Question on "People-powered" meaning

[quinnox]

I wondered about this, it seems strange to me. The Dean campaign has a saying 'People-powered Howard', which is an implication that all his supporters are what Dean is all about and is also a reference to the grass roots.

But aren't other candidates supported by people and the grass roots too?
Or do they not count as people, if they don't support Dean?

[Terwilliger]

1. People-powered Howard!

that's a good one! :hi:

All of the candidates have grassroots support. How many candidates answer to their grassroots?

[MercutioATC]

2. Nice underhanded question, quinnox. Here's an example of "people-powered"

Q3 contributions:

$14,786,510 (so far)

Q3 contributors:

188,165 (again, so far)

Average Q3 contribution:

'bout $78.58


MeetUp Members:

119,900

THAT'S "people-powered"


any questions?

[quinnox]

4. Yes, my original question

Don't people support other candidates than Dean? Or would saying "People-powered Kerry" or "People-powered Edwards" be inaccurate?

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

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

[rman]

10. isn't Dean ahead of Edwards and Kerry?

well then. If Edwards and Kerry are people-powered then Dean is more people powered.

[salin]

3. quinnox

will you ever get passed the quixotic taunting of dean posters?

Threads like this, without real substance for discussion, just meant to stir stuff up?

While the number of "does it matter if Clark was a republican" threads are getting exceptionally tedious - at least some of the folks raising that issue are grappling with it and whether it matters.

Are you suggesting that Dean doesn't view supporters of other campaigns as people? Of course not (that is absurd). Thus there is no discussion point.

Why do so many folks take such joy and spend so much time devising threads whose sheer intent is to distract all real discussions (eg away from the treason story, away from the California recall, away from the energy bill that is expected be unrolled by the end of the week, away from the war) just to stoke up some interparty fighting????

Seems that counterproductivity is a quested outcome for some.

[quinnox]

5. What's the problem

I can't make a thread on what I see as a curious slogan of the campaign? Please, I hope this isn't the case.

[salin]

7. you can, just as I can comment

on your curious habits of posting such threads seemingly designed for no purpose but to taunt people.

You have free speech

And so do I.

[thebigidea]

6. it means he eats the flesh of the dead

generally he enjoys to be nutritionally kept functional by chewing on the very earnest.

I'm going to start asking questions I already know the answers to. WHAT COLOR ARE MY SHOES? WHAT AM I SUPPOSEDLY HAVING FOR BREAKFAST? Nothing? Is that so? WELL.

[KaraokeKarlton]

8. It's quite simple, actually

The other campaigns have supporters but their supporters react to the campaign of the candidate they support whereas the Dean campaign reacts to the supporters of it. Dean's campaign is built around the supporters instead of the supporters being built around the campaign.

[clar]

11. Can you get much pettier?

Now, I'll answer your spurious question. A few months ago, on a site called Dean Nation (not affiliated with the campaign) someone came up with a contest to name a Ben an Jerry's ice cream flavor with a Howard hook. The winner was maple powered howard. Somehow this morphed into the whole people powered Howard stuff. The staff picked up on it. This, in fact, is an example of the grassroots/campaign back and forth. It has nothing to do with other campaigns or supporters of other candidates. Sigh.

[quinnox]

12. Thanks for an honest answer

But I still feel the saying is curious, perhaps I am reading more into it than I should, but maybe not.

[salin]

13. what an interesing response

straight answer... still looking for something snide and hidden and... I dunno... mockable?

[quinnox]

14. I don't know what the problem is

but I would appreciate it if you stop examining my motives everytime I make a post. They aren't any of your business, frankly.

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

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

[salin]

16. again you can say what you will

that is free speech.

I am expressing myself in reaction. Free speech as well. Isn't that cool?

I don't generally read or participate in the candidate thread wars.

But the candidate taunt threads - inane points made with no discussion point (look how dismissive your comments were when an explanation was given) - except to spur a flame war - it is harder to ignore.

So just as you and others are free to post such threads, I am free to weigh in with what I think of them and the tactics.

Again - isn't free speech cool.

edit (correction typo/deleted now reinserted "am")

[quinnox]

17. Yea, but you aren't a mod

It isn't up to you to police the threads, which you seem to be doing lately. You don't have the authority to do this, you are acting like you are a mod.

[rman]

19. He's not modding you is he?

Replying is not policing.

There seems to be more then one thing where read more into it then there's to it.

[salin]

22. I don't know how mods act

And I don't "police threads".

Though the proliferation of baiting and taunting threads - has driven me nuts lately. I have as much right to state my opinions on these threads, as you do to be taunting.

By the way - how does a "mod" act? And is that an insult?

[Northwind]

18. Well, I see that Dean's continued front runner status

Has driven certain anti-Dean folks from mere bashing to absolute insanity and farce.

See if you can understand this, "People Powered Howard" is a statement about Dean and his campaign. It is a campaign slogan. I am very sorry that Kerry and most of the other candidates do not even have one, but I suggest you take that up with their apathetic and ineffective campaign managers. The slogan is NOT, "People Powered Howard And Oh By The Way Only Dean Has Grassroots Support And All Others Do Not Count." The simple fact is that Dean has created the largest and most noticeable swell of grassroots support. I know it is hard to accept that your candidates turned out to be really incompetent campaigners, but I really think you should look to them to address that rather than blaming their shortcomings on Dean.

In simplest terms, Dean was fortunate that his first name rhymed with "powered," and therefore made a catchy slogan. It is not Dean's fault that the Kerry campaign cannot find a good adjective to rhyme with Kerry (Hairy? Scary? Merry?), nor is it Dean's fault that nothing rhymes with Kucinich. Dean's people recognized that his name could make a catchy phrase, and they used it, and it was well-played. It is not different than the Clark folks using Clark Bars. Just a convenient and catchy way to draw attention.

[ryharrin]

20. I don't see it as a contrast to the other dems, its a contrast to bush.

You have to admit that bush's campaign isn't people powered, its big business powered.

[BattyDem]

21. It's just a campaign slogan

and slogans need to be short, catchy and memorable. "People-powered Howard" is all three of those things. Of couse Dean is not the only candidate with grassroots support ... but "powered" doesn't rhyme with "John" or "Wesley" ;-)