Estrich: Dean Not Ready for Prime Time

[jsw_81]

In the long run, the critical question for Democrats may turn out to be not what Party Chairman Howard Dean is doing, but what he isn't doing.

The answer to the first question is easy. What he's doing is what he has become know for: shooting from the lip. This is, after all, the man who went from front-runner to also-ran in a matter of weeks, on the strength of a series of mistakes that convinced the most liberal Democratic voters in America that the guy was not ready for primetime. The much-remembered "Dean scream" came after he lost, not before -- he was already dead, politically speaking, by then.

So it should come as no surprise to experienced Dean watchers to hear him say that most Republicans have never earned an honest living. This is what it means not to be ready for primetime. You make the sort of statements that are sure to get attention because they hit flashpoints like class warfare. It's a Republican talk show host's dream.

The reason other Democrats don't say such things is because you don't win elections this way. In point of fact, of course, what Dean is saying is wrong. Most Republicans are not coupon-clippers -- they go to work and earn a day's pay like the rest of us. And hearing Howard Dean say otherwise not only offends Republicans, but also moderates and independents who have no taste for class warfare or the strident liberalism that Howard Dean is selling.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/Commentary/com-6_8_05_SE.html

[hippiechick]

1. I used to like Susan Estrich ...

... notsomuch in the past few years.
She's turning into a harpy.

[swag]

2. The genius behind the Dukakis campaign feels compelled to share wisdom?

[burythehatchet]

4. and a hideous voice to boot

she truly is one of the lowlifes. I put her in the Dick Morris drawer

[BillZBubb]

19. Another LOSER giving LOSING advice.

Dukakis didn't put up a fight and Estrich was a big part of the problem.

Now this know nothing is commenting on Dean? And people actually listen?

[DemNoir]

3. Thanks for keeping the spin alive...great post!

Ms Estrich presided over one of the worst campaigns in Democratic history. Who the hell would care what she thinks?

[aden_nak]

5. The "honest living" quip was about Republican POLITICIANS.

And really, so was everything he was talking about. He wasn't speaking about the voter base so much as the people who were being voted for. Of course people who vote Republican have, in many cases, normal or even difficult jobs. But the Republicans in power, those who run the party. . . they have never suffered the ill effects of economic downturn. That is the great trick that has been played with Dean's words. He attacks the Republican leaders and the media spins those attacks onto Republican voters.

[brentspeak]

9. Dean didn't say "politicians", though

He said "Republicans". If he was smart, he would have said "Republican politicians". But he was dumb, and now he's made an unnecessary spectacle of himself.

[aden_nak]

13. Reading the whole thing in context, it's clear who he's talking about. BUT

. . .what he did NOT think about was how things would be spun, clipped, edited and distorted after he said it.

[Psephos]

24. Isn't that kind of his job? n/t

[brentspeak]

6. She's only partially correct

She *thinks* that moderates and independents have no taste for "class warfare". In truth, people all over the country are feeling the effects of the GOP "I got mine - screw you!" policies, and want the safety net and social fabric maintained. Not to mention the economy of yesteryear.

She's correct in saying that Dean's recent remarks won't win new followers. They might even turn off old followers. In any case, moderates just look at Dean like he's a kook.

Estrich knows a lot about losing: she was the one who orchestrated Dukakis' miserable presidential campaign.

[jsw_81]

10. You know who else knows a lot about losing?

Howard Dean. He lost every primary and caucus and now he's losing his party.

[DemNoir]

16. Yeah right

He is losing the support of self-serving losers that have turned us into a permanent minority party.

Wake the f up!

[stickdog]

26. His Repuke-lite opponents in the Dem Party have lost the last 7 elections.

Wake up, you corpocrat LOSERS.

[RogueTrooper]

32. No he did not

he one a primary; and he has never been beaten by a Republican in an election. A fact that seems to make him unelectable in the eyes of of some 'Democrats'.

[Psephos]

7. Piling them up

Hmmm. If you add a stone to a small pile of stones, you still have a small pile of stones. But if you keep doing it, at what point do you have a big pile of stones?

Biden, Edwards, Frank, Richardson, Pelosi, Estrich. Who's next?

I think there's a message in there somewhere.

Peace.

[jsw_81]

11. Hillary

That's when the good doctor goes back to Vermont for good.

[BillZBubb]

20. Correction: There are no "stones" in that list.

Biden, Edwards, Frank, Richardson, Pelosi, Estrich--a list of milquetoast, let's compromise Democrats.

[Psephos]

23. Recipe for a Pyrrhic victory: win the war of words, lose the election

"a list of milquetoast, let's compromise Democrats"

Biden and Edwards, definitely.

Richardson and Estrich, maybe.

Frank and Pelosi, no way.

Howie is a great candidate (I was a supporter during his run), but DNC chair is not a candidacy. He needs to learn how the game of party politics is played. Rule One: don't show all your cards at the poker table. (See Machiavelli, Niccolo, or Rove, Karl.) Rule Two: be a uniter, not a divider. Dean's job is to consolidate the base (he's doing that mainly with the leftmost half of the party), raise funds (pretty weak so far compared to repugs), and bring voters who went astray back to the D side of the ballot (ain't happening).

Don't take my word for it. Read this instead:

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_23/c3936057_mz013.htm

If someone called you a lazy elitist who never worked a day in your life, especially when you've punched the clock every working day since you became an adult (like most repugs), would that make you more likely or less likely to listen to what else they have to say? The typical repug is middle class and not elitist. (See this excellent Pew Research report on the actual demographics and values of the electorate: http://people-press.org/reports/pdf/196.pdf ). So what was the net political gain of saying stuff like that? Zero, or worse. We can't piss off the very people we need to sway, and then expect to win, even if it does feel sooooo good. I'd rather feel good on election night.

[Larkspur]

8. Susan Estrich is a Faux liberal or maybe an elitest liberal

Wonder if she drives a Volvo and drinks lattes?

http://www.roycecarlton.com/speakers/estrich.html

One of the nation's leading legal scholars, Susan Estrich is the Robert Kingsley professor of Law and Political Science at the University of Southern California. She was named one of the most influential public intellectuals of the century.

Known for her quick wit and humor on Fox News, she regularly appears as the "house liberal" and was a major fixture during the last presidential campaign. As a legal and political analyst on Fox for the last five years, she has taken on Hannity and O'Reilly with charm, brains, and humor. “In any picture of Fox's senior commentators,” says Estrich, “I am the blonde with the smile.”
<SNIP>

My Mom was a FDR Democrat and she always called Republicans the Party of Big Business and Fat Cats. Estrich is out of touch with real Democrats.

[realFedUp]

12. maybe she'll get on the Bush Christmas card list with this one

:shrug:

She's no Democrat and a failed campaign chair.

[Al-CIAda]

14. Time for another cigarette Susan...now STFU. n/t

[Democracy White]

15. Just what is she insinuating?

"Most Republicans are not coupon-clippers, they go to work and earn a day's pay like the rest of us."

Oh yeah the old, tired "liberals and Democrats are on welfare and are lazy" rhetoric. Ummm.... Maybe I am on disability because I HAVE A DISABILITY AND I CAN'T WORK. But I guess that is just wrong for you Mrs. Estrich. See you and other Repukes must think EVERYONE should work even if they have mental disorders that prevent them from having a good night's sleep, deep depression w/suicidal thoughts etc. etc. Inability to socialize adequately due to a higher functining form of AUTISM (re. Asperger's Disorder), and has FIBROMYALGIA and is in pain all the time, not to mention getting extremely exhausted after exertion.

I'm NOT LAZY. I am DISABLED so BACK OFF and worry about your own damn life.

Sorry for the rant folks but this is the kind of bullshit rhetoric I get from my father who thinks that I am lazy because I don't clean up around the house like I should.

[soleft]

17. maybe a really annoying Carol Channing voice would help him

At this point I'd rather the truth get out there than worrying about new followers who will only follow the lies.

[NoPasaran]

18. Susan Estrich is a lying sack of shit

Howard Dean is doing exactly what he promised he would do---rebuild the state parties by putting funding and organizers on the ground to get ready for a Fifty State Strategy in 2006 and beyond. And at the same time he's giving the Republicans a taste of the same kind of language they've been sending our way since the Raygun years. If Estrich and the rest of the corporatist boot lickers don't like things, the least they can do is shut the fuck up, not run to the defense of the rethuglican scumbags who are destroying this country.

[Old and In the Way]

21. OK, she convinced me.

I'm sending Howard another $25 today. Next time Ms. Status Quo wants to kneecap our chair, I'll do it again.

She might not like Dean's characterization's of Republican fatcats ((hitting too close to home?) and she damn well knows which type of Republican Dean was referring to), this public admonishment is off the scale in damage to our cause. Given the 35 year history of Republican dirty tricks and broadbased character assassinations that we have suffered with, Ms. Estrich proves that her Chamberlain-like appeasement will play well in the Republican dominated media...furthering her career, but doing precious little to help our cause.

[NYCGirl]

22. Ms. Estrich has no doubt learned from her mistakes —

and I'm sure she can repeat them EXACTLY.

BTW, Realclearpolitics.com is a right leaning publication, you know.

[comsymp]

25. Hey Susan

Seriously~

[merbex]

27. Once,just once,I want to see a Dem with spine say on to people like

Estrich and Schrum your way doesn't work. You lost a HUGE race for your guy with that philosophy.

You hurt our party. You don't bring The Marquess of Queenbury Rules TO A KNIFE FIGHT

Why can't you SEE that? The Repugs bring a whole arsenal to a fight and you tie our candidates hands behind his back and shove him into the ring

YOU LOST, SUSAN. YOU LOST, BOB

Doesn't that bother you? Don't you want to know why?

Your advice sucks!!!!

[Stinky The Clown]

28. Fuck you, Susan. Your opinion and a buck can't buy me a cup of coffee

Its over for you and your kind, Susan .... go back home and soak your tired feet.

[enough already]

29. She's a great one to pontificate on what wins elections

Keep swinging at the racist bastards, Howard.

[MsTryska]

30. she's right on 2 points.....

"You make the sort of statements that are sure to get attention because they hit flashpoints like class warfare. It's a Republican talk show host's dream. "


~~~~yes.


and

"The reason other Democrats don't say such things is because you don't win elections this way."

~~~~Dean's not running for office.



otherwise she's completely missed the boat.

[leesa]

31. That's right. In prime time you need to lie.

[blm]

33. Estrich was pushing Dean like crazy during the primaries, now dissing him.

Typical tactic of the mediawhores.

Dean was directing his comment to the Republicans in political power, and it's the MEDIA that spun his remarks as an attack on the working class.