free," by promoting freedom and liberty, supporting the American military, and educating youth.

Free-Market.Net
Free-Market.Net is the libertarian portal. They are the world's most comprehensive source for information on liberty.

Friedman Foundation
The mission of the Friedman Foundation is to promote public understanding of the need for major reform in K-12 education and of the role that competition through parental choice can play in achieving that reform. Started by Milton and Rose Friedman in 1996, the foundation conducts public education and research programs.

Frontiers of Freedom
Frontiers works to advance States' rights, protect property rights, privatize Social Security, defend first amendment civil liberties, and among other efforts to reform the federal tax code, the Endangered Species Act, and the Food and Drug Administration. Frontiers achieves its goals through an aggressive program of grassroots activity, congressional lobbying, publications, media appearances, and coalition building.

[sangha]

20. FreeRepublic is a TownHall sponsor

Free Republic Network
The Free Republic Network organizes, educates, and supports grassroots activists, and connects national organizations with grassroots groups and activists across the country that share their common goals and beliefs

Heritage Foundation
Founded in 1973, The Heritage Foundation is a research and educational institute -- a think tank -- whose mission is to formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense. Heritage's products include publications, articles, lectures, conferences, and meetings.

Human Events Online
HUMAN EVENTS, the national conservative weekly, was first published in 1944 - more than a decade before any other conservative weekly. Since then, HUMAN EVENTS has not only defended conservative principles, but helped define them for the rest of the movement.

Human Life Review
The Human Life Review is the only publication of its kind in the world: a journal devoted to life issues, primarily abortion, but also "neonaticide," genetic engineering, cloning, and fetal tissue experimentation, as well as the end-of-life issues of euthanasia, assisted suicide and suicide.

Insight Magazine
Insight on the News is a national weekly newsmagazine published in Washington, D.C. by the Washington Times Corporation. As Newsweek is the sister newsweekly of the Washington Post, Insight is the sister newsweekly of the Washington Times.

Landmark Legal Foundation
Landmark Legal Foundation is a national public interest law firm headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri with offices in Washington, D.C. Landmark's mission is to use the law to advance conservative principles and policies through the judicial system, government and public forums.

Media Research Center
Founded by L. Brent Bozell III in 1987 with the mission of bringing political balance to the nation’s news media and responsibility to the entertainment media, the Media Research Center (MRC) has grown into the nation’s largest and most respected conservative media watchdog organization. The MRC tapes over 150 hours a week of news and entertainment shows aired on the broadcast networks and cable news channels.

National Review
Founded in 1955 by William F. Buckley, Jr., National Review is considered the "Conservative Flagship." A bi-weekly magazine bringing trenchant criticism and analysis of the latest social and political events with a decidedly long view toward Western Civilization.

National Right To Work
The Right to Work principle--the guiding concept of the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation--affirms the right of every American to work for a living without being compelled to belong to a union. Compulsory unionism in any form--"union," "closed," or "agency" shop--is a contradiction of the Right to Work principle and the fundamental human right that the principle represents. The National Right to Work Committee advocates that every individual must have the right, but must not be compelled, to join a labor union.

National Taxpayers Union
National Taxpayers Union (NTU) is a 501(c)(4) organization founded in 1969 to fight for the American taxpayer. NTU is the largest grassroots taxpayer organization with more than 300,000 members across all fifty states. NTU lobbies Congress and state legislatures, educates politicians and the media on important taxpayer issues and teaches its members how to become effective, united citizen lobbyists.

Oliver North Radio Show
Broadcasting from our Nation's Capitol, Ollie takes your calls Monday through Friday, 3 to 6 PM EST at 1-800-510-TALK. You can also fax Ollie at 202-408-1087 and email Ollie by visiting the "E-mail Ollie" section of this Homepage. Don't miss another minute as Oliver North brings Common Sense to Radio and the Internet!

Reagan Ranch
Young America’s Foundation’s Reagan Ranch Program will teach new generations of students about Reagan's leadership and enduring legacy.

Traditional Values Coalition
Traditional Values Coalition is the largest non-denominational, grassroots church lobby in America. Founded in 1980, TVC has sought to empower people of faith with truth.

U.S. ENGLISH, Inc.

Washington Times National Weekly Edition
The best of each week's Washington Times reporting, America's premier Conservative newspaper.

[ArkDem]

19. They want to run against Dean because they feel

he does not have a prayer.

[demnan]

2. He's also making headway in Virginia of all places!

Well he says he's from a rural state and seems to have some policies to help the small farmers in Iowa so I'm not surprised. I think we just have to grab the toe of this tiger and hold on!

President Dean - has a nice ring to it!

[Cthulu_2004]

22. Now...

if he can just keep from bowing to the Gun-Control fringe, he'll have a chance. If he does sell out to them, he's toast.

[Terwilliger]

5. Isn't this a thread for Politics and Campaigns?

This seems to be the thrust of the subject matter.

[Eloriel]

12. Terwilliger

My original post was issues, poll results, rural policy, and so forth.

What, pray tell, is the "rule" on that? I see threads all the time -- in fact, IMO, probably ANY candidate thread ought to go in P&C. What's the dividing line?

Eloriel

[gully]

6. Dean musta read Paul Wellstones book

he's campaigning like Paul did. Going out and meeting people etc.

http://wellstone.org/

Didn't mean to take this thread off topic. But, I can't help but think the spirit of Wellstone will somehow help defeat Bush in 04!

[Eloriel]

11. I don't think that's off-topic at all

Or maybe it's just that I appreciate the observation. ;-)

Eloriel

[gully]

14. he he, Thanks!

*

[sangha]

21. Wellstone was a liberal

Dean is not

[Clete]

13. I think he will gain support in rural areas.

Rural people tend to vote for the man not the party. So if Dean can sell his gun message in particular, he could gain support from the Independents who might influence the more moderate Republicans.

[havocmom]

23. Waving from the most remote town in the lower 48

And around here, I am hearing Dean mentioned positively from time to time.

What I hear mentioned about the shrubster indicates that in this county (voted over 82% for Bush in 2000) his smoke and mirror routine is wearing pretty thin.

The mess Rasciot left us with when he worked so hard for deregulating energy companies then going to work for ENRON has sown the seeds of dissent. Lots of hard working folks lost jobs/pensions/investments and they are not happy. Now Rasciot heads up Bush 04.

And these folks are getting letters from sons, daughters, nieces and nephews in Iraq. The letters aren't filled with good news about how things are going and the conditions. When a customer asked if we could get coffee in measured fliters she could send to her nephew so his squad could have more than one cup every couple days, other customers were outraged. When I told them how little water was being provided and that some brass complained that providing bottled water was 'coddling the troops' and was a cost that must be cut, there were rumblings that after cleaning house at the pentagon we "need to clean out the White House too!"

People here in Tiny Town are putting two and two together.
If Dean doesn't cave to the gun control crowd, we have a winner that can carry this seriously republican burg.

[Eloriel]

26. Well, he's in, then, 'cause I can't see him caving on that

I think he'll do very well in rural areas, and that includes the South. We'll see.

How he was received in Oklahoma just knocked my socks off. Wow.

Eloriel

[Octafish]

27. Towery used to work for Newt Gingrich.

Here's the turd's bio:

http://www.creators.com/opinion_Shell.cfm?pg=biography.html&columnsname=mto

Sorry to say this, but the Reich wing really wants to face Dean in 2004. Here's more from the Towery turd explaining why:

(no title, leaving it up to the local op-ed editor. My guess would be Dems Will Lose by Following My Advice)

I see little chance for a Democrat to defeat George W. Bush next year. Certainly not if one of the candidates doesn't soon break out of the pack of no-names and at least win the dubious honor of being the Democrats' 2004 nominee.

It stands to reason that one of the moderate Southern candidates, such as North Carolina's John Edwards or Florida's Bob Graham, could burst into the spotlight by abruptly announcing that they're going to skip the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary. Both those states are known for their quirky choices, and their election results are soon forgotten.
Why not take a page out of the GOP handbook of the early 1970s and create a "Southern" or "Sunbelt" strategy? After all, most political pundits are already looking to South Carolina as a first real test for Democrats who hope to carry moderate states. It might prove a stroke of genius for Graham or Edwards to bypass the waste of time, money and effort the Iowa-New Hampshire dance usually requires. They could instead concentrate on carrying South Carolina, Florida and Arizona, all of which vote early in the primary season.

With a recent union endorsement for Dick Gephardt, it's looking more and more like the gentle and amiable former House leader may repeat his Iowa caucus victory of over a decade ago. And the new celebrity Howard Dean now seems likely to battle it out with fellow New Englanders John Kerry and Joe Lieberman for the New Hampshire prize.

CONTINUED...

http://www.creators.com/opinion_show.cfm?columnsName=mto

[sangha]

28. Newt's not a Freeper

He's a Good Republican!!