Dean asking supporters to help Iowa Rep. being targeted by GOP

[pruner]

Dean pushing Democratic Congress
Asks supporters to help influence other key races

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff, 12/2/2003

Howard Dean has said repeatedly that he would, against the odds, help elect a Democratic Congress to move his agenda if he were elected president next year.

Within the next 24 hours, the former Vermont governor will take the first step to live up to his word. An official said the campaign will send a mass e-mail to Dean's 513,220 registered campaign supporters, asking them to donate immediately to Representative Leonard L. Boswell, an Iowa Democrat who has been targeted for ouster by the Republicans.

The appeal is part of a broader effort by Dean to use his unexpectedly potent fund-raising network to support the campaigns of 19 or 20 congressional candidates. Collectively, their victories would break the Republican grip on both the House and Senate.

One political analyst said Dean's effort to simultaneously direct his supporters not only to his campaign but to those of congressional candidates as well is both unusual and also the latest indication of Dean's unconventional thinking.

"Most politicians would view money as a zero-sum game -- that if they get it somebody else doesn't, or if somebody else gets it then they don't," said Stuart Rothenberg, author of a nonpartisan Washington political newsletter. Supporting Boswell and other congressional candidates "would add a very interesting twist, and make it much more of a case of Howard Dean trying to transform the broader political system than just winning the White House."

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2003/12/02/dean_pushing_democratic_congress/

[Justice]

1. Article Also Points Out....

that Boswell hasn't endorsed a Democrat candidate yet - so Dean (like Kerry et al) is looking for Boswell's endorsement.

Boswell is a Vietnam vet and Kerry has been courting him for weeks.

[Le Taz Hot]

2. Or possibly

it is exactly as the Dean campaign states, that he's trying to help out a few key Congressional Democrats and, ultimately, re-take Congress.

Sometimes, my friend, a cigar is just a cigar.

[Justice]

3. Perhaps....

and I am sure you will apply that same standard to other campaigns when they speak.

[truthspeaker]

14. both?

- Endorsements will help Dean

- If elected, Dean would need Democrats in Congress to get anything done

- even if Dean isn't elected, the more Democrats in Congress the better

I suspect Dean is doing this for the country, for the party, and for himself. Maybe, but not necessarily, in that order.

[trogdor]

17. It's part of the total package.

This is why I think the pundits who say Dean can't get elected are all full of shit. It's easier to pull the lever for someone if people think he can get stuff done, and it's easier to make that claim if you have a cohesive TEAM ready to do just that.

[Le Taz Hot]

21. I think you have me confused

with one of the chronic candidate bashers. You'll find no such posts from me and yes, I try to always apply the same standards.

[CMT]

4. this is just the latest

in the November local elections in New Hampshire the Dean organization went all out to GOTV for mayorial races, city council, and special legislative offices. It promotes good will within the party and gave Dean a chance to see how effective his organization is.

[SahaleArm]

5. And gain a few endorsements to boot.

I'd call that smart strategy:evilgrin:

[LittleDannySlowhorse]

8. He is nothing if not shrewd

nt

[JNelson6563]

6. Imagine that!!

I hold the same view as Dean. Big picture.

I do what I can for the Dean campaign but the lion's share of my political efforts go to help the party. It's not about one elected position or one candidate. It's about getting the neo-cons out of power.

I jsut joined my local Dem board in June and my latest project has cleared a profit that accounts for over 10% of our annual income. Sure if Dean gets the nom it will go to our efforts to elect him. If he does not it will go to the efforts to elect whoever does.

And that's the way it should be played.

Julie

[slinkerwink]

7. that's awesome!

and anti-Deanites say that he'll lose both the house and senate if elected. :eyes: This shows that he's serious about taking the house and senate back.

[slinkerwink]

9. :kick:

I'd be willing to donate $50 to any congressional race that could tip the House and Senate in our favor. My question is, why haven't the other candidates thought of this yet?

[CWebster]

13. because they don't take the lead?

What does that tell you?

[slinkerwink]

22. that their candidate doesn't have a long-term plan like this...

;-)

[kodi]

10. valuable example of what dean has stirred up

only a massive grass roots movement by progressives can counter the money machines and media propaganda on the right.

dean is using the movement itself to further secure a progressive voice in congress.

as the doc says about his efforts (and is often ridiculed for) "its about you, not me" and this is a good example of what he is talking about.

[Ficus]

11. Ive seen Leonard

at events for all the candidates. It's not like he's endorsing Dean or anything. Boswell is kind of a DINO anyways, but he's the only Democrat in the House that my state has.

[Rose Siding]

15. I've got $20

for the only dem in the House in your state. This will be an interesting test of how well the grassroots understand the importance of winning it all.

[LizW]

20. Me too

I also live in a state with only one Dem in the House. I consider him my Congressman even though I don't live in his district.

If we've learned anything in the last two years, it's that EVERY vote makes a difference and EVERY seat is important.

[ibegurpard]

12. Outfuckingstanding!

Let's hope this makes a huge difference!

[RevolutionStartsNow]

16. The campaign talked about this in the Grassroots Summits

They are encouraging us to see the big picture, that this is about more than taking back the White House.

[spindoctor]

18. Dean the conqueror.

It is uncommon for politicians to plan (far) ahead, but it sounds like that is exactly what Dean is doing.
By sponsoring 19 to 20 (?!) representatives, he doesn't just help to break the Republican powerhouse, but he also buys insurance for the support of his personal agenda, should he make it to the White House.

Not sure what to think of this.

[slinkerwink]

19. call it political genius or whatever....

I'd like to know why the hell the other candidates aren't doing more to help their party?!?!?!??!?!

[JNelson6563]

23. haha!!! "Nonedollar"

<snarf> Good one! :-)

Julie

[realFedUp]

24. It would be good to expand his e-mail list

I haven't pushed his campaign on any of
my e-mail list yet but it may be time to
clue them in at least to the website.

[slinkerwink]

25. what website?

[Hep]

26. The bashers

are still trying to figure out a way to spin this to make dean look terrible. Maybe he didn't do enough to get D's elected in Vermont when he was governor.

[Fleshdancer]

27. This definately has my attention

I'll donate to this cause anytime.

If by chance Dean does not win the primary, I hope the person who does will do stuff like this.

I would love to see Joe Trippi as the DNC chairperson by the way. Our party would get so much more done.