Dean leads polls but lacks official support in party

[Maple]

I realize this is from the Washington Times, and people here don't like it, but it sounds like Dean's biggest job is going to be convincing his own party. I have no idea why this should be, but I thought Democrats on here should know about this problem.

SNIP..."Howard Dean may be the undisputed front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination in the polls, but not among governors and most of the Democrats in Congress.
Six weeks before Democrats in Iowa and New Hampshire begin choosing their candidate for president, the feisty former Vermont governor remains a little-known political figure to most of the country and in much of his party — drawing little formal support from the Democrats' national political establishment. More than a third of Democratic voters in most states say they are still undecided.


SNIP..."
Some of Mr. Dean's other rivals have been talking privately about organizing a "stop-Dean" movement to get behind the candidate who shows the most strength against Mr. Dean in Iowa and New Hampshire.
"Because no one has emerged as a strong challenger to Dean, are not supporting any of these guys. They are waiting for an alternative to Dean to make sure they can stop a Dean candidacy," said another Democratic presidential campaign strategist. "

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20031206-105932-7321r.htm

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

1. Certainly no surprise here.

Like all good politicians they fear the people's wrath. While the DLC/DNC has been playing footsie with the Dipshit-in-charge, the Democrats (that is, the Democrats who don't hold office or have a special interest in maintaining the status-quo) have been seething. They're terrified that the Democratic Party may just become the "Party of the People" that it once was.

[Hep]

2. Here we go again

Anyone looking for an example of playing into the right wing's hands?

How the HELL does a right wing rag run by reverend moon know what the D party supports, and why do YOU look to THEM for information?

[Maple]

3. Excuse me?

Now even information that may be useful is scanned for sabotagers and villains?

Don't you think you're going more than a little overboard with this stuff?

You can't solve a problem, if you don't know it exists.

Or if you refuse to even hear that it exists because you don't like the messenger.

Not everything is 'happy talk' you know.

[Hep]

5. Information that might be useful?

Are you out of your mind? Here's a tip:

NOTHING FROM THE WASHINGTON TIMES IS USEFUL. OK?

We know which problems exist without having to ask the enemy. They're not going to tell us the truth anyway.

If you want to post examples of the D party not supporting Dean, the DLC website has plenty for you to peruse.

Are you a moonie? Just wondering.

[Maple]

6. And here's a tip for you

If you don't like it, don't read it.

Go back to hiding your head in the sand. I don't mind.

[Hep]

7. YEah! LOL

I'm hiding my head in the sand if I dismiss a WASHINGTON TIMES article!

Wonder what THAT sounds like!

[Maple]

8. Sounds like

you don't want to hear anything bad...because then you might actually be able to fix it.

[WilliamPitt]

15. This same information was also in TNR

and in several other publications. Next stop, 1972.

[Woodstock]

27. Good point

After all, Dean is McGovern. As you said, next stop, 1972. I was just hoping we wouldn't help them so much.

[wtmusic]

4. It's true, and it's no secret

Big (corporate) money is behind Clark and Lieberman, because Dean doesn't kiss the DLC's ass.

Unfortunately (for the time being) you still need votes to win an election. Prediction: Dean will make the DLC irrelevant.

[polpilot]

11. DLC is irrelevant. They've no control over anything. Their dismissal of

Dean resulted in his fundraising becoming easier.

Dean '04...

[arewethereyet]

17. two words

super delegates.

they are NOT irrelevant, they will go a long way in deciding this thing

[GreenPartyVoter]

9. I think this is stupid

From where I am sitting, I see Dean as being the party's best shot to win. I think he's the moderate the party mainstays are always shooting for, and for the life of me I can't fathom why they are falling for Rove's patter about his liberalism. (The corporate funding bit is a good point, though) He's not that liberal. And he's surely no McGovern.

The DNC ought to back the guy with the best chance of winning. As soon as the early caucuses are done, if Dean comes out a clear winner, I'd love to see everyone rush to back him instead of tear him down. The repugs will be at the left's throats no matter who takes the nom. Let's not have the left do their work for them. Let's get someone sane back in the White House.

[Maple]

10. Well you'd expect

Republicans to attack him...but not his own party. It's hard enough to lead in the first place, but even harder when you are being stabbed in the back by your own people.

Why would party establishment members be doing this...you'd think they'd be cheering him on!

You'd think they'd be cheering ALL of their own candidates on.

[OKNancy]

12. Maybe they honestly believe that Dean

would be a disaster. Maybe the Congressmen/women are really worried about coattails.

And something else - If Dean gets the nomination, he will run like heck to get the "establishment" endorsements. Not only their endorsements but their money. He'll need that money!

[GreenPartyVoter]

13. I'll put up with it

one last time to A) get Bu$h out of the White House and B) get IRV. Dean says he backs it, so if he gets elected I and other election reformers are going to work hard to get it instituted nationwide.

[Woodstock]

26. Again, post me an article from a neutral source

and then I'll be glad to analyze. I know all is not "happy talk" but I'll be damned if I'm going to take a Wash Times article without a grain of salt. I thought there were rules against posting ultra conservative news sources & not throwing perspective on them?

[slinkerwink]

19. the left is threatened because they're being shaken out of

their complacency.

[Scott Lee]

14. Dean's political armor will have to be reinforced in the back

not the front. Pretty dusgusting stuff, but then again the DLC being the statist powerwhores they are, the last thing they want is any upstart upsetting their game and they are willing to play dirty like republicans to even bring down one of their own.

The good news is that all this is backfiring. The DLC is already irrelevent, by it's own hand.

[AntiCoup2K4]

16. FUCK the DLC

What does it really stand for anyway?
"Democrats" (who) Love Corruption?

[lewiston]

18. Sounds like third party talk to me.

n/t

[robsul82]

20. A party of the people?

Nahhhhhhhhhhhh. We want what we want, they want what they want, come November 2004, we'll see who comes out on top.

Later.

RJS

[mikehiggins]

21. I almost took this seriously

until I realised it was the Washington TIMES, though I'd take articles like this in the Washington POST with a grain of salt as well.

If the party regulars come to think there is a chance of winning with Dean they will fall into line. If not, not.

It really depends on Iowa and New Hampshire. If Dean takes them both there will be a pretty serious earthquake within the party hierarchy in a hurry. If he loses either OR doesn't take them with a sizeable majority, there'll be another kind of response.

At the end of the day, however, I think it will come down to Dean vs Clark and if Dean doesn't have the votes to win on the first ballot in the convention, I doubt he'll be the nominee.

Just my opinion, of course.

[MGKrebs]

22. Dean Now Courting Party Insiders

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33342-2003Dec3.html

snips:

"After threatening earlier this year to send lawmakers scurrying like "cockroaches" if elected president, Dean is aggressively pursuing key House members -- black lawmakers in particular -- and promising to raise money for as many as 20 congressional candidates. "

"Dean and his top adviser, Joe Trippi, also are spending more time talking to leading officials at the Democratic National Committee and other key organizations here, including the Association of Trial Lawyers of America. Trippi huddled with two top DNC officials for nearly 90 minutes after the Democratic candidates' last debate, a committee official said. "

"About 30 Washington insiders, many of them lobbyists, meet every other week in the downtown law offices of Hogan & Hartson to plot strategy with key Dean advisers. The group is getting bigger by the week. And although Dean touts small, grass-roots donors for funding his campaign, he is getting a lift from a growing list of inside-the-Beltway politicos and big-name Democrats who are collecting upwards of $100,000 or more for his campaign -- much as the Bush campaign is doing, but on a smaller scale. "

"But Dean, a savvy strategist and tactician, knows that the road to the nomination and the presidency is much more treacherous if he continues to alienate lawmakers and party insiders the way he did early on, several supporters said. A few veteran Democrats have pulled him aside in recent months to deliver that message. "

[arewethereyet]

23. he realizes that he will not be the nominee without it

kind of clever, try to get legs enough that they can't say no...

does sort of show him to he something short of honest and forthright though. you nkow this was the plan from the start.

the guy is not stupid but is this the right way to do things ?

[Woodstock]

24. The Wash Times is notorious for twisting things around

I've repeatedly looked at the full record vs. what they report. They could make Mother Teresa look like a criminal.

[KaraokeKarlton]

25. Dean is what the party needs

If any of them heard his speech in South Carolina today that's being discussed in another thread here they will get behind him. He's got the perfect message for the party to win. Unfortunately, too many Democrats appear to be too blind to see the gift Dean is to their party.