Dean's Phony Meltdown:

[Hep]

http://www.tompaine.com/feature2.cfm/ID/9815

The so-called Dean "meltdown," the claims that his campaign is finished, and his forced contrition are all symptoms of how debased the political dialogue has become.

It's true that Dean yelled at his Monday night rally in Iowa. And so what? Basically, at a pep rally, he yelled like a football coach. This is described as being "unpresidential." But says who? Besides, what's the definition of 'presidential?' Isn't giving insulting nicknames to world leaders unpresidential? Isn't sending hundreds of American soldiers to die for uncertain and misrepresented ends in Iraq unpresidential—or worth considering as such? Isn't having an incredibly poor grasp of essential world facts and an aversion to detail and active decision making unpresidential?

As far as I can tell, the worst Howard Dean has done is to try to be himself. (And, when criticized for that, to show some willingness to alter his demeanor.) But neither of those is good enough for a media that smells a good story—allegedly about personality, much more interesting than issues.

We saw and see nearly every news outlet playing the footage of the rally again and again. We see headlines in the less-cautious papers about Dean "imploding," and gleeful spin from Republican strategists that Dean is "finished."



-more-

[boxster]

1. Presidential is what the voters think is presidential.

That is the part of this that continues to be ignored by people who blow this off as a minor event.

We could all agree that it means nothing, but that interpretation is meaningless in itself, because what we think has little to do with how this event will be interpreted by the voters.

Honestly, I think Dean's camp should be more concerned about the fact that they lost Iowa by 20% and that Dean is dropping fast in NH. If he truly wants to turn this thing around, he has very little time.

[Hep]

2. Wrong, presidential is what the pundits think is presidential.

And the people go by what the media says. And when one makes silly claims like, "that's not presidential" they only serve to support a media that has NO concern for objectivity.

Frankly, no one knows what presidential is. One thing we do know, is that not acting presidential didn't hurt Bush.

[boxster]

16. Wow, are they the only ones who vote?

So, let me get this straight. Some Dean supporters yell at people on DU because we're not giving the American people enough credit. They feel that people are smart and can understand that Dean represents the change that is needed.

But, you're saying that they're all sheep and that they'll listen to whatever the media says.

Well, if they're all sheep, Bush will win anyway, right? He has the money, he has the media, he has the sheep.

Why bother?

(In case you don't "get" it, this is sarcasm.)

[Hep]

18. Again, you aren't getting me

A whole lot of people are sheep. Enough people to swing an election. But ALL people can be made to see what's being done to them.

And thanks for pointing out the sarcasm. I love the episode when Homer does that.

Marge: "Can't you just take pride in the fact that something you created is making people happy?"
Homer (dancing around like a fairy): "Ohh, I’m making people happy! I’m the magical man, from happyland, in a gumdrop house on lollipop lane!"



Homer: "In case you can’t tell, I’m being sarcastic!"

[Namvet04]

21. I have been for Dean but do not think he will be here for me

I have read on here over and over that Rove wanted Dean. So who did in Dean? I do not understand how he could fall so fast and Kerry of all of them come up so fast. I would have thought one of the others like Clark.

When it is my states time, it is looking like Dean will not be around and he seem such a new type of leader. I have seen nothing on here that makes me even understand a little.

I think it will be in NH Kerry, edwards Dean, Joe, Clarke after the vote. Laugh at me or pat me on the back.

Let me here who I should shift my vote to and why. I liked Edwards but he looked real weak up against them in the debate.

[Hep]

3. Wrong, presidential is what the pundits think is presidential.

And the people go by what the media says. And when one makes silly claims like, "that's not presidential" they only serve to support a media that has NO concern for objectivity.

Frankly, no one knows what presidential is. One thing we do know, is that not acting presidential didn't hurt Bush.

[VLC98]

4. I, for one, agree with you.

However, as a resident alien, I am unable to vote. I admire Howard Dean, but I will support the winning candidate, whomever it may be, with bumper stickers, yard signs etc.

[piece sine]

5. The GOP wants Dean!

They do NOT want Kerry/Edwards. I have a neighbor who work at the White House. Chatted with her while she walked her golden retreiver a few nights ago. She was annoyed the Democratic candidatre now might NOT be Dean. They figured he's the easiest to pick-off in the general election. She's fairly high-up in West Wing and doesn't know I'm a DUer. She knows I'm a gay lefty lawyer but loves to blab with with me.

Now before you say, "Owww...how could you even talk to her?" Let me say that intelligence-gathering requires it.

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

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

[mistertrickster]

8. Then "explain me this," why did the RW run an attack ad that only

targetted Dean and his "volvo driving, latte drinking, ear pierced" supporters? Because they were really HOPING Dr. Angry would get elected?

I don't think so. Go back and ask your neighbor that . . .

[Hep]

10. They don't get it. They are the RW's dupes, and they're proud of it

n/t

[Cassandra]

14. Of course, you're talking about the brilliant people who...

expected the grateful Iraqis to greet us with flowers and kisses. We should take into account that these idiots have poor judgment.

[RetroLounge]

19. So the right wing is dictating your actions?

:boring:

[Capn Sunshine]

6. Saw the same treatment of Gore post-election

remember they tried ( and succeeded) to portary Gore as "non presidential" and a "Sore loser" Whining" and all the rest.

Folks ate it up like it was hot brownies with fresh vanila ice cream.

Rather likethey are now. Particularly when they couch their replies in pre-spun media jargon used for two days now.

What organization edited and distributed the "speech highlights" to every single radio and TV morning show in the nation that next day?

That's the sort of thing I wonder as the pro Kerry pundits take their copy from Roveco delivery service...

[Cha]

9. Oh! Hep! Thanks for this article from

Tom Paine!

It's so true! I had People in our co-op today that I hadn't seen for awhile and the first thing they said to me was .."they are being so mean to Dean" "all he was doing was cheering up the troops".

They said all they could think of was me and how I was taking this. And they couldn't even watch it was so bad!

So this is from non-political People who can see right through the media.

I said they were "Wellstoning" Dean! And they said .."Yeah!"

[Hep]

11. It's going to come back to bite them

write LTTE's, email everyone. Don't let the media get away with this stunt. We MUST fight back. Let the others play the media's game. We can beat this!

[killbotfactory]

12. YEEEEEEEEEARGHgate is so phony

It's more laughable than anything.

[Hep]

13. I would agree that it is laughable, except

it's evidence that my side of the fence is not ready to fight, and that infuriates me.

[Forosuul]

15. I loved Dean's non-concession speech

And why don't we al be honest, that is what really pisses off the pundits and the status quo candidates, the fact that it was a non-concession speech. The fact that rather than be humbled and humiliated, all Iowa did was fire him ( and us!) up even more. The attacks now are just sign of more desperation from insiders like Kerry, Edwards, and it pains me to say it, Kucinich. They thought they could take him down with one shot, but all they did was make him, and The Movement, stronger than ever.

wOOt!

[Hep]

17. It upsets them that they can't figure him out or predict what he'll do.

n/t

[Soulman]

20. So....?

So when Dean yells, rants and raves...and it's ok?

So do we support the rantings and ravings of celebrities that have no political experience, but because they throw in emotion we somehow feel connect with them? No matter how damaging their misguided political views are?

Yes...we shoudln't listen to the media as the absolute truth, but do you only disagree with the media because you feel they are bias? What happens why they may be right? Do you blind yourself to a truth that might cause you to be a detrimental piece of our society?

[union_maid]

22. I wouldn't care about yelling, ranting or raving

Foaming at the mouth would be over the top, but short of that, everyone has his or her moments, and presidential candidates have overcome more than that. What is more substantive and more important in the long run is the fact that he did very poorly in Iowa and the man who came in first was also a New Englander. He didn't lose to a local favorite, but rather to someone from his region. That's something to consider. That doesn't bode well for Dean in any southern or heartland states in the general election. That's a fact that probably won't be lost on voters in the coming primaries. I think that the real, serious damage was coming in third to Kerry and Edwards, not how he chose to rally the troops afterward.