Yo Dean staff: you'd better track down this rumor

[grasswire]

The wingnuts are beginning to pass the rumor that Dean was an "abortionist" during his medical training.

"Noted Clinton insider and sometimes voice of moderation, Leon Panetta, has in the last few days signaled with alarm the disastrous effect that a Dean candidacy will have on the party – as if it shouldn’t be obvious that fielding a dope smoking, draft dodging, smug New York abortionist – with an incendiary temper - just may not resonate with the American voter."

I suppose this is being disseminated through hate radio in the red states. They're saying that Dean "Informed speculation, Dean did his OBGYN internship at Planned Parenthood, the records of that term of duty are sealed, like his Vermont governor's records."

The freepers are running with it now.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1032482/posts

[SahaleArm]

1. Who cares? Most of America is pro-choice *nm*

*nm*

[Hawkeye-X]

2. Posted on Dean's blog

waiting for response....

Hawkeye-X

[Hep]

3. Don't have to track anything down

The burden of proof is on them.

[AP]

10. Yeah. We learned that lesson in 2000. The burden of proof was on Bush.

If it wasn't true, voters ignored it.

[Hep]

17. Nope

Whether or not Dean performed an abortion is a matter of fact. IF they have evidence, they need to show it.

The right won the battle of the message, for sure. But it isn't 2000 anymore.

[AP]

28. What has changed since 2000?

It might not be 2000 anyomore. It could be worse. There media is more concentrated, and their interestes are even more aligned with Bush. That's the only change I can see.

[Hep]

40. WHat's changed?

Well as of 2000, 2000 hadn't happened yet. I'd say about a dozen books, four years of discussion, and the Dean campaign.

Seriously, I'm waiting for someone to convince me that things will be the same. I just don't buy it.

[bif]

15. They don't have to prove anything

Just look at all the fucking sleazy push-polling they did that ruined John McCain's run at the presidency. If they make the claim, there will be enough people who'll believe it. This nation never questions anything.

[Hep]

20. It won't be up to them

We have a lot more weapons this time around. We can't ignore that.

[w13rd0]

4. Actually...

...that's one they've been trying to pass off for a couple months now. And they ramp it up every couple weeks. Just more bullshit and lies to attack the campaign that's making them quake. But worry not, the Dean haters will latch on to it and do the GOPs leg work any moment now...

I can't recall which one, but a question regarding this was asked of him in one of his interviews.

ON EDIT: my SO has worked at Planned Parenthood. Never performed an abortion. Now the RW will desperately try to find a patient from that time period that will say Dean counselled her to get an abortion. Doesn't matter if it's a lie, they'll go with it anyway, just like saying that because someone interned at Planned Parenthood, they performed an abortion. Bunch of simple minded twits. The freepards will run with lots of stuff. Here's hoping they run with scissors sometime soon.

[janx]

37. Yep. But this time, at every turn, we must demand the proof.

They won't get away with simply lying like that this time.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

5. They've been hoping this is true for awhile

hoping to dig up something from his past. Anyway, more evidence of a Dean candidacy's likelihood to polarize.

[Larkspur]

8. Gee, it sounds like the same script used against Bill Clinton in 1992

Wasn't he a dope-inhaling, draft dodger from a poor Southern state, and he had no foreign policy experience either.

[janx]

38. They're still running with the same basic script and don't

realize that it has run its course. "Because Rush says so" won't work anymore, for instance.

[THUNDER HANDS]

6. someone should go over there and post...

that Dean was the doctor who performed the abortion on the woman Bush got pregnant.

I'd like to see them wrap their pea brains around how to come up with an argument for that.

[papau]

11. Bush PAID for the abortion of the 15 year old- so Dean is his Doctor?

and let us not get into child molestation by a rich 20 something - there is a process by which he got her prego that we will not discuss!

[ima_sinnic]

14. oh, if ONLY !!

major freeper meltdown--it would be lovely to behold.

[Hoppin_Mad]

7. How bout tracking down Awolbush's GF's abortion instead ?

and his deserstion from the national guard ?

[ima_sinnic]

9. *yawn*--he's addressed this before and no doubt will again

the freepers are also nurturing a rumor that Dean's millions in contributions are coming from George Soros--Dean "couldn't possibly" take in all that money from "college students."

whatever. let them squawk.

[eyesroll]

12. The Dean response to this question a few months back

was that he did do a rotation at PP, but since he was training to be an internist and NOT an OB/GYN or a surgeon, he didn't learn to do abortions.

That makes sense -- most docs never learn. Most OB/GYNs don't even learn. (I read somewhere that less than 15% of medical schools even routinely offer abortion training.) It's kind of sad, really -- it's hard for a doctor to even learn if he or she wants to.

Um, and I believe all Planned Parenthood records, at least dealing with which patients got which procedures from which doctors, are confidential under medical-privacy laws.

[CMT]

13. thanks for giving credence to a bunch of freepers

I'm proud Dean is 100% pro choice.

[pinto]

16. Informed speculation?

Where are you supposed to do your OBGYN internship, WalMart? Come on.

[Blue_Chill]

18. If he actually did a few abortions Dean has a PR problem on his hands

Most people while pro-choice are not 100% ok with what a abortion is. Polls show that most people support some sort of restrictions on abortion while solid pro-life and solif pro-choice are the minority.

This means that people may have issues with voting for a Doctor who has performed an abortion.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

26. "a doctor who actually did this kind of thing"

Like what kind of thing? Taking care of a woman's health, possibly saving her life? :mad:
Sorry to say this, but while you are right that it is a net minus for Dean, it's sad that the fact of a doctor's simply doing his job can be used against him.

[Blue_Chill]

31. Edited it

You were right the tone was all wrong. I didn't mean for it to come off that way.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

33. Thanks. But it captured the demonization by the Christian coalition

and they will no doubt use that same language to dehumanize Dean.

[w4rma]

42. This isn't his area of expertise. Dean is an intern (internal medicine).

He did some volunteer work for Planned Parenthood, but did not perform any abortions.

This is my understanding.

[drfemoe]

19. and what is Your Opinion

of this piece of literature you have posted from the freeper site?

[Renew Deal]

21. This came up about 2 months ago.

I am not sure what the truth is on this one. It was never refuted.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

32. Yes, it was, by the Doctor himself

Read the thread. He said that he was training to be an internist, not an OB/GYN, he was not trained to do abortions.

[damnraddem]

22. This has made the rounds before.

There will be many such 'rumors,' some put out on push polls, before the election.

[Egnever]

23. So?

I am pro choice all the way. Couldnt care less if he performed abortions. Doctors sometimes do.

Happy to see the wingers waste thier time on this one.

[Kurovski]

24. If they want to play dirty, bring up the evidence of George Bush's part

in obtaining an abortion for an underaged young woman.

But as it was stated in this thread, I'm not worried about this. the First Lady and George's mother are both against making abortion illegal. Ditto most of Americans.

[KittyWampus]

25. Better A Qualified And Compassionate Doctor Like Dean

Than a coathanger! :mad:

[Scott Lee]

27. So what? Howard Dean's trained in a legal procedure.

I'm surprised this is even a thread.

[unfrigginreal]

29. Remind us again in about 4 weeks

or whenever the next scheduled release date is.

[democratreformed]

30. If anti-Dean people

pick up on this one and try to spin it as some horrible evil, it will just show, once again, how silly they are. Some things on here just really get on my nerves. Like the thread with the picture of his kitchen. I didn't post on that thread but I really wanted to say that was the silliest one I have seen yet. My response to it and this one are the same "Who cares?" There are much more important issues to consider.

I am just sick and tired of people whining when there is negative spin on their candidate (either here or in the media) and then turning around and doing the same thing.

If you have legit concerns, sure, air them. If you just have negative silliness, keep it to yourself.

[eissa]

34. Abortion is legal

Well, at least for now (although I'd be really scared if shrub managed to remain in office another term). IF Dean performed abortions, it wouldn't faze me at all. I think it would only bother those who would not vote for a democrat anyway.

[killbotfactory]

35. Dean already said it wasn't true

I think Dean's former nemisis Ruth Dwyer started it. She's a bitch.

[Gman]

36. "incendiary temper"??

that much is correct. It's the main reason I can't support him. Dean loses his cool way too often. He'll lose it at the wrong time if he gets the nomination. Bet on it. Odds: 1-9.

[janx]

43. I've never seen Dean lose his cool.

Can you point me to a time when he did?

[ima_sinnic]

44. BS

a 100% crock-o-S**T

"incendiary temper" my butt. another RW myth very well perpetuated by certain DINOs who just don't like the way Dean tells the liars and thieves to shove it.

[liberalnurse]

39. He probably observed the proceedure.

Interns learn and I think NAF has to approve of the physicians who do abortions.

[eileen from OH]

41. Dean has said he didn't do abortions. . .

It was after one of the debates when he was questioned, in the spin room, about his antidotal story about the underage girl who came to him when she thought she was pregnant. It was a toss-off remark, to the effect that he didn't do them anyway, and mentioned within the context of the story.

Sorry I don't have a link but I very, very distinctly remember it because the freepers were doing this kind of thing.

That being said, whatever went on between a doctor and his patients is nobody's damn business, anyway.

eileen from OH

[janx]

45. Freepers are now officially obsessed with Dean. There are

no less than ten different threads posted about him just today. The more the right-wing media programs them about Dean, the more they repeat all of the talking points.

[newyawker99]

46. I am locking this.

From the GD posting rules:

1 The subject line of a discussion thread must accurately reflect the actual content of the message.

2. The subject line of a discussion thread and the entire text of the message which starts the thread may not include profanity, excessive capitalization, or excessive punctuation. Inflammatory rhetoric should also be avoided.

3. If you post an article or other published content which is from a conservative source or which expresses a traditionally conservative viewpoint, you must state your opinion about the piece and/or the issues it raises.

4. If you wish to start a vanity thread (ie: a discussion thread in which the sole purpose is to share your personal opinion) you must state your opinion in a non-inflammatory manner which respects differences in opinion and facilitates actual discussion.

5. You may not start a new discussion thread in order to continue a current or recent flame war from another thread. The moderators have the authority to lock threads in order to contain flaming on a particular topic to only one thread at a time.


NYer99
DU Moderator