we could make Dean electable by voting for him

[skjpm]

Maybe if we all stood behind Dean rather than tore him apart, he'd become electable. Maybe we could look at the mistakes we as Democrats made with McGovern, Dukakis and Mondale--all good men who deserved to be President--and not make those mistakes again. Rather than assuming Dean's campaign must face inevitable failure, maybe we could shore up his campaign with thoughtful preparation and support. For instance, since we have some idea on how he might be attacked, here's an idea--let's prepare a counterattack. Maybe that would work instead of constantly repeating the reasons why we think he's unelectable. And, most important--let's make Dean electable by VOTING FOR HIM.

[slinkerwink]

1. be careful, some people don't want to listen to your radical idea

;-) good post though....

[msanger]

2. that goes for any dem candidate

whoever gets the nomination can win if we all vote and work for him (or her.)

What seems to be propelling Dean is the number of folks who are actually working for him - talking to friends, writing letters, donating money. The reason I support Dean is that he has inspired me - he has convinced me that we CAN take back our country.

SO I work for him. So he can win.
QED

[grannylib]

6. You beat me to it! We can make any of these candidates electable by

voting; I think one question we need to keep in mind is, will we nominate someone who will be seen as electable by those other than intelligent, coherent, thoughtful, reasonable, progressives??
I don't know much at all about red/blue states, what it takes to win in the South/California/key areas/states and all that jazz...but I do know we MUST win in November 2004, so who among the Democratic candidates, realistically, would be viable?
Now I think any of several would make a fine president, and I will support the nominee, whoever he/she is, over Chimpy in a heartbeat.
But I don't want to see us get into a position where (unlikely though I think this is) we have a Democratic candidate who is the 'dream' guy/gal from a liberal/progressive perspective, but is so 'out there' in the minds of the mutant sheep that make up a large part of the voters, that they just can't see voting out Shrub-boy for the devilt they don't know.
I think it's a shame that superficialities like height and name and marital status and all that crap play into these things, but they do.
That's about the only reason I am reluctant to throw wholehearted support to Dean; can he really win in the South and other key areas?

[eileen_d]

3. I'll vote for him in the general election

if he gets the nod... so no need to worry. My state's primary is so late that who I support at this point doesn't really matter (unless someone can convince me otherwise... June 8th fercryingoutloud...

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

4. Yes of course I will vote for him

It will be the first time I ever voted for any politician who got a 100 from an organization as conservative and racist as the NRA but I will hold my nose and do it.

[5thGenDemocrat]

5. I've said I'll vote for him in the general election

But I'm voting for Clark in the Michigan primaries.
John
Until after the convention, I feel no compulsion to support Dean or any other candidate other than the one I personally want.

[K-W]

7. Well, lets first not jump on bandwagons

lets have a good primary and let them fight till the end and let us not just all go for dean for unity.

The problem with McGovern, Dukakis and Mondale was that once they stepped into the general election they got destroyed by the opponants campaign. What we need to do is fight for our candidates in the primary, and then, once we have a candidate, turn around and fight just as hard for the nominee in the general election.

Whoever wins is going to face the same problems the aformentioned losers did. A media that is going to be biased against them, a republican propaganda machine that is well funded and experienced. And a series of difficult situations and traps set to try and create a negative image of our candidate.

I think some of the current dems would fare better than others in this enviroment, but all of them are certainly capable of winning. We just need to use all the weapons we have to fight them.

[SahaleArm]

8. What's this - Obey orders or fuck off?

Why should I be forced to vote for Dean in the primary?

[Mountainman]

9. It is not enough for all Dems to vote for him he needs non Dems too!

You don't seen to get it do you? We can't win just because Dean is a lefties dream! You have to get Repubs and Independents to vote for him too. I doubt that will happen.

[bearfartinthewoods]

20. i share your frustrations.....

i do NOT understand what is so hard to understand. the country is spilt 50-50. the leftees are just a part of one of those halves yet we still get posts saying we can make someone electable if we stick together.

IT WILL TAKE MORE THAN JUST US!!!!

[ThirdWheelLegend]

10. let me reword this....

"Maybe if we all stood behind Kucinich... he'd become electable."

Oh if only we had heeded these words of wisdom earlier on, we could have had an opportunity to change the system.

:hi:

TWL

[JohnKleeb]

12. Sigh TWL

You're gonna make me cry because thats so true. I dont understand, the times they are a changing I think, and I want change, so I support a man like Dennis Kucinich, sigh he gives me such hope, let us give him a chance!

[DemBones DemBones]

13. We still CAN make Kucinich electable by voting for him!

We need to run a nominee who can WIN. I;m not sure yet who that IS, but I honestly believe it ISN'T Howard Dean.

VOTE YOUR HEART IN THE PRIMARY!

[JohnKleeb]

14. amen to that

BTW have any of the Kucinich supporters noticed? before Clark entered we were like being told we would be McGovernized, now it seems like some Clark supporters think Dean will be. Interesting thing I've noticed. Exactly so DBDB, sigh we like his vision, why not give it a try, this is our moment, let us take it.

[ThirdWheelLegend]

15. "VOTE YOUR HEART IN THE PRIMARY!"

Oh how important that statement is.

This is the PRIMARIES folks, all of the candidates are electable!!!

We have 9 DEMOCRATS to choose from. If you are ABB then would you not want to choose the BEST of these 9 to go with? The one that best represents democratic and progressive values? The one that best represents the common person? The one that offers the starkest contrast to Bush?

Look at these results:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=850675

At the time I linked this Kucinich is leading with 48%. Really contrasts those name-recognition media polls doesn't it?

When the real issues are taken into account Dennis Kucinich is by FAR our best choice.

TWL

EDIT: DBDB, check your inbox

[SahaleArm]

16. Depends on what issues are important to you but for DU I would expect...

Kucinich, Sharpton, or possibly Braun to be on top.

[ThirdWheelLegend]

17. agreed

There are those on DU that do not agree with Kucinich as much as they would another and they have every right to do that. But as you suggest for DU the majority of people would choose Kucinich.

But I will say the same for the rest of the country. Kucincih stands up for the common person. Most people would agree with his positions if they were to hear them. (there is our biggest problem... media actively ignoring Kucinich)


TWL

[REP]

18. I've Heard Him

I get tired of being told if I just knew what Kucinich stood for, I'd be a supporter. I've heard him, read him and I know what he says, and I would run a mile in tight shoes to avoid voting for him. I know plenty of others in real life who are very politically aware and are not Kucinich supporters or sympathizers. Yes, one could add a cheap flame and say "They must be Republicans" or the insult du jour, and not only would that be petty, it'd be wrong as wel.

I won't tell you that if you just really knew my guy, you'd be on him like white on rice - please afford others that same courtesy.

[ThirdWheelLegend]

19. "I would run a mile in tight shoes to avoid voting for him"

Interesting, could you tell my why?

You would actually not vote for Kucinich if he was the dem nominee? If so, why?

TWL

[jumptheshadow]

11. This is a primary race

We are committed Democrats who are debating who will be the best candidate. We will support and vote for the nominee. But this election, and this junction in our nation's history, is too important to remain silent.

And don't worry, we aren't giving the Republicans any ideas they have not been salivating over for the past few months.

[Lexingtonian]

21. Oh, sure....

We can also stand (or crouch) in a line and piss, then claim to the world that the drought is over.