Robert Kuttner – Can a tough Dean rally Democrats?

[pruner]

Dean has already achieved something revolutionary. Grasping the potential of the Internet as a tool of mobilization and money-raising, the Dean campaign has been self-confident enough to let its supporters organize their own Web activities and meet-ups even as the candidate and his campaign manager, Joe Trippi, are clearly in charge.

This trust in volunteers combined with Dean's principled opposition to Bush's foreign adventure, have energized an ever growing base willing to walk over hot coals for Dean (and open their wallets along the way). This grass-roots energy is something the party has desperately needed since George McGovern.

And that's the conundrum. Dean could certainly attract the enthusiastic votes of, say, 45 percent of the electorate -- which would guarantee radical Republican dominance for a generation.

But maybe Dean isn't another McGovern. Dean generates excitement not just because he empowered volunteers or because he was a consistent critic of the Iraq war but because he is tough. Consider: Recent losing Democratic nominees were all over the map ideologically. They ranged from center-right (Carter '80) to moderate liberal (Gore '00) to liberal (Mondale '84; Dukakis '88) to left-liberal (McGovern '72.)

But all these losers had one thing in common: gentleness. Despite intermittently brave rhetoric, not one of them came across as a fighter. Dean, of course, does, as Harry Truman and John Kennedy did. Much of this year's Democratic field comes across as wimpy in their cautious criticisms of Republican radicalism.

more

[_Jumper_]

1. No

If we nominate a candidate who seeks to raise taxes on the middle-class we will lose in a landslide.

[slinkerwink]

2. poo

[sandnsea]

3. Bluster isn't toughness

We've already seen that with Bush.

[Jim Sagle]

4. Dean's real, w's fake. Snap out of it.

[caledesi]

21. Good one, Jim! eom

[slinkerwink]

5. would shrub really want to tangle with this guy?

I think not.

[sandnsea]

7. Sure

But not this guy:

[sandnsea]

9. Or this guy

[sandnsea]

10. Or this guy

[pruner]

11. does Kerry stick out his pinky when he eats an ice cream cone?

[sandnsea]

13. Does Dean puff out his chest?

Then drop ice cream down the front of it like the dribbling goofball he is???

[slinkerwink]

15. nope, but he sure can get a crowd going

[sandnsea]

16. They're looking off to the right

Maybe Kerry was entering the room!

[burning bush]

18. Dribbling Goofball?

Come on Sandnsea, is that the best you've got?

On the other hand, it must be tough to see a guy like Kerry get tromped by a guy you describe as a dribbling goofball. How particularly sad :(

[sandnsea]

19. Yeah, it is

dribblig goofball. I'll kick your ass on policy, zingers aren't necessarily my best area.

[slinkerwink]

14. or this guy.....

[quaker bill]

24. He already tangled with that guy

and won.

[caledesi]

22. Was that the Newsweek...before SH capture? eom

[slinkerwink]

23. yep

saddam bumped him off. :-(

[Skwmom]

6. Dean's principled opposition to Bush's foreign adventure?

His position on the Iraq War was anything but principled (and anything but consistent). Can we say political oppportunist.

[frustrated_lefty]

8. I believe the political opportunist is brought up

in this other thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=926461&mesg_id=926461

[windansea]

12. oooooooooooo!

a tough guy draft dodger

that will sell real well

[lumpy]

17. Yes, Dean can rally Democrats,

but can he rally independents, greens, undecideds and disenchanted Republicans? It will take more than hard core Dems to beat the Bush.

[Mairead]

20. As usual, the only Dem with PROVEN toughness is ignored

What a sad country we've become, when people can't tell the difference between bluster and psychopathy and real toughness.

Anyone who, like Kuttner, thinks Smirk is 'tough' should sit down and shut up, because they obviously don't know what they're talking about. Psychopaths aren't 'tough', they're merely oblivious to the rights of other people.