Dean's plans for 4th Idaho visit are quite unusual

[CMT]

From the Idaho Stateman:
Howard Dean is paying more attention to Idaho than any presidential candidate ever, excepting the two Idahoans who sought the job. Despite Idaho's lowly rank on the Democratic ladder, Dean will visit a fourth time Thursday. This odd phenomena prompted my editor, a suspcious type, to ask, "Has he got a girlfriend here, or what?

No, Dean doesn't have Clintonesque bimbo eruptions. He's returning for good reasons. First, he really likes Idaho and is keeping a commitment to help rebuild the party by speaking at Thursday's JFK banquet in Boise.

Second, Idaho's Feb 24 Democratic caucus has strategic importance, and Dean could pick up some modest momentum by stealing the state from rival John Kerry, who has a second home in Sun Valley...

http://www.idahostatesman.com/story.asp?ID=52379

[Hawkeye-X]

1. Idaho will go Dem in 2004

If it doesn't. I'll eat one of my moth-eaten socks.

Hawkeye-X

[jiacinto]

2. Idaho is one of the most Republican states in the nation!

There is no way in Hell the Dems are carrying Idaho next year. None at all. Unless Hell freezes over Idaho will be in the (R) column on election night. Idaho hasn't even voted Democratic for president since 1964, and even then Goldwater came within less than 1K votes of victory.

[dolstein]

7. How do you llike your socks -- rare or well-done?

With the possible exception of Utah and Wyoming, Idaho is probably the most overwhelmingly Republican state in the continental United States. Bush received 69% of the vote in 2000. The chances of Bush losing this state in 2004 are exactly ZERO.

If you want to be taken seriously, you should avoid making these kinds of statements.

[jiacinto]

10. Yeah

If Idaho is even remotely competetive or within reach then Bush is losing badly.

Not going to happen.

[Padraig18]

14. Idaho is to the Mountain West...

... what Indiana is to the Midwest. If a Dem wins Idaho in '04, I will videotape the purple monkeys that fly outta my ass, and send autographed copies to all who request them. :P

[duvinnie]

17. tsk tsk

such pessimism , coming from a democratic faithful no less.
I'm glad our candidates are breaking new ground and smashing old conceptions;
I believe that's known as LEADERSHIP.

[kwolf68]

16. LMAO...Get your salt and pepper ready

Idaho Dem? LMAO...

Although I must admit, just like Kerry offered to go to Bob Jones U to speak his mind, I appreciate Dean going into the right-wing hornets nest (with one town a neo-Nazi actually running for Mayor) and will say I respect his decision to challenge in Idaho.

Do I think he's a sap? Yes...

[La_Serpiente]

3. I think Dean is on a mission

to reconnect with rural voters.

The Democratic party has circumvented rural areas and have gone straight to the cities.

I think he's trying to reconnect the party with them.

Many small farmers don't have any voice simply because all the politicians in Washington are preaching the free trade bullshit.

They are looking for someone who understand them and quite suprisingly, this is an area that Dean does quite well on.

Many of the family farms -- which have embodied the spirit of middle America -- have been overrun by huge agribusinesses like Monsato, etc.

These family farms also builds life experiences for many there.

The US gives billions of dollars of farm subsidies to huge corporations -- but these small, regular people don't get anything.

And although Idaho is a big Republican state, I think he trying to hold the support the Democrats have lost in the midwest states like Iowa and Wisconsin.

Bush almost won those two states -- especially Iowa. I think the difference of votes was only 5000 votes.

So Dean could make some inroads there.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

12. Dean is pro-factory farm.

Oh, he talks the talk on family farms -- at least on the campaign trail. He just didn't walk the walk as governor.

And what was the talk he talked as governor? "This isn’t my problem".

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

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[Feanorcurufinwe]

19. If Dean worked as hard at telling the truth

as he does at misrepresenting himself, I'd have no complaint with him.

[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

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[LuminousX]

15. And the people of VT responded by throwing his ass out of office

oh, wait, I guess the people of Vermont are a bit brighter to know that the world isn't black and white.

[KaraokeKarlton]

18. He wasn't "thrown out", he retired to run for president!

I guaran-damn-tee you that any ballot Howard Dean's name is on in Vermont, regardless of the office or the other choices, Vermonters WILL elect Dean. Vermont LOVES Howard Dean.

[w4rma]

23. sarcasm by LuminousX (n/t)

[maxanne]

22. Proof?

Can you back that up with something more than your opinion?

[LuminousX]

4. Rebuilding the Party in Forgotten States

Texas and Idaho... this is what the Democratic party needs to be doing. This is supposed to be Mcauliffe's job.

[killbotfactory]

5. Every state is on the table. Dean will give Bush a run for his money.

Behold: the power of the grassroots.

[LuminousX]

6. Because of Grassroots

Every state is in contention. Because of the money he's raised, Dean can make Bush run ragged.

I will also contend that a candidate who mixes and mingles with the people like our Democratic candidates do will do much better than Bush's hand selected audience mingling.

[LiberalTexan]

9. This is one of the reasons I chose Dean

You hit the nail on the head, LuminousX. Texas and Idaho. I heard Dean saying that he would make us proud to be Democrats again. That was before I chose him as my candidate. Then, I saw him walk the talk by coming to "God Forsaken" states that people "know" in their hearts can't go Dem. THAT makes me proud to be a Democrat. He isn't spending 100% of his time in early primary states. He sees the importance in coming to places like Texas and Idaho. Why not wake up the Dems in those states (Texas used to be Dem for those who didn't know) and let's just see what happens.

The DNC had us all programmed to give up on those states. I like Dean because he's breaking old paradigms. I've seen the excitement in Texas and Oklahoma. He makes people WANT to get out there and win. That's pure energy....

[AP]

8. Aren't there lots of libertarians in Idaho?

[CMT]

11. good hope Dean can win them over

every vote will count.

[dsc]

20. I don't think that there are

it is the second most Mormon state in the country (after Utah). There may be more Libertarians there than in say New York but not enough to swing that state to the Democratic nominee.