Pros of a Dean nomination

[IronLionZion]

What are the good things about a Dean nomination?

1. Proof that a grass roots campaign can work in this country.

2. Our good senators and congressmen in this race will stay in Congress to fight the right and for what is right - Progressives will come back with a vengeance.

3. An end (hopefully) to the infighting among Democrats and a proud progressive unity.

4. Dean will tell Bush where to shove his tax cuts and Halliburton deals.

5. An extremely clear difference between the Democratic candidate and the Republican candidate to cut down on confusion among moderate voters.

Please add to this list or comment but don't flame me!
:toast:

[arewethereyet]

1. I like number 1

you asked not to be flamed. I'm done.

[burning bush]

30. OH MY GAWD, Its Made Of PEOPLE!

[tsipple]

2. Funding

Dean is the only Democratic candidate who will be able to fight the Bush TV ad blitz of 2004. He's able to do that because his supporters voted to opt-out of the federal spending caps and because they have contributed (and continue to contribute) the necessary resources to his campaign.

Dean supporters can also spread the wealth downticket. Ask Congressman Leonard Boswell of Iowa, for example. He received an additional $50,000 in online campaign contributions just because Governor Dean asked his supporters to help him out -- no strings attached. That'll help win back Congress and gain seats in both the House and Senate.

[IronLionZion]

4. Kerry opted out too

I really think that once someone wins the nomination this thing will really get started. Any grassroots action will snowball into the millions and the millions $ will come pouring in.

[cthrumatrix]

3. I like the break-up of the propaganda media networks (faux/ge) that he

talked about...I'm so sick of the daily lies, BS and spin we get.

[IronLionZion]

8. chant the following:

Deregulation of mass communication is the end of democracy!

[Cha]

5. I really like # 1 and # 4....

And We The People will have a say in our Government and it won't be owned by corporations.

[IronLionZion]

7. Damn straight!

Even if you despise Dean, you have to admire his campaign. Who the hell gets ordinary people to leave their jobs and work for free day and night to help his campaign. Dean!

[mzmolly]

6. 6. Dean has an excellent record on Education/Childrens issues.

:toast:

[dorktv]

9. That he is provably fiscally responsible is a good thing.

[Torrey Pines]

10. I think a major voter registration effort

will be crucial next year. I suspect that if he gets the nomination Dean may be able to attract some voters who have not been participating in the past.

[IronLionZion]

11. That's exactly how we are going to win this election!

regardless of who our candidate is, we need to rally and expand the base.

[retyred]

12. Slapping hand

anti-dean response....

[dorktv]

13. That is not true...we could almost nominate ANYONE and

beat Bush...Dean just has the pizazz, smarts, coolness, and great record to beat Bush to bits with.

[retyred]

29. Yes it is

You just don't know it!

[demgrrrl2004]

14. Dean won't beat Bush

We as a party have got to start being smarter. A candidate comes along that speaks to our emotions and we jump on board. Dean will not beat Bush because he has NO foreign policy experience. If you think Republicans will make this a domestic issues race, you're wrong. It's going to be about national security and terrorism and who is best equiped to fight it. Republicans are on a roll. The latest poll shows 60% approve of the war in Iraq. Now that Sadaam has been captured-watch out! The only candidate that can possible beat Bush is one that has a record of fighting successful wars, negotiating treaties, and rebuilding governments. The ONLY candidate that has experience in all of those categories is General Wesley Clark. I mean, come on! Isn't Clark the Democrats dream candidate? An anti-war four star GENERAL! It's amazing-we are given a winning candidate and we ignore him. We go for the one candidate that has the WORST chance of beating Bush. And on the point of grassroots leadership-George W. Bush already has 6 million "grassroots" leaders signed up. Grassroots doesn't matter when you have a candidate that people don't trust to protect their security. Remember, it's not just Democrats voting for the president. We have to attract independent and moderate Republicans if we want to win this election. It's different times. In 2000, we didn't have to talk so much about national security. Now, it's all we can talk about because it's on everyone's mind.

[Kolesar]

15. Yeah, but--Bush's foreign policy is a disaster!

Bush is going to try to run on his foreign policy "experience", but if we can get the message out that he has failed, he will only win most of the southern and intermountain states and lose next November. We have 10-1/2 months to do it.

edit: I hate to tell you this , but Wes Clark has not won one election in his entire life. That is not my definition of a "dream candidate".

[dorktv]

21. Dean has never lost a race.

[IronLionZion]

24. And Bob Graham has never lost either

Dream team?

[dorktv]

25. I would say yeah.

[mzmolly]

17. Puhleeze. Clark is a ONE issue candidate with no domestic

experience what so ever.

Dean is the total package and has one hell of a group of Foreign Policy advisors.

Additionally, he never voted for Nixon, praised Bush, and/or wrote speeches for Al Hague. WOO HOO!

I for one am sick of wars and generals. :hi:

And this is a thread about Dean, feel free to start one about Clark if you choose. Though I realize there isn't much to say...

[IronLionZion]

18. where there's a will there's a way

I like Clark too. But anyone can beat Bush. If you even consider losing then you have lost. Do not succumb to Rove's propaganda. Bush is very beatable.

I say rally the base and bring in new voters.
Some say go for the moderates.
Others say Bush's lies should be rammed down his throat.

Either way we can not only beat Bush, we can slay the neo-con dragon once and for all.

Any candidate running has the power to take our country back because that power does not come from Bush and his cronies, that power comes from the people of this fine country.

YOU have the power to take our country back.

[edzontar]

23. Yawn--the ONLY candidate?

If Clark shows he can beat Dean in the primaries, then you will have convinced me, and he will earn my avid support.

[mzmolly]

26. Oops

dup

[Scott Lee]

28. Guess who's attracting your "moderate repubs"? DEAN is.

You also need to do a little research on the term "grassroots". See, it includes a trust that you are so concerned about our candidate having. The fact of the matter is, that Dean - as the frontrunner with the most support, the most money and the most inspiring and dynamic campaign, is the best choice to run against the Bush-hole.

Does it make sense to put someone else in that position, someone behind Dean in all those areas?

I didn't think so.

[newyawker99]

31. Hi demgrrrl2004!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[TexasSissy]

32. Voters won't punch a chad for someone who's going to raise

their taxes.

[zulchzulu]

16. My answers to your "pros"

1. Proof that a grass roots campaign can work in this country.

Grassroots campaigns have worked in this country before. Look at the McGovern campaign in 1972 and the Eugene McCarthy campaign in 1968, both which had strong anti-war messages. You may notice there was never a President McGovern or President McCarthy.

Dean's grassroots camapaign deserves a hats off, but you will probably notice that a lot of Dean supporters would not vote for any other candidates if Dean doesn't get the nod. What good is that?

2. Our good senators and congressmen in this race will stay in Congress to fight the right and for what is right - Progressives will come back with a vengeance.

In case you haven't heard, Dean is not a progressive. How he can even be seen in the same company as real progressives is a joke.

3. An end (hopefully) to the infighting among Democrats and a proud progressive unity.

Dean has caused the infighting within the party by attacking the other candidates and calling them "Bush-Lite". He hijacked the Wellstone phrase to say he represented the "democratic wing of the Democratic party" even though he never worked with Wellstone (unlike Kerry) or would agree with many of Wellstone's policies.

4. Dean will tell Bush where to shove his tax cuts and Halliburton deals.

That's right, Dean will tell the voters the fatal policy that he's going to raise their taxes including the middle class. As for Dean and Halliburton, there are contributors to his campaign from that company. Dean can't use the "Enron schtick" either because of his back-room deals he had with Enron while governor of Vermont.

5. An extremely clear difference between the Democratic candidate and the Republican candidate to cut down on confusion among moderate voters.

I thought Dean was going to be more of a "centrist" by the time time he retracts every policy that he gave the golden carrot to his followers so far? Dean fans say he's more of a conservative than many think and that somehow that makes him a good candidate.

How is that a "clear difference"?

[IronLionZion]

22. Dean is the anti-Bush attack dog

1. grass roots will have to win the general election too
2. that's opinion, I find his platform progressive AND a good mix of left and right. Universal health care is left, as are unions. Balanced budget is right, as is the right to bear arms.
3. in the end of your post you are essentially calling him "Bush lite"
4. he's got a plan to simplify the tax system and make it fairer
5. You've gotta be shitting me! Dean will not go and invade countries and piss off our allies and thoroughly embarass this great nation.

This was supposed to be a positive thread.

I would gladly vote for Kerry or Clark or whoever ultimately goes against Bush.

[AP]

19. I'm not sure I agree with you 100% on your police work, there, Lou

1) Dean may appeal to grass roots, but do you think the average middle-american who doesn't surf the internet is going to latch on to his style?

2) Anyone of the congressmen and senators running would make fantastic presidents and it would be worth losing them in Congress to gain them in the WH

3) I'd rather deal with the infighting and win the presidency, then foresake the infighting and get saddled with a nominee who can't win.

4) Dean is very business friendly, and there's no guessing whether he'll draw the line closer to his campaign rhetoric or closer to somethin the REpublicans can live with (as he did when he was governor).

5) I think Dean creates the haziest line between Dems and Republcans. Have you seen his ideas about taxes and about spending federal money? Have you read his biography?

[dorktv]

27. I read his autobiography...Dude needs more free time.

the book on by the Vermont reporters has helped immensely though.

[stickdog]

20. Demonstrate the way to mobilize regular Americans against Corpocrats.

Restore faith in the power of citizen activism.

Prove that millions of little guys can fund a campaign just as well as a handful of corporate bigwigs.

Move the US's left/right goalposts out of far right field nearer the actual center.

Stop out of control government growth and looting.

Universal healthcare.