It’s Time to Show Howard Dean who's the real Democrat

[usregimechange]

It’s Time to Show Howard Dean
who's the Real Democrat

e-mail message from Steve Murphy, Gephardt Campaign Manager


I don't know about you, but I've had enough. Howard Dean still insists that he's the candidate from "the Democratic wing of the Democratic party."

Well, where was Howard Dean when we needed him?

In 1993, Dick Gephardt led the fight to pass the Clinton Economic Plan that led to a balanced budget and the greatest economic boom this country has ever seen.

That measure passed the Congress without a single Republican vote because we asked the wealthy to pay their fair share in taxes.

It took guts for Dick Gephardt to lead that fight, and it took guts to pass the Brady Bill and the Assault Weapons Ban in the same Congress. Democrats paid the political price for both, but Dick Gephardt did what he knows is right.

And where was Howard Dean?

Howard Dean said it was a "good thing" Democrats lost control of the Congress. He said, "the new direction is not a bad direction." Howard Dean even said Democrats "deserved the losses they suffered - they veered too far to the left."

TOO FAR TO THE LEFT? And now he tells us he's the only real Democrat?

Here's the truth about Howard Dean: instead of standing up for the Clinton Economic Plan, Howard Dean said we should cut Social Security and Medicare to balance the budget in 1995 - after Democrats had lost control of the Congress.

snip

[IndianaGreen]

1. And where was Gephardt on the Iraq War Resolution? He was here...

President, House Leadership Agree on Iraq Resolution



President George W. Bush along with bipartisan leaders from the House and Senate announced the Joint Resolution to authorize the use of the United States Armed Forces against Iraq. "The statement of support from the Congress will show to friend and enemy alike the resolve of the United States," President Bush said during the announcement in the Rose Garden, Wednesday, October 2, 2002. White House photo by Paul Morse.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/10/20021002-7.html

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/10/images/20021002-7_d-iraq10022002-th-1-515h.html

[ibegurpard]

3. Yeah

And where was Gephardt when the House voted narrowly for the overtime rules change? Gephardt has unmitigated gall to be asking questions like that.

[sangha]

11. And where was Dean?

You can't answer for Dean's actions back then, so instead you go on the attack.

Why won't you defend Dean? Is it because there is no defending his actions back then?

[SOS]

25. Ronald Reagan

started out as a liberal Democrat. Later he changed his ideology and affiliation. The Republicans embraced him. They didn't bring up his past as a Democrat. It was Reagan's personal appeal to many Americans that got him in and kept the Republicans in power for 12 years. Dean's shift is nothing compared to the 180 degree turn Reagan made.
We could learn something from that. Why do people to the left of center always insist on wrecking their own?

[salin]

26. this is fair when it comes from gephardt's camp

he Lieberman and Bayh took the exceptional move of standing with the president in the Rose Garden to show bipartisan support - while in the senate several GOP senators were working with dems on a number of amendments which would have limited actions that the president could take and make it less wide open. According to reports at the time, Gephardt did not notify fellow house (dem) leaders of his move before he did it (leading to some pretty ill will).

All of the talks collapsed immediately. This is different than voting yes on the war resolution. This is different than voicing differing statements re: one's position on the war resolution. This was giving Karl Rove a photo op; Bush the momentum to get a much more desirable (fewer conditions) version of the resolution - all of this done in a way that sabatoged other democrats.

I will give others more leeway on this issue - and will be critical of comparisons with Dean - who didn't have to commit himself so concretely with a yea or nay vote.

But Gephardt, Lieberman and Bayh, imo, stand wide-open to criticism - it is called - the consequences (more severe criticism) of their actions, and this case it is facing much more severe criticism for their betraying of fellow democrats on going efforts - rather than waiting to let the amendments be drafted and stand or fall on their own merits, and then voting for the resolution.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

31. In doing so they UNDERMINED their own party at an attempt

to MAKE BUSH more accountable. It wasn't just a war vote WITH BUSH it was declaring WAR on their own party.

[salin]

36. but you know

some folks only hear some criticisms and actions by certain democrats as problematic and disloyal, while being willing to pass a break to others for doing the same thing. These folks did damage the work of some of their colleagues - but for whatever reason, to some observers this is okay. :shrug:

[liberalnurse]

27. That was the clincher for me......

It was obvious neglection of duty.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

4. Do We Have To Fight Fire With Fire Or Flame With Flame

Can't we just say all the ten candidates are good Democrats.....

[ibegurpard]

6. Hey, if Gephardt wants to play this game after the shit he pulled

He's fair game.

[blm]

33. So you see Gep's point

in reciprocating against Dean for calling him "Bushlite" for most of the year, when Dean has an 11 year record as a centrist, that is well to the right of Gephardt.

[goobergunch]

9. Ironically, it could be argued that Gephardt himself is flaming (n/t)

[DemocratSinceBirth]

10. You Guys Do Know

that it's an axiom of politics that in a three or more man race when two candidates get in a pissing match the beneficiary is the third candidate...

[JNelson6563]

8. yep, there they are

standing "shoulder to shoulder with pResident Bush." <gag>

Julie

[Cha]

16. bush looks as stupid as he is and anybody that followed bush

couldn't have too much goin' on themselves, IMFHO!

[quinnox]

2. Well done

Dean's words are coming back to haunt him.

[ibegurpard]

5. I'd say it's Gephardt's ACTIONS that are coming back to haunt HIM

He has NO room to criticize Dean...none whatsoever.

[quinnox]

12. Whether or not you think

he has room to criticize Dean, nevertheless it appears he is doing it enthusiastically. I say good for him.

[sangha]

13. Why don't you defend what Dean said?

Or is that just impossible?

[Pavlovs DiOgie]

29. because those comments

have been defended over and over and over on this board, and Dean supporters are not all excited about explaining Dean's position again. Bring up something new, and I'm sure you will see Dean defended. This shit Gep is doing is stuff that others brought up about Dean months ago...Gep is behind the times even when he's trying to be aggressive. Gep is tired.

[jonnyblitz]

7. oh yeah i forgot about him. n/t

[KaraokeKarlton]

14. More misleading nonsense

On Medicare, Dean has been a long time advocate of making long term care both more desirable and more cost effective. He has repeatedly testified to Congress that we need to move away from putting people in nursing homes as the first option and move toward home care because it's both cheaper and the elderly prefer to be at home. As for Social Security, it's not the goals of the program Dean takes issues with, it's been the problems with it he's taken issue with at various times. It doesn't allow people to REALLY build up a strong safety net. His vision to fix this problem is the best I've heard. And clearly, his vision of home care over institutionalization is splendid. It seems kind of silly for Gephardt to go back to 1995 to find something to criticize Dean over, especially when the positions Dean holds on these issue right now are clearly not consistent with what Gephardt is saying. On top of that, Gephardt would be better served to worry about his own bad voting choices and missed votes than snipping excerpts from some off the cuff comments Dean made almost 10 years ago.

[Rose Siding]

21. We could go back just a little further on Gep

Before '88, according to this old Mother Jones article, Dick favored a Constitutional amendment banning abortion and a freeze on SS. He opposed the minimum wage and the Dept of Education.

http://www.motherjones.com/mother_jones/SO94/blow.html

Gep is counting on the sanity of his opponents not to drag out irrelevant historical issues and ineptly apply them to current realities. Too bad he's lost his own.

[Cha]

32. Very interesting!

[EagleEye]

15. 1993?????????

[tjdee]

18. But Clark voted for Reagan!! Twenty years ago!!

Apparently, it is en vogue at DU to care about what people did that long ago.

[ibegurpard]

20. Can we please not make this thread about Clark?

Is that too much to ask? I get the point you're making and I don't disagree but jesus...

[AntiCoup2K4]

17. Gephardt has kissed BCE ass too many times

...for me to take him seriously as a candidate now. Sure he's had some good lines recently, but it rings hollow to hear Gephardt referring to Dipshit as a miserable failure when Gephardt helped make the policies of miserable failure a reality.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

19. In Deference To Gep

he is the heir to the Harry Truman, Lyndon Johnson, Hubert Humphrey economically liberal wing of the Democratic party...

[sangha]

22. Dean has kissed Repuke ass

as this piece accurately points out. Instead of attacking another Dem, why don't you try defending Dean? Or is that impossible in this case?

[blm]

24. Dean kissed GOP butt for 11 years.

But, so many here have swallowed his 8 month old conversion to populist politics HOOK, LINE, and SINKER!

>>>>>>>>
Dean kept his distance from his party's liberals during his governorship.

''He seemed to take glee in attacking us at every opportunity and using us as a way to form alliances with more conservative elements,'' said former state Sen. Cheryl Rivers, a leader of the state Democrats' liberal wing and former chairwoman of the powerful Senate Finance Committee.

. . .

Dean trimmed spending or held down increases in areas held dear by the liberals. More than once, Dean went to battle over whether individual welfare benefits should rise under automatic cost of living adjustments. Liberals were particularly incensed when he tried that tactic on a program serving the blind, disabled and elderly, which he did several times.

. . .

Rivers blames Dean for helping a third political party to flourish in Vermont that many say siphons votes from Democrats. ''The Progressive Party gained some momentum during his years as governor because he was so conservative,'' Rivers said, although she said she still may support Dean for president.

http://www.boston.com/dailynews/139/region/Those_who_know_Dean_says_he_s_:.shtml

[bluestateguy]

23. Remember

Gephardt voted for the reagan tax cut in 1981 and was a big booster of the war in Iraq. It's one thing to be bullied into a grudging yes vote like Kerry and Edwards, but Gephardt was a big cheerleader for it.

Gephardt is yesterday's candidate. He's our Bob Dole. Better suited for 1988, not 2004.

[salin]

28. where is the documentation to these quotes?

I haven't yet read the thread - but as with any such claims against any democratic candidate - I expect documentation so we can judge its veracity - to accompany the claims before we accept them as 'real'. I assume they show up on the thread?

[ibegurpard]

30. There were included in an email from the Gephardt campaign

I don't know whether there were sources in that email...you would have to direct that question to the poster who started the thread.

[salin]

37. Then why are so many dealing with it as fact

if it wasn't documented? It could be true - but until I read it sourced, it falls into the 'say anything' category that many campaigns (sadly on both sides of the aisle) take part in. Treating it as fact, rather than questioning and waiting until documentation says the statements were made, validates what may just be innuendo or made up.

Imagine those trying to rationalize "McCain's black daughter" in South Carolina. They shouldn't have - because it was made up - the appropriate response was to charge that it was innuendo or fraudulent until documentation was present. Had they engaged in the rationalization it would have legitamized the charges. Until facts are in evidence, that is a foolish thing to do.

[Cheswick2.0]

34. as mad as I am about the Iraq vote, I agree

Gephardt is much more representative of the Democratic wing of the democratic party than Dean is.

[Seneca]

35. I never trusted Gephardt

He is the most craven opportunist of the lot. He once voted for a proposed constitutional amendment to outlaw a woman's reproductive choice, went along with much of the 80's Republican agenda, and pretty much was a Reagan Democrat until his born again faux-populism during the '88 campaign.

His current campaign will sink into a sea of irrelevancy.

Never trust a man without eyebrows. ;-)