I enjoy Dean's honesty

[demnan]

I'm not sure he will ever get the Presidency. He's too honest, too smart. That may cut it in Vermont, but it won't here in the red states where people are stupid.

I wouldn't mind moving to Vermont. I think I would like it there.

[Bucky]

1. Yeh, call people stupid. That'll win over new votes!

Great strategy

[demnan]

3. It's not a strategy, certainly

sadly it is the truth. I was born in Virginia, and have lived here all my life so no one can say I'm prejudiced because I live elsewhere.

I'm not a politician so I'm allowed to tell the truth. Politians need to have a strategy and they need to be able to lie well.

[DemonFighterLives]

12. Good Answer!

:thumbsup:

[Justitia]

2. VT - where all children have health ins. 98% of adults do too

and where civil unions were born.

Also home of state fiscal sanity and generous land conservation.

But hey, who would want to live in a Utopia like that?

Lucky Vermonters. Sounds like a smart group.

[melissinha]

4. Amen

Speaking the truth, my friend. With a few misguided or opportunistic minorities sprinkled in.

I like what Springer said to Hannity.. when Hannity ambushed him.... he said... he was giving his supporters a pep talk... no judgment....

[wryter2000]

13. Springer was great!

They handed him a cell phone, and he talked to Hannity with no preparation. He handled Hannity easily. I was impressed.

[Goldeneye]

5. At the very least hes pissing the leaders of the GOP off.

They had the media dogs in full attack mode, and they figured he'd shut up. Then he walked out and called them the white christian party. The timing was perfect. He did it on purpose...he's spiting them. He won't back down, and that is exactly what we need in a leader.

[MsUnderstood]

8. it isn't really splitting them

When you insult the republican voters, the gather together against you.

I can hear them now "Yea, I'm a christian. George Bush may lie, cheat, steal, but at least he belives in God and our country. I'm sticking with my party".

The things that howard dean said ARE NOT TRUE. Some republican voters (he said republicans not politicians) have worked an honest day in their life, and some republican voters are not white or christian.

If Dean wants to go out stereotyping and insulting then he needs to pratice better word choice. He may have meant republican politiicans have never worked an honest day, and he may have been talking about the mindset of the republican party (not the actual demographics) but he is going to be taken literally and taken apart.

His comments only pull democrats down to the republican levels of saying "yea, he is one of us, he is right, dammit keep going!" which is what republicans say when one of theirs makes derogatory, stereotyped statements.

Don't become what you detest DEAN!

[XemaSab]

10. Context, context, context

"many of them have never made an honest living in their lives."

"it's pretty much a white, Christian party."

[Goldeneye]

11. Dean clarified that he was (of course) speaking about

republican leaders. Besides I never said he was splitting them.

One other thing...do we need republican votes? He's got the democrats. The independents are looking for an alternative. I think that is what he is giving them. I honestly don't care if he offends the rank and file republicans. Many of them are racist. Many of them are homophobic. Many of their leaders are crooks.

[Tim4319]

6. I enjoy his honesty also,

I just wish the Dems would take a page out of the Rethugs playbook, and support each other until the end. Whether or not you agree with what was said, support him in public and discuss it in private.

[bettyellen]

7. some people would prefer no press at all

because "he's rude"!
i think the truth is rude.

[reality based]

9. I have been ambivalent about Dr. Dean in the past

and I thought that Democratic leaders would eventually stand up to the right wing-- after all it would seem to be in their best interest to do so. But many Democrats seem to be either perpetual political cowards or incurably unsure of their message. Can you imagine FDR, Truman, JFK, or Hubert Humphrey ever giving Republicans slack like Biden, Lieberman, Hoyer etc.? Too many Democrats need spine and larynx transplants. Dean, while not the most polished, keeps the Party in play. That's why the Republicans, their media shills, and their Democratic fellow travelers attack him. Keep sending Dean's DNC money, it won't be wasted. And speak out in his defense.