By going after Bush in TX, Dean is showing how it is done

[ProfessorPlum]

Even if you don't agree with all of his policies and positions, you have to admit that Dean is showing Democrats everywhere how to beat these guys. He is going after Bush on his own territory. Quixotic? Crazy? Perhaps. But he is showing that he believes that Bush is beatable. By this action Dean shows how the Bush junta is all built on a house of cards - we just need the scales to start falling from people's eyes.

There has to be a lot of very dis-satisfied Texans right now. Bush left Texas as bankrupt as he is trying to leave the US. And Dean is playing to beat Bush. He isn't just sitting back and waiting for things to happen and hoping that people will understand where he is coming from. He is taking the game to Bush, aggressively, pushing back against this evil junta.

Even if this guy doesn't win, I hope politicians of every kind in the Democratic party study him and what he is doing. He is not acting like Bush is a lock. He is treating him with the lack of deference that he so richly deserves.

I wish I had a dollar for everytime I or someone else thought "I wish the Democrats could post a candidate who would point out the incredible hypocrisy and horrible policy making of the Republicans. A candidate who will fight for all of us against this mob." Dean is that candidate. He is not snowed by the media's coverup of this evil cabal. He is not willing to let them define the terms of the debate. And he is not willing for the rest of us to just pretend that everything is all right.

So many people are just quietly playing the charade of pretending that this moron and his leash-holders aren't the most dangerous bunch of imperialistic war-profiteers ever to darken the White House door. Don't we want to beat them? Don't we want to win? This guy is showing us the way. The other candidates have go to adopt his tactics against Bush if they want to really defeat Bush, not just get more votes, but defeat the very idea of Bush.

Remember when Mike Dukakis said that what he learned from his defeat by Bush I was that you need to "fight back quickly" when they smear you? Dean learned that lesson. Has anyone else?

This guy is finally a fighter the likes of which we haven't seen in many years. We have to win, we have to beat these guys before we can implement our policies.

Even if you disagree with Dean's policies, I urge you to ask your favorite candidate to study Dean regarding Bush. To not be "deferential" with Bush. To realize that the Bush family and its minions really do act like a mob family, and control people in the same way. The only way to respond to such contemptible behavior is with contempt.

[AngryYoungMan]

1. I agree with every word...

You said it!

The "cherry on top" of the Dean campaign is the fact that he's flouting the DLC (and pissing them off) AND he's the front runner! I wasn't expecting anyone to do that; it's miraculous. I had resigned myself to a DLC candidate.

Yes, I know he used to be involved with them...but now he's got Lieberman shooting his mouth off (and his foot off).

[ProfessorPlum]

2. don't even get me started

on that *%$&*@ Lieberman. What a complete sellout. What a quisling. What an idiot. What a traitor to everything Democratic. I couldn't believe what I read in his transcript with Wolf Blitzer. Uggh. He's even worse than I thought.

[AngryYoungMan]

5. Right...

Do you think he's their "sacrificial lamb" at this point? Like Terry MacAllufe (or whatever; I don't respect the person enough the check the spelling) had a conversation like this:

"We have to do something about Dean."

"Like what? Look at his numbers! What can we do?"

"Denounce him."

"That's silly; it will make us look bad."

"Have Joe do it. At this point he's got nothing to lose; he won't mind being a spear-carrier. Promise him a convention speech or something."

"Okay."

[ProfessorPlum]

7. I don't know what their strategy is

I think everyone knows Joe is going down soon, probably early this fall, so as you said he has nothing to lose.

I just couldn't believe that interview. Instead of revealing the lack of legitimacy this administration has (he is the vice president in exile right now, after all) he was waxing eloquent about how he wouldn't validate Dean or his position. I'm . . . trying . . . hard not to turn this into a "bash Lieberman" thread, but the fist of death is hard to . . . restrain . . .

[shance]

31. Operation Bold and Beeyuteeful

Dean is a candidate like the Democrats have never had before, save Harry Truman. He doesnt just go for the gold, he goes for PLATINUM.

He plays the Republicans at their own game. Best defense is a BETTER offense.

This is why we need more leaders like him.

Governor Dean has dictated this race from Day uno. If thats not presidential, I dont know what is.

Other candidates because of their own inability to build on what they have get mad and attempt to direct their anger to the best thing this party has GOING.

Dean is the BEST CANDIDATE THIS DEMOCRATIC PARTY HAS SEEN IN DECADES.

And with regards to the DUer, especially those who have been prone to criticize and find fault with Dean versus looking at what he is offering, can those of you not recognize that he has the qualities WE HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR HERE WITHIN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY FOR YEARS?

You ask for what you want and then you criticize when you get it?

[ProfessorPlum]

32. Yeah, that's the dynamic I don't get either

I've been hoping for a candidate like this for such a long time, and it is surprising to see so many Democrats put off by his fighting attitude. I guess that many Dems really do like candidates that don't get people stirred up as much. Weird.

[Cha]

39. Well, I'm one of those who want a fightin' Dem! And I got one!

Those who are put off Dean's "manner" are in my view not mad enough about what the buswa is doing to our Country! :kick:

[blm]

45. Nice of him to wait til he was running for president.

I'm sure the Democrats in Vermont are glad that he saved all his energy and fighting spirit for his own campaign and to make you happy.

[ProfessorPlum]

50. come on blm

that's shit. Why don't you add something positive to the conversation for once? Are you really not glad that Dean is hitting out at Bush? That he is calling people's attention to the dangerous things that are happening in this country? Jesus you are tiring sometimes.

[w4rma]

35. Ex-DLC Bigwig (and part-owner of TNR mag) caught donating $ to Bush*

TAPPED
Continuous commentary from The American Prospect Online.

July 31, 2003

WHEN YOU'VE LOST THE NEW REPUBLIC . . . Tapped's new favorite thing is the Federal Election Commission database where you can type in anyone's name and see if he or she has donated money to political candidates or parties. (Tapped's old favorite thing was The Washington Post's home buyer database, where you could learn how much your neighbors spent for their apartments.)…Michael Steinhardt, former Democratc Leadership Council stalwart and part-owner of The New Republic, gave $2,000 to Bush-Cheney '04 Inc. on June 20, 2003.

Now, we know that there's often little direct relationship between a magazine owner's politics and the views of its writers, but it is a notable thing when one of the more prominent New Democrats around starts financing the continuation of the Bush administration.
http://www.prospect.org/weblog/archives/2003/07/index.html#001288
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=127299&mesg_id=127299

[gristy]

3. Austin is a very liberal town

Only 8 cities in the U.S. have more Dean Meetup members. Democrats all over Texas are extremely motivated, what with the brohahas in the Texas House (dems escape to OK) and Senate (dems escape to NM).

[quispquake]

4. This is the reason...

...I finally am fully backing Dr. Dean...as Bartcop said, one hell of a poker move!!! This was a GREAT idea from the Dean camp!!!

pp23

[ProfessorPlum]

30. Welcome aboard

excellent choice.

[cjbuchanan]

6. Whoever wins the nomination must have the fight in her/him.

You are correct. With this action, Dean shows that he is going to fight for this everywhere. Let's hope other Dems adopt his methods.

[Wwagsthedog]

8. Target?

Yes, Dean's rhetoric shows that he is using bush and bush administration policy gaffes to demonstrate republican party shortcomings and to demonstrate why he, Dean, has a better plan for how to run the USA to actually benefit the people. My humble opinion is, however, that Dean's real target is more immediate than his attacks on the bushies. Dean wants name recognition in two of our biggest states so that when next year's Democratic primaries are run he will be one of the favorites to capture all those delegates to the Democratic National Convention. His discourse this week in Texas and last week in California demonstrates that objective.

[ProfessorPlum]

11. Dean has to survive the nominating process

of course everything at this point is focused on that. His campaigning tactics are excellent. Unfortunately he has to do better than his rivals in his own party before he can really focus completely on Bush. But look at the signs that he is ready and able to do so - that he wants to be the leader of the people who have seen through the Emporer's new clothes. Whoever inherits the mantle for the Democrats will have an electorate in which some more people will realize that the Emporer is naked, thanks to what Dean is doing now.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

9. Why is it smart to take out ads in Texas?

Why is it smart to take out ads in Texas? I can see why you might say it is quixotic, but the brilliance escapes me. Forgive me if I missed your explanation but I just don't get it. Why is is a great idea at this point in the campaign to take out ads in Texas? Will that help Dean win the nomination? How? If the idea is simply to expose the hypocrisy of the Bush cabal, why not a national ad buy? Wouldn't that be more effective?

[gristy]

10. a texas ad buy is much cheaper

In fact, it's about all he can afford. And he still gets national exposure w.r.t. what he's doing in Texas. It's all about bang for the buck. And he gets points for taking the fight right to * on his own turf.

[w13rd0]

13. Wow...

...and that's sensible use of our money. Good golly, we could sure use someone in the White House that understands sensible, practical and efficient use of our money. It's my position that people wouldn't bitch nearly as much about taxes if they thought that money was spent wisely, and they saw the impact on their communities...

[ProfessorPlum]

14. I agree with this

national ads are obscenely expensive. But just the act of targeting Texas weakens Bush's hold there. How many candidates would give up on Texas as "Bush Country" and work on ads elsewhere?

Dean is showing that not only does he know that there are lots of people disaffected with Bush in Texas, he expects that to be the case, because these are the people who have had to live with him as executive the longest. It is a slam on Bush and his record.

How does it help Dean? Well, it gets me writing about his excellent campaign tactics on this board, for one thing. The guy is a fighter - I love that about him.

[MercutioATC]

52. Gristy is right...

By taking the fight to Texas (one of the dreaded "unwinnable" states) there are two possible outcomes:

1) Texas really is unwinnable, but people see a Democrat who's not afraid to tilt the occasional windmill to have his ideas heard.

2) Enough Texans realize that they're losing every time Bush makes a policy decision that they start to consider alternatives. "Don't mess with Texas" indeed. Look folks, Bush is screwing you in Texas just as badly as he is the rest of us....

Either way, it's only $100k to get that message across...I think it's a smart move.

[lastliberalintexas]

20. Number of reasons

Most importantly, Dean wants to increase his name recognition down here since our primary is held early enough (Super Tuesday) that our votes actually matter- and it'l be the only time next year that Dem votes matter in Texas. Our delegate votes will actually help determine the candidate, unlike many of the other (more liberal in general election) states. And other campaigns take note- Dean is the only one paying attention to us. And he's the only Dem who has paid attention to us in a loooong time. That has added greatly to his appeal down here.

Also, Texas Dems are extremely energized, and Dean's support is growing rather quickly down here. And it's only going to get worse when people in Texas start to actually feel the effects of the budget our Lege just passed. We had only about 30% voter turnout in 2002. If the election were held today, we'd probably be close to 40-45% turnout. No, I don't have polls to support my theory- it's just a feeling in this state, what with all that is going on in connection with the re-re-districting fiasco.

And the Texas media market is relatively cheap when compared to LA or NYC/Tristates area. And it's seen as another slap at Shrub since he's "home" on vacation. All in all, it was a pretty shrewd move on Dean's part.

[markus]

25. Outflanking Bush *and* the DLC

The Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party has written off the south for over a decade. Going into Texas (or any Super Tuesday state) in a highly visible way is a great way to "flank" JoeL. and the DLC by demonstrating his attractiveness to "southern voters". (Sorry, Texans, that that's the way they'll spin it. I don't consider myself a Southerner for a N'wawlinian, but try explaining that to people).

In addition, it allows him to play the "front runner" by going after Bush very aggresively on his own territory.

And then there's the very bored media pool just sitting around in Crawfold.

Knowing there's a pummped MeetUp base in TX, and lot of Dems probably being energized by the redistrict battle, this may be one of the boldest and smartest moves a Presidential candidate has made in a while.

[cjbuchanan]

28. Austin also has some money

Austin is very liberal yet has some money people here. By running an ad here he is tapping into these resources.

Also, he is getting a lot of free press because of this. Local newspapers coast to coast are talking about this. That alone is worth $100,000.

Now, can he use this to improve his campaign. In the past he has, but one mistake could really hurt.

[corgigrrl]

38. dean in the strategy of texas

The Texas ads are smart because they generate way more FREE media -- media you don't pay for but get none the less. I saw the Texas ad on Larry King Live. Lots of people saw it on FOX. Do you know how much it would cost to RUN the ad on those network/time slots? That is free media. We will get many more people to see the Dean ad in the publicity ABOUT the ad than the Texans who will see it. That is good chess playing.

And the campaign knew that when they did it, and it's brilliant. It's leveraging every last cent of our Dean donations to the nth power, and I appauld them.

[SGrande]

12. I think its a "quaint" tactic for someone with lots of money

But i would be putting staff in almost every state instead ...

[ProfessorPlum]

16. Thanks for your advice

I'm sure Dean doesn't need it. :) (he's got lots of volunteers in every state - that helps a bit)

[gristy]

18. He HAS staff in every state!

It's called MEETUP! The Meetup folks here in Minneapolis are extremely organized and active. The monthly meetup meetings at a local restaurant are anything but a social. Starts with campaign updates (national and local), and in July we wrote letters to Iowa voters.

[Pavlovs DiOgie]

19. Why pay to put staff right now in every state...

...when he's got loads of volunteers in every state getting his name out there? Current meetup numbers (which I expect to jolt up today because of the Texas ad and his spot on Larry King Live tonight) are at 72,124. Additionally, he has 255,173 people signed up through his website to receive emails and information.

[Pavlovs DiOgie]

21. Why should he pay to have staff in every state now...

...when he's got loads of volunteers in every state getting his name out there? Current meetup numbers (which I expect to jolt up today because of the Texas ad and his spot on Larry King Live tonight) are at 72,124. In the last 5 hours, 1,000 people have signed up. Additionally, he has 255,173 people signed up through his website to receive emails and information.

[gristy]

22. oops -dupe

[tsipple]

15. Dean Also Bought New Hampshire/Boston Air Time

And Dean was the first on television in Iowa, from what I've read. So he's using a lot of early television, and it looks like a great strategy.

[ProfessorPlum]

17. exposure has got to be his biggest problem right now

I had the pleasure of hearing him talk - he gave a stump speech about 5 feet away from me. It was awesome. Like a breath of fresh air. It's just a matter of getting that fresh air to more people, letting them know that not everyone is fooled by W., giving them hope that they haven't fallen down the rabbit hole after all. . .

[TioDiego]

23. No one has ever won a fight

by pulling a punch. I don't think Dean is into pulling punches. The more I see him, the more I think I will vote for him.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

37. That's great

Read about his policies and his record, if you haven't already, and I think you will like him even more.

And welcome to DU!

[Cha]

40. Welcome Aboard DU, TioDiego!

:toast:

[LuminousX]

24. Early Ad Buys

Means his ads are being seen and heard before everyone elses which means they aren't lost in the crowd. People aren't in the habit of tuning them out. His ad buy in Texas highlights three critical things, Bush is vacationing while so many Americans are out of work, Bush is vacationing while American soldiers die in Iraq, and Bush is vulnerable, even in his home territory.

Dean is going to get national press coverage for just this one ad. Talk about bang for the buck. National news will have to mention that Dean is taking out ads in Texas while Bush is on vacation, because it is an interesting thing that is happening in Texas while Bush is on vacation.

By they way, Bush is on vacation.

[gristy]

27. LOL!

Got it! Bush is on vacation!

[w13rd0]

29. But I thought...

...Bush was going to keep working until everyone that wanted to work could find work. Guess he doesn't want to work. Is he on vacation? What a putz...

Kudos to Dean for smacking the Crawford Crack Cowboy around...

[ProfessorPlum]

26. I should post a link to the story

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-2981306,00.html

[blm]

33. No...he's just running faster now because he needed the head start.

Kerry will swing the hammer when people are more focused and paying attention, just as he planned for his campaign.

Kucinich doesn't have to get rabid to make his sincerely felt points on the issues.

[ProfessorPlum]

34. I'm tired of waiting for Kerry to bring the heat

I'm glad he opposes Bush, but it's time for him to get crankin'. He needs to make the media hos sit up and take notice. There's more than enough to critize * on from now until the election. If Kerry is really the mad genius/strategizer you all claim, I want him to bring it on! Especially if it helps to discredit Bush.

[blm]

36. He has been discrediting Bush for 2 years

and doing so effectively in ways that are substantive (even Carville said so). He's doing his formal announcement in Sept. and will run full force then. Sorry you're more intrigued by hot rhetoric from someone who doesn't have the populist record to back it up and NEVER fought the GOP before this year.

[Cha]

41. Kerry voted for the attack on Iraq and the Patriot Act.

A Big Turn Off!

[blm]

43. He voted for a resolution that wasn't too different

from the resolution with the Biden-Lugar amendment that Dean supported. But Deanies are in denial about that fact.

There is also NO way that Dean would not have voted for the Patriot Act. Not ONE thing in his style of governaing as a compromising centrist points to that. In fact, his own words last year point to his support of Bush on the curtailing of some civil rights. So please don't use that red herring to fish for suckers.

[ProfessorPlum]

44. He didn't say he would support curtailing civil liberties

he said he wouldn't be surprised if we had to have a dialog about our civil liberties, in light of the attacks. In the end, we didn't have a dialog, we just lost a bunch of civil liberties. I've not heard Dean say whether he thinks that is a good idea or not.

[blm]

47. Look at MTP in July 2002.

He said he "tended to agree with the president" on that.

I'm SURE you believe that a compromising centrist would NOT have voted for the Patriot Act when Kennedy, Wellstone, and Byrd did. Sell it to the gullible. Dean's record speaks for itself with his heavy on law enforcement hand.

[ProfessorPlum]

49. OK but not tonight

it's getting close to beddy-bye time.

And I don't know what he would have done if he were a senator. I surely don't know what was their heads when they voted for it. Somehow Feingold managed to keep his head (and his honor).

[ProfessorPlum]

42. I think Kerry would make a good president

haven't we been over all this already? But we need to get people fired up about getting rid of Smirky. People need to actively choose to get rid of the guy, not just passively let the election come and go without really thinking about it. Kerry needs to break into the media in a big way and get people talking about him AND the need to replace Bush. I WANT him to do it. That would be an enormous seachange for this country. With two excellent candidates getting people emotionally and intellectually involved in really defining our problems and our solutions. Kerry needs to break through the media wall around him and reach out to the people. I'm waiting here on the other side of the wall for him. Come on, Kerry!

[corgigrrl]

46. Kerry may swing the hammer but ...

what if there is no one there to listen?

As a dedicated political junkie I will surely support Kerry should he get the nod, but may I note:

1) MeetUp is free, you just need to show up. Kerry has yet to break five figures. Dean may break six figures by year's end. We're talking 73,000+ to maybe 9,000? Where is the grassroots energy here?

2) I love Byrd and Wellstone (RIP) and Kennedy and Pelosi and Boxer and Feingold and and Schumer and Clinton and i have to go way way way way down this list before I even figure out one outspoken thing Kerry has done his whole lazy time in the senate. When was he there for us?

3) The helmet issue has now really become big with me. I have a cousin who is permanently brain-damaged by riding a motorcycle without a helmet. Seems Sen. Kerry is more concerned with how his hair looks than if anyone emulates his foolish "no helmet" riding, on bikes or motorcycles.

4) on line petitions??? Oh, yeah, welcome to the club Sen. Kerry, a-hem, why weren't you using on-line petitions against Bush long ago from your Senate site?

Vanity, vanity, all is vanity.

[blm]

48. Meet ups are great for Dean...he needs them.

I'd rather have Gephardt's and Kerry's numbers on the union support and so would Dean. Meet up folks are just doing what unions and advocacy groups have done for years. Welcome to political activism, but, don't be fooled into thinking the internet invented it.

[sfecap]

51. Union endorsements are not worth much....

I'm a union member. I wouldn't vote for Gephart, period.

The Teamsters have endorsed Nixon, Reagan, Bush and Bush*. That ought to tell you something. Hoffa is as trustworthy as Joe Lieberman.

Many, many union members voted for * in 2000. Most of my fellow members did. Why? The gun issue. Rove convinced them that Gore was gonna take their guns away. (He won't be spinning that about Dean, incidentally...).

Union members are their own worst enemy sometimes.

Gephart won't get the nomination, I'm afraid. He is having difficulty raising cash. The endorsements he gets will probably not help him much.

Unfortunately unions don't wield the political power they once did.

BTW...in a new DesMoines Register poll today, Dean is polling higher than Gep and Kerry among union households...

From the Des Moines Register Poll:

(snip)

Many Democrats are still undecided. The Iowa Poll shows one-fifth of likely caucus participants are either uncommitted or unsure about which candidate to support.

Even so, other poll findings suggest that Dean's lead over Gephardt and the other Democratic contenders has a firm foundation:

* Dean's support is fairly broad-based. Among likely caucus participants he is the first choice of 36 percent of those with incomes topping $70,000, 28 percent of those with college degrees, 28 percent of those between the ages of 45 and 64, 28 percent of those from small cities, and 28 percent of men.

* In competing with Gephardt and others for the support of the labor vote, a key Democratic constituency, Dean is the first choice of 29 percent of likely caucus participants from households with a union member. Gephardt, who received pivotal support from labor groups in 1988, is supported by 24 percent from union households. Kerry's share is 11 percent.

* Dean is generally well regarded. Among those who are familiar enough with him to have an opinion, 38 percent rate their feelings toward him as very favorable. That compares with 33 percent who view Kerry very favorably, 29 percent for Gephardt and 14 percent for Lieberman.

(snip)


http://www.dmregister.com/news/stories/c4789004/21906001.html

[Andromeda]

53. You are so right...

Dean is the gutsiest candidate to come along in quite a while and I don't think of him as being left-wing or right-wing, or even centrist. He is just RIGHT on the issues and speaks to us in language we can understand!

You can't put a label on Dean because he's not traditional in any sense of the word. He says what is on his mind and in his heart and doesn't put spin on everything he says like some politicians do.

He's a common sense candidate and so far I agree with him on everything he has said.

Some people think he is too out-spoken but I consider that a plus. He doesn't pussy foot around and tells it like it is. Some people find his honesty disarming and I consider it refreshing.

We'll see how he does in 2004 and if his candidacy still gains momentum. I hope it does because I believe Howard Dean is the candidate to beat Bush, in spite of what the "experts" say because I think the Washington insiders and the DLC are dead wrong on their assessment of Dean.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

54. well said

Though I don't agree with everything Dean says, I agree that he is incredibly gutsy and clear.

So far he's proving a lot of people wrong...