Gore on endorsing Dean: We must be united on this fight against Bush

[Hawkeye-X]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?g=events/pl/063003howardean&tmpl=sl&e=1

"And it's slowly beginning to sink in to more and more people out there. And we don't have the luxury of fighting among ourselves to the point where we seriously damage our ability to win on behalf of the American people this time around."

Gore is right. We cannot afford any more divisive fighting and it's time to pare down the candidates and we Democrats have to be united on this fight against the evil, thy name is George W. Bush.

[TrueAmerican]

1. So let's unite around somebody

who can beat Bush. Not a Mondale/Dukakis/McGovern like Howard Dean.

[LuminousX]

5. *Yawn*

Oh, we are still playing the same note, I see.

Is any other candidate garnering the support Dean is? Should all those people who are supporting Dean (the plurality of those who have made up their minds at the moment) suddenly switch to ... who? Who do we "KNOW" is able to beat Bush?

Right now, the only measure we have is who can win the nomination. So we are going for it. If you think some obscure poll or even a selection of 5 or 6 polls is a better way to select a candidate, then please share with us the methodology you think should be put into place. By what mechanism is the 'one who can beat Bush' found?

[patrice]

9. Speaking of yawn . . . . - eom

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

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

[AWD]

8. You forgot

Gingrich.....he's another one the Dean haters have been comparing Dean to.

Geez, does your record player ever stop skipping???

[janx]

20. Still buying the rightwing spin?

?

[bearfartinthewoods]

55. clue...everything you don't agree with is not RW spin

you might be able to convince me i'm wrong about that but you'd have to actually express a thought for that to happen.

[janx]

65. Nice guy.

.

If you had any idea how much propaganda is flying in the media right now, you might understand what I'm trying to say.

Thanks for the ad hom, though.

[chimpymustgo]

53. Let's cast some votes. Let's count some votes.

That's what we Democrats believe in, right?

I'm looking forward to the process playing out. And I'm backing who I think can beat * - not who can salvage my political career.

Clark/Edwards Edwards/Clark

[kentuck]

2. Pretty good photo !

[Mountainman]

14. O for two - just wait and see

[patrice]

3. Hey! We Are SO Ready for This!!! - eom

[sonias]

4. Thank you Al Gore

It took something like this to get the candidates focused back on fighting bu$h and the republicans. Nothing was being gained with attacks against each other. They want us to continue the infighting against each other.

Of course I'm more thankful because Dean is my candidate, but everyone had a chance to get Gore's endorsement. He chose Dean, and I am very thankful to Gore for doing this early.

Go Dean Go!!!

Sonia

[LeahMira]

7. Totally agree...

... that we need to be united, but before primary one has been held?

I suppose Mr. Gore has a right to endorse anyone he chooses and, as someone mentioned elsewhere, it's pretty clear that the Clintons like Gen. Clark. Still, both the Clintons and the Gores are apparently convinced that they are now the standard bearers of the Democratic party these days, and I'm not so convinced that they are. Not at the moment, anyhow. I think Mr. Gore jumped the gun, and I think he assumes that more folks care what he thinks than actually do, especially now that he has taken himself out of the running. Or is he trying to focus on the 2000 election debacle in some way?

Could it be that Mr. Gore sees more division in the party ranks than we do? Is it time to stop picking at the candidates and start talking about their commonalities? Maybe, but I think Mr. Gore would have done better to make a "pep talk" kind of statement about those commonalities instead of endorsing any individual quite so soon. JMO.

[janx]

22. I see you have bitten into the rightwingnut spin too.

.

[bearfartinthewoods]

56. clue...everything you don't agree with is not RW spin

[mmonk]

10. What does Gore endorsing Dean

have to do with being united against Bush? Is he saying for everyone else to just give up now that he has done this? How insulting. Better hope there is no backlash.

[Donna Zen]

49. Gore's endorsing Dean

has made me want to leave the party. Any party that does not honor the right to vote doesn't need my membership.

Herr Gore telling me to line up, pay up and behave, is more fucked up than December 12'th 2000.

[kentuck]

11. His reasons were the same as many DUers....

"Gore said Dean 'really is the only candidate who has been able to inspire at the grassroots level all over the country.' He said the former Vermont governor also was the only Democratic candidate who made the correct judgment about the Iraq (news - web sites) war."
====================
That's a fairly powerful reason. However, he was not the only candidate to make the correct judgement about the war...

[mmonk]

13. It only works if the average voter

will vote for him against Bush. The average voter is not a grassroots activist.

[bicentennial_baby]

15. What about Kucinich?

"He said the former Vermont governor also was the only Democratic candidate who made the correct judgment about the Iraq "

As usual, Kucinich gets the shaft, so to speak.

[pruner]

21. he said the "the only MAJOR candidate"

n/t

[Cha]

63. He did say "major candidate"....I caught

that! Sorry, Dennis I love you but evidently Gore doesn't think you are a major candidate!

[in_cog_ni_to]

37. That was a flat out lie!

Kucinich has always been against the war. :grr:

[AntiCoup2K4]

57. True, but he doesn't have a snowball's chance in Hell

And everybody knows that. even those of you in denial about it.

[Rainbowreflect]

12. Good points.

Sorry for all the negativity. I think Dean can kick bush's a**.
I love Kucinich, but I will support Dean if/when he wins the nomination.
ABB!

[Rose Siding]

16. Here some text of Gore's remarks-

from blogforamerica:

NEW YORK--Speaking at the National Black Theater's Institute for Action Arts in Harlem this morning, Vice President Al Gore endorsed Howard Dean for President:

"...Howard Dean really is the only candidate who has been able to inspire at the grassroots level all over this country the kind of passion and enthusiasm for democracy and change and transformation of America that we need in this country. We need to remake the Democratic Party; we need to remake America; we need to take it back on behalf of the people of this country. So I'm very proud and honored to endorse Howard Dean to be the next president of the United States of America," Gore began.

"Democracy is a team sport. And I want to do everything I can to convince the -- anybody that is interested in my judgment about who, among these candidates has the best chance to win and the best chance to lead our country in the right direction. I want to do everything I can to convince you to get behind Howard Dean and let's make this a successful campaign as a group. It is about all of us and all of us need to get behind the strongest candidate. Now I respect the prerogative of the voters and the caucuses and the primaries. I'm just one person, but I'm offering my judgment and I'm also going to say one other thing here," Gore continued.

"Years ago, former president Ronald Reagan said in the Republican Party that there ought to be an 11th commandment, speak no ill of another Republican. We're Democrats and we may not find that kind of commandment as accessible, but to the extent that we can recognize the stakes in America today, I would urge all of the other candidates and campaigns to keep their eyes on the prize. Here we are in Harlem. We need to keep our eyes on the prize. This nation cannot afford to have four more years of a Bush-Cheney administration. We can't afford to be divided among ourselves to the point that we lose sight of how important it is for America. What is going on in this Bush White House today is bad for our country. And it's slowly beginning to sink into more and more people out there. And we don't have the luxury of fighting among ourselves to the point where we seriously damage our ability to win on behalf of the American people this time around," Gore said.

"Now, one other thing, I've spent a long time thinking about national security and national defense. And I've heard a lot of folks who, in my opinion, made a judgment about the Iraq war that was just plain wrong, saying that Howard Dean's decision to oppose the Iraq war calls his judgment on foreign policy into question. Excuse me. He was the only major candidate who made the correct judgment about the Iraq war. And he had the insight and the courage to say and do the right thing. And that's important," Gore said.

"Because those judgments, that basic common sense is what you want in a president. Our country has been weakened in our ability to fight the war against terror because of the catastrophic mistake that the Bush administration made in taking us into war in Iraq. It was Osama bin Laden that attacked us, not Saddam Hussein. Saddam Hussein is a bad guy and he's better off not in power, we're all better off, but it was a mistake to get us into a quagmire over there, so don't tell me that because Howard Dean was the only major candidate who was right about that war, that that somehow calls his judgment into question on foreign policy, so whether it is inspiring enthusiasm at the grassroots and promising to remake the Democratic Party as a force for justice and progress and good in America, whether it is a domestic agenda that gets our nation back on track or whether it is protecting us against terrorists and strengthening our nation in the world, I have come to the conclusion that in a field of great candidates, one candidate clearly now stands out, and so I'm asking all of you to join in this grassroots movement to elect Howard Dean President of the United States," Gore said.

Governor Dean thanked Gore for his endorsement:

"Mr. Vice President, I want to thank you for your generous and thoughtful words.... I thank Al Gore for his extraordinary leadership in this party in the last couple of years. I told him, I say what I think, for better or worse, I told him the two best speeches in this campaign were given by somebody who is not running for president and that was his March and September speech about the war and about foreign policy.

"We have needed a strong, steady hand in this party, and I appreciate Al's willingness to stand up and be one. This campaign is not about Howard Dean going to the White House. This campaign is about us going to the White House, all of us, and I look forward to the day on January 20th, 2005, when we do what Andrew Jackson, another great Tennessean did, we will open the doors to the White House and let the American people back in," Governor Dean concluded.

Gore, a former U.S. senator from Tennessee and two-term vice president under President Clinton, was the Democratic nominee for president and won the popular vote in 2000.

[KittyWampus]

31. "Speak No Ill" Of Each Other? Like Gore Was So Nice To Bradley?

Like Dean has been lying about other Democratic Candidates?

80% of the Grassroots Activists support someone other than Dean.

[RBHam]

17. Dean is now electable

To those of you who haven't the stomach for a bare-knuckle, drag-em-out, blood in the eye fight of your lives, then by all means continue to whine and cry.

Al Gore knows this. That's why he endorsed a bulldog like Dean.

No More Mr. Nice Guy!

[dolstein]

24. No, Dean is nominatable. Big difference.

Winning the nomination is one thing. Winning the general election is another. In order to win the general election, Dean is going to have to be able to convince 50 million Americans -- the vast majority of whom will not have voted in the Democratic primaries and do not consider themselves liberals -- to go to the polls and vote for him.

[slinkerwink]

36. the difference is that Dean has a 50 state organization already

none of the other candidates do.

[kentuck]

41. So do we support someone that is not "nominatable"?

Please explain? Seems to me this has been the problem with most of our Democratic nominees of recent history? They have compromised their positions in atempts to persuade those that are really different from our Party faithful.

[dolstein]

52. Which "recent nominees" are you talking about?

The recent nominees who won the popular vote in the last three elections (Clinton and Gore), or the more liberal nominees who proceeded them (Dukakis and Mondale).

I'm simply pointing out the obvious -- Dean has run a very effective primary campaign and has attracted energetic support among many primary voters. But the vast majority of votes that are required to win the general election will come from people who didn't participate in the primaries and who aren't ideological liberals.

[jpgpenn]

18. You call it "fighting"

I call not supporting Dean or the endorsement of Gore my duty as a life long Democrat.

This campaign process reaks from top to bottom. Dean campaign is pumped up and inflated by media, Rove and GOP. To now have Gore, the guy that chose to concede the presidency endorse Dean is meaningless to me. Maybe he should have stood up back then rather then now.

To chose Dean over a rat like Bush as the lesser of 2 evils wont happen for me. I'll chose not to vote and know I didn't further erase the democratic process that has built our country.

[janx]

27. Another one buys into the right wingnut lies. Is this an

epidemic?

[ibegurpard]

29. Why would you not vote?

You DO know there is the option of a write-in candidate, right? Plus a lot of other races that will affect your life?

[bobthedrummer]

32. Have you lost your mind?

BTW, welcome to Democratic Underground/DU:hi:

[TLM]

44. Why not just put a link to the Dean bashing meme site...

and save yourself the effort of re-typing it?

[Cheswick2.0]

47. "the lesser or two evils"

ding ding ding, you have hit the bullshit phraseology button. Thanks for the "as a life long democrat" cliched disclaimer to identify you.

[Rose Siding]

51. Good luck with that strategery

"Who will help me bake the bread?" "Not I", said the dog.

[dolstein]

19. Funny, but this argument didn't work with many Deanies in 2000

Personally, I'm going to vote Dean if he gets the nomination. Hell, I'll even give him $100. But I have to point out than some of Dean's most enthusiastic supporters are the VERY SAME people who ignored these calls for unity in 2000 and helped create the huge mess we're in right now. I guess I can understand how all the Humphrey folks felt in 1972 when the people who were rioting in Chicago managed to seize control of the Democratic Party. Well, we all know how well that election went. I hope were aren't in for a repeat in 2004.

[LuminousX]

23. Huh?

Who were the Dean supporters in 2000?

[ibegurpard]

25. don't you know?

We're all selfish, stupid Greens.
:eyes:

[dolstein]

28. I'm talking about the Nader voters who are now supporting Dean

NT

[bobthedrummer]

35. God bless them.

eom

[TLM]

46. Yeah how awful to have a candidate who get the greens back

while also pulling indi voters and moderates.

[dolstein]

50. Most Greens were never in the party to begin with

Check the exit polls if you don't believe me.

[GreenArrow]

60. all of the greens I know were

and would be again if the party acted in accordance with its ideals.

[chiburb]

42. Chicago/Humphrey was '68, not '72...

And I was one of those Clean Gene folks that the party tried to stifle in Grant Park.
We didn't 'manage to sieze control of the party', we were shut out of the process and beaten for trying to get into it. Humphrey was tainted by Johnson and lost. It had nothing to do with us trying to participate in our party.

[dolstein]

48. Sorry if the truth hurts

McGovern was enthusiastically supported by many of the same people who protested outside the convention that nominated Humphrey in 1968. There was no love lost between the McGovern crowd and those who backed Humphrey over Kennedy and McCarthy in '68.

Many of Dean's supporters around here voted for Nader. Not most, but not an insignificant number either. Dean of course supported Gore in 2000, and now Gore himself is supporting Dean for 2004. But that doesn't mean the hard feelings will necessarily go away. I supported Gore in 2000, and I am particularly galled at the sudden calls for unity from people who responded "fuck off" to those very same calls in 2000. Of course, unlike these people, I'm a loyal Democrat, and will end up supporting the party's nominee in 2004. But I certainly wouldn't count on all of the Gore voters to follow suit.

[thebigidea]

54. "You people voted for Hubert Humphrey! And you killed Jesus!" - HST

[AntiCoup2K4]

59. Uh, the rioting in Chicago was 1968, not 1972.

Dolstein must be reading a history book printed by Murdoch press :evilgrin:

Seriously though, we do need unity in this party. Obviously Gore's endorsement is a big plus for Dean, and I couldn't be happier about that. But I'm not calling the game over just yet. However, after Super Tuesday, it's time to give up the pretense of anyone trailing at that time having a chance. Our nominee needs a solid 6 month race against Bush and nobody but Bush with the Democratic party solidly behind him. Nobody who gives a flying fuck about this country can justify sitting this one out and letting the Rove machine dictate the terms of the campaign.

[bobthedrummer]

26. Policy-wise Dennis Kucinich represents The United States of America

he is a clear beacon of a better future than this current worst pResident, ever-and the rise of fascism here in the Homeland.

Yet Howard Dean has always been my second choice-a distant one but heartfelt second choice out of the pack.

As an independent voter I'm voting for the Democratic Party Candidate regardless. And I'm voting for Dennis Kucinich for President in the February 17th Wisconsin primary election. The future, a future, not PNAC.

In November I wouldn't have any major problem/conflict voting for Howard Dean. A Dean/Clark ticket would be strong IMO lol.

[Frederic Bastiat]

30. Time to fall in line folks!

;)

[utopiaparkway]

33. "Al Gore" endorsed by Entertainment Weekly this week. Really.

As Al Gore was endorsing Howard Dean, Entertainment Weekly was endorsing...well here's how they put it:
"If you like the previous administration, cast your chad for
AL GORE's vocal cameo on "Al Gore", an homage by Tennessee band MONKEY BOWL."
Go to www.infinitycat.com and hear what they are talking about: a new rock album that VP Gore actually appears on. And check out "Stupid Man Things", which should be Dr. Deans campaign song:
"I read the news/the president/is dropping bombs again/lock up your boys/and bolt the door/he'll send themm all to war/He's doing stupid man things..."

[kentuck]

34. United in our fight against Bush.....

Not necessarily united in our support of Dean. His endorsement says that is who he thinks we should get behind. I'm sure he will support any other Democrat that can beat Dean, but if Dean is the nominee, we need to unite in our fight against Bush.

[bobthedrummer]

39. Dean is capable of bearing the banner of unity.

The fear of a Howard Dean/Wesley Clark ticket is clearly felt by Republicans-that no longer laughable idea must be explored IMHO. Unity of opposition to *.

[Duder]

38. Al Gore is correct

Republicans want a long bitter primary and a divided Democratic party.

[janx]

40. That's their strategy. It's awfully obvious.

And it's a good part of the reason that Gore did what he did.

Edit: L'il Tucker Carlson is stating now another RW LIE that Dean wants to pull out of Iraq immediately.

[hedda_foil]

43. To Begala's credit, he corrected l'il Tucker on that smear.

And hopefully, every credible "analyst" and reporter will do so as well.

[janx]

45. Begala is the only one telling the truth about any of this, bless him.

And he's going to be a very busy man in the days to come!

Hedda, have you noticed how fiercly the RW is pushing this lie? Do you see what they're trying to do? There's a whole army of pundits doing this today.

[AntiCoup2K4]

61. But how many credible analysts and reporters are there anymore?

Certainly not on FAUX, MSRNC, or the Corporate News Network :grr:

[janx]

62. Good point. Not many. Begala's good though.

.

[Kool Kitty]

66. Please-

Tucker Carlson's head is so far up his own ass that I am surprised he can still get his bow tie on.

[GreenArrow]

58. "We must be united on this fight against Bush"

How? By endorsing the most divisive candidate? Before a single primary vote has even been cast?

[corporatewhore]

64. liberal first dem second

I posted this message on another story but think it applies
We are not here ONLY to vote out bush but also to vote for achance for peace and justice. I think that social global and economic injustice is not limited to the republican party.I was earlier this year seriously considering voting dem no matter who got the ticket just to get rid of bush but i got a reminder of why this is not a good idea. I am aon the production team of an indy tv series (just got our pilot on free speech and i was filming an interview of an iraqi woman who was over her via voices in the wilderness to get medical treatment for her son who had a hundred pieces of shapnel becuase of a us bombing her other son died at age eight. I assumed it was ghw bush but it happened in 1999 under clinton.Just like the bombings of kosovo (where hospitals and schools were bombed) Under clinton kyoto was rejected.Under clinton we also saw economic and social injustice furthered by deals like nafta and the wto.clinton wass being bought out by large corps.that is why nader ran. War and social injustice happens under democrats as well.Only two cannidates are willing to bring the troops home immeadiatly only two cannidate are willng to make a stand for the global justice movement and get out of nafta and the wto only two cannidates are willing to work for peace by cutting the bloated pentagon budjet. we need to keep in mind that we are notsimply voting someone out of office but are also voting ideas in aswell.I personally am not voting against just bush but social and economic injustice. That is my enemy and others besides bush are responsible for it.Ifkucinich or sharpton get the ticket nader wont have to run and we can avoid another 2000 andwith all of theis abb attitude i think they would win