Ann Richards is IMPRESSED by Howard Dean and his campaign

[Larkspur]

from Larry King live CNN transcript http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0308/11/lkl.00.html

<SNIP>
KING: Let's turn now to your party. Howard Dean. I think we have the tape here. Watch -- I think -- if we have it ready, this is what you said back in December on this show. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP - DECEMBER 16, 2002)

RICHARDS: The one I like of the whole bunch so far is Howard Dean, the governor...

KING: Governor of Vermont.

RICHARDS: ... of Vermont.

KING: I met him a couple weeks ago. Why do you like him of the whole bunch?

RICHARDS: Well, he's the only one saying anything. I like candidates who tell me something that is going to make a difference to me. And Howard Dean is a doctor. He knows all about medical care. And he's talking about health care in this country, which I think is important.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: What do you make of how he's doing?

RICHARDS: Well, I think Howard Dean is a phenomenon, and I've never seen in my lifetime a grass-roots organization like Howard Dean has put together. It is phenomenal. There are people meeting all over the country in little groups that are Howard Dean supporters, and it is a grass-roots effort where they're going out and getting more of their friends and more and more to join up. And a lot of it is being done on the Internet.

And I know that you saw that he had raised more money than the rest of the candidates in the last reporting period, and he's done it all on the Internet in small amounts. So I think there is something going on here that is unlike anything that we've seen before. And I think it is based solely on what I told you back in December, that this guy is talking about issues and was not afraid to take on George Bush's policies. And I think that that's it, pure and simple. Whoever wins this nomination is going to have to go after George Bush and this administration on education, health care, the environment, the war and the continuation of it, and the lack of being able to bring any normalcy to Iraq.

KING: What about the statement by Senator Lieberman that Dean can be a road to nowhere? Lieberman said Democrats don't deserve to govern if they move left and embrace the "failed solutions of the past."

RICHARDS: Well, I think Lieberman's got to say something because he obviously isn't going anywhere. And I think that the three frontrunners in this contest are presently Howard Dean, John Kerry and Dick Gephardt. Gephardt has managed to get himself in a position of being everybody's choice for number two. So depending on how these primaries go, Dick Gephardt could rise to the forefront, if some of these other frontrunners get knocked off in a primary.
<SNIP>

[Cha]

1. Go Ann Richards! Whom I've always admired since I've

known about her.

lieberman talking about the Dems moving to the left and having failed solutions?

WHAT ABOUT THE bush FAILED SOLUTIONS, lieberman????

[whirlygigspin]

34. well ask a Texan today

if they'd rather have Anne Richards or Bush

[indigo32]

2. Doesn't mince words does she

gotta love Ann Richards.

[cprise]

3. She can really speak

Richards should run again for something, like Congress.

[Zan_of_Texas]

5. I USED to adore Ann Richards.

I sat at a lunch table with her once, before she ran for and won Texas governor. She used to speak while wearing a pig nose, and talk about the corporate greedy pigs.

I don't know what happened after she lost for governor that last time, but she turned up working as a lobbyist for the tobacco companies.

Sorry, I'd beg on the street or get food stamps before I'd lobby for Big Tobacco. You lost my respect, Ann.

[Nicholas_J]

6. Why do you think she likes Howard

Birds of a feather...

Deans Monsanto and ADM connections. Lucien Breton...lot and lots of big business connections. Dean out Republicans Republicans in favoring the old Big Business.
AS a matter of fact:


Dean raises money from energy sources
February 27, 2002

By David Gram

ASSOCIATED PRESS

MONTPELIER — When Gov. Howard Dean wanted to raise money for a possible presidential bid, he followed the example of a former governor of Texas and called on his friends in the energy industry.

Nearly a fifth of the roughly $111,000 collected in its first months by Dean’s presidential political action committee, the Fund for a Healthy America, came from people with ties to Vermont’s electric utilities, according to a recent Federal Elections Commission filing.

It should be no surprise. Dean and utility executives have had a long and friendly relationship...

Dumont contended that while the campaign contributions have helped utility executives gain access to the governor, others have been cut out.

“There’s been a one-sided flow of information to the governor’s office about utility matters,” he said.

Tony Gierzynski, a political science professor at the University of Vermont and author of a book on campaign finance called “Money Rules,” said, “There’s a great imbalance in the system between those who have money and those who don’t.”

http://timesargus.nybor.com/Legislature/Story/43125.html

Dean a phenomenon...so was the Black Plague, The Chinese Cultural Revolution, and the rises of the fascists in the early 20th century.

Depends on what kind of phenomenon you mean.

[CMT]

9. you don't miss a beat do you?

Ann Richards is a classy lady who did a great job in Texas and stood up to the first George Bush and now the son. Anyone who is in politics and likes Dean must be bad, isn't that right?

By the way, if Dean is nominated I'm assuming you won't be voting for him since he is apparently the next Hitler ("the rise of fascists in the early 20th century").

[keek]

31. yes!

When they have to endorse Dean for President they will have to switch parties in order to avoid being hypocrites. They have more contempt for Dean than they do for Bush. Especially those who have to resort to making ignorant historical analogies out of anger and fear, like equating the rise of Dean to the rise of Hitler, rather than facing the facts. When will they ever catch on?? They think that they hold the "truth" about GHD, but in fact they don't realize that GHD is not like Dick, Joe, or John and that's why we like him. He says what he means and means what he says. He's a straight talker and he means it. He talks the talk and walks the walk. THAT is what is going to beat Bush in 04.

That Richards/Bush campaign was b.s. I read about it in Hatfield's book Fortunate Son. Richards out of anyone knows the Shrub's true colors. She knows what it will take to beat him. I hope she speaks out more often.


Great Grassroots Campaign of the Modern Era

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

15. Well, apparently Kerry likes Cayman Island tax schemes, Nic....

http://www.boston.com/globe/nation/packages/kerry/061903b.shtml

Until now, Kerry has never disclosed details of this tax shelter, which utilized offshore companies registered in the Cayman Islands and a "straddle" scheme of forward contracts to buy and sell commodities, apparently worth up to $238,527.


Speak publicly against Enron, act like them in private.

[CWebster]

17. Yeah, I think of that everytime he spouts off

about off-shore shelters too. Another thing we could be using NicholasJ style to kick Kerry on - if we chose to stoop constantly.

[keek]

29. like v.p.

:)

Dean/Richards
w/Clark to replace Colin Powell

[gully]

4. I was just thinking last night about a Dean/Richards ticket?!

Wow, wouldn't that be amazing. Do you think Ann would come out of retirement....??? hmmmmm...

[whirlygigspin]

7. Dean/Richards ticket

that would be fun!

winning Texas and all! hee haw

[gully]

8. Texas....my thoughts exactly.

Do you think the Bushies are expecting to lose Texas? :toast:

Hey, somebody write the Dean campaign quick!

[Nicholas_J]

32. If you listened with an undeanified ear.

Richards did not offer her opinions of Dean, nor was this an endorsement.

She was prompted into the comment by a media representative, you know, the right wing dominated media. And seh gave an answer.

This was no endosement, and as I indicated, Richards did not state whether she thought Dean would be GOOD or BAD as a president, or ven as a canidate against Bush.

[dolstein]

10. Well, Ann Richards gave Bush his big break

So I'm not sure her opinion should count for much.

[whirlygigspin]

11. Cmon shirley!

let's take the alamo!

[lastliberalintexas]

13. Umm, no

Ann's not perfect by any stretch, but don't blame her for the Bushes. She fought like hell in a campaign that was just as dirty as every other Bush Family campaign has been, and she did it with little to no national party support. But for you that translates to her GIVING him a break? Hardly.

[dolstein]

20. She was a sitting governor

and she lost to a guy who's only prior political experience was a losing race for Congress. The only think Bush had going for him was his name and money. Richards still managed to lose, unlike Lawton Chiles, who defeated brotherJeb that same year.

[Larkspur]

21. But Jeb came back the next time and has owned Florida since

Chiles may have won, but like Clinton and the health of the Democratic Party, Chiles could not rejuvenate the Dem Party in Florida and develop an heir to beat Jebby.

[dolstein]

23. Chiles stopped Jeb from becoming president

If Jeb had won that election in 1994, odds are he'd be president today and not his brother.

Sorry, the fact remains, Ann Richards, a sitting governor, lost to George Bush. You can try to shift the blame for that loss onto Clinton, or even Chiles. But, as I'm sure even Ann Richards would have to admit, "that dog won't hunt."

[lastliberalintexas]

22. Do you have any idea what politics in Texas is like?

The campaign between Richards and Shrub was a contest to see which candidate would promise to execute the most inmates, as well as who would sign the concealed carry law that the Lege passed. Richards was in favor of the death penalty, so that wasn't as bad of an issue for her as the concealed carry. But Richards was against the concealed carry law, and that ONE STAND pretty much cost her the election in Texas. She could have been running against the Air Bud dog and would have lost if he had promised to sign the concealed carry law.

And hello? This was 1994! Do you remember what happened NATIONALLY that year? And even worse than on the national scene, Texas Dems were crucified that year. The FEW who won re-election were darn lucky that they did. We lost a number of races that year, and lost a number of extremely well qualified people to the Contract on America bunch.

Richards was outspent, outmanned and outgunned (literally on the last one) by the entire Bush Family. Poppy and Barbie Bush were out campaigning for their son, and the RNC spent tons of money on that race. But keep blaming Richards personally for the loss if you wish, though I don't understand the animosity there.

on edit- BTW, I was working 50+ hours a week on a state senate campaign in Texas in 1994. Were you campaigning here as well or are you just casting blame from afar? I hate to sound so snippy, but that was an awful year for us. We ALL worked our asses off only to have them handed to us on election night.

[dolstein]

24. Face it, Ann Richards lost

You can make as many excuses as you want, but Ann Richards still lost the 1994 election, and it was that election that propelled Bush to a career in national politics. She was the sitting govenor. It was her race to lose. And lose it she did. And now DU'ers lionize her.

[lastliberalintexas]

25. Baloney

"It was her race to lose." Do you even know how she was first elected in this state? She won in 90 because her opponent was even more of an ass and idiot than Shrub. She was never truly a "popular" Governor within the state (other than with Dems), though she accomplished more to help this state than Shrub or Perry ever even tried to do. But she went into the 94 race with bad numbers, and it WAS connected to what was happening nationally, whether you want to admit it or not. Blame Clinton? Well, I didn't say that. I blamed to Contract on America people, the Christian Coalition and the NRA.

Why do you hate Richards dolstein? Just curious, since it can't just be b/c you think her loss to Shrub propelled him to national status. Do you honestly think that one of the Bush Boys would NOT be president right now if Ann Richards had only won an election back in 1994? Because that's just silly.

I am not lionizing her either- I admit she had her faults. But you truly can't blame her for the subsequent rise of the Bush Family Political Empire.

[dolstein]

28. I don't hate her -- I just don't value her political assessments

It's nothing personal, and the left-wing DU fanboys around here shouldn't take it as such. I simply think it's ludicrous to assign so much importance to the opinions of an ex-office holder -- especially someone who obviously doesn't know how to beat George Bush. I also think that the people who are suggesting that Dean pick Ann Richards as his running mate -- so that he can carry Texas -- are obviously delusional.

[lastliberalintexas]

30. I agree

Dems won't win Texas in 2004 no matter who is on the ticket. I thought that idea was silly myself, just didn't say so.

"I just don't value her political assessments"

Well, that's all you had to say in the first place, rather than trash her for the 94 campaign. NO ONE could have beat Shrub in Texas in 1994. I am not saying that Richards ran a textbook perfect campaign (although it was good). I am saying that her campaign did NOT matter- we were going repub no matter what. Blame the voters of Texas, and especially the non-voters of Texas, but not Richards for that.

And the fact that she might like someone other than your favorite doesn't mean that she should be dismissed entirely. I think ALL of the campaigns would do well to listen to the "elders" of our party, even those who've lost races in the past. I think Richards, Cuomo, Clinton, Gore, etc. could lend very valuable advice to all. After all, I think Gore's advice to them all would be to ignore the consultants! That would be very wise advice indeed. And the campaigns should take it as they will and follow it or not. But the more discourse we have on running good campaigns, the better. Notice I said discourse, not bashing.

[genius]

37. He walked all over here in that election

She didn't have a chance. It's interesting that Bush wants to run against Dean to the point that Dean will have help from Republicans. I wonder what Rove knows that the Dean people don't know.

[genius]

12. Bush defeated Ann Richards

I guess she wants company.

[molly]

14. Did she ever say she was endorsing Dean?

[Larkspur]

16. No, but when asked by Larry King

about what she thought about the Dems running for President, it was Howard Dean whom she immediately mentioned.

[molly]

18. I watched it - Larry led her into that

she never said she was endorsing him.

[Larkspur]

19. And I never said she was endorsing Dean

but that she was impressed by Dean and his campaign. Obviously, none of the other candidates came to her mind.

[Nicholas_J]

33. She was asked about Dean alone

only commented on his campaign, and never said what she thought of him as a leader, or what wether she thought he would be a good or bad president, or what she thought of his chances of beating Bush.

She was not given the opportunity or ASKED about the other candidates.

[Andromeda]

35. Ann Richards DID say a while back...

and this was on Larry King---that her favorite candidate was Howard Dean because of his views on healthcare. Can't be any more specific because I don't have the date of the interview or the transcript.

I love Ann Richards because she speaks off-the-cuff about the Bushies.

[LuminousX]

26. When will they attack Janeane Garofalo?

Anyone who supports Dean will suddenly have their 'Democratic Credentials' questioned.

I can't believe anyone would doubt Ann Richards sincere resolve to see a strong Democratic Party.

[Larkspur]

27. Yes, and Paul Newman, Martin Sheen, Aaron Sorkin,...

Barbara Streisand -- betcha Gephardt is feeling lonely now -- Susun Sarandon, Christopher Lloyd, etc..

[DannyRed]

36. One might wonder...

if Dolstein and genius blame Al Gore and Joe Lieberman for losing to GWBush.

Same logic.

So, guys, do you blame Gore and Lieberman for losing to Bush? And do you therefore suggest that both should keep their traps shut, and do you therefore discount their political advice and input?

Just asking.