My Dad Becomes A Big Dean Fan After Last Weeks' Nonsense.

[KittyWampus]

my Dad's a retired teacher who donates to environmental groups and goes on vacations where he volunteers to do research... yet votes GOP much to my aggravation.

Normally, he won't talk politics with me. He thinks he's an independant but he'll usually vote GOP cause of taxcuts (he managed to save money over the years and my family owns a small business).

Breaking tradition, he watched Dean on Potato Head Russert with me last week.

He decided he likes Dean cause he says what he thinks (straight talker) AND because Dean admitted making a mistake twice (forget what the issues were) during the interview.

So all last week, without prompting from me, my Dad would bring up the articles appearing about Dean & various reactions.

He laughed at the elected Dems distancing them from the remarks (like me, he realises that's just what elected Democrats do).

He noted Dean isn't running for any elections and can pretty much let er rip.

He laughed at the media for making a stink over nothing.

He laughed at the GOP for being such hypocrites.

I am posting this in the hopes DU'ers will think twice about over reacting when the Media selectively quotes Dean, selectively quotes Democrats responding to Dean and prominently feature the GOP lying about Dean.

That's all.

:)

[realFedUp]

1. yyyeeeaaahhhhhh

Dean's just one of the good guys.

[Ravenseye]

2. We need to react when he does that. But react properly.

No distancing. Spinning. He gets us the mike, we have to use it.

Deans' remarks? I'm more concerned about the renewal of the Patriot Act, the lack of funding of education in this country, and the tens of thousnads of dead in iraq based on lies by our own President.

[On the Road]

3. Well That's Refreshing

I am convinced that the "straight-shooting" method is the road to victory. There's so much criticism around that it helps to see some indiviual successes.

[KittyWampus]

4. Especially In Comparison To Programmed Robot Mehlman

[Double T]

5. KEEP ON KICKING BUTT HOWARD DEAN........

the RW has been relentlessly ranting for decades, NOW it is our turn!!!!!

[in_cog_ni_to]

6. But will he vote for a Democrat this time around? n/t

[Toots]

14. Dean has him listening so who knows?

I think because of Dean's reputation and his firing from the hip more and more people will start paying attention to him just for the excitement if nothing else. Dean usually makes a tremendous amount of sense so it can only be a good thing if more people listen to him. Will they switch their vote? well that remains to be seen but Dean is starting to get their attention.

[BrotherBuzz]

7. Dr. Dean is just borrowing a page from Stevenson

"I will make a bargain with the Republicans. If they will stop telling lies about Democrats, we will stop telling the truth about them." - Adlai Stevenson

Like you Dad said "let er rip!!!" ;)

[bpilgrim]

8. Americans like FIGHTERs not COWARDs - DLC take NOTE

we don't do NUANCE :evilgrin:

thanks for sharing :toast:

peace

[WilliamPitt]

9. Glad to hear it, but I am curious

On Friday you wrote this:

Dean Was Too Stupid To Distinguish Between Extremist Christians & those of us who pratice what Christ actually taught.

So instead of calling every shot Dean makes golden, how about being honest?

You can admire Tiger Woods and support him without being labelled a 'basher' when pointing out his weak spots in a game.

And instead of buying into the mediawhore spin that the Democrats are "piling" on and "attacking" how about assessing the situation realistically and acknowledging they have a right to disagree with Dean's idiotic comment.

BTW, several of the Democrats included PRAISE of Dean along with their comments.

Too fucking bad you take the mediawhores' lead and ignore the praise.

Dean made numerous gaffes and stupid comments in the primaries so this is nothing new for him.

What's different is the media no longer ignores his dumbass commments. I can remember when DU'ers tried to get the Deaniacs to actually acknowledge Dean's mistakes and they'd actually say Dean had TEFLON.

Just like an overly permissive parent "not MY little Dean, he never does ANYTHING wrong."

And my post has nothing to do with MY attacking Dean, or wanting him to 'tone it down' or stop confronting the GOP.

It has everything to do with Dean's recurrent habit of making half baked statements that need to be "interpreted" as DU'ers fall all over themselves telling American what Howard Dean REALLY meant.

And there's the NONSENSE that Dean has some super secret strategy making dumbass comments. But apparently, according to this logic, the great strategist forgot to clue in the rest of the Democratic Party.

In my thread praising Dean for his comments:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=3830017#3830324

Here, you have Dean's comments being 'idiotic,' 'half-baked,' and 'dumbass.'

I am wondering if it was only your Dad that caused you to change your tune.

[KittyWampus]

12. I Didn't Change My Tune. I Can Appreciate Dean's Speaking Out AND

criticize how he phrases his comments.

Can't I?

I've no intention of blindly agreeing with everything any Democrat says if IMO, the words aren't accurate, productive or well chosen.

Please note- I didn't complain about Dean:

being aggressive
"picking" on the GOP
bringing up "impolite" topics

I also posted ad nauseum that for the most part the whole freaking thing was a mediawhore ploy to divide Democrats. They were selectively reporting quotes and using provocative headlines.

Dean can be an agitator (as he should be) and the elected Dems can be moderate statesmen (as they should be).

And for the most part, I've been hiding threads that even mention the whole business.

[mandyky]

10. Not surprising - Dean had Independent and GOP supporters

during the primaries. Dean's candor is a great plus, most of the time.
Unforunately, the corporate media only reports RNC spin on Dean's comments. Just as the scream was an edited smear, so are these attacks lately. The Dean yell was barely audible in the room that night. The media took the mike that filters out background noise and portrayed Dean as a madman.

[FreedomAngel82]

11. Nice!

See. Dean is so perfect. He's himself and doesn't give a rats butt about what he says. If he's wrong or makes a mistake he'll apologize and all that. Awesome on your dad. I too have been a huge Dean fan lately. :loveya:

[KittyWampus]

13. Is He Perfect Or Human?

IMO, the whole point is, he is human and hence not perfect.

Just like elected Democrats.

And I've wondered if Dean could use an aide who might throw phrases around with him for practise a couple of hours a week.