Dean's Band of Outsiders

[mrgorth]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A51811-2003Dec10.html

snip
It is the Bush White House and the Republican Congress that set up this dynamic. By winning office with a negative 540,000-vote margin and then proceeding to govern in the most relentlessly partisan fashion from the right, the president has made unmistakably clear that the concerns of Democrats are of no interest to him. On Capitol Hill, meanwhile, the Republican leadership relies solely on Republican votes to get its measures passed, going so far as to exclude mainstream Democrats from conference committees. When America's new laws are to be negotiated, Republicans talk only to themselves.

Disastrously, it's been the Democrats in Congress who've been the slowest to pick up on their new marginality. Some of the Democrats who voted to authorize the Iraq war in October 2002 did so -- or say they did so -- in hopes of prodding Bush to embrace a more multilateral approach toward Iraq.

more
The secret of Dean's success has been twofold. Alone among the serious Democratic candidates he understood that the party was shirking its obligation to oppose -- indeed, that the grass roots was furious at the failure of its leaders to realize this.
snip

[rucky]

1. Another Kucinich snub

dean's stance wasn't the only one...it just caught on the best. At that point in time, Kucinich was just as "serious" a contender as Dean.

Otherwise a good analysis.

[TrueAmerican]

2. The success of Dean is

their are 9 Democratic candidates. Dean has sold himself as anti-war, (even thou he supported taking Sadaam out). So once some of the candidates finally drop out, Dean 15 percent becomes minor as the other candidates start consolidating their base.

[pruner]

3. do you ever stop talking shit?

nary a fact to back up your posts.

:eyes:

[TrueAmerican]

5. Facts?

I said 9 candidates split the votes. Once the candidates start dropping out the other candidates will start picking up votes. Where else are they going to go?

[ryharrin]

12. You imply that the idea that

other candidates willl pick up more votes than Dean will is a fact. That's not a fact at all. I'd even say that its wrong because Dean is the second choice of most dems in Iowa and NH.

[Larkspur]

4. Dean never said he was a pacifiist. He's anti-Iraq War III because

Bush failed to prove his case that Saddam was an imminent threat to the US.

[Hep]

7. We'll have to see

People look silly trying to predict the future.

[Dr.Phool]

6. Furious

I've been pissed at my own party ever since the last election. Especially at Daschle and Gephardt for enabling these pricks for so long. We've been marginalized, and our own DLC and DNC have helped them do it. Daschle was even supporting that insane energy bill!

Howard Dean is right. We have to take back our country and our party.:kick:

[calimary]

8. I give blessings to Kucinich, but I'm guessing that the anger out there

swept against him, too, ONLY because he may be perceived (among those who like to lump bunches of people in together and not consider individuals that closely - don't flame me, I'm NOT suggesting that's the case here!) as part of the "problem."

The problem, according to many Dems, progressives and liberals, and even moderates, is what was mentioned earlier in this thread: The PERCEPTION that the Dems in Congress just rolled over and enabled everything and didn't fight back. Yes, I realize Kucinich WAS NOT among them. He fought back. But for some reason(s), his voice went mostly unheard. So probably, for many folks, he was PERCEIVED as just being another one of those Congresscritters or Senators who meekly went along hoping to encourage some give-and-take with the opposition. What we all wish they'd done was to be more like Kucinich, and dig in their heels and say NO WAY! And remain FIRMLY in relentless opposition, denying bush the perceived mandate that he never won, to begin with.

Thus, our anger at being sold out from the get-go. I think Dennis is, unfortunately, just being lumped in with that, because he does carry the label "Congressman." Bless his heart. Of the Capitol Hill types, he'd be the first to get my vote because all the others, Kerry, Gephardt, Edwards, Lieberman, all of them went along with it all, caved to it all, appeased and enabled all over the map, and believed the lies, hoping they weren't being sold down the river. None of them listened to their gut, assuming they had any. And now they're moaning and groaning about how they were fooled (and okay, if WE all knew what was up and how bogus the bill-of-goods was that the republi-CONS were trying to gang-bang us with, WHY THE HELL DIDN'T THESE GUYS?!?!?!).

I think that's why Dean appeals so well. I think it's probably just Dennis's misfortune to be in the wrong venue at the wrong time, even though he stayed true, unlike the rest of those sorry saps.

Just my two cents on a somewhat bleak day (personally speaking).

[slinkerwink]

9. it's a good post though----why is this a bleak day for you?

[calimary]

10. Aw hell. Mom's in the hospital and I just had a book project cancelled.

Just feeling puny today...

Oh yes. And that SCHMUCK is still in office.

Thanks for asking...

[Dr.Phool]

11. Kucinich

I moved from Cleveland to Florida last year, and Dennis was my congressman. I've voted for him in every election he's run in from City Council, to Mayor, and the house. I've spoken with him several times over the years and think he's a great congressman, and he should stay there. I told him that Sat. night at the convention.

Deans da man!:kick:

[redqueen]

13. For the country's and the world's sake

Thank God not everyone agrees with you!

Go Kooch!