MSNBC Poll: Will Dean Help Or Hurt Democrats?

[Mark E. Smith]

Help 63%
Hurt 37%

My comment:

The only sound of screaming heard now is from the Republicans. Dean will call Bush out on each and every one of his fabrications and failures, and they can't be happy about that. The Democrats now have a voice, and Dean will be heard.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3080261/

[Ivote]

1. The Doctor Is In The House

64% Help
36% Hurt
9:49 am EST
:kick:

[Sporadicus]

2. Good Comment

Count on caterwauling conservatives!

[biscotti]

3. Done

66% 34%

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

4. A few thoughts on Dean

To call the man "controversial" is a no-brainer.

What is pretty tough (if not impossible) to DENY, however, is:

1). His use of the Internet as a rallying point, in terms of activism and fundraising, created a new benchmark. He wasn't the first, he won't be the last, but few manipulated that resource as skillfully as Dean.

2). He's passionate. Of course, that's what Rove used against him, because the number one rule in the Karl Rove Dirty Tricks Playbook is "Find your opponent's greatest strength and use it against him."

Kerry = Vietnam. The Bush campaign smeared a spotless record. There's a space being kept warm in Hell for the Swift Boat Liars.

Dean = passion. Sean Hannity and Chris Matthews rubbed themselves raw and giggled like little schoolgirls as they played the "I have a scream" clip. I remember one "Hardball" show...and I'm sure that some of you do, as well...in which Matthews played the clip AT LEAST six times...probably MORE.

SO...

Dr. Dean is the man we've got, whether people moan and shake their heads or applaud the decision. Check out this thread I posted yesterday:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1588575&mesg_id=1588575

...Bill Clinton saying "All that has to happen is you have to have a clear vision, a plan for the future, good campaign tactics and fight like the devil," said Clinton. "We need to brand ourselves better. There were too many people who didn't know why we were Democrats except that we were against President Bush's policies."

Dean has the ability to gather Democrats who can shape "a clear vision" and "a plan for the future." I don't question his ability to "fight like the devil," and I think he learned enough from his own campaign to practice "good campaign tactics."

He's not afraid of George Bush, I don't see any evidence that he will "play nice with" or "bend over for" Karl Rove...and we need to support him.

[pstans]

5. The thing with Dean

All of the pundits on TV are saying that Dean is too far left and will force his views on Gay Marriage, Abortion, Health Care, the Iraq War on al Democrats. But Dean didn't run his campaign for President on these issues.

His campaign slogan was "You have the Power." His campaign was about the everyday American taking the country back from the corporate money and special interests. That was his message and then he got into the issues. He will do the same as DNC chair. He will raise a lot of money as DNC Chair and he will energize a lot of people at the local level. He will also put an effort at winning every race in every state, from Senators to mayors.

The Doctor is in the house. Give em hell Howard!

[Branjor]

6. Help 66%, Hurt 34%

The message thanked me for "voting", but it didn't give me a chance to.

[corbett]

7. You're Both Right

66% Help the Democrats
34% Hurt the Democrats
10:45AM Saturday

I supported Gephardt during the Iowa process in late 2003 with Kerry as my second choice. To this day, I believe that Kerry was a better choice for the Democratic nomination than Dean.

However, after he dropped out of the race and conceded to Kerry, Dean published many articles and gave many speeches which had a completely different tone from his campaign. Reading and listening to former Governor Dean rather than candidate Dean gave me a whole new level of respect for him.

He will make a superb DNC chair and I have a profound sense of hope for the future.

[in_cog_ni_to]

8. voted...help 66% hurt 37%

Will Howard Dean help or hurt the Democrats as DNC chair? * 2952 responses


Help the Democrats
66% Hurt the Democrats
34%

[itzamirakul]

9. Done!

Still 66% Help
34% Hurt

[MissWaverly]

10. sent e-mail to MSNBC

I told them to can the scream and start objectively reporting the news and to start with Gannon/Guckert. I said that I saw a picture of Dean addressing a crowd in DC and there were no dogs, no massive build-up of police, no barricades. I like how Dean said the Democratic President in 2008 is going to walk up the street to the White House.

[moggie12]

11. Kick n/t

[Sopianae]

12. Done. n/t

[Zhade]

13. 70/30 Help/Hurt.

Voted and kicked.

[BlueManDude]

14. Is George W. Bush God, or just God-like? F You MSRNC.

[calimary]

15. Did you guys see the "Help Howard Dean" thread?

It's an "Action Plan" for concrete things we can do, to bolster the obvious donations for those who can swing any. He's gonna need it.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=1584144

Worth a look. LOTS of great ideas in there.

And we have to be ready to respond to - and debunk - the inevitable barrage of "Dean Scream" crap.

In fact, I'd even go so far as to ask for a bumper sticker among the cafepress people here - something like

"I Support Howard Dean

I'm Screaming, TOO!"