A Modest Proposal, regarding Lehane and Fabiani.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

Please note: I am undecided on the candidate I will support. I will get after that when the assembly campaign that I am working on is done. Too many fish to fry right now.

A number of people here have expressed concern that The Masters of Disaster, now with the Clark campaign, will "go negative" on the other Dem candidates, to the detriment of the party and its hopes in 2K4. A reasonable concern, and one with a possible solution:

Email. Fax. Write. Them.

DU is the home to a lot of Democratic Party activists and progressives. It is a considerable force, one to be reckoned with by any Democratic candidate, at just about any level, save, perhaps, Dogcatcher(perhaps).

What I propose is that we express our concern to Messrs. Lehane and Fabiani directly. Let them know that we know their strengths and their weaknesses. Let them know that a whole-scale bloodbath will not be considered A Very Good Thing© and that we will blithely and happily take them and The Clark Campaign to task if, in the search for primary success, they erode and trash the possibility of Democratic success in the election of 2K4.

Sometimes, you just gotta hit a mule between the eyes with a 2x4 to get its attention. Capische?

[mmonk]

1. But

Who do we email as we are getting attacked both from the Republicans and Dems?

[quinnox]

2. Nah

If I did write to them, I would encourage them to go negative on Dean. The Clark campaign has let Dean attack them already too much with no response.

[clar]

3. I'm not too worried about attacks on Dean

After a solid month of attacks, he's still 10 points ahead of Kerry in NH in the latest poll.

[quinnox]

4. Perhaps so

But first, it's still early. There is time for Kerry to make up some of that lead, 10 points is not insurmountable. Second, even if Dean does win New Hampshire, it doesn't necessarily mean he will win the nomination. For instance, he isn't doing so hot in South Carolina currently.

I think it's odd the posts suggests Clark shouldn't do negative campaigning, when Dean is already practicing this vs. Clark, unless you're a Dean supporter, in which case it's understandable.

[dajabr]

6. "Still Early"

Is quickly becoming, "Too Late."

Just an observation...

[quinnox]

7. 3 and a half months

is plenty of time.

Besides, I'm the type who won't concede anything until election night results have been all counted. Polls are fine and dandy, but the only votes that count are the ones cast on election day.

[stickdog]

9. ABD quinnox (NT)

[DrFunkenstein]

15. Did Dean Start The Month With a 10 Point Lead?

Dean's numbers have been steadily eroding. Clark took a big chunk out of his support by people that want someone they preceive as anti-war AND having a chance in hell of beating Bush.

[Avalux]

5. So far

Clark has not spoken one negative word about any of the other Democratic candidates; anything negative has been directed at chimpy. My hope is that he's in charge of his campaign and will continue to be above board. If he doesn't, and he allows these two to change him into an angry candidate, then I may have to reconsider my support.
That said, Clark has a vision and is intelligent enough to realize a bloodbath is not the way to go. Don't see it happening.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

8. Let them go negative - who cares?

Kerry's got nothing to worry about.

Dean has provided a lot of ammunition for his opponents with his mis-statements, backtracks, and false denials of his previous positions.

But I don't think using that ammunition is going to help Clark at all.

[helleborient]

10. Yeah, Kerry's only got...

The Iraq War vote opposing liberal leadership in Congress and real-estate deals in his personal past that have been used against him before.

If it gets really nasty...Kerry's personal history could be vulnerable.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

11. a 30 year record of fighting for progressive causes

and all you can come up with is innuendo.

[tsipple]

12. Kerry's Iraq Vote is Innuendo? Huh?

No, it's a vote. On the record. In the Senate. Recently. YEA on the pre-emptive Bush invasion of Iraq. Where no weapons of mass destruction have been found, and where Americans continue to die at a possibly increasing rate. A war which compromised national security in myriad ways.

At least Dick Gephardt said he erred. Kerry's colleague, Senator Bob Graham, voted against the Iraq Resolution.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

16. No, I was referring to the other part of the post

the war vote is a valid topic of discussion. I don't see anyway in which talking about it could be labelled 'an attack' or 'going negative'.

[DrFunkenstein]

18. Agreed - Real Estate Deals? You're Better Than That

You don't see us talking about Dean's son getting arrested or anything like that. Leave that stuff to the GOP.

And while I respect your position on the IWR - I was distinctly anti-war myself - I rarely here Dean people willing to go beyond that discussion. There seems to be an element of fear behind that, certainly when they try to break people into pro-war and anti-war camps.

[helleborient]

20. But...there are things to have concern about...

Please don't tell me you've never seen someone post that the GOP will rip Howard Dean to shreds.

I think the GOP would find the same or more vulnerability with John Kerry.

I base that on a biographical Boston Globe article posted recently by a John Kerry supporter...I knew nothing about the real estate deal but it apparently was a serious issue in the Kerry-Weld campaign.

I knew nothing about it until I did read a full article posted by those who support Kerry.

[helleborient]

22. But I believe the Iraq vote is baggage...

Just as Howard Dean has baggage...and that is what I was responding to. A comment that Kerry is a brilliant candidate because he has nothing in his record to worry about.

[DrFunkenstein]

17. Kerry Never Said There Was An Imminent Threat

"The credible threat to use force, and when necessary, the actual use of force, is the surest way to contain Saddam's weapons of mass destruction program, curtail his aggression and prevent another Gulf War." - Bill Clinton, 1998

“Saddam Hussein cannot be permitted to go unobserved and unimpeded toward his horrific objective of amassing a stockpile of weapons of mass destruction. This is not a matter about which there should be any debate whatsoever in the Security Council, or, certainly, in this Nation."

"While we should always seek to take significant international actions on a multilateral rather than a unilateral basis whenever that is possible, if in the final analysis we face what we truly believe to be a grave threat to the well-being of our Nation or the entire world and it cannot be removed peacefully, we must have the courage to do what we believe is right and wise.” - John Kerry, 1997

-------

Quick question: Why do Dean people always lean on the IWR crutch instead of debating your candidate's actual policies?

It really seems to me that most people support Dean for what he's not, and not for what he is. Or they dig his grassroots bells and whistles. Rarely do I hear what an amazing platform he is running on.

[helleborient]

23. Ok...

Give me a link where John Kerry has stood up and said we will take back the American flag as a national symbol from the right wing.

Give me a link where John Kerry does give the Clinton administration credit for the longest peacetime expansion in the economy.

I want a candidate who makes me feel proud to take part in government in this country...and Howard Dean does. John Kerry looks like more of the "negotiating" with Bush that has left us with nearly 4 million fewer jobs and soldiers dying everyday in Iraq.

[tsipple]

13. Re: Writing Lehane and Fabiani

I think that's an excellent idea for a variety of reasons. Here are some:

1. Clark's campaign managers need to understand that grassroots input is vital to a successful campaign. By engaging them directly, that may encourage them to better understand that reality. (If they don't, screw 'em.)

2. Many of the ideas generated by grassroots supporters can help the candidate. Certainly Howard Dean's campaign works that way and has had tremendous benefits from grassroots ideas. For example, the Texas television ads were originally suggested by a campaign supporter via the Internet.

3. Such communication will hold Lehane and Fabiani accountable. If they screw up, unfairly attack other Democrats, botch media handling, or otherwise fail in one or more ways, Democrats will put them on notice that they're being watched and measured. That should help them avoid such screw ups in the first place.

4. By hearing from Democratic voters, both of Clark's campaign managers will get additional input so that they won't be as out-of-touch, hopefully. It's very easy to get bad information from other consultants, advisors, and pols, so a more direct line of information from voters is important.

[Vis Numar]

14. Too late Dreamer

Coincidence?

The Clark campaign is riddled with stories of internal dissent. Chris Lehane joins the Clark campaign. The very next day, there's a story in the Washington Post about internal dissent in the Kerry campaign -- the former employer of who else, Chris Lehane.

Yeah, this is how Lehane plays. He schmoozes political reporters, he leaks, he attacks. The more personal the attack, the better.

So get ready everyone. Do you really think Chris Lehane left all that Dean opposition research (and Kerry for that matter ) behind with his old teammates. Puhleeze. I can just see Lehane taping photocopies to his wimpy torso before heading out the door the final time.

It's sad what these evil bastards are about to do to General Clark, who I think is a good and decent man and a welcome addition to the Democratic Party.

Posted by danconley at October 9, 2003 02:19 PM

[Padraig18]

19. Dean supporter here, and I *have*!

:hi:

[KittyWampus]

21. Lehane Is NOT On Clark's Campaign

TRAIL MIX: WORDS TO LIVE BY FROM CHRIS LEHANE. Daily Kos and Political Wire have got folks all in a tizzy about
whether or not Democratic Party consultant Chris Lehane will be joining his wife Andrea Evans and his partner Mark
Fabiani in the Clark campaign. I caught up with Lehane by cell phone while he was tooling around Little Rock with his wife
looking at apartments.

Is he an adviser to Clark?

"Not in any formal fashion. I, in my capacity as a loving and adoring spouse, attempt to serve as an adviser to my wife,
but I doubt I'll have any success at telling her what to do."

Will he become an adviser to Clark?

"I haven't made any final determinations about what I am going to do in 2004."

What does he think about the way he's become a figure of speculation and concern among Democratic activists?

"If I spent my time worrying about what other people thought about me I'd have very little time to do other things. One
of the things you learn in politics is to have thick skin."

What about his reputation for playing serious hard-ball politics?

"Anyone who has worked with me or spent time with me knows that I am a passionate advocate and fighter for
Democratic principles and beliefs and I will do anything I can to help take George W. Bush out of Washington and the
White House. . . . Democrats seem to think that just because you have the right position, you're automatically going to
win. We as Democrats need to be prepared to fight hard to win."

Does that include fighting other Democratic candidates?

"That means fighting very hard for the people you're working on behalf of and advocating for their positions."

You've become the story for a lot of people.

"I can tell you from experience that all campaigns take on the character and personality of the candidate. The
consultants, the staff, the volunteers -- all reflect the spirit and personality of the candidate."

Words to live by.

--Garance Franke-Ruta

[carpetbagger]

24. Clark going negative?

It would seem to me that the other candidates have left the Clark campaign way behind in negativity, both in valid criticisms as well as factually incorrect smears.

If negativity is the problem, start with the ones who have already gone negative.