Dean stumps for Davis in California

[Rose Siding]

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Presidential candidate Howard Dean Saturday urged Californians to vote against the effort to oust Gov. Gray Davis, calling it part of a plan by right-wing Republicans to subvert democracy.

"I think this is the fourth attempt to undermine democracy in this country by the right wing of the Republican Party since the 2000 elections," said Dean.

Other examples, he said, were the refusal by the "conservative-dominated United States Supreme Court" to order a recount of the votes in Florida during the 2000 presidential election and separate GOP-led redistricting efforts in Colorado and Texas that could result in a loss of seats currently held by Democrats.

"I believe the right wing of the Republican Party is deliberately undermining the democratic underpinnings of this country," Dean told a news conference.
more..............

http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/09/06/dean.davis/

Give 'em hell Howard!

[wtmusic]

1. Yeah except 30% of Democrats support the recall

I wouldn't say it's quite that partisan.

Anyone have a Bustamante avatar?

[poskonig]

5. We will make it partisan.

By linking the recall to GOP powergrabs, voters may re-examine the recall.

The idea is not to follow the numbers, but to change them.

[wtmusic]

7. The numbers are there for a reason

and the recall is a blessing in disguise.

[liberalnurse]

13. No way......

It's a crime against democracy. Davis did not commit any high crimes or misdemeanors.....He was legally and duly elected by the people. That should be sacred.

The recall is another avenue to takeover and change the outcome of an election. If they win this scam they will continue at every opportunity!

Bustemanti know this. I sense he entered the race as a backup thought. His intentions were reactive and counter productive. All should be a united front.

Vote No on the recall....period. It is about our future. We will pay a high price if Davis does not stay in.....

I always hear folks complaining that our Congress dem's don't stand up and fight. Well, this is our fight, just not everyone realizies it.

[wtmusic]

25. Crime against democracy?

Davis' handling of the budget crisis is the crime. My kids have TWICE as many kids in each class this year because of firings and budget cuts.

How much do you know about the recall? Davis started out with a $4 billion budget surplus and now we have a $38 billion budget deficit, a deficit that is greater than ALL OTHER STATES COMBINED. He lied going into the election last year about the severity of the deficit to boot. If that isn't a misdemeanor it should be.

I don't agree with people who claim it's all his fault; but few doubt he was asleep at the wheel during the 2000-2001 energy crisis which is a major source of our problems today (CA has the highest energy rates in the nation). He has zero ideas and zero leadership, and narrowly beat a thoroughly uninspired candidate to win last November.

Bustamante deserves to be governor and Davis deserves to be dumped.

VOTE YES on the recall, YES on Bustamante!

[Democat]

31. Any Democrat supporting Yes on the recall need to think again

You are buying into the right wing propaganda.

[Democat]

30. More than 30% of Democrats support Bush in many polls, do you?

Does that prove Bush is a great president?

Use your brain, the right wing media in California is the reason there is any non-right wing support for the recall at all.

Your posts on this issue read like a right wing propaganda handbook.

[wtmusic]

34. Now I understand

Criticizing any Democrat in office makes me Republican. Is that how it works in your world?

You've got that 'right-wing' soundbite label all sewn up--use YOUR brain and open your eyes.

[jeter]

2. Yes. Screw Davis. Support Bustamante

The Cruzinator is the man.

[wtmusic]

3. Have you seen Feinstein's 'Support Davis' video?

http://www.no-recall.com/

The same party-line safe reasoning that made her war support spiel so compelling.

[CMT]

18. Why she keeps saying she will only vote for Davis

and ignore the second ballot is baffling. Dianne, it is there--you can't will the second ballot away by pretending it isn't. You should be telling people to say No on the recall and Yes on Cruz.

[liberalnurse]

21. The way I understand it is....

By just voting No to the recall, and davis gets 51%....he keeps his job. And he should and must. He was elected.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

23. This is a tricky decision from some people

There are 2 camps on this one, among many Dems:

Vote No on Question 1 (Recall) and DON'T VOTE on the second question. This is Feinstein's position, I believe. It's based on the idea that propping up another Democrat like Cruz encourages people to vote Yes on the Recall, and gives the idea that we think it's okay for someone other than Davis to be governor. In my opinion, this is the more stubborn position, but I can understand it at some level.

The other position is:

Vote No on Recall and Vote Bustamante on the second question. Even Bustamante is at least publicly endorsing this position. This is the more pragmatic approach, again in my opinion, and is based on the idea that there is a realistic chance that Davis could be recalled, and we don't want to be stuck with a Repub in his place.

[liberalnurse]

14. The only ones getting screwed will be the people

if they vote anything more than just No to the recall.
The recall may be techincally legal but it is unethical. A crime against the people by selfish, greed and controlling thugs.

[w4rma]

4. Gov. Dean is on the ball!

:bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce:

[Egnever]

6. Give 'em hell Howard!

Yet again howard is up there telling the truth about the GOP

This guy just rocks

[virtualobserver]

20. yes, he is saying what democrats should have been saying......

from day one every day since that election was stolen.

or we could follow the brave leadership of John Kerry....

"Stop crying in your teacups," he told an audience in response to outcries about the stolen election of 2000. "Get over it!"

I'm guessing he won't mind if they steal another election.


There in a nutshell is one of the defining differences between Howard Dean and John Kerry.

[Pavlovs DiOgie]

8. Once again

Dean is the leader on an important issue. He has shown that he doesn't wait for others to take a stand, and then calculate its result. He stands up for what he believes in, what he thinks is right, and isn't afraid to LEAD.

Damn proud to be a Deanie today.

[gristy]

9. I think this is terrific - Dean is accusing the Repubs of engaging

in a pattern of subversion:

"I think this is the fourth attempt to undermine democracy in this country by the right wing of the Republican Party since the 2000 elections," said Dean.

He also said something similar on Sept. 4, as reported in this Dallas News article:

"This is a wholesale attack on American democracy," said one of the presidential hopefuls, former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, as he met with seven runaway state senators at their hotel in Albuquerque, N.M. "It's happening in three or four states, and it may happen in more."

This is a terrific idea. It would be absolutely great if more Democrats took up this message and restated it and reinforced it. This is a perfect example of what the Dems usually do NOT do very well - they don't coordinate their message.

But Dean is showing how it's done. He's hit the message at least twice over 3 days. Hopefully he'll hit it some more. I think this message can be very powerful if it gets appropriately amplified.

[Cha]

11. At Least "the fourth attempt" and the repukes are busy "grabbing

everything they can Now" while the somnolent masses are trying to find a job or working two jobs to pay a mortgage, send their kids to college, pay property taxes, and just pay their bills!

I'm thrilled Dean is out there in California speaking out against the recall. :kick:

[RevolutionStartsNow]

10. Best part of his statement

"Asked whether he believed the White House was involved in the effort to unseat Davis, Dean said, "Absolutely. I think Karl Rove and George Bush have their hand in this."

Right on! Go Dean!

<I get to see him tomorrow at a fundraiser in San Jose, with a few hundred other folks....hooray!>

[Cha]

12. Ohhhh! Have fun in San Jose, Amerika!

That should be a real exciting day! Can't wait to hear about it! :-)

[RevolutionStartsNow]

16. I will give a full report after

Should be great fun.

[Cha]

19. I was hoping for that!

:kick:

[CMT]

15. this is leadership

I know our other candidates in the race also oppose the recall--I hope they will also speak on behalf of Davis.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

17. Davis is hoping so, too

He was asked if he would reciprocate and endorse Dean, and he said "one election at a time" and that he would endorse someone later. I'm sure he's hoping for the rest of the candidates to show up in support. I heard that Edwards already did stand up with him. I hope the others do too.

[Larkspur]

22. What is the opinion of the CA Dean Meetup folks on the Recall?

And are you doing anything about it?

Just curious.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

24. At least in my local group

We are all about No on Recall, Yes on Bustamante. Can't say everyone feels the same, but this appears to be the majority position. (See my post above about the 2 positions).

We aren't using the Dean Meetup itself to work on Recall issues, but many of the same people are working in both areas.

We are working on getting out the vote, and there is also a separate Meetup for Recall. I expect there to be a lot more activity as it gets closer, such as phone calling, etc.

[wtmusic]

26. This thing is quickly doing a 180

'Pubbies are realizing they might have made a major mistake. Their worst nightmare would be to have a dynamic minority candidate like Bustamante take charge and get the state on track before the election next year.

The state still has a solid Dem majority. Whether or not the recall passes--if Dems show up at the polls Republicans are in trouble, and they know it.

A Republican anti-recall thread I posted earlier:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=288636

Also see post #25 above.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

27. Yeah, isn't that cool?

If the recall wins, Cruz is likely to be the replacements, and Issa's gang will have succeeded only in replacing an unpopular Democratic Governor with a (at least temporarily) popular one!

And if the recall is defeated, this will be seen as a major waste of money for an already bleeding state. Which sucks, and will hurt the Repubs in California for a long time.

[wtmusic]

28. The 'waste of money' thing has been blown

out of proportion. The recall will cost about $60 million. California loses about $30 million per day in interest on the fucking money it has to borrow to stay afloat.

Cruz is smart and respected and hopefully will not only turn the state around but put another nail in Shrub's coffin. The important thing now is to get out the vote at all costs and keep Ahnold out of the movie!

[Democat]

32. Why are you arguing against Democratic positions?

Every post you make on this issue is slamming Davis or making excuses for the Republicans costing taxpayers 60 million dollars.

If you don't think $60 million is a lot of money, then why do you complain in your other posts about class sizes and other things?

Your support of the recall is ridiculous and you seem to have bought into every right wing talking point they've put out on Davis.

[wtmusic]

35. Why do you not read my posts?

The interest on the California's debt makes $60 million look like peanuts.

Next time you label my support 'ridiculous' maybe you could come up with just ONE reason why you think so.

If you believe criticizing any Democrat makes me a 'right-winger' then you are a victim of your own preconceptions. Won't participate in that.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

29. White House response

Just heard on CNN, a "White House spokesman dismisses Dean's charges as baseless, saying 'this is for the voters of California to decide."

Heh. :)

Go Dean!

[tedoll78]

33. Good!

The White House has seen that Dean is important enough to respond to. Excellent, Dr Dean! If I weren't collecting unemployment benefits, I'd be sending you even more money!

[CMT]

36. I don't think Rove and company

really know what to make of the Dean Phenomenon. At first it seemed like they wanted him as the nominee but i'm not so sure anymore. They have to be a little skittish about the new people Dean brings in and the campaigns quick response and orgnization.