Fellow Dean supporters: Let's encourage the 'Stop Dean Movement'

[Padraig18]

Unlike many of you, I see this thing as a potentially positive development for our campaign. Take a deep breath, and think this one through logically...

In order to stop Gov. Dean, the supporters of the other 8 candidates must come together AND they must agree to support only one candidate, obviously--- one; how long do you think it will take once the supporters of 7 of the 8 candidates realize that it will not be their candidate everyone is going to 'get behind'. Once that happens, the entire 'movement' will collapse into a cannibalistic frenzy, IMO.

Take a chill pill, folks. If it happens, it happens, and it COULD be the best thing to ever happen to our campaign.

:hi:

[Salviati]

1. But the real question is will it help get Bush out of the white house?

I don't see it helping get bush out, neither do I see the ABD effort helping towards that goal.

[Padraig18]

3. I'm not sure.

What better way to stop the other candidates than to effectively turn them on each other? That way, they quit attacking Dean and waste their few remaining resources attacking other 2nd through 9th place candidates, instead of Gov. Dean. :shrug:

Given the egos of some of the candidates involved, I'd almost guarantee the scenario I outline as a 'sure thing'.

[AWD]

5. You just figured it all out, Sifl......

...the Stop Dean and ABD movements are PRECISELY about keeping Bush in for 4 more years.

Just because DU is my second home doesn't mean that everyone here is in the family.

[WhosNext]

33. Wrong

It's about avoiding disaster.


Don't believe me? Just wait.

[prolesunited]

25. Stop making sense

Not allowed in GD :-D

[Duder]

2. A better idea...

Bet on Dean.

You'll make a fortune at DU from those supporters that are a little slow on the uptake. ;)

[Demobrat]

4. This is what cracks me up about the whole "stop Dean" thing.

When Gep, Kerry and Edwards get together to nail him on medicare, or their operatives run attack ads, for who's benefit are they working? Have they even decided who they will get behind once they've eliminated the major threat? Or are they all thinking that they will be the one who benefits? Do they figure they'll stop Dean and then turn on each other? Or what?

[Padraig18]

9. bingo!

IF they would coalesce--- an unlikely turn of events, despite the ranting about it here at DU--- can you imagine any two of those three casually standing aside with a casual "No, we insist that YOU run, _____!"? You haven't even SEEN viciousness until those three get the scent of 'possible front runner, if we can knock off Dean' in their nostrils. The knives would be well-honed and out ion a flash, and it would make the attacks on Gov. Dean look like a third-grade playground tussle. :P

[w13rd0]

20. But don't you get it?

America LOVES politicians who make shady backroom deals. Especially Republicans. They just LOVE Bush, and he makes more shady backroom deals than anyone could ever hope for. See, this is what says something to me.

Many of us DUers were SCREAMING to Congress, sending them letters, calling their offices, saying DO NOT TRUST BUSH! HIS LIPS ARE MOVING! HE IS LYING! Most of them completely blew us off. Or worse yet, they joined with Republicans in marginalizing and ridiculing us. The American people already have no strong love of politics or politicians. But the Deam campaign seemed to have listened, and they were transformed because of it. Our voices CAN and SHOULD have an impact. None of us, even the habitual candidate bashers (well, most of them anyway), could EVER become as shrill and hateful as, say, a Dan Coulter or Rush.

That's why the GOP is desperate to cast opposition to Bush as "angry ne'er do-wells that oppose Bush's positive agenda" or so the ad says. We're angry, but we're also hopeful. Unlike Bush, who seems to want Americans to give in to fear and paranoia, we want people to see the future with a sense of hope. Even the religious right should not be so confident or eager for a second coming that they let themselves vote against the interests of their children.

We struggle against fear and division.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

6. Gerald McEntee might want to know what's up with this

among others.

[drfemoe]

8. who's that?

eom

[JohnKleeb]

10. Head of the AFSCME

They endorsed Dean.

[w13rd0]

7. No...

...they don't really have to get behind one candidate. And they never would. Their main objective is to attack Dean, and to their credit, they've done that regardless their own candidates, their positions, ethics or attention to fact. And as a result, the Dean campaign is demonstrating that they can meet and exceed expectations and goals, and blunt and counter attacks, while still generating energy, new supporters, and hope. Just how they actually intend to generate support for their candidate (be it a competitor for the Democratic nomination, or Bush, as is likely the case many times), remains a mystery it seems.

[Padraig18]

12. They *won't* get behind one candidate.

That's my point. They'll become even more vicious against each other than they will against dean, once they see that it is not *his* numbers that are dropping, but their own, while some of their 'allies' gain a bit.

Bread and circuses, folks...

[JohnKleeb]

11. Sorry dude

but I am for stopping Bush not Dean.

[Padraig18]

15. So am I, John.

Nice to see that you are far-sighted enough to remember that that, not stopping Gov. Dean, remains the ultimate point of the exercise.

hi:

[JohnKleeb]

17. doy

My objective is monkey face. Will you join stop the crap :D?, anyhow :shrug: seems to be a warzone as always :eyes:, I got some books :D.

[Padraig18]

19. Maybe my humor doesn't translate very well in print.

It's a satire, John, pointing out how ridiculous the whole thing is. Hehehe... :P

[JohnKleeb]

21. I know

:)
Satire is the best weapon, well humor too but last I heard those two went hand and hand. What a f***** warzone I see today.

[Padraig18]

22. Isn't it pathetic?

You can almost smell the desperation and fear. As for me, f*** 'em-- I ain't afraid of no 'pubs! :P

[JohnKleeb]

23. Its just so petty

F***** bull****, sigh some people will never learn.

[Padraig18]

24. Ain't THAT the truth?!?!?!?!?

:shrug:

[drfemoe]

28. John

you can check their information and plan, which is to throw off all the other candidates to give support to Gep in IA. I don't think Kucinich or his people would like that idea much. It is a front organization for some Clark people. You KNOW how much we need a military 'strategist' in the white house, doncha? Just so this kind of thing IS America, land of the FREE, home of the BRAVE .. as long as no one knows who's really pulling the strings . I lost my ideology a LONG time ago. sign me . Cynic ..

[JohnKleeb]

34. warzone is a methapor

What are you talking about? :shrug:
I dont know whats going on. Sorry.

[drfemoe]

35. okay

I wasn't referring to 'warzone' in your post, but I can see how I didn't make myself clear. soz

[JohnKleeb]

42. Yeah its ok though

[jmaier]

13. Is there a "stop Dean" movement"

out in the real world or is this just more candidate bashing nonsense taking place within these increasingly hostile threads? It appears to me that the candidates themselves who are doing direct bashing are doing so within the normal confines of a nomination campaign.

Basically, I think many folks in DU are simply going a little nuts about this whole process. Perhaps we have many newbies to politics or the "hate Bush/Cheney" energy is being temporarily channeled into the Democratic race.

Whatever it is, what happens here, and for that matter, in the larger blogosphere needs to be taken with a grain of salt.

[Padraig18]

18. No, there isn't.

At least nothing on the grandiose scale some DU-ers spout; of course, every other candidate is trying to stop Gov. Dean, but AFAIK there exists no funded, organized or credible 'movement' with that goal in kind. It's a DU ego-trip only, IMO.:P

[drfemoe]

31. actually there is

and it's name is >> http://www.progressivevalues.com/default.asp?ID=2 .. this is the reference material suggested to the new members of ABD aka Clark 'movement'. So far we've just seen them have 'movements' all over themselves ;) ..

[Cocoa]

14. this scheming is very complicated

my mind can only handle simple concepts like figuring out which candidate I like, and voting for that one. :shrug:

[Padraig18]

16. Just keep that simple mind going, Cocoa.

It would be nice if everyone else would do just what you're doing, instead of fantasizing about their candidate leading a 'movement' that is destined to fail... :)

[edzontar]

26. The "Stop Dean Movement" has been revealed as a hoax...

The person who started the thread was a GWU college supporter of Clark.

Very bad tactic, if you want my opinion.

We should not encourage it.

Rather, we should fight such divisive tactics when they apear here or anywhere else.

At some point, we are going to have to rally around a common standard bearer.

This seems to have been forgotten across a surprizingly broad spectrum here.

[Padraig18]

27. Psssttt, don't tell anyone, but...

... it's a satire. ;)

[edzontar]

30. A satire of what?

Not very effective, if it was.

[Padraig18]

32. I thought it was pretty obvious.

Tough crowd, I guess. Some nights are like that. :shrug:

[edzontar]

36. Which "it" do you mean?

The support message abive, or the original Stop Dean Movement post?

I'm confused--am i missing something?

[Padraig18]

37. 'It' = the original post = a satire.

:hi:

[edzontar]

39. You mean "RageAgainstTheirMachine" was "kidding"?

Then why did he put a sob story up on the Lounge about his last post, then lobby to get the stupid thread opened again, and then keep on stoking the fire of disruption?

Seems like the tactics of a disruptor to me...

Unless by "original post" you mean YOUR pst at the top of this thread--which I GOT as satire, OK?

[Padraig18]

40. I misunderstood.

I thought you meant my post. :hi:

[webkev]

29. Dean is a good man..

it is wrong to bash him..
so many say that Dean has no chance with Bush..

but it's true that if we can't even convince these Dean supporters , how can we persuade America

please knock it off

[Padraig18]

38. Kick

:dem:

[Padraig18]

41. The first meeting of the 'Anybody but Dean' movement: a one-act play

(In a conference room in the Ruan Hotel in Des Moines, Iowa, the weekend after Christmas)

Mr. McAulife:

Lady and gentlemen, welcome to this meeting. Howard Dean represents the greatest threat to the Democratic Party in my lifetime, and I've heard he eats kittens, too. That said, I propose we break into informal working groups to discuss a stategy to derail the Dean campaign.

I will reconvene this formal session in one hour, and hear from you what you have all come up with...

Group 1--- Al Sharpton, Dennis Kucinich and Carol Mosely-Braun:

AS: Dennis, you're a great guy, but I'm polling higher than you are in virtually every race, and I might even win SC; frankly, I'd like for you to withdraw and endorse my campaign.

DK: Well, Al, as you know I don't believe in any poll conducted by the corporate media, so I question those numbers, frankly. I am the most traditionally liberal candidate in this race, and if I drop out, where will the millions of left and ultra-left Democrats and Greens go? I'm not dropping out.

CMB: Well, as the only woman in the race...

DK and AS, in unison: Shut up, Carol!

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the room....

Group 2--- Dick Gephart, Wesley Clark and John Kerry:

DG: Wes, John, I've come to some conclusions about this race, so please, hear me out. As you both know, I'm within striking distance of Howard here in Iowa, and a win here could give my campaign momentum...

WC: Iowa doesn't concern me, Dick. Let's talk about NH.

JK: I want to talk about Iowa AND NH, even though I'm trailing in both states. Still, I'm the best-qualified candidate to be President.

DG and WC, in unison: *snicker*

DG, clearing throat: As I was saying before Wes interrupted me, my campaign clearly has a shot at winning Iowa, and the momentum of a win here would make me the 'Anti-Dean' almost overnight. That's why think you should both drop out now, and back me.

WC: My head-to-head numbers versus that idiot AWOL frat boy in the White House leave you looking at my ass, Dick, so stuff your suggestion that I drop out up your wazoo!

JK: What he said, except about the poll numbers.

WC and DG, in unison: Shut up, John!

Elsewhere in the room...

Group 3--- John Edwards and Joe Lieberman:

JL: So, did you know I am the legally-elected Vice President of the United States?

JE: *yawn* What?

JL: I'm on the right side of this whole war issue, John--- the poll numbers show the American people still think it's the right thing to do.

JE: Well, those poll numbers don't mean anything in the South, which is where I'll win this thing.

JL: But Wes Clark is leading you in most Southern states, and Howard Dean leads you in several others. What are you smoking?

JE: Shut up, Joe!

Later, when McAuliffe reconvenes the summit:

TM: Where did everybody go? Why is all this furniture broken? Is that blood splattered on the wall? Is that a KNIFE over by the window? Holy crap, what happened to the unity?

Leaves conference room, scratching his head....

THE END.

:crazy:

[Padraig18]

43. Kick