Jeanne Shaheen endorses Kerry in NH

[DJcairo]

Former New Hampshire Gov. Jeanne Shaheen threw her support behind John Kerry’s campaign for President at a press conference this morning at which John Kerry announced Gov. Shaheen will serve as the national chair of his presidential campaign.

“I believe it is vital to the future of this country that we replace George Bush in 2004, and that is why I am today endorsing John Kerry for president and have the honor of chairing his national campaign,” said Shaheen. “John Kerry is the only Democratic candidate with the combination of experience and leadership on national security and a lifetime of fighting for the issues critical to Democrats we need to beat George Bush and take this country in a new direction.”

Viewed as the most significant endorsement a Democratic candidate for president can earn in New Hampshire, Shaheen in 1996 was the first Democrat elected governor of New Hampshire in 16 years, and narrowly lost her bid for the U.S. Senate last year in this heavily Republican state. A veteran of presidential primary politics, Shaheen led Gary Hart’s New Hampshire campaign to an upset victory over Walter Mondale in 1984.


http://johnkerry.com/news/releases/pr_2003_0923.html

[Feanorcurufinwe]

1. Wow! a real coup

[TheDonkey]

2. JK needs all the help he can get at this point....

he's really gotta energize his campaign so we can get him in the oval office!

[blm]

3. Shaheen AND the NH Firefighters. WOOP!

The endorsement of the IAFF this week unleashes thousands of firefighters all over the country to campaign for Kerry. They are the fiercest activists of all the unions, and are very influential in NH.

Kerry will take New Hampshire.

[Redneck Socialist]

11. I don't think so

he still has no real message. The Shaheen endorsement is a real coup, she will be able to mobilize a lot of folks for him, but I still think that he will finish no better than third, behind dean and clark. Edwards will do better than people expect too.

[sandnsea]

16. There's work to do in America

That's his message, I just wish the campaign would figure it out.

[blm]

17. So you are welcome to your opinion.

And my opinion is that you are very wrong, and have no idea what is about to be unleashed in NH in these next 5 months..

[NewYorkerfromMass]

19. S'Ok blm. the element of surprise at the enormity of his NH victory

will catapult Kerry to the nomination even faster.

[Nicholas_J]

41. Gore's campaign was in terrible shape

At this juncture in 2000. Shaheen took his campaign and brought Gore to a major victory in New Hampshire within months.

[CMT]

4. it is a good endorsement for his campaign

and it's not insignificant, but it will not be decisive either.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

5. That won't hurt.

[DJcairo]

6. This is the biggest endorsement of the campaign season yet

Shaheen, for those that don't know, is the most coveted endorsement to have right now. She is extremely popular in NH. She isn't just endorsing Kerry, she is chairing his campaign.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

7. I guess that explains the endorsement, then.

Good for Kerry.


As I've noted elsewhere, I don't think endorsements mean anything beyond endorsements at the local level, i.e., judges and local unknown politicians. People aren't going to decide who to vote for in the General election based on an endorsement, imo. However, it doesn't hurt.

[DJcairo]

8. Thats why this is so important, she is incredibly popular in NH

This has nothing to do with the GE and everything to do with winning NH.

[FightinNewDem]

20. YAAAWWWN

The "incredibly popular" Jeanne Shaheen lost over 40% of the vote in the Democratic primary vote in her 2000 re-election campaign, she barely squeaked by lunatic rightwinger Gordon Humphrey in the '00 general, and she was beaten rather solidly by "Baby Doc" Sununu in last November's senate race. Somewhat popular? Yes. "Incredibly popular"? No way.

Jeanne bungled a school funding crisis, and in the process alienated liberals by not signing an income tax bill that had passed the legislature; alienated conservatives and border-town moderates and liberals by proposing an economically destructive sales tax; and alienated everybody by being so damn wishy-washy about the whole thing.

As for the political importance of today's endorsement, it is probably bigger nationally than on the ground in NH. Most of the Shaheen operatives went to work for Kerry immediately after last year's elections (Judy Reardon, Ken Robinson, Nick Clemons). Most of her volunteer network has been scooped up by various candidates, split between Kerry, Lieberman, Gephardt and Edwards.

[polpilot]

26. Once again the 'Kerry effort' relies on 1980's strategy. Does anyone

believe she can deliver. She can't.

Dean '04...The New Democratic Leader of The NEW Democratic Party

[DrFunkenstein]

27. You Heard It Here First

Polpilot says Shaheen can't deliver. I'm sold.

[Nicholas_J]

40. Even Republicans are acknowleding

That Shaheens endorsement, and particulary her organizing skills are largely responsible for a number of political upsets. Bringing Al Gore up from the floor in Hew Hampshire in 2000, upsetting Walter Mondale and giving New Hampshire to Gary Hart, And making Jimmy WHo, Jimmy Carter.


Republican National Committeeman Tom Rath said Shaheen's help can't be overstated and comes at a critical juncture for Kerry.

"She is a master of timing. Four years ago, she helped pick up Al Gore off the mat, dusted him off and brought him to victory in New Hampshire to resurrect that campaign," he said.

"Things are bumping around a little bit for Kerry, but now he's gotten the most significant 'get' there is to get in this state

http://www.nhprimary.com/stories/09-2003/092403-shaheen.htm

[FightinNewDem]

44. About Tom Rath

Tom Rath is the consumate establishmentarian phony, a charter member of the Mutual Ass Kissing Society. He is part of a bipartisan clique that regularly oohs and ahhs over its members to ensure that they all keep their mugs on the Sunday morning shows on WMUR and WNDS and their names in John DiStaso's and Jennifer Skalka's silly columns.

Thank god for a few reporters such as Shir Haberman and James Pindell who have learned how to look beyond the bluster club!

[Nicholas_J]

50. Thats politics

A few Democrats in Vermont who criticized Dean with a vengence are coming out in support of him, but most of Dean's 90 Democratic endorsements in Vermont come from old school EX elected officials.
Talk about running an 80's campaign.

But lets look at other statemetns in the articles:


Franklin Pierce College pollster Rich Killion said Shaheen needs to help Kerry offer a succinct, compelling reason to vote for him, as Dean has done in first opposing the Iraq war and of late calling for total repeal of the Bush tax cuts.

"She has to sharpen and hone his message and that's something she is very skilled in doing," Killion said.

And an alternative Republican view of Shanees apointment:


Republican State Committee communications director Julie Teer said New Hampshire voters will reject Kerry as they did Shaheen in her failing bid for the U.S. Senate last fall.

"John Kerry promises the same kind of indecisive, failed leadership and political doubletalk that Jeanne Shaheen provided New Hampshire for six years," she said.

"New Hampshire rejected Jeanne Shaheen's calls for higher taxes as they will John Kerry's. New Hampshire made clear its desire for strong, decisive leadership in November 2002, and they will again in 2004."

http://www.nhprimary.com/stories/09-2003/092403-shaheen.htm


One of the key indication of late in New Hampshire is a growing opposition to the repeal of the Bush tax cuts among New Hampshire Democrats. Kerrys statemetns about only repealing part of them is starting to catch fire there, while Dean is beginning to face some criticism for suggesting they be completely repealed.

Kerry has recently begun to pick up endorsements from people who still are in control of very powerful political machinery and have decades of experience of using them (the Firefighters Union in particular).

[Nicholas_J]

9. Local Unions

ARE grassroots politicking, and these people get out and VERY actively canvass delegates and are hughly effective in gettin support for the candidates they support.

As far as Shaheen goes, again she is very popular. Her endorsemewnt of Kerry in New Hampshire is the equivalent of someone like Clinton Or Gore endorsing someone nationally.

But the endorsement of the Governor of New Hampshire has ALWAYS been considered the most important political endorsement of the campaign season.

[Redneck Socialist]

12. It is not the endorsement so much

as the organization that comes with it. In shaheen's case she can turn out a lot of volunteers and a bunch of money for kerry.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

13. Good point.

I hope it works out for him.

[sandnsea]

15. That was sooo painful for you

You're a card. Glad to see your consistent in your response to Kerry's endorsements anyway. :-)

[NewYorkerfromMass]

10. We'll take it!

This is huge! Nothing like the most popular Dem in the state backing your man!

BTW Jeanne's last name has always thrown me since it looks like a misspell of mine: (Sheehan) Same letters but "mixed up" :)

[Demobrat]

14. Not a big surprise

Isn't Jeanne Shaheen's husband Bill Shaheen Kerry's NH chairman?

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

18. Well.....

...now that you mention it.


Still good for Kerry, though.

[FightinNewDem]

48. Bill Shaheen, a real class act (NOT)

Maybe Bill Shaheen will lead a mob in kicking mud on the other candidate's supporters while taunting them with offensive epithets. He's already shown that he's good at that...

(In the 2000 campaign, Billy Shaheen was part of a group of Gore supporters that kicked mud and snow on Bob Kerrey, calling him a "cripple" and on Jerry Nadler, calling him "fatso")

[sandnsea]

21. Gen. Kennedy, Di-Fi, Jeanne Shaheen

Jeanne Shaheen was also named National Chairwoman of his campaign. Frankly, I have no idea what that means but I'm very excited that Senator Kerry is attracting such incredibly intelligent women to his campaign. He's been a tremendous advocate for women's rights and women's business opportunities for years. I'm ecstatic!!!

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Politics/ap20030923_792.html

[DrFunkenstein]

28. Don't Forget Teddy and Robert Kennedy Jr.!!

Kerry's been lining up some great people.

[KaraokeKarlton]

22. This isn't good news for Kerry's campaign

The endorsement might help him a little bit, but Shaheen working on his campaign is likely to hurt him. Her own campaign in 2002 sucked ass so bad. She lost to someone she should have been able to beat after being governor. She's also not all that popular in NH. She did some good things for education while in office, but she wasn't outstanding. No NH governor can accomplish much because of the constituency. I don't see this really doing much to help Kerry win votes in NH and I foresee his campaign continuing to stumble and falter.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

23. 47% voted for her against Sununu

That is, over 200,000 voters. I hardly see that as an insignificant number of voters to work with.
FYI, in 2000, the total of Democratic primary voters in NH was a little less than 150,000.

But if you want to see this as a bad thing....:shrug:

[blm]

24. I think black box voting stole her victory.

.

[FightinNewDem]

45. Tinfoil Time?

Please, tell me you aren't serious...

New Hampshire uses optical scan ballots, which are the most fraud-resistant medium available. I participated in a couple of recounts last year, and the manual hand counts showed no indication of tampering. The only errors we found had to do with bad transcription of numbers on election night by hard-of-hearing old ballot clerks.

Shaheen lost largely due to "Shaheen Fatigue" and a general GOP trend both nationally and locally.

[Octafish]

52. Smile when you say that. Remember Theresa "Butterfly Ballot" LePore?

So maybe New Hampshire is all nice and honest like you say. That would be great. I remember what happened to the votes for Al Gore in Florida. I also seem to remember the polls had Max Clelan five points up in Georgia.

So, please don't dismiss what blm asked out of hand or label her a "conspiracy theorist" by innuendo. Most people who know what's going on aren't paranoid or deluded. They are aware.

Here's some TIN HAT information from Florida for you to consider: Remember the nice Theresa LePore, with the cheap sunglasses? Sure you do. The following article from Slate way back in December 2000 indicates she once worked for a man with ties going through the black book of Adnan Khashoggi, Ollie North, Ghaith Pharaon and who knows what other big-money men.

Did Adnan Khashoggi Throw the Election to Dubya?

Timothy Noah
Posted Monday, December 4, 2000, at 2:56 PM PT

On Dec. 1, the "Washington Wire" column in the Wall Street Journal published this gratifyingly noir item about the postelection drama in Florida:

"Madame Butterfly" Theresa LePore wasn't always an embattled Palm Beach ballots chief. In the 1980s, she moonlighted as a flight attendant on private planes owned by Saudi weapons dealer Adnan Khashoggi, a middleman in Reagan administration arms sales to Iran.

Connoisseurs of Khashoggi-centric conspiracy theories should have little difficulty using this information to finger Khashoggi as the mastermind of the plot to deny Al Gore the presidency. Khashoggi has close ties, from Iran-Contra and elsewhere, to the Republicans, and vaguely defined ties to Dubya's father. (In a 1990 court case, Khashoggi's phone records revealed that Khashoggi had spoken at least twice with George Bush's vice-presidential office during 1985 and 1986.) LePore worked for Khashoggi during the 1980s, when, according to her official biography, she was chief deputy supervisor of elections in Palm Beach County, a job she held until 1996, when she was elected supervisor of elections. Ergo, LePore has been working as a Khashoggi asset to elect the son of Khashoggi's old comrade-in-arms, George Bush!

Chatterbox doesn't actually believe this, of course. But the Journal's tidbit does provide an occasion to play one of Chatterbox's favorite games, "Six Degrees of Adnan Khashoggi," in which the shadowy international arms merchant is connected to every scandal of the past 40 years and some that occurred even earlier. (It helps that Khashoggi is a "connector," to borrow a term from Malcolm Gladwell's book, The Tipping Point. Click here for Gladwell's explanation of how connectors rule the universe, and click here to read Chatterbox's favorable review of The Tipping Point in the Washington Monthly. See also Michael Isikoff and Mark Hosenball's classic 1987 New Republic article, "The Swami of Iranamok," which describes the connector role played by Khashoggi's spiritual adviser, Shri Chandra Swamiji Maharaj.) "Six Degrees of Adnan Khashoggi" is a slightly misleading name for this parlor game because in Khashoggi's case, it's rarely more than one or two degrees. Allow Chatterbox to demonstrate:

CONTINUED...

http://slate.msn.com/id/1006609/

[KaraokeKarlton]

25. Well, Vermont and NH have shared media in my area

And I remember all the political ads, and they were a HUGE turnoff. She lost because she made personal attacks against Sununu in constant television ads. If she does for Kerry what she did for herself, it will not bode well for him. It was so bad that I wouldn't turn the television on at all. She was the governor who chose to leave the office to run for a position in Washington. If NH liked her so much, she would have easily won that race. She should have won it, but she didn't. Anyone who leads the state and then can't win a lower position can't be all that popular with the voters of the state.

[dolstein]

31. Her campaign sucked ass? Are you kidding?

Shaheen was neck and neck w/Sununu right down to the wire. New Hampshire is a solidly Republican state, and Shaheen managed to get elected governor twice. If the Republicans hadn't dumped Smith, or if the Democrats hadn't nominated such a pathetic candidate for governor (running on a pro-tax platform in NH is as politically suicidal as it gets), Shaheen might be in the Senate today.

[KaraokeKarlton]

34. The fact that she held the highest political office in NH

made it her race to lose, which she did. I don't dislike her, and she did make progress in the education system in NH, however, she didn't really do much else. It's not that she didn't want to, her hands were tied, just like other NH Democrats. NH voters are anti-tax, and without taxes, you can't do much.

My point is...if she were as popular in NH as some here believe her to be, she would have easily won the race, and she lost. It was really a humilliating blow for her. As someone who visits NH just about daily, I'm just saying that this endorsement isn't as "big" as you would think it to be. I don't doubt that Kerry supporters will argue this claim, but like it or not, it's the truth.

[dolstein]

37. The race was Shaheen's the lose? This is NEW HAMPSHIRE

No Democrat has gotten elected to the Senate from New Hampshire in nearly 30 years. Shaheen was popular in New Hampshire -- for a Democrat. But that hardly made her the odds-on favorite. The race was NEVER rated more than a toss-up. Nobody who knows anything about New Hampshire politics would have expected Shaheen to win easily.

[FightinNewDem]

47. For once, I disagree with you

Shaheen ran a technically perfect campaign. She raised gobs of money, had a superb absentee ballot program, and, working with the firefighters union, ran a solid election-day GOTV effort.

The problem was largely Jeanne herself. People were simply tired of her after six years as governor. She badly mishandled the hot-button school funding issue, trying to look "moderate" by opposing an income tax, but then proposing an even more unpopular sales tax. She ended up alienating both sides of the argument, and, more importantly, looking indecisive and wishy-washy.

Don't buy into the "it's Fernald's fault" argument. Shaheen damn near lost to Gordon Humphrey two years earlier, without Mark Fernald above her on the ticket. Shaheen's operatives also went out of their way to kneecap Fernald's campaign, pressuring Al Gore to cancel a fundraiser for Mark, siphoning DGA money earmarked for the Fernald campaign to her own coffers, etc. By going out of her way to punish Fernald, she created an environment where Mark lacked the resources to effectively compete with Craig Benson, and weakened the entire Democratic ticket.

[Nicholas_J]

49. If you look at who the Democrats had running their national

strategy for gubernnatorial races in 2002, you might be well enlightened.

It is the Head of the Executive Comittee of the Democratic Governors Association:

Howard Dean was the Head of this comittee from 19917 until the day he left office in Vermont.

[Nicholas_J]

51. Much the same is said of Dean

For weakening the Democratic Party and its agenda in Vermont.Most of the growth of the Progressive Party in Vermont has bheen attributed to Deans conservatism by a number of Democratic Party Leaders in Vermont, Cheryl Rivers being most critical, but Peter Shumlin as well.

[Nicholas_J]

32. Dean

Was the Democratic Governors Associations leader responsible for a large amount of the planning for campaign strategy for incumbent governors, and recruiting candidates to oppose incumbent Republican Governors in 2002. Dean's leadership role resulted in a major mess for Democratic Governors seeking re-election in 2002.

Mr. Howard Dean

Organizations:
Democratic Governors' Association, Executive Committee, 1997-present

http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=CNIP0634

Dean's absol;utely miserable handling of the chaimanship of the executive comittee was largely responsible for losses of Governorships to Republicans in 2002

[Name removed]

35. Deleted message

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

[DrFunkenstein]

29. I Just Canvassed Up In New Hampshire

And I noticed that Shaheen was extremely popular with the Dems I talked to. Some of them voted for Sununu but realize that it was a big mistake (apparently, among other things, he just ok'ed letting a huge militia set up base in NH).

I wish that she had said something BEFORE I left, but it is fantastic news nonetheless. The environment was surprisingly high on the list of alot of people that I spoke to, and they all seemed impressed that Robert Kennedy Jr. had thrown his weight behind Kerry.

I had imagined that most people would say jobs or foreign policy, but most mentioned environment at the top of the list. They also seemed pretty aware of Dean's less-than-exemplary record next door in Vermont.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

30. Uh...

Were you at a Kerry event? Or involved in a Kerry activity?

Might this explain the awareness you speak of?

[DrFunkenstein]

39. You Didn't Hear About My Britney Spears Episode?

It's a long story...

[Nicholas_J]

33. Another Kerry endorsement today:

Former Small Business Administration Administrator Aida Alvarez Endorses John Kerry for President:

September 23, 2003

WASHINGTON, DC –

Former Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Aida Alvarez today endorsed John Kerry for the Democratic nomination for President.

“John Kerry has been a courageous advocate for America’s small businesses. Throughout his career, he has fought to expand access to venture capitol and credit for African American, Latino and women entrepreneurs and create jobs,” said former SBA Administrator Aida Alvarez. “Unlike George W. Bush, John Kerry would not cut funding to these critical programs that grow the economy. I am confident that, as President, he will give all small businesses owners a seat at the table.”

http://www.johnkerry.com/news/releases/pr_2003_0923c.html

[KaraokeKarlton]

36. Shaheen lost because she ran a crappy campaign

And Dean has a great record in Vermont. It's comical how many of NH's elderly and poor move to Vermont because NH's social services suck so bad. A lot of NH's schools are going to fail and lose funding for next year. The state always runs a huge deficit and they never have money to pay their bills. Vermont is much better for social services and NH is better for businesses. That's common knowledge up here. What part of NH did you canvass? I live 10 minutes from the border, so I'm very familiar with NH.

[DrFunkenstein]

38. I Was In Dover Most of The Time

Well, actually it seemed like I was on the road most of the time, but I canvassed in Dover. I'm going on what people told me, since it was the first time I've ever been north of Hartford. People were very cool about you coming to their door. In my neighborhood, they would slam the door in your face if they even bothered to answer at all.

[FightinNewDem]

42. Keene, Hanover not same as NH

No, Karlton, you are familiar with the Upper Valley or Keene, which is not the same as being familiar with New Hampshire. Cheshire and Grafton Counties are demographically, socially, culturally and politically very, very different from the far more populous areas around Manchester, Nashua, Salem, Derry, Portsmouth and Hampton.

Oh, and by the way, bad mouthing New Hampshire is hardly the way to win over the hearts of those of us who live here. Yes, we tend to underfund our social service agencies, but we also have a mental health system that is considered perhaps the nation's best.

[Nicholas_J]

43. And Dean poor planning is being blamed

For a fiscal crisis that is looming over Vermont, it was predicted in 2002 by a comission that HE called and he selected:

A. On January 24, 2001, Governor Howard Dean issued an executive order establishing a Special Governor's Bipartisan Commission on Health Care Availability and Affordability.

A. Our commission is made up of people who have spent years listening to testimony and otherwise studying the problems of health care availability and affordability. We have differences, some of them passionate differences, in our political philosophies, and it should come as no surprise that we differ on some of the directions reform should take. Although we have taken a substantial amount of new testimony during the past nine months, our real task has been to try to find common recommendations, despite our philosophical differences.2

B. Based on what we have learned, we do agree on this: Health care in Vermont is near a state of crisis -- some of us would say it is already in crisis -- and all health care sectors are on edge. We also note that many of these problems are national or even global in scope and that our abilities to solve them at the state level are limited.

C. Health care costs in Vermont, now exceeding $2 billion a year, are of a sufficient magnitude, however, and are increasing at a sufficient rate to place state government itself in jeopardy, including every program for which it appropriates money. By comparison, Vermonters budgeted $1.8 billion for all state government services in FY 2001 (not including federal funds).3

We are rapidly approaching the point at which these costs will directly conflict with our ability to do such things as to maintain roads and bridges, for example, or to provide cost-effective services to our infants and children, to promote agriculture and tourism, or to provide any other services our citizens have come to expect.

D. We do not have a health care system in Vermont.4 That means:

1. No one is in control.

2. No one is responsible for ensuring that high-quality medical care is adequate for the needs of the public.

3. No one ensures that medical charges are appropriate or that they are paid in full.5

4. There is a "disconnect" between the consumer receiving health care and the entity paying the bill. Consumers are shielded from the cost of the service.

5. There is no global budgeting or targeted growth planning for health care in Vermont.

6. There is little in the way of public accountability for the performance of health care institutions, or for their long-term planning.

7. Although administrative costs, including those associated with government paperwork burdens, have reached an unacceptable level, no one has been able to do anything about it.

E. This commission does not recommend the Single Payer option, even though we have been told by The Lewin Group that it could cover all Vermonters, including more than 51,000 currently uninsured, for 5 percent less than what we are collectively paying now.6 Some of our opposition is on philosophical grounds, but in practical terms, we reject that option for a variety of reasons, including:

http://216.239.37.100/search?q=cache:aC9QzqwOEmkJ:www.state.vt.us/health/commission/docs/report/mainreport.doc+%22Howard+Dean%22+%22Incentive+Plan+for+Medicaid%22&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

Notice, this report states that the very plan Dean kept rejecting, single payer, would have been FIVE PERCENT cheaper than the hodgepodge mess that Dean slapped togetther without planning.

There is much criticis in in Vemront of Deans having simply shited care from single adult disabled individuals, to children, and a few poorer single females with children, leaving thousands of others without coverage.


Howard’s Universal Healthcare assessment in Vermont:

The plan purports to be modeled after Vermont's state health insurance plan, Dr. Dynasaur, which insureskids up to age 18. The plan is actually an extension of the state's Medicaid program, but covers children infamilies with incomes up to 300% of the Federal poverty limit ($55,200 for a family of four, in 2003), whoare over-income for Medicaid.

Parents pay premiums ranging from $60 to $150 per quarter. Despite the argument that rising insurance premiums are a reason for people to support Universal Healthcare, the Dr.Dynasaur premiums, much like private insurance premiums are also rising. Effective July 1st, parents willbe paying $75 to $210 per quarter.

As healthcare costs rise, so does the cost of state-run insurance, justthe same as private insurance. But the Universal Healthcare enthusiasts don't want you to know that.

Another thing Howard Dean doesn't want America to know is that Vermont's Dr. Dynasaur/Medicaid plan pays so little to providers and requires so much additional paperwork that many professionals do not accept the plan or limit the number of patients they do accept. This is especially the case for dental care and counseling, services often of vital importance to children.

State-run health insurance is not all it claims to be. The families that can obtain insurance from their employer would have better coverage if they did so, but the Dean team already knows this. That's why he plans to have families who qualify automatically enrolled when they file their federal income tax.

http://216.239.41.104/search?q=cache:Ltxk3AgTSbgJ:writersact.com/kerry/Kerry-issues.pdf+%22Howard+Dean%22+%22Dr+Dynasaur%22+parents+sick&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

[Nicholas_J]

46. Again

Dean as the head of the Executive Comittee of the Democratic Governors Association, was charged with the planning and co-ordinating of Gubernatorial Campaigns all over the nation in order to make sure that Democrats retained all the Governors seats they held, and that Republican incumbents lost. Dean did a miserable job, and could not manage to even keep his own state democrat. Which is hardly a surprise, as he was so beholden to its republicans.

His leadership in this area was one of the most dismal failures in the history of Democratic Guberantorial strategy in U.S. history.