Dean plans to fortify foreign policy with VP pick

[CMT]

Former Vermont Governor Howard Dean acknowledged yesterday his lack of foreign policy experience as an issue as he seeks the Democratic nomination, but said he would neutralize it with his selection of a Vice Presidential candidate.

"The fact is it's a resume problem, Dean told an audience in Litchfield yesterday, "I need to plug that hole in my resume. And I am going to do that with my running mate."

My feeling is that Senator Bob Graham will be Dean's eventual selection if he is nominated.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2003/12/22/dean_plans_to_fortify_foreign_policy_with_vp_pick/

[robbedvoter]

1. Holey candidate! See my little piece on that:

http://chat.forclark.com/story/2003/12/22/13729/055

[Gloria]

4. Looks like a big can of worms has opened up, I hope Clark

repeats his earlier statements about "holey" candidates and FIRMLY and LOUDLY repeats that he is not interested in being VP...to basically quell any thoughts that he might be Dean's "filler."

No way, no how!

[JI7]

7. cnn mentioned clark for vp

they quoted dean about needing to plug the hole in foreign policy. and then they mentioned clark as possible choice.

[rucky]

2. He's upfront about his weaknesses

gotta respect that.

[helleborient]

3. If Kerry had been upfront about weaknesses months ago...

He might be somewhere different today.

[Gloria]

6. He's only "upfront" now because he's on the defensive....

the incident with Trippi vs. the Clark comment has triggered all this.

Otherwise, you wouldn't be hearing anything this specific....

[rucky]

12. I disagree. I know for a fact that Dean has been recruiting

military brass as advisors at least since April. One of them spoke at a meetup about how he came to endorse Dean. he made no bones about his lack of FoPo experience.

[jmaier]

10. I respect

that as a human being. I don't respect it as the candidate who might very well get thrown up against the Bush/Cheney/Rove grinder. It might have been wise to be a bit more circumspect.

He's already accusing other candidates of giving the opposition anti-Dean soundbites now he wants to chip in?

[auntpattywatty]

5. Joe Biden for VEEP

[mouse7]

15. Biden abandoned Anita Hill in the Thomas hearings

Thomas is on the Supreme Court because Biden chicken-ed out.

[quinnox]

8. Confusing

For a long time Dean supporters have been explaining how Dean's lack of foreign policy experience is a strength, or at the very least not a weakness.

Now Dean himself says he has to fill this hole in his resume?

This seems odd, perhaps Dean supporters can explain?

[HFishbine]

9. Dupe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=17059&mesg_id=17059

[Atlant]

11. Until the debates, I was luke-warm on Graham.

> My feeling is that Senator Bob Graham will be Dean's eventual
> selection if he is nominated.

Until the debates, I was luke-warm on Graham. Based on Miller, Breux,
Landreau, and some others, my general impression was not to trust any
Dems who still manage to get elected from the South until I know
they can be trusted.

But Bob Graham doesn't seem to fall into that mold (or maybe
Florida really is different from the rest of Dixie). I liked
what I heard from the man and I'd be happy to support him,
either at the top of the ticket or in the #2 slot. And it
certainly looks like he's going to be strongly behind Dean,
so his being chosen as Veep is a distinct possibibilty.

I think Bob Graham would be a distinct asset on the Dean ticket.

Atlant

[mouse7]

14. I don't like Graham

He supported keeping some of Dumbya's tax cuts to the rich and the suggestion Graham made to fire off a whole buncha missles at Syria right after Baghdad fell are not the type of foreign policy input I believe any candidate would be best served by.

[mouse7]

13. The 5342865th reminder that most Presidents elected without it

I don't know why people here need to be constantly reminded about this SO often, but the vast majority of those elecyed to be President have no foreign policy experience.

It has never been an issue and never will be. Presidents don't formulate foreign policy by themselves. They have huge teams surrounding them to help them make sure all views are heard and the most good ideas get considered.

Voters seem to understand this in recent years too, since the last 4 of the last 5 President elected did not have foreign policy experience.

It's a NON-issue.

[Jerseycoa]

16. If you don't think FP is an issue in wartime

I think you are wrong. Unless you think the Iraq situation is going to be resolved any time soon, which I can't see happening, either.

[mouse7]

19. FDR had no foreign policy experience when elected.

FDR did fine. Woodrow Wilson didn't either. Wilson was Gov. of New Jersey first.

Carter and Clinton had no foreign policy experience when they started. They did fine.

[Mz Pip]

18. That was then

This is now.

Like it or not it will be an issue. Bush will make an issue of it if Dean is the candidate.

MzPip
:dem:

[Skwmom]

17. No VP will save Dean in the general election.

Once they release footage of him ranting and raving (and the lovely photographs of him doing the same) there is no way the american public will want his hand on the button.

[Moderator]

20. Consolidating threads......

Please continue the discussion here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=17059&mesg_id=17059


DU Moderator