Dean giving 'em hell in Mississippi

[MelissaB]

DNC chair Dean to visit Jackson for fund-raiser

By Julie Goodman
[e-mail]

Howard Dean, the new head of the Democratic National Committee, will be in Mississippi on Tuesday to help raise money for his party and roll out strategy to energize Southern Democrats.

"We need to have national Democrats go into Mississippi and talk about our message and not let any of the Republicans say what our message is," Dean said Friday during a telephone interview with reporters.

>>>snip

He doesn't need to change his issues for the state, however, just reframe them, Bruce said.

"There's all sorts of fodder out there, and it simply involves rethinking the way you use language. You don't have to redefine your issues."

It appears that Dean is already doing just that.

On gay marriage, Dean said his view is "the same as Dick Cheney's." The vice president has said that he would prefer states continue to regulate marriage.

Dean also derided Republicans for calling Democrats "pro-abortion," saying the issue has nothing to do with abortion, but whether women should have the ability to make their own choices on health care.

Gov. Haley Barbour, a conservative Republican, immediately pinned the liberal tag on Dean, and said he welcomed him to the state to explain to Mississippians what he stands for.

"It's good for Mississippians to see the two-party system at work, and I can't think of a better person to show it to them than Howard Dean," the governor said during a recent Clarion-Ledger editorial board meeting. "He's very typical of the Democratic Party. Very, very far left, and I'd be interested to see how he tries to disguise that."

Dean responded that "if I'm too liberal, maybe Vice President Cheney is too for Mr. Barbour."

More: http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050226/NEWS01/502260353/1002/NEWS01

[Padraig18]

1. Give 'em hell, Howard!

:thumbsup:

[democrank]

2. The Democratic Party insiders must be

biting their nails. Oh, my goodness....how will they deal with a truthteller?

[Todd B]

4. So are the Republicans!

The *Republicans* are biting their nails also!

Now we know why they tried so hard to bring him down in the primaries! A little dose of truth is what we need.

Go Dean Go!

[mopinko]

8. on unfiltered they were saying

that they are all leaving town, some are even leaving the country.

[ktowntennesseedem]

3. Great strategy.

We do not need to compromise our positions and try to transform ourselves into Republican-lite (as so many seem hell-bent on doing). But just as Dean has done, there are many solid Democrat principles on which many of their Republican icons agree with us. They have tried to define us by showing how different we are, how far to the left we are. We need to define ourselves by pointing out that the left isn't really that far removed from the right, and that in fact many of those on the right even sound like liberals every now and then!

[drm604]

12. ktowntennesseedem, I don't want to play language policeman but

You should be using the adjective form "Democratic" in the phrase "Democratic principles". Dropping the "ic" is something Republicans do as a slur against Democrats. I'm not accusing you of doing it deliberately but we have to discourage the practice, especially amongst ourselves.

[ktowntennesseedem]

13. My bad! I know better, but just let this one slip by

Guess I was typing to fast. Thanks for the heads-up!

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

5. This was great!

Howard has shown how to do it. I know a lot of folks put him down when he said it was important to relate to the guy with the battle flag of northern Virginia (Dean called it the Confederate Flag)on his pickup truck, and people put him down at the time. But election results showed Dean was right-and that comment can only help him now as he goes South to win hearts and minds. Southerners have only bought into the lies because of the lack of Democratic national voices coming to them and setting them straight. Can't wait for Dean to come to Arkansas!

[liberal N proud]

6. Clarifying the mis-information sold by the repukes for years!

Dean is doing nothing more than killing old repuke lies.
The Democratic party is not pro abortion
If he can clarify the truth from the republican lies, then the repukes are dead, and they know it. That is why they are doing everything they can to smear him.
He is not afraid to call them out for the BS.
GO! Howard.

[ima_sinnic]

7. our hearts go with you Howard as you wade into the thick of battle

--what a guy!! who would have predicted that he would BEGIN with Mississippi, of all places?? nothing like getting right down to business in the reddest of the red states (right?).

And mentioning similarities to Cheney et al.: BRILLIANT!

We The People have got your back baby.

[lojasmo]

9. Woot! Perhaps the democratic party will have some recognition

as the opposition to republican skullduggery again.

[xxqqqzme]

10. is this what the Democratic

Party needed or what? I love it. The rethugs throw bullsh*t at him; he reshapes it and throws it right back.

[lonestarnot]

11. Chew their asses Howard! n/t

[ultraist]

14. Is he doing a big Southern tour?

Howard Dean, the new head of the Democratic National Committee, will be in Mississippi on Tuesday to help raise money for his party and roll out strategy to energize Southern Democrats

What is his schedule?