What's up with Howard Dean?

[ModerateMiddle]

saying that he won't say how he'd vote on the appropriation of funds for Iraq because he didn't create this mess? Isn't his plan to be the one to do something about it? Doesn't he have to make a stand?

Or does he prefer to merely snipe at those whose records aren't sealed up in Vermont?

[CMT]

1. give a link

I doubt he said he wouldn't know how to vote on the appropriations because he didn't create the mess. He may of said he would have to study it. By the way, what has Kerry said?

[ModerateMiddle]

3. Kerry's replies have been in nearly every paper

because of the interview he gave about the issue to the AP.

Kerry was sharply critical of Bush for his handling of the war in Iraq and had questions about his request for $87 billion for Iraq and Afghanistan.

The senator said he would not vote for the president's $87 billion request without some assurance that the president will seek help from other nations.

"I am unwilling to just rubber stamp $87 billion if they're not going to do what they need to do to try to put America in a stronger position," he said. He called for more foreign troops and the use of oil revenues to reimburse the reconstruction cost.

"What happened to the oil revenue that supposedly the president told us was going to pay for the cost?" he said. "Mr. President, where is the oil revenue?"

Here's one link:

http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-kerry-interview,0,4043052.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

I didn't see any print/net link for Dean's comments. I've just heard it repeated over and over on the news.

[CMT]

5. thanks for the explanation and link for Kerry

now please do the same for Dean since if he said what you report he did it would certainly be reported as big news and people like Kerry would be jumping all over it. also it appears that Kerry is saying basically the same thing as Dean that he couldn't say how he would vote on it until he saw the bill and follow-up with other nations by Bush.

[sfecap]

11. Wasn't that Kerry's excuse for his war vote?

He wouldn't vote for it, unless bush gave him some asurances...then he voted for the IWR.

Is he going to believe bush again?

Good question re the oil money, though...

[E_Zapata]

31. He would have to study it?

He wouldn't answer the question in the interview that was secured after he released a scathing statement on the bush speech asking for the money.

there is no way to let Dean off the hook for not answering this. He was informed enough to trash bush about asking for the money.

My thought: he would vote FOR the appropriation of money and did not want to say say on national TV. tsk tsk

[cjbuchanan]

2. Where did he say that?

Can you provide a link?

I heard him on one of the morning shows on Monday say that he would want to see the bill before he would vote for it, is that what you are talking about?

Again, please provide a link.

[ModerateMiddle]

4. Transcripts take too long.

The CNN guy who covers Capitol Hill said it. No direct quote. But he said that Dean asiduously avoided the question.

[madfloridian]

8. It should not be too long to get the truth out.

If you are presenting he said this, then you need to present a link or summary, not just that the guy on CNN said he said it or avoided it.

Have you been to Dean's site to check? Last I heard he is for getting the UN in there, and getting other countries to fund part..and that we have give up some power there.

[sfecap]

9. No direct quote.

But we believe EVERYTHING that a CNN reporter says, right?

If Dean said those words, I'd imagine there would be direct quotes all over the media.

[cjbuchanan]

19. You are attributing someone's opinion to Dean

That is not fair. Please provide a quote that Dean said if you are going to make this argument.

Let's all try to play nice around here.

[jos]

6. I read somewhere

that he said he would vote for the Afghanistan portion, but not the Iraq portion. Which makes sense to me because the former was justified while the latter was not.

[ModerateMiddle]

10. and what does Gov Dean suggest

we do in Iraq now? Does he think that going to the UN is going to suddenly free up 130,000 American troops, and that Iraq will have all of their facilities back?

I've heard him rant and rave about Bush asking for the $$, but I've not heard how he expects to fix the problems he will inherit.

[madfloridian]

14. Before you start this, you should research.

See my post below with a link to Dean's statement.

[ModerateMiddle]

16. Actually I did research

because I was floored by his comment that he didn't do it, and why should he have to figure out how to fix it.

ALL I could find is how mad he is that Bush is demanding this money to help fund Iraq. That is not a policy.

[AP]

13. Carpet bombing Afghanistan was justified, but Iraq wasn't?

I think they're both based on the same quality of "justification".

[Larkspur]

7. On one of the morning shows yesterday, Dean said...

that he'd have to look at the details of the proposed $87 billion budget before agreeing with it or not. That answer fits his pragmatic MO.

[madfloridian]

12. From his website:

http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=8856&news_iv_ctrl=1421

[ModerateMiddle]

15. Nice rhetoric

and attacks for having gone to Iraq. The fact remains that we are THERE and what does he propose to do about it?

[madfloridian]

17. Right now that is Kerry's job to figure it out!

Dean is not president nor senator nor can he vote. Kerry can. What does he propose to do about it?

Did you read the rhetoric? Or are you, as I suspect, just being ugly.

[VermontDem2004]

18. His post war plan was on his website

immediately after May 1st, someone posted it on here but you would really have to search the Archives to find it because it was posted in May.

[Mass_Liberal]

28. This is mean-spirited crap

take a look at Dean's website. I don't think you did research this. I don't understand why we democrats can't just like our candidates without tearing everyone else's candidate apart. I've never gone after Kerry. Kerry is a good guy, and he's done a lot. Dean has said this before. But Dean is also a good guy with strong ideas. I would have thought these truths would be evident to all dems by now. So stop trying to smear Dean.


The original message really leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Yech

[ModerateMiddle]

20. All right - I looked and looked

and can't find a link. I surf alot through news stuff and I remember distinctly hearing this twice. Once from Jonathan Carl, and once in a clip from California where he was questioned while leaving the scene after standing up for Gray Davis.

I don't remember which shows they were, and I can't find a link. But whoever said it is right. If Dean said this, it will be reported widely. I guess I'll have to wait.

But I know I heard it.

[madfloridian]

23. You *heard* that he said it, right? GOP, sit back, we self-destruct!

This is getting out of control on this board. Skinner when I asked said it was ok and healthy.

It does not feel healthy to me, and it has become a joke among some Republican friends who read these forums.

They are thoroughly enjoying our party picking each other apart, then they don't have to do it.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

21. What's up with Dean

poll numbers, Meetup numbers, contributions, media coverage, supporters at his rallies...that's what's up with Dean!

Also, some people hopping up and down in Seattle.

And I believe he said he doesn't know how he'd vote because he hasn't yet seen the details.

[liberalmuse]

22. This sh*t...

truly will divide the Democratic party. I'm to the point now where I'm so disgusted with Kerry supporters that I am considering not voting if he gets the nomination. What is the difference between spreading these types of half-truths and outright lies and what the Repubs did to Gore? There isn't a difference at all. I'm fed up. What you do reflects on your candidate, and right now, Kerry isn't looking so good. But you go ahead. Keep thinking you are doing some good, all the while dividing the Democratic party by using the same tactics Repubs/freepers use.

[Rose Siding]

24. I saw his answer and you don't even come close.

[library_max]

25. "My Candidate Sucks So Bad That I Have To Attack Yours"

All hail CoffeePlease1947! He has come up with the perfect formula for dispelling all these negative campaign threads! All you Dean-bashers, Kerry-bashers, any-Democrat-bashers, please repeat after me: “MY CANDIDATE SUCKS SO BAD THAT I HAVE TO ATTACK YOURS.”

If I were a Bush supporter, I would be ROFLMAO to see all these Democrats ripping each other to pieces. My candidate in the general election is Anybody But Bush. As for the primaries, I haven’t decided yet. Amazing, ain’t it? Considering that the primaries are only six months away.

Come on, ladies and gentlemen! Unity, please! Eyes on the prize! BUCK FUSH!

[genius]

26. He only knows how to attack

He doesn't have any workable plans for anything.

[MercutioATC]

27. Genius, do you ever research before you post???

What, exactly is not workable about his healthcare plan? His foreign trade plan? You're great at making outrageous statements with absolutely NO mature thought behind them.

If you want to say that his style is too agressive for your tastes, that's fine. If you didagree with his proposed policies, that's fine, too.

To make an inflammatory and unsupported post such as this is not. Yes, we KNOW you're one of the anti-Dean crowd here and yes, we KNOW that a few of you make outrageously biased posts. This, however, is simply childish.

[Nicholas_J]

29. Dean again

On any critical issue, Such as civil unions, he REFUSED to tell those who supported the bill or those who did not how he stood on the issue becaseu "IT WAS IN THE COURTS"

When Republicans tried to reinstate the death penalty in Vermont, Dena did the same thing, refusing to take a stance.

Dean will do the same with this to see wht the effect will be, and criticize it if the results are bad, and try to find some way of making peope think he approved if that is better for him.

Every day in every way, Deans political opportunistic nature becomes more obvious.

HE will say WHATEVER gets him the most supporters in order to get into office.

[dsc]

30. Unlike you

I know what I am talking about here. I worked, closely, with people on this issue. And it was the strategy of the people working on this issue not to have governors in states being sued comment. That is why you won't find comments from the governers of Alaska, Hawaii, Vermont, Massachusetts, or New Jersey on this issue. Every listed state had cases about this in its courts. You may not like this stategy. To that I say, tough shit. It is our rights, and therefore our stategy.

BTW You also won't find comments from Canadian politicians on this either.