Thoughts on Dean, a response to a party county chairman

[jswordy]

I was asked yesterday in an email by my county chair whether I thought the DNC chairmanship is "the right spot" for Howard Dean. After re-reading today what I wrote back, I thought I'd share it. It is hoghly likely that at least some of you will disagree with some things written here, but I think we can all find common ground in the bedrock Democratic values I listed.

I would personally rather Dean had run for president. Frankly, had the Kerry folks not run an efficient backroom fax smear campaign, and had the Clintons not gotten Wes Clark in the race to dilute Dean's anti-war primary support base, he would be president right now. Karl Rove said they could beat Dean easily. But Karl Rove is also a student of "Brer Rabbit."

Dean will make us all proud as chairman. He is NOT the man he has been demonized as in the media. He has been working his tail off networking to make sure he draws the party together, but also to open up the process to more than just the Democratic elite who have been so efficient at missing the mark and racking up losses. He is firm in establishing a Democratic "farm team" of politicians elected at state and local levels from which
the party can draw folks who are promising up to the national level. That will be a generational kind of change. And he is brilliant.

One of Howard Dean's first actions as chair will be to make a Southern swing. He will be in Mississippi on March 1, where Kerry lost by just 20 percent (small margin for the South). I am trying to get his itinerary to see if I can go see him. I saw him here in Huntsville (Alabama) during the primaries. He really does mean what he says about running in the whole country.

I'm pretty disgusted with our party right now, even more so by the blatent effort of the Clintons and Kennedys and the party elite in trying to force Roemer into the chairman's spot.

The Democratic Party has a lot to prove to me right now. The party is in danger of losing a lot of its core supporters in its misguided rush to the right and its zeal to set aside women's reproductive rights, support for the social safety net and support for workers' rights. Those core supporters who leave will be added to those who were weaker and already have left.

Howard Dean is a step in the right direction. They say you can tell the strength of a man by measuring that of his enemies. Howard Dean is a giant.

We need to stand up for the things we believe in as Democrats. We need to cease trying to pander and coerce our way into high office. We need to tell the people who we are and what we stand for again, those same values that have run through our party for more than 70 years. We stand up for them! That's bedrock.

The right to a decent wage; women's equal rights; the right to stand equally regardless of race; the right to healthcare; the right to a decent retirement; the right of our children to be free from the burden of the national debts of their elders; the right of redress in our courts for wrongs done to us; the right of privacy in our bedrooms, on our telephones, in our emails and in our homes; the right of a publicly known due process of law, not of secret courts and tribunals; the basic right to an attorney, regardless of the charge against us -- all these and many other of our rights have been, or are in danger of being, taken from us by
the right.

Those rights are endangered due to a basic failing of the Democratic Party to communicate to the electorate its values, a willingness of the party to allow itself instead to be defined and pigeonholed by the opposition, a reticence of the party leadership elite to move from their positions of lofty and cushy privilege for the benefit of the party. Thus, a disconnection of the party from the people. So the Democrats bear responsibility themselves for any of the dimunitions of rights possible
under this Republican government.

Well, now the grassroots rabble are at the door. We want our party back.

I am ready to work 110 percent for this party. I have been trying and trying to plug myself in farther to it, with little success so far. I want to work for a state campaign.

But I won't work for the party if I have to sell out my own basic values and beliefs like I did last time to work for John Kerry. Not anymore. No more party hacks! Give me some candidates who will represent our party's best, and I will work my heart out for them.

We Democrats need to stop cringing every time we see our own shadows, and Howard Dean is a first step to that end.

[hippiechick]

1. Excellent essay !

"They say you can tell the strength of a man by measuring that of his enemies. Howard Dean is a giant."


Spot on.
Applause, applause !!

:toast:

[Dhalgren]

2. Good letter, very strong.

[moggie12]

3. Well said!

Yep, us "grassroots rabble" is at the door. With Dean as DNC Chair, it looks like we forced our way in...

[Larkspur]

4. Bravo!! Well Said!!

[Adelante]

5. The Clintons didn't get Wes Clark to run

I did ;)

I think your letter is absolutely terrific. Good work. :toast:

[jswordy]

6. According to TWO reporters, Clark said the Clintons DID get him to run.

After they were made public, Clark then said the comments were made "off the record." But both reporters said that there was no such agreement requested or asked for prior to the comments, which occurred at a campaign staff party held shortly after Clark dropped from the race. Clark then responded that the comments were misconstrued, taken out of context, etc., etc.

Just setting the record straight here. Though Clark supporters don't want to believe it, the information in my letter to the county chair came from Clark's own mouth.

I will give you this point, though. I am accepting Clark's statement as true, mainly based on how quickly he came out and tried to distance himself from it once it was made public. But whether it is true or not, I actually don't know. :shrug: Wes Clark has a well-known reputation for making grandiose statements about himself.

[Adelante]

17. What Clark said

is when he first discussed the idea with Clinton, Clinton was cool to it. As Clinton saw the draft movement unfold, he became more encouraging. He said this in a Washington Post article of September 19, 2003.

I'm not familiar with the statement you are referring to as having taken place soon after Clark dropped out. I would like to read it if you have a link.

[Debi]

34. Since we're all on the same team now..

no reason to open wounds...but Dean wrote in his book that Clinton called around to get support for Clark before he entered the race (and told people that b/c Dean signed the civil unions bill he'd never be president)

Either way. Dean is our Chair now and we need to band together

[BootinUp]

38. Right, but we didn't write the OP

I was only asking for the claim in the OP to be substantiated. It never will be, because it was an erroneous claim. Your comment does not address it either as the OP referred to a Clark quote that doesn't exist.

If Dean did not get the kind of help from Clinton that he wanted, it just might have been his own doing. I do seem to recall Dean had no problem criticizing the Clinton administration. It was part of his strategy, it helped him and it hurt him.

I'm all for being on the same team. I invite anyone to examine my posting record here. I haven't said a negative thing about Dean since the primaries, and even then I always admired his spunk and his policy positions.

[Debi]

40. So we'll agree on his spunk

(I love that word)

And move on from there.

Deal :thumbsup:

[BootinUp]

41. thanks

:)

[Adelante]

48. I have no doubt Dean believes it

But that doesn't make it true. The OP letter says "had the Clintons not gotten Wes Clark in the race." Clinton making calls does not mean the Clintons got Wes to run. The draft "got" Wes to run, Bill Clinton encouraged him to run once the draft was already a fact, for whatever reasons he may have had, not excluding the one you cited. Thereafter, his support was rather lukewarm, IMO. Certainly nothing remotely close to Gore's endorsement of Dean. Wes's son, actually, has said here on DU that he himself convinced his father to run, finally, and that would have been after the draft was established.

"Either way. Dean is our Chair now and we need to band together."

I'm all for that, Debi. :thumbsup:

Moving on :hi:

[BootinUp]

28. I'd also like to see the link or reference.

I follow Clark's interviews and statements pretty close, and the only thing I can ever remember him saying is that the Clintons encouraged him and he quoted Bill Clinton saying something like: "You never can tell what will happen once you get in." But political hacks will twist that 10 ways till Sunday I am sure. Clark was encouraged by many people obviously. Some with more connections than others. But the only person that got Clark into the race was Clark.

Dean will make a great Chairman though, I agree with you there. And I would have supported him if he had won the primary.

[sybylla]

7. Wonderful!

You explained so well why this bit of rabble was at the door four years ago. Go Howard Dean!

[TayTay]

8. Breathless arrogance

You are not the only ones who have been fighting the good fight for many years. I find this kind of divisive argument arrogant, petty and disunifying. There are many of us who have sacrificed over the years with time, money, effort and heart to get the Democratic Party to elect true Progressives to public office. This fight didn't start in 2003 and it won't end with the election of any one person to the DNC.

I am tired of being told that all my efforts over the years are part of some sort of cabal that has betrayed the Democratic roots. I am tired of being told that all this consistent effort on behalf of Progressive Dems is somehow inferior to a bunch of 'Johnny-come-latelys' who threaten to leave the Party at the first sign that they are not getting what they want. This is a form of breathless arrogance and disregard for all those who have fought the good fight for years and is a major way to turn allies into enemies.

I suggest that some of us need to grow up and learn to embrace the many people in the Democratic Party who may not embrace your choice in the last race, but embrace change going forward into the next one. Otherwise we don't stand a chance in any upcoming races and will be condemned to always fighting the last fight to no actual avail. I am also a Democrat, not some sort of Repub-Lite and I am ashamed and embarrased by the efforts of some here to make me feel that way. Enough with stupid divisive campaign to drive good people away because they are not morally pure enough. This is a one-way ticket to a losing effort.

[TheDonkey]

10. Dean is tired of people dividing us, yet some of his supporters try

very hard to divide this party as much as right wing extremists.

It's very sad and I hope they realize that this cattiness won't make the party stronger. Only when we are united and committed to win together can things get better.

[sybylla]

11. Here, here

I suggest that some of us need to grow up and learn to embrace the many people in the Democratic Party who may not embrace your choice in the last race, but embrace change going forward into the next one.

Though your post suggests you were merely referring to Dean supporters and suggesting jswordy's post was about "sour grapes" I'm hoping that you see it as road that goes both ways.

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding and I know you will correct me if I'm even slightly off base, but all of this to-do back and forth over Howard Dean seems to be based in some degree on a misunderstanding.

The people who support Howard Dean, imho, seem to be supporting a change in leadership, direction and message back to the progressive, liberal ideals of the grassroots of the party. I don't see how, in any way, this is a criticism of local efforts at the grass roots level to promote liberal ideals and promote progressive candidates. I see no claims nor even the remotest implications of the entire party acting as a cabal to betray the Democratic roots. Please point those statements out to me if you can. I'm sure I must have overlooked them.

I say this as your comrade in the party. I've been involved heavily in my county party and in several campaigns since 2000. I'm not offended in any way by the promotion of Howard Dean. I don't see it as a criticism of me or my efforts. I worked closely with people inspired by Dean over the last two years and I encourage their involvement in the party.

And the misunderstanding also goes both ways. Dean's supporters often think, because Dems don't have the money machine that the pukes do and we aren't quite so visible, that the local entities are essentially non-existent and don't often even seek to work with them but work outside them in their DFA groups. Imagine what we could do if we just got together.

I'm hoping making Dean DNC chair will bring all our energy and efforts under one house, where we can be twice the organization we are seperately. But it won't happen if people in the party think that support for Dean is criticism of the people who have busted their butts for years to make things work before he got there.

[Crunchy Frog]

45. A wonderful post TayTay!

I agree with it 100%. :yourock:

[JNelson6563]

47. I always wonder

In my Congressional District I have one county who thinks they should rule the roost. They are, (according to them), "the most involved" and they want credit for it dammit!

Of course the district is in dire straights. My 70% Rethug county has 40x the cash on hand they do and a powerful network that makes the district look isolationist.

And these people want full credit and don't you forget it! You should have seen the hostility when I showed up to run for district chair. "Who is she to come in here and try to lead us??" Yes, she who hasn't been a major player through the years of failure.

Funny stuff.

Yes, the old timers, in mnay cases, have done what they could. Now it is time to meld the new with the old. The new shouldn't be too arrogant and the old shouldn't be so resentful or possesive.

Julie

[ohtransplant]

9. Sorry I just don't understand

why anyone has to trash Kerry, Clark, Clinton, and the Democratic party to support Howard Dean.

We all wish Howard Dean the best in his new position. I, for one, hope he becomes the best chairman the DNC has ever had. That said, he's not going to win back Congress, the Presidency, etc...by himself.

We're in this together...or we should be.

[JaneQPublic]

13. Exactly. There's nothing to gain by rehashing old battles. (nt)

[blm]

12. So, the man who exposed more govt. corruption and helped end more wars

than ANY other lawmaker in modern history DISGUSTS YOU and you had to compromise your VALUES to vote for someone like that?

What kind of personal values do you have?

I think you know very little about the last 35 years of this country and the Democrats' battles if you can make statements like you did.

I also think you know very little of the backroom faxing and factchecking that goes on in EVERY backroom, including Dean's.

Dean and Kerry bonded as warriors almost a year ago. Nice to see some of the sideline cheerleaders are still whining and still fabricating grievances. What egos.

Your attitude will be of NO HELP TO DEAN OR THE PARTY. Posts like yours are crafted with ONE purpose, to DIVIDE the party, as if only you and those who think like you do have any credibility or value.

Fie.

[blm]

18. No reply, eh? You don't think you should be held to account for your post?

.

[Zhade]

27. You know, you keep repeating that canard.

Just because you WANT Kerry to have been "the man who exposed more govt. corruption and helped end more wars than ANY other lawmaker in modern history" (that latter one is a new addition, kudos for finding yet another way to exaggerate the man's accomplishments) doesn't make it true.

Remind me how he tried to stop the current war on Iraq, again? Right, he didn't.

[blm]

30. Have it YOUR way. Name one person who exposed MORE govt. corruption

and helped to end more wars than John Kerry.


btw....I have mentioned the wars many times before. In case you can't recall recent history, I'll give you some help. Vietnam, Iran-Iraq (by exposing the illegal arms sales to both countries, which helped end the sales and the war), and the illegal wars in Central America.


Good luck in finding just ONE lawmaker who did more important work than IranContra and BCCI and the illegal wars in Central America. Historian Harold Evans has said that IranContra was the biggest crime against the Constitution of the last 100 years.

You call it a canard?

[jswordy]

14. My, my what a fractious lot...heh...I do believe if I said today is Friday

someone here would argue that it isn't Friday elsewhere in the world. (And if you understand my point in that, all the better for you.)

I can't say I am surprised, however.

Oh yes, my values are in paragraph 9. I don't quibble about them, nor do I try to couch them in qualifiers in order to "fuzz them up." As I said in my lead-in, "I think we can all find common ground in the bedrock Democratic values I listed."

On the other hand, being well-read around DU...heheheheh...maybe not?

Have a pleasant day! Go out and take a nice walk. Enjoy life. Everything will be fine. Really.

[Name removed]

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[WildEyedLiberal]

21. Cute

I don't hate other Democrats, and yet I'm bitter.

Take a cue from Howard, fella, and focus your anger where it belongs - on George W. Bush.

[Name removed]

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[Zhade]

29. "I am not a redistributionist Democrat."

You tell me if that sounds like he'll fight for a living wage. Of course, you know he wouldn't, since he wanted to raise the minimum wage to a lousy $7 by 2007 - a paltry amount that doesn't even keep up with inflation.

[blm]

31. Minimum wage. Living wages in more expensive cities. You do know

that Kerry picketed with maintenance workers for living wages about 8 years ago, don't you? He's been fighting this battle longer than most. His minimum wage proposal as president was a start.

If you were more aware of Kerry's work throughout the years you wouldn't be so dismissive.

[Zhade]

44. A man can change. The 2004 Kerry is not the 1971 Kerry.

I think that's a real shame, too.

[blm]

49. Take his WHOLE career. The living wage issue has been one he's worked

for alot longer than many realize.

Why is it only 71 Kerry that you admire? In the mid to late 70s, while running the prosecutors' office he started the first rape-crisis program in the country.

Shortly after taking office in 85, Senator Kerry launched an investigation into IranContra, and then BCCI, and the illegal wars in Central America.

Kerry was also the first Senator to submit legislation protecting gays and later advocated for gays to be allowed to serve openly in the military.

Kerry rescued parts of Hillary's failed healthcare bill and helped draft the SCHIP bill with Kennedy that extended healthcare for children.

From 1991-2000, Kerry helped craft the KyotoProtocol with other world leaders on the environment and in government.

In 1996, Kerry wrote a book called The New War, which outlined the way terrorist organizations use international financing systems and governments to support global terror networks. He based alot of this from what he learned investigating BCCI. Too bad so many Republicans never read it.

Why do you pretend that the only thing John Kerry ever did right in his life was protest the Vietnam War?

Seriously, where have you been for the last 35 years that IranContra and BCCI mean NOTHING to you? If Bush1 and his cronies hadn't worked so hard to coverup and classify so much of BCCI, this country would have been WAY AHEAD in combatting terror and the tracking of terror funds. That means a 9-11 may not have ever happened or maybe an al Qaeda network would have never had the financing it needed to take hold of Afghanistan.

Why so much derision towards Kerry and such blatantly false characterizations of him as someone who hasn't been worth anything to this country since 1971?

[Name removed]

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[jswordy]

20. Love you bunches. Have a wonderful weekend!

I'd rather be happy than worry about what you think of me, stranger, or what your questions are. I can tell when arguing is futile, as it is most of the time in here.

:hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:

I said my piece, and life's too short! Have a great weekend!

[blm]

22. Horsepoo. You're avoiding dealing with the truth. YOUR values said you

can't vote for Kerry, the man who exposed more government corruption than any lawmaker in modern history and who helped to end more wars.

What values do you hold that make Kerry's historic work so monstrous to you?

[Name removed]

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[emulatorloo]

37. But you can't make things up in paragraph 2 and expect not to be called on

it.

I don't care how many times you repeat paragraph 2 it doesn't make it true.

[Zhade]

25. Excellent, with one exception...

Those core supporters who leave will be added to those who were weaker and already have left.

It appears you are criticizing those who left the Dems earlier on (like myself, now an independent) as "weak". I rather believe we left because we saw the writing on the wall sooner than most.

Otherwise, great job!

[CWebster]

26. My sentiment exactly

the fact that Kerry still trumpets welfare reform as an admirable accomplishment--especially with the ax falling on the safety net and he being the wealthiest senator, still indicates that he. does. not. get. it.

[mzmolly]

32. I like it all except the smear of John Kerry.

Too late to edit? ;)

[Debi]

33. Wonderful!

:yourock:

[realFedUp]

35. Good letter and

I would bet that Howard already has
met most of the grassroots support in
every single state through Meetups,
fundraisers, book signings, speeches.
I really doubt that Terry M was
willing or able to do that.

[txaslftist]

39. YEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAARRRGGGHHH!

Rock on Doctor Dean!
:yourock:

[merh]

42. What a way to ruin a decent essay.

the Kerry slams make your essay bitter and it loses it value. The writing lacks credibility because of the bitterness.

What a waste!

Why can't folks just get over the primaries. Time to move on and work together! :nopity: What a shame.

[Clark2008]

46. Part of the premise is bullshit

Clark ran because I, and 69,999 others asked him to.
No... I didn't read any further. I'm tired of that smear.

BULLSHIT.

Now, I like Dean, but this CRAP WITH CLARK HAS TO END!!

[Carolab]

50. I think we should draft Dean for 2008.

I don't understand why he can't run for president in 2008. I say we DEMAND it of him.