I will support Dean. I think Kerry supporters should too.

[George_Bonanza]

With Gore's support and the most money out of any of the candidates, Dean has a very realistic chance for the nomination. I still believe that Kerry is the better man, but like so many other Dems before him, the times were just not right. It's a tragedy really. However, Dean is pretty similar to Kerry in his views so I tend to prefer him to Wesley Clark, of whom I know nothing about. I believe it's futility to waste money and time, not to mention media attention, on each other when IMO, the decision seems pretty obvious. Dean will have a hard enough time getting through when "gay lover" and "draft dodger" get thrown in his face inevitably.

[JackSwift]

1. Why? I support Dean, but why shouldn't Kerry supporters

support Kerry and his ideas until he asks them otherwise?

[MercutioATC]

2. Exactly. This race is NOT over.

I'm a Dean supporter and I'm very happy with the Gore endorsement, but I really value the large Dem field for a few reasons:

1) (most importantly) It's still an open race and all of the candidates have important issues to bring to the table.

2) Even if one candidate WAS a foregone conclusion at this point, the other candidates are still saying things that we need to hear. The longer they stay in the race, the longer we get to hear that range of messages.

3) More candidates in the race limit Repubs ability to tailor an anti-Dem message for the general election. Hell, I'd LOVE to see us not pick a candidate until two weeks before the general election. Let the Repubs waste their ammunition on multiple pontential rivals.

Overall, I think that we have 9 candidates that would be better than Bush. I'll do whatever I can to help any of them win.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

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

[WiseMen]

20. Imagine: THE KERRY RECORD WITH THE DEAN MACHINE

The Dems could have created a sea-change in the electorate if they could have run Kerry's decorated and stellar history of battles for noble causes against the Bush regime's shallowness and incompetence.


A Block-Buster movie could be made on Kerry's Life Story. His record makes him almost invulnerable to RNC attacks.

But Dean is likely to get the nomination and be our candidate.

SADLY, WE ARE GOING TO SPEND ALL THE MONEY RAISED DEFFENDING HOWARD DEAN FROM THE REPULICAN ONSLAUGHT.

IT IS GOING TO BE A HEARTBREAK.

[MercutioATC]

21. Alternately, Dean will simply do what he's done thus far and inspire

enough people to win in the general election. Frankly, I find it strange to think that a candidate that can't even poll well among Dems is a better chance to beat Bush than a more centrist candidate who's got a great grassroots campaign.

[schultzee]

3. I like Kerry very much and think he could carry the South, but if

Dean gets the nomination, I will support him. Kerry is more liberal than Dean in some ways and that is important to me. I have concern that Dean is not liberal enough, but at the same time he is not running on corporate swill.

[loyalsister]

5. A friend made an interesting point today

We were talking about the campaigns, and she said that she has noticed that sometimes our best legislators are not always the best campainers, and vice versa. I thought it was an interesting point, and one that might explain part of what has happened with Kerry.
When we look at a man like Robert Byrd, we see someone who is a constitutional scholar and a very serious professional in the legislature. Not sure that he could connect across the country, though. Kerry seems to have some difficulty connecting with people. He's a "behind the scenes guy." The president is a front man. Media appearances aren't enough. A presidential campaign requires a very basic connection.
Gep has the same problem. He has been encapsulated in the capitol too long to connect with ordinary people. His MO campaign is ALL official machinery. It's almost as if he's afraid of people.
Edwards can still connect.
DK has been doing his protest thing, getting "out of the house," etc and connects.
I think the fact that Dean was a Dr. and spent years translating technical language into everyday english is one thing that he has going for him. He does a great job of reducing what he wants to say to minimal wording. People go for it.

[sandnsea]

6. No, I'd go Clark first

I really don't think we have time for stumbling around and trying to figure out how to get things done. There is really just too much wrong in the country and around the world. We need somebody with the international relationships and political knowledge to fix the disasters Bush has made.

And this primary is so far from over. It's sad people are letting polls of 500 people decide their candidate.

[KaraokeKarlton]

8. No, it's not "so far from over"

With everything being moved up and rushed this time around there is only 6 weeks left and then it all starts. No one is going to be dropping out and the anti-Dean votes will be split between Clark and Kerry for the most part. If just one of them were in the race it might have been possible to beat Dean, or at least come close. With both of them in it's not going to happen. Neither one is going to drop out before SC, either. By the time that Kerry finally gives up and drops out of the race it will be too late to really help Clark against Dean.

[sandnsea]

16. All for one, one for all???

:eyes:

[maxr4clark]

19. insightful

...but I hope you're wrong. For our sake.

Kerry supporters, if you want to know more about Clark come see his webpage, or perhaps better yet, his blog. My wife (emilyr on the Clark blog) supported Kerry early (I didn't), but since Clark joined the race she switched and hasn't looked back. You can ask her there, if you want to know what she likes better about Clark than Kerry. You can reach her on the so-called General Discussion practically any day.

Clark is running a pretty grass-roots, successful campaign of his own, Deanies. He's been in the race since October; in the first two weeks (the last two weeks of the quarter), he raised $3M, and he's expecting to report raising $12M this quarter. Pretty fast work for a first-time politician! And he's only in the race at all because of the Draft Clark movement.

Like the rest of you, once the nominee is chosen, I will support him (or her). I'm not concerned about who WE will support; I'm concerned about who else out there is going to support our nominee. The only major candidate that does not appear to do well against little George in 1-1 matchups is Dean. I don't understand it, but it concerns me. And I truly believe that Clark will make a better President than any of the other Dems, which is why I support him.

[MaineDem]

25. Posted in the wrong place

Sorry

[mikehiggins]

27. Dude, Clark is NOT running against Dean

He is running against Bush. If the party gives the nomination to someone else, then he'll help out as asked and then go back into business, teach and try to get a job as a golf pro.

We asked him to run. He is running. If he wins the nomination he'll keep running. If he loses he'll stop. Dean has nothing to do with it, and neither does anyone else.

Clark is not desperately running around trying to derail Clark. As a matter of fact he's on his way to Europe right now to testify at a war crimes trial. If the Democratic Party chooses someone else, so be it. At least he'll know he gave it his best shot.

How hard is that to understand? ;^)

[slinkerwink]

7. welcome to the Dean campaign!

:hi:

[LuminousX]

9. November 2004 - Vote Democratic, no matter who, and we will win

[Hawkeye-X]

10. 24 hours after endorsement

online contributions for Dean has gone past the 300k mark, more than halfway to the 500k goal, and I expect it to be done by tonight or tomorrow morning at the latest -- AHEAD of Friday's midnight deadline. Hopefully he will raise another million by then.

[Meshuga]

11. I will support Dean if he wins the nomination

If most democrats decide Dean is the best candidate I will support the party. Party unity is very important in getting Bush out of the White House.

[Nazgul35]

12. I think it is a bit early for anyone to conceed...

and I am a Dean supporter!!!

Please.....everyone....work for your candidates, vote for your candidates...give it your all!!!!

The time to come together is after the votes have been cast!!! Not before, these types of calls only piss people off and lead to bad blood....

I am willing to wait...by mid Feb. we will have a candidate (85% of the delegates will be awarded).....at least I hope so!

Everybody take a deep breath and lets go about the business of getting rid of Bush!!!

Should any other candidate win...I will be working my ass off for him...

You see folks, McGovern-Carter-Mondale-Dukakus didn't lose the elections they ran....WE DID!!!! It's time we grew up as a party!

Alot of people here like to throw around the word democracy...but one of the guiding priciples of a democracy is that when your candidate loses, you wait until the next election and try again...

And no one here can make any case that our party's nominee is worse than the current occupant in the office...

That's why...three months ago...I began giving the DNC $20 a month to the ePatriots fund...this money is ear-marked for the eventual Dem winner...I did this without expecting my candidate winning, when all the excitement was over the coming candidacy of Clark....

For all the poepl who claim that this election is important...how could you possibly abandon the party and allow Bush to win by surrendering before the battles even won!!!

They have a saying in sports whenever there's an upset....."that's why they play the games!!!!" Did the 1980 olympic hockey team not play the Soviets?! Did they say screw it...we're going to lose?! No..they put themselves out on the line...gave it their heart and soul.....and surprise, surprise....they won!!!!

If you dont have the heart to fight the battle that is coming people 9this is not directed at anyone specifically...) then leave us the hell alone and go sit in your livingrooms and turn on Survivor....

[lastliberalintexas]

13. Ahem

"Should any other candidate win...I will be working my ass off for him..." Or HER? :o


And I'm joking! Don't feel the need to respond- I know it wasn't an intentional slap at CMB- I just thought I'd remind everyone that we *do* have a woman running. :-)

[Parche]

14. SUPPORT KERRY

I will support Kerry until the end, and I know he will win
Never give up, no votes have been counted yet
People are too quick to give up
Remember Bill Clinton back in 91, he had less % then Kerry
does now, and he won

[George_Bonanza]

15. Y'all have the wrong idea. I'm not abandoning Kerry

I'm not saying that I'm going to abandon Kerry! Not ever! But seeing that valuable Gore endorsement go to Dean led to prepare for what I see as the most likely inevitable scenario. What I'm saying is when the time comes, I'm ready and willing to support Dean. But as long as Kerry is still in, he's still number one.

[DrFunkenstein]

17. Damn, I Had My Darth Vader Quote All Ready, Too...

"I find your lack of faith disturbing..."

I'll support Dean, too, right after everybody else drops out. Well, that's probably over-stating the point, but I'd get behind most other candidates first (except Gep for some reason just creeps me out - maybe the Skeletor thing he has going on - so there's hope yet).

[shortshorts]

18. But I like Kerry!

My feelings on Kerry are mixed. My impression was that he was a pompous windbag, but after reading that Atlantic Monthly bio on him, my impression changed. It's hard to read his letters to Vietnam and not see that there's a lot of sincerity, depth and conviction - and intelligence - to the man...which is why his Yes vote on the IWR still puzzles and disappoints me. Sure, he's not good for the soundbite and firing off snappy zingers like, "Bring it on!" (eye roll), but doesn't that say more about the way that the media reduces an important contest into the rattling off of cliches and slogans?
Anyway, even as I try to wrap my mind around his obviously bad decision, I still like him and I think he would be an excellent president.
My own personal feelings aside, if Dean wins the nomination, then everyone should support him.
Anyway, what do I know? I'm Canadian!

[Myra]

22. Thank god that's settled.

Now we can get on with more important business.

[Sully]

23. This is disingenous - I support my candidate!

"Kerry supporters should back Dean!"

Ha!

"Oh don't attack Dean, you are hurting the Democratic party!"

Right...

I am so sick of this disingenuous crap! You guys are going to have the big hurt put on you! And I'm sure that after you are washed out of the race you will go on being good wedge candidates for Karl Rove and start talking third party tripe! Your candidate is doing this already! "You have the power to take back the Democratic Party" -
Dean at JJ. Take it "back" from who? Democrats?"


My how desperate you Deanies are! Gotta clinch it before they vote in Iowa and pop your bubble, right? Well I will tell you this and mark my words well! Dean will LOSE IA and NH! You heard it here first folks and I am in Mason City canvassing tomorrow! What are you guys doing besides stroking your egos? Ha!

[MercutioATC]

24. I support Dean and I agree with you. Vote for the candidate that speaks

to YOU in the primary. Vote for whomever is the Dem in the general.

I think you'll find that most Dean suppporters feel this way. Most of us are not in the business of telling people how to vote in the primary. We might be enthusiastic, but we still believe in the process.

[MaineDem]

26. I know you probably meant well but

I find this thinking rahter insulting.

I don't like Dean. I am going to work with every ounce of effort I can manage to see that he is NOT the nominee. I think John Kerry is a better candidate and would garner more votes in a race against Bush than Dean would. For that reason among others I support JK.

That being said, when this primary fight is over - and it's not near being over yet - I will support the Democratic candidate. I'm sure most Demicrats will do the exact same thing. But while this primary fight rages, and make no mistake it is a fight, I'm not giving up on my candidate until he tells me to.