Dean wasn't impressive on TDS, but he was weirdly comforting

[jpgray]

For an example of an impressive appearance, look no further than Bill Moyers' appearance earlier--that was very impressive to me. But Dean was clearly not quite comfortable in the interview, and he was off-rhythm with the audience. In a strange way, though, that didn't really matter, because what comes through best with Howard is his humanity. Terry McAuliffe did seem the party automaton Jon described in the opening parts of the interview--Dean just never will give off that vibe, although his answers to some of the questions were less impressive than you would hope, I feel much better about who our party chair is these days. You can approach him on TV and elsewhere like a normal human being.

[seabeyond]

1. yes i felt he was uncomfortable, but i think jon made him laugh enough

torwards the end he got better. but with all the attacks on dean tonight, surely couldnt talk that. he still got a lot of good lines in

[FreedomAngel82]

17. I agree

I thought he did pretty well. Hasn't he mostly done newspaper interviews and not quite as much tv interviews until lately? I think he did pretty well and agree that Dean is a very down-to-earth person. He's more then just a "cheerleader" for sure. That's one of the many reason's I really like him.

[NYCGirl]

2. You want impressive? Check out Howard's appearance on PBS Newshour

from yesterday. It's archived on www.crooksandliars.com

Now, that was impressive.

[pointsoflight]

3. Great quote....

"If I could sum up the Democratic party it would be love thy neighbor as thyself, and you don't get to choose you neighbors."

Single statement that speaks to war, to freedom, to liberty, to equality, to respect, etc.

[Tamyrlin79]

5. well, it is a variation on the Golden Rule, after all..

So, it would speak to all those things, wouldn't it?

[napi21]

4. I can't believe all the negative Dean posts tonight!

I watched the entire show, and I think it was one of the BEST Daily Shows I've seen. Then when Dean came on, I spent most the time cheering! What in the heck do you people want from this guy?

He's the DNC CHair, he's no longer running for Pres., he's not a Senator, and he's not a Rep. He shouldn't state what a Dem would do differently if he were in the WH tomorrow! That's a policy decision to be made by the ELECTED officials of our party!

I think it's great that we have a REAL HUMAN in the position of Chairman. You sure can't say that about Melman and not about Terry either!

[Cha]

6. I don't believe it either..

It was the best 1/2 hour ..especially after a day of that inflammatory rove spiel.

And I come on DU and all these threads..WHINE WHINE WHINE..nothing Dean does will ever be good enough..too bad.

I've had enough of that dragging down. Dean will persevere and we will be right there with him.

[jpgray]

8. He could have been much better

But as things are I'm still really pleased with him.

[Cleita]

7. He was fine. He was a little nervous.

JHC! It makes me wonder why anyone would want to serve the people when they are subject to so much criticism when they aren't 100% After all he was a guest on a comedy show and not giving a speech to a bunch of Democrats. I liked what he had to say. So I hope our side stops saying he was terrible. Look at the slags he has to take from the right even about his mother.

[jpgray]

9. I thought Kerry was similarly unimpressive in his appearance there

Great opportunities partially wasted both times, in my view.

[Cha]

22. Good point about it not being

to just Dems.

I agree with your senitments.

[Old and In the Way]

10. TDS skewered Republicans tonight before Howard went on.

Like I've never seen it done. They hit on the hypocrisy, greed, lies. They had Mary Carey playing the Republican bimbette, "big tent" porn pizza thing going. I wonder if that threw Howard off?

I thought he came accross as a reasonable guy. And that's precisely the opposite picture that Republicans want to paint him as. Maybe he low keyed it to provide a nice contrast to the increasingly bizarre RW rhetoric that the Republicans are employing. They are fast a party whose center is the fringe of RW wingnuttery and extremeism, something that they so dearly want to brand Howard and us as.

[jpgray]

11. Well, I think he still came across quite well--like a real person would

I'd be nervous as all get out if I were ever on the Daily Show. Unless they have Scotch by the quart in the green room.

:D

[Brian Hopkins]

12. Video

For those who did not see the interview I have posted it at the below link:

http://www.dembloggers.com

[Duncan Grant]

16. Thanks Brian, welcome to DU!

:hi:

[Telly Savalas]

13. Maybe he wasn't very polished...

but if more of our candidates had his kind of fire, we'd be in a lot better shape.

[jpgray]

14. You could tell the crowd really wanted to love him

They were a little nervous too, I think. Any performance in front of a crowd is always a dialogue: the emotions and energy of the crowd can have a big impact on the performance.

[napi21]

15. And what makes you think that a "polished" person is better?

A lot of times, a "polished" person, in any catagory, candidate, guest, or anything else, comes across fake, and not candid.

That's one of the good things about Dean. The one thing noone can say about him is that he isn't REAL!

[marions ghost]

27. totally agree... you

don't WANT politicians to be super slick...don't want them to act like blow-dried TV personalities with everything perfectly scripted.
While some of the lawyer types do pretty well with that (eg. John Edwards and Slick Willie), Dr. Dean's gotten far by being himself, and I DON'T want to see him MORPH into anything else...!?!

This excessive concern with image comes from a downtrodden mentality. After years of being shredded by the Repukes, we Liberals are now way too sensitive to "presentation" styles and how it's going to play in Peoria. RELAX Y'ALL...! Dean did a great job. He came off as tough and committed to turning the party around. He even said "we've got to clean up the corruption in government" which is the bottom line IMO. He also gave a nod to The Daily Show and the Internet as being a better news source than the MSM.

Dean is smart and knows what he's doing. So what if he doesn't do lite TV banter as well as some? When he's talking politics and policy, what he has to say is refreshing and believable.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[Carolab]

18. Personally, I think Jon is pretty intimidating.

He's so quick and so fast to find the wit in the moment.

It's hard to read him and what he might do/say.

The last time Howard was on, which was when he was still running, I thought it was pretty unfair. It was videotaped and at the end they superimposed the big sunshine animation from Tele-Tubbies over Howard's face. Jon was supposedly drifting off into his own thoughts "stupid, feel so stupid"...

So this was a real improvement.

Howard said "don't try to keep up with Jon Stewart, I know that"...and I think anybody could empathize with that.

[jpgray]

19. I completely agree

That's part of why the appearance was endearing and satisfying even though he didn't answer all the questions as well as I would have liked.

[BuelahWitch]

25. I still think Jon likes him though

Not that that's really important (unless he's really Shadow Sec. of State), but remember, for that interview Jon went to Howard, Dean didn't come on TDS. Stewart never goes "on location" it's always Samantha Bee or one of the others. Jon did Dean's interview himself.

[Rainscents]

20. I love the interview... Jon kept on interrupting Dean and it was hard for

Dean to say what all he wanted to say. Dean got his message out tho in mix of Jon's interruption and it turn real well!!! Dean also did excellent job yesterday on PBS news interview. I'm glad to see, Dean is getting out and getting news times and getting messages out, which our party desperately need.

[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Cha]

23. Your post is not

impressive. Dean is working hard for us and is raising record amounts of money from individuals ..more than anyone else has for the Dems.

We're not trying to keep up with the corrupt republicans money donors..that's bogus talk.

[Jacobin]

29. biting my tongue and clenching my teeth

:nuke:



alerting on myself



:mad:

[bklyncowgirl]

24. Maybe that was the idea

Stewart made some sort of remark that he thought they'd wheel Dean in like Hannibal Lector with a muzzle over his mouth.

Dean came off as sensibe, real, likable and funny--not as funny as Jon Stewart--but then again, who is?

Democrats as the party of sensible, real people?

[Malikshah]

26. Wow at least three threads saying how Dean was disappointing

Remind me, now-- we *are* out of the primary season right???!???!

Someone is seriously trying to pull some strings, push buttons, grind the organ here....

[KittyWampus]

28. Exactly, He's Not An Automaton. I Like Him Best When He's Laughing

he has a nice laugh.