"When Republicans Attack"

[Sullivan 4 Congress]

Looks like I hit a raw nerve with the GOP Establishment!

http://www.politicsnh.com/press_releases/2005/August/8_...

Stratham – Since Rep. Peter Sullivan is a Democrat, it is impossible for him to not to have heard the original remarks made by then presidential candidate Howard Dean. Perhaps his democrat ears could not comprehend them. As an African-American, I understand exactly what Gov. Dean was trying to say.


In November of 2003, presidential candidate Howard Dean said, “I still want to be the candidate for guys with Con federate flags in their pickup trucks.” My recent activities in Laconia bear out the fact that this type of thought does not belong in New Hampshire. No democrat, republican or independent can say otherwise nor defend what he has said. This is the message NH GOP Chair Henderson was conveying.

*************

[Dr Fate]

1. I stood behind Dean for that remark.

Nothing wrong with converting folks.

[kodi]

7. he was trying to drive the discussion to economics, not cultural issues

the GOP has peeled away vast segments of white southern working class folk with their rhetoric about a cultural war, and dean was attempting to focus on the mutual benefits of all colors of working class people to unite under a banner of economic populism.

i dont like the rebel battle flag one bit. i consider it either the flag of insurrection or of a foreign power. in neither case should it be flown with pride by american citizens. but i do understand that the only way to get these people back to thinking straight is to get them focused on economics, then the rest will fall into place when they see that white and black working class people have more in common than conflict.

[billbuckhead]

17. They'll never accept our economic theory until they accept our moral one

These people think it's degrading to live with a black woman mayor. The only way to beat these guys is to go right at them. We need to tell them that sexist racists are going to hell cause Jesus says so.

[kodi]

18. as marx showed, economics drives morality,

and it is true in america as well. the infrastructure is what drives the superstructure.

and the only thing having black politicians run atlanta shows is that they are just as corrupt, dishonest, and veneal as white politicians.

[billbuckhead]

23. Take your shot, slurring Maynard Jackson, Andy Young and Shirley Franklin

No elected American black politician has ever been as corrupt as this current neocon present regime. Thomas, Powell and Rice were all appointed.

[kodi]

26. typical bullshit from you. you cant even admit corruption by black pols

i too live in the atlanta area, and know you are talking bullshit about this. i can list a few honest white pols, just like your little list of black ones. but there is blatant corruption in atlanta area politics and you knowe it even if you refuse to admit it here. it just so happens that due to demographics those caught are usually black, and its not because they are black, but because they are corrupt.

i note without comment in your litany on the purity of black pols in atlanta that you failed to mention bill campbell's gang of thieves.

you are so blind in your devotion to all things liberal and black that you cant even admit corruption by black pols and instead, in the your best tom delay immitation call the truth slurs.

and you still haven't a clue about how to get the natural economic allies of poor blacks to unite with them other than to call them racists.

[billbuckhead]

29. Go after their long suffering wives, kids and their Mexican neighbors

If you know anything about the ring counties of the ATL then you know there a far more Mexican flags on pickup trucks than Confederate ones.

I've had far more luck converting "redneck" women over than the reactionary men who mostly will always hate Democrats for knocking them off their little pedestals. Running as RepuKKKe lites doesn't work anywhere in the long run. Ask former governor and NRA appeaser Roy Barnes.

Bill Campbell and his "gang of theives" wasn't very corrupt in the big scheme of things and you bringing him up proves you're grasping.

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. Welcome to DU

[rniel]

3. I think what he was saying by the remark

Is look even racists white rednecks with confederate flags and african american, mexicans, etc. may all have their problems with each other but all of them got to make a living in this country. Put the democrats in power and we will a make a better country for everyone.

Nothing wrong with that. I think that's what he was saying.

Remember the republicans want to divide us and I think howard dean wants to try to bring us together and find some common ground and things we can all agree on.

[billbuckhead]

4. Even Zell Miller fought against the Confederate flag

This is just one of the many many examples of Dean being out of touch and being an appeaser. It was was despicable what Dean said and also made Dems look weak, like we stand for nothing. IMHO, Dean is the absolute worst of the pink tutu Dems. Dean's constant whoring for states rights, for the NRA and against abortion rights makes me ill.

Here in metro Atlanta and well into the exurbs, we have far more MEXICAN flags on pickup trucks than ConFlags. Wake up Democrats.

[Dr Fate]

5. Zell did that because the Olympics was coming. I supported him too.

Dean was saying somthing different- that the Bubbas out their ought to be voting DEM.

The idea is that once they are in the fold, they may actually REMOVE not only those decals, but the ideas behind it.

I "get" what Dean was saying, and I agree 100%- nothing wrong with converting people and informing them to vote for their best economic interests as opposed to voting based on fear & racism.

I want people with Confederate imagery on their trucks to vote DEM too.

[billbuckhead]

6. Dean makes Dems look like they stand for nothing

Our problem isn't our positions but the weak pandering and lack of conviction.

[Patchuli]

8. I think what he said was clumsy

and insensitive, but I certainly would not write him off for one gaffe. I think his heart's in the right place. No, it wasn't a good thing to say but let's see what else he has to offer? If someone could please please dear God! pull this party together, we ought to give it a go. Maybe he could be asked to clarify just what he meant by his original statement also? He is our chairman and we need to win!

[Dr Fate]

10. Just out of curiosity- are you from the South?

I'm assuming Bill is- since Buckhead is in Atlanta.

I lived in Richmond County GA when Dean made that statement- I know plenty of Black & White DEMs in GA who "get" what he was saying and had no problem with it.

Republicans & anti-Dean DEMs had a problem with it- Southern DEMs that I talked to- who know we need to build the party did not.

[Patchuli]

12. My family was about 100 or so years ago

but I'm a native Californian, albeit Southern CA. I am pretty happy with Chairman Dean and think more folks need to get behind him. I don't even think anything insulting should have been drawn from that comment. I think Dean meant that even folks whose old ideas we may not agree with (Confed flag flyers) belong in the party. I don't think Dean agrees with the idea of pushing Confed flags on anyone.

If repugs took offense? GOOD! But I am sure it would be 'mock' offense just for an excuse to bag on Dean and Dems.

[comsymp]

13. I'm from the South

and can't understand how anybody didn't get his point - like the Southern Dems you've talked with, I understood him perfectly, and agreed wholeheartedly.

[billbuckhead]

14. Dean's almost always clumsy and does more harm than good

I don't trust Dean in competence, instincts or integrity. Our only hope in 2008 is the proven winners over at Team Clinton.

[Dr Fate]

9. So Dean never discusses issues, never has any ideas?

Where have I heard that one before?

Trying to get poor whites to vote DEM along with poor minorities is "pandering?"- so be it!

[billbuckhead]

15. Trying to legitimize the Confederate flag & the NRA is despicable

It's imperative to get less affluent whites to vote Dem but pandering to the worst in America is a failed strategy that make Dems look wishy washy and weak.

[Dr Fate]

19. He never tried to Legitimize that symbol- but he did admit it existed.

He said that if *he* were governor of South Carolina, he would have the flag removed as well.

I'm also a gun owner, so I guess we two will just have to disagree.

"Pandering" to conservatives is just not my impression of Dean.

[billbuckhead]

24. Dean panders to the NRA like a prison bitch.

[Dr Fate]

30. Any examples as DNC chair- or are we talking as Vermont Governor?

I'm curious.

We know how all those bubba rednecks up in er- Vermont get.

[billbuckhead]

31. Deans endless bragging about his 8 times NRA endorsement, pathetic

That a northeast Democratic governor in one of the most liberal states gets endorsed by the NRA 8 times puts Dean in Lieberman country as far as I'm concerned. I wonder how amny guns from Vermont killed people in other states and Canada? Ivy leaguer Dean's really a country club Republican opportunist who's party left him. When he first announced he was running for POTUS, well ahead of everyone else BTW, Dean was trying to run to the right of Bush except on healthcare until the opportunity presented itself for Dean to be the politically unaccountable antiwar candidate. Dean has always been on the cutting edge of dividing the party to his own advantage.

[Dr Fate]

33. So no examples of NRA "pandering" as DNC chair then.

His gun stance must have been in reponse to all those racist, nutty gun-toting Red Necks up in err- Vermont.

Dean is a "Republican opportunist who's party left him..."???

Who made you gatekeeper of the DEMs? I see tons of active party DEMs, including me who dont plan on leaving Dean's ideas behind at all.

That statement has no merit. The rest is a shotgun blast hoping somthing will stick. Not buying it.

[billbuckhead]

34. Dean's ideas? What ideas? Sucking up to reactionaries?

Hey, Dean did real well in small town and rural America. He couldn't win a single state outside Vermont even though he had one of the best financed campaigns in history. Dean couldn't even win New Hampshire. I guess neighboring states knew Dean's bullshit all too well. I know thousands of southern rural and suburban people and Dean is a joke to them. They take Hillary far more serious as a leader. They like Wes Clark and some liked military man Kerry/ fellow southernerEdwards but Dean is considered kooky, inconsistant and rightly so. When ever Dean talks about the bible, I cringe. Dean really comes across as phony. He did southern liberals no favor saying he wanted Confederate flag voters and he does progressives no favor sucking up to the corrupt and evil neocon dominated NRA.

[Dr Fate]

36. I like Clark too.

I also like Dean.

As far as him not having ideas, I think his "lets show up" in the red states is valid- especially after the Hackett race. Whenever I see him on TV, he discusses core DEM issues- so I'm not sure where your blanket assetion comes from.

If you dont like Dean because he is a "Republican"- then I'm not sure why you like Hilary.

Anyway, I respect your opinion, though I disagree- I like him as DNC chair.

[dorktv]

22. How do you propose to get those people to vote for us if

you never even try to understand where they are coming from?

[billbuckhead]

25. We know damn well where they're coming from

I bet if we stood for something real hard, we could gain more voters than caving to minority positions on civil rights, gun responsibilty and regulation, reproductive rights, social safety nets, gay rights, women's rights, etc. All the things conservative hate.

[dorktv]

21. sorry but WHEN did Dean say that the decision to

choose one's family size should be gotten rid of? When did he said abortion should be illegal?

[leesa]

27. I think you misinterpreted Dean's remark. The post you are responding

to makes more sense than you do. Dean is hardly a pink tutu Dem. You may not agree with him, but he is strong. Of course it sounds like you have already made up your mind about him so you probably don't listen, just assume.

[ihaveaquestion]

11. Link doesn't work - Not Found!

[Iris]

16. the unitarian jihad shit is funny!

[Gyre]

20. I like Howard alot!

But who needs a bunch of red-neck, shit-for-brains trailer trash campaigning for ya? I really think we can do without the Nascar crowd. Besides, winning those specimens over would require 95% effort for probably less than a 5% return. A sucker bet IMO.

Gyre

[Redneck Socialist]

28. That's an effective message.

:eyes:

[FightinNewDem]

32. Elitism?

You know, I don't like NASCAR. I don't see the thrill in an experience that is roughly the same as standing in the breakdown lane of I-93 on a Friday afternoon. But that's just me.

I also don't like elitism.

When I hear people sneer at Southern race fans, I can easily hear the snarky remarks that Ivy Leaguers make towards mouthy irish Catholic locals in beat-up old Bruins jerseys. I've been on the receiving end of this garbage, and it ain't a lot of fun.

Please, people, enough with the stupid stereotyping and elitist haughtiness. It's a quick way to piss off the unconverted, and even a lot of folks on your own side.

[billbuckhead]

35. It goes both ways. The typical NASCAR dad is more prejudiced against us.

Republicans have no problem calling sinners, sinners. When do we start turning this around? Janene was saying tonite how decades of talk radio have told people that being reactionary and not contributing to the good of the general society have been sold as virtues to the populace. When do we challenge that?