What, exactly, would a Democratic leader stepping up right now look like?

[Stinky The Clown]

Many threads of late suggest Al Gore. Dean is ever popular. Clark has huge support, at least here on DU. Hilary is a possibility. John Kerry keeps trying, it seems. There are also the more folk hero types, like John Conyers or Barbara Boxer.

And yet the party, and non Democrat progressives, seem leaderless.

I can absolutely tell you that, as a party of one, I'd love to see a leader step forward.

But then I ask myself, what, exactly, would I expect of a leader. Are there things a leader could actually do? Would a leader be a person who simply stands there and speaks truth to power? How would a leader get the word out? How would the leader be heard beyond the internet or small viewership teeve shows, like Keith Olberman's? Does this leader speak about solutions? Does he counter the white house and republican spin machine?

Forgetting for a moment just who that leader might (or should) be, what, exactly, would you want to see a leader do?

[movonne]

1. I wish we had someone that speaks like Galloway, we need someone

very strong and popular and speaks passionately, the question is he or she out there somewhere? I hope so...

[Stinky The Clown]

4. Is it fair to say, then, that to you a leader would be one

who speaks truth to power? Would you want this leader to do anything else?

[movonne]

12. When I said I want someone who speaks with passion (FDR) I would

naturally want him or her to be speaking passion ally on making this country a better place for all of us...not just about getting out of war but also about many social programs, etc.

[Stinky The Clown]

20. We agree on that .... but I also wonder if ......

........ just being able to speak well and eloquently to these issues is enough.

I think a leader also needs to be a doer. A leader needs to back up words with concrete, on-the-gound action.

Just as ONE example ...... what if this leader worked to organize a march to the White House to speak to the no bid contracts and demand they be made transparent.

Or that leader led a march in Atlanta ... right to CNN's studios and demanded they start telling the truth.

Or raised enough hell at the UN to get them to come in and review our election procedures.

That kind of action. Is that even reasonable to wish for?

[movonne]

26. I agree with you ... but whoever it would be would probably have to

be a passionate speaker...with many, many ideas about how we get this country back and a country with respect of other countries...but of course the question is: is this person out there?

[karynnj]

40. Have you read Kerry's Brown speech or the one given today in Boston

You may not like Kerry, but these speeches are incredible and he is both more credible than Galloway and American.
Boston speech:
http://kerry.senate.gov/v3/cfm/record.cfm?id=246443
Brown speech:
www.johnkerry.com

From the Boston speech:
And the current Administration's response to Katrina is a perfect microcosm of its response to our country's economic challenges. There really is no mistaking the pattern of willful negligence. When a crisis approaches, do the bare minimum, if that. When all hell breaks loose, shift the blame to others. When public action is needed, ignore fiscally responsible options and instead borrow lavishly from foreign creditors - the friendly bankers of Beijing and Riyadh. If innovative policies are called for, simply dust off every ideological gimmick you can find: vouchers, sub-minimum wages, "ownership" initiatives, corporate subsidies and wholesale abandonment of environmental regulations. And above all, don't forget the prime directive, the philosopher's stone, the alpha and omega, the answer to every question: never stop cutting taxes on the wealthiest individuals and the most powerful corporations, come hell or high water, in war as in peace, and in debt as well as in surplus.

[Carolab]

2. Al Dean! n/t

[Stinky The Clown]

5. Frankenleader

I with ya! I would put two other people together, but I'm with ya.

If only we could perform such surgery .......

[madfloridian]

3. Dean is the one I consider the leader.

But I don't think our party has a chance.

We are being undermined by astroturf, paid bloggers, and so on.

[Stinky The Clown]

7. I understand dean is your leader. The question I asked was .....

..... what would you ahve your leader do? Should I assume you're pleased with the good doctor so far?

[madfloridian]

16. I don't think anyone can lead the party right now.

We are crazed, going off in all directions. Chickens with heads cut up, everybody is one issue and accusing everyone else of being that way.

Until things calm down, we will just support the DNC and DFA, let Dean led an unruly pack the best he can...and trust.

I think he is doing what he said he would do. He is attempting to rebuild the party from the ground up.

I don't think the powers that be will let him succeed.

[Stinky The Clown]

21. I agree that Dean, as DNC chair, at least, IS the leader of the party

right now. Kerry doesn't seem to have any critical mass .... not a bash, just an observation. He should be the leader, having been our last candidate, but that seems to no longer be the case. The same happened to Al Gore.

The we have Pelosi and Reid. neither of them seem to be gaining any traction.

So yeah, Dean's it. And I really like Dean a lot. But, even as aware as I am of what's going on, I'm not sure I know what he's up to, really. While he may well be doing a great job at rebulding the party from the ground up, he's also *not* doing a whole lot more than some fire breathing ( love that about him) interviews when they allow him on teevee.

[madfloridian]

25. How do you know that?

"But, even as aware as I am of what's going on, I'm not sure I know what he's up to, really. While he may well be doing a great job at rebulding the party from the ground up, he's also *not* doing a whole lot more than some fire breathing."

How do you know he is not doing other things...meeting with caucuses, organizing.

And if it is called to our attention what he is doing...he is criticized by one or both ends of the spectrum for doing it...no matter what it is.

Let's let the Clintons have their way.

[Stinky The Clown]

29. Whoa! ..... ooookaaaayyyyy .........

Thanks for your comments to my thread. I appreciate them.

[madfloridian]

34. You did not catch my drift on that.

Have you not noticed how they are still holding on?

Doesn't matter anyway, does it?

We will do our own selves in.

[kjwood]

71. Dean bad for D. Party

Dean is no good for the Democratic party. In politics, traditionally, 40% vote Republican, 40% Democrat, and the other 20% are the ones who politicians try to win over. When Dean says things like "I hate Republicans and all they stand for, Republicans don't mind standing in long lines because they've never made an honest living in their lives, and Republicans are mainly a white, Christian party...", he's alienating potential voters of the Democratic candidates. Part of the D. Party's problem nowadays is that they embrace too much of this "fire breathing" that Dean's doing. Sure, it unites the base when you have someone like Dean, but that's not good enough. Someone needs to step up with a voice of moderation and restraint, win over the 20%, and win some elections. Dean, while dedicated to helping the D. Party, may be doing the opposite.

[madfloridian]

72. LOL oh wait...not moderate enough? never mind.

Something is out in full force today. :evilgrin:

[greekspeak]

6. Clark is really defacto leader

We all know there isn't much dem leadership in congress, save the CBC, bless their hearts.

[Stinky The Clown]

9. How do you conclude that?

Not challenging .... just asking.

How is it that you see Clark as the de facto leader? Its pretty clear he isn't everyone's cup of tea, even here on DU where he has the majority support.

More importantly, what do you see him doing (relative to leadership) that is lacking in others?

(Please, this thread isn't about bashing others (not saying you would) ... just saying what you want in a leader and if you name a name, what your perceived leader is doing that others aren't.)

[FrenchieCat]

19. Clark, although receiving very little media attention

1. has put out a plan so that the GOP can't say the Dems don't have a plan on Iraq.

2. Has appeared in forums and written articles on forcing Bush's hands on Iraq. Change it or we are gonna be getting the fuck out.

3. Clark met with Cindy Sheehan, who by herself, has been more of a leader on Iraq in getting the Nation to discuss it than any of our elected leaders.

4. Clark is talking about Global Warming, and as part of the Witt Team is helping the DEMOCRATIC Governor of LA.

5. Clark was the only leading Dem who openly supported and endorsed Hackett during his run to congress.

6. Clark was on the stage when Charlie Rangel started talking Impeaching Bush....and didn't run off!

7. Clark is getting people involved in Government. Many Clarkies are actually running for congress and lesser offices as we speak.

8. Clark is the only prominent Dem that actually blogs with Grassroots...and was the first to actually answer questions through TPM and his own Blog. From Josh Marshall "We've also heard from a lot of readers who particularly appreciated Clark's getting down into the comments section and responding directly to readers' questions." http://www.tpmcafe.com/story/2005/9/2/135446/6393

9. Clark was one of the few Dems who defended Howard Dean, Dick Durbin, Cindy Sheehan (which he did long before he met with her), Michael Moore, and the word Liberal. Also the Dem that says that we must be a full service party, and that we have to show that we defend each other (dems) to show that we will defend this nation.

10. Clark was first of all Dems to speak out against Bush on his Handling of Katrina on 9/1/05
http://www.tpmcafe.com/story/2005/9/1/123536/7907

[Stinky The Clown]

28. That's an impressive list, to be sure ..... but .....

..... you knew there would be a 'but, right? :)

A couple of things come to mind in reply to this ......

I would bet most anything that other (lets call them all) leader candidates have equally impressive lists of similar accomplishments. Surely not the same list, but lists nonetheless.

And to be sure, the items on your list are surely the type of actions that would and should be expected of a leader.

Second, and maybe more important, is name recognition. I dare say Cindy Sheehan has more name recongnition than the good General when it comes to Joe and Jane on Main Street.

But yeah, Clark's a good candidate for leader.

[FrenchieCat]

32. Does this count?

Clark is the only Dem that goes into the Fox lair day in day out and kicks the shit out of them...to the point that he is being asked to appear less and less often, and in earlier and earlier time slots. :rofl:

Also Clark is talking about the Economy and China...
he asked last week...."Where is the economic leadership?"

In fact, Wes Clark frames most critique against this administration in terms of Leadership.

Loved it a couple of weeks ago when he stated that Republicans are only interested in Sex; Jesus was about Love, so the Republicans are wrong.

Also his framing that the Republicans should be called the Religious wrong a couple of months ago.

I just feel that if the media was to actually focus on Wes Clark and what he has to say.....and lord knows he tries to get his message out, the Bush administration would fall apart so much sooner.

The thing about Wes is that he usually says what needs to be said FIRST. The rest appear to come on board once they have established that the coast is clear.

That's leadership, IMO. He takes chances with his reputation and doesn't seem to mind.

I remember when he told on MTP that he had been contacted shortly after 9/11 and asked to link Saddam to it. He refused saying unless he saw some evidence, they could kiss his ass (not in those words...but still, same flavor)....and then the press ridiculed him about this and called him crazy. Nobody came and defended Wes Clark...yet he has retained his credibility.

The hombre is tough. Let's just face it! :hi:

[ladylibertee]

49. as did most of the others....next.

[faithfulcitizen]

70. Clark has stepped up as much as he can; the problem isn't that no one

is stepping up. The problem is, *everyone* isn't stepping up. (jmo)

[Crunchy Frog]

46. I love Clark, but the party has lots of leaders.

I tend to think it's divisive to act like there is only one leader, thereby dismissing many others that other people look to and feel passionately about. There are many great people in the CBC. There are people like Barbara Boxer, there is Dean and Gore. There are other people that I may not be crazy about, but that many others look to as leaders. I'm really not inclined to limit it to just one.

[renie408]

8. I guess it would take somebody stepping up, huh?

That's the thing. Since nobody seems to be really stepping up to the plate, who knows what they might look like.

[Stinky The Clown]

11. Okay, good point ... the plate to which a leader should be stepping .....

.... where is it? What does it look like. What is involved in stepping up to it?

Talk?

Firey speech?

Action?

Fist pounding?

What?

[renie408]

51. NO on everything accept action

Fist pounding and fiery speech are for the converted. We need to DO some converting. Calm, rational, DIRECT language that does not appease, but not does not incite is what we need. We need someone to relentlessly pursue the truth. We need someone who has an attention span of more than a sound byte. There are SO many awful things that this administration has done that have just gotten glossed over and forgotten. We need someone who will go back to the beginning, deal with only facts and present a concise, HONEST picture of what this administration has done. And we need a clear message and we need to HAMMER on it 24/7.

The dichotomy of the Democratic Party is that the thing that makes it great is its biggest pitfall...diversity of opinion. We need to distill the Democratic Party 'approach' down to a few messages and begin to repeat them like a mantra. Something like, "The Democratic Party looks at the world and thinks that if we would all take care of each other, it would be a perfect place. Republicans look at the world and think that if everyone would just take care of themselves, it would be a perfect place." That may not be the best message to try to sell to the public, but you get the idea. We need somebody who speaks well, who can come up with some kind of central message for our party and bring all the threads together.


edited for clarity. Its early.

[FrenchieCat]

24. Check again....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2116180&mesg_id=2116330

[renie408]

52. And maybe we need a little less of this.

Every single conversation is NOT an opportunity to advance the candidate of your choice. And since I have not seen Wesley Clark or heard from him other than on here, I am thinking he is not doing that brilliant a job of 'stepping up'. Jesus, I mentioned his name to a Republican woman I know and she didn't even know who he was. We have a distorted view on the DU of how much the things we care so passionately about are even heard of by 'outsiders'.

BTW, I don't have anything against Clark and think he would be a fine candidate. I think he has many of the qualities I was talking about in my other post.

[FrenchieCat]

60. Beg your pardon, but op asked a specific question

about "Who" one thought was a Democratic leader, and what that person had done for responders to think so.

Did I misread the OP? :shrug:

Was I supposed to give another answer?
Was I truly out of line here?

Should I have posted some cynical response as you did?

I think this thread was meant for the response I gave.

[proud patriot]

10. Young , Dynamic , Intelligent

but most of all a love for America and it's
people that comes through in every word uttered .

[Stinky The Clown]

13. Paul Hackett-esque?

on edit ..... Obama fits that bill, too.

[catnhatnh]

14. Perhaps the "leader" we seek...

...cannot even exist under the prevailing conditions (Republican control of the executive and both legislative house)...Think about it, the most powerful Dems are not sufficiently in revolt against the regime and those most in revolt have no power-Conyers had a hard time getting a ROOM for a hearing.Moderate republicans and actual conservatives ARE appalled but see no course to steer us clear of the coming chaos, even if they were so inclined...I think it took 20 years of plotting against the republic, an adventitious "terrorist" attack and 5 years of dupliciousness to get us where we are.The REAL face of the regime,once the veneer of BoyPrince is stripped away are guys like Rumsfeld and Cheney-Frikking NIXON retreads who began their heated wet-dream drive to imperial power under BoyPrince's Father's Iran/contra/PNAC Putsch and have now brought it to reeking fruition.We cannot change it quickly-the American public while sick of Bush has for the most part little understanding of the complexity of the plot or the depths of their depravity.But we can use the existing disgust and fight like madmen to gain one house in 2006...if we do that we can drive the investigations that will drive these bastards from their purloined offices,from the country they debased, and finally to the doors of the Hague....As this happens those dems with power will gain spine and those with spine will gain power...My best bet for the next dem primary is one who "grows" spine and one who "grows" power...I would personally vote for the latter...

[FogerRox]

15. Dont take no shit from no fuckin NEO CONS

stand on principles and dont back down-- no way --- no how--

That would be the ranking member of the Minority paty in the House Juduciary com.

[Stinky The Clown]

17. Yes, but ... as catnhatnh pointed out in his post, above ......

John Conyers can't even get a room to hold a hearing.

Don't take that wrong. I am a huge Conyers fan and do, indeed, see him as a leader of the Democratic party.

I'm concerned that we are SO stymied by the one party facist rule we're under, that no one can get any atention.

Whoever our leader might be, he/she has to be one damned strong person to be able to break through all the roadblocks thrown up in our way.

[FogerRox]

30. 2 different points

someone asked for a leader


Conyers leads

I dont recognize the post query qualifier--- he cant get a room--- bah-- house rules--- hes in the minority party--- BLAH BLAH BLAH


he always gets a room-- just not where someone upthread---wants it--- and that qualfies someone for non leader---- ?

SOrry to bust chops--

I aint buying that thesis, COnyers doesnt see just probems-- he sees solutions--- he has always found a room to hold his events--- All the big issues he is on point does Kerry or CLarke follow?

SO you want someone stronger than Conyers to break through all the road blocks

Bah Hum bug again--- we need election reform and good stand on principle Dems to run in '06--- We win the house back then Conyers will have the ammo to shoot the joint to bits

SO go out and find one house race where you can kick out a Repub in your state.

Hold a fundraiser for them this year, NOW

WOrk for that candidate and give Conyers the Ammo and soldiers he needs to do the job in '07.

I do not want to see people waiting around for some """"" LEADER """""" to show up.

Conyers is one bad assed mother fucker-- but he needs to the tools to do the job. And thats up to us.




Bah humbug again

[Stinky The Clown]

36. All true ... and in my post to which you posted this reply, I said I saw

Conyers as a leader.

And yes, I also see his as a fighter. And, may I add, he's tireless. More than anyone, he's the dems everready bunny ... in the best sense of the analogy. He just keeps running and rinning ... and punching and punching.

[FogerRox]

37. SO you want someone stronger than Conyers to

"break through all the road blocks---"

[catnhatnh]

31. This one last election (the mid terms)

...we should run a slate of charismatic, moderate Dems with IMPECCABLE ethics records. We have enough old liberals who can regain their fire and enough young liberals to become the heart of the party.But we MUST get people elected. The MSM is just beginning to see the rot beneath the current Republican Party's face and this can easily alienate a large part of their base.If any Dems are implicated we must be RUTHLESS or fairly be accused of politics as usual.If we can gain a house, we can begin the investigation and there is NO WAY those cockaroaches can stand that light....
On Edit:I had a complete posting bug out on me and attempting to recreate it I plagerized (my) preceding post.But we as DEMS can do NOTHING dramatic at the moment-only a batshit crazy repub or two has the power at the moment...keep your powder dry,work like a maniac for the next election,speak truth to those who are evolving...inless we win a house the republic is gone..

[yellowdogintexas]

18. Robert Kennedy. Seriously. Think about how he

just took them all on when he challenged Lyndon. He was on fire and he spread it every where he went.

The passion, the compassion, the attitude of it must be done because it is the right thing to do just leapt out of him whenever he spoke.

[Mz Pip]

22. Folk heros are cool

but they don't win nominations.

I love Boxer. She is my senator and I think she's terrific but I do not see her winning one of those damn red states. Same for Conyers.

Kerry can try all he wants but I will not vote for him in the primaries. He blew it IMHO.

I want someone who isn't afraid to go fot the jugular. I want someone who is willing to put the Democratic equivavent of Karl Rove in charge of the campaign. I don't know who that is right now but that is what has to be done to win. Because they do it and it works when it is done well.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[Stinky The Clown]

33. I think you may have missed yellowdogintexas's point .........

.... or maybe I did. But I read yellowdogintexas's post to mean that RFK is what a leader today should **look like**. As in, he would be the prototype for the leader today. And I see that as making sense. his brother was gone and he was, essentially, out of power because of that (he resigned as AG after JFK was kileld, ran and won a senate seat from NY and was himself killed when he was running for president).

It was really in the time of his senatorial career and in his run for president that he **really** set the country on fire. Back then, he **was** a leader.

on edit ..... I **totally** misread your post and to whom you were replying! Mea Maxima Culpa!!!!!!

And now, rereading it, I totally agree. Period!

And my appologies to yellowdogintexas for parsing her post. Mea Culpa redux!

[Mz Pip]

39. I remember him

and I remember when he was killed. It's one of those really strange memories. I was waiting for the train to go to Chicago and saw the newspaper headline "Robert Kennedy Assassinated in California" and for one nanosecond I thought they meant he'd lost the primary or something like that - not that he was really killed. Of course then the reality hit.

I can only hope that whatever our future may be it does not include the assainations of any political leaders. We have enough chaos now without having that in the mix.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[democrank]

23. What would a Democratic leader look like?

Wes Clark

[FrenchieCat]

27. So, a Democratic Leader would look as so?

Kicking some ass, and taking numbers?

[ladylibertee]

57. Stand by your man

[Cosmocat]

35. I know you ...

said not to be specific, but I am telling you, there are three VERY clear leaders right now ...

Dean, Clark and Hillary ... VERY different personalities, but very level headed, very intelligent, very politically sharp ... I think these three are leading in their own way ... Dean from a party standpoint, Clark from a candidate standpoint, and Hillary is taking the attention ...

It simply is too early to make any runs, yet ... I think that is why Dean seems to be pacing things ...

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

38. kinda like so

[FrenchieCat]

41. That's pretty good......

congrat on that one! Thank goodness the women have their own clothes! LOL!

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

42. Thanks

Yes we don't need Barbara Boxer and Hillary in men's suits even pretend

[OneBlueSky]

43. a real leader would stand up and say "Impeach the bastards!" . . .

and then cite chapter and verse as to why . . .

[LandOLincoln]

61. Charlie Rangel did that very thing on Friday.

Why don't you know about that? (Rhetorical question--I'm making a point, not attacking you.)

[dorktv]

44. We need a Dean in both Houses.

Because a leader speaks the truth no matter how annoying it is and Dean does that but he is not a policy maker at the moment.

[Crunchy Frog]

45. I think we should stop trying to get a jump on the '08 primary fights.

There are lots of leaders in our party. There is no single one leader, and there shouldn't be. We should be talking about what all of them are doing now to show leadership rather than trying to make everything about the '08 nomination and trying to elevate one by attacking the others, either overtly or subtly.

I remember what hell this place was during the last primaries. I would just as soon postpone that at least until after the midterm elections. In the meantime, can't we just support and celebrate anyone who is displaying leadership qualities and saying what needs to be said.:rant:

[ladylibertee]

56. Well put.What a 180.

[Crunchy Frog]

62. A 180 from what exactly.

If you can find a post of mine anywhere that contradicts what I've just posted, I would like you to point it out to me. So far as I know, our only run in was when I didn't want you to crucify a new poster for not wanting to crucify Senator Feingold for voting in favor of Roberts.

[ladylibertee]

63. I believe I already addressed this

[Crunchy Frog]

68. You didn't, but I don't expect you to anyway so that's okay.

[Stinky The Clown]

59. 08 wasn't the point of this post at all

I agree completely with what you're saying.

My question was much more toward what a leader for the party today, in 2005. I know we always seem to think leader and then jump to presidential candidates. And some of the responses here did that. Which is fine, if that person is also the one who one sees as 'the leader'.

That said, my question, more specifically, was about what that leader would look like. Obviously that wasn't about gender or hair color or a name. It was about action. It was about qualities and attributes and traits and propensities.

And that last has only been partially answered.

[AtomicKitten]

47. like this

[ladylibertee]

48. John Edwards...I should warn everyone though.Unless you have

500,000.00 reasons why you prefer one democrat over another here, you might be accused of having the "hots' for them.So, if your a sensitive person who gets easily offended,shhhhh.LOL:patriot:

[radfringe]

50. More to the point - What would any LEADER look like?

That we are a divided nation is pretty obvious. We are divided by political affiliation, religion, race, gender, economic status- etc.

There is no one issue that unites us. The closest we have been united as a nation was for a short time after September 11.

Some may argue we are in the process of unifying now regarding the Iraq mess and the state of the economy. Yes, you can point to bush*'s dismal poll numbers as an indicator of this. But - it's too soon to tell if this trend will continue or peter out.

Certainly the Katrina debacle angered alot of people from the right and left, however bush* may have dodged the full impact of that bullet with the response to Rita. Already the media is getting flack for "hyping" Katrina, and there are people out there upset with ANSWER and Cindy Sheehan. We are dividing again.

GOPers are running scared, Dems are still fumbling through closets looking for their balls and spine, the media is trying to cover their butts - and the rest of us are looking for a leader.

What this says is we are ripe for leadership - any kind of leadership.

One big issue, one message and one person standing up is all that it will take. And that is a dangerous position for us all. To paraphrase Glinda the good witch to Dorothy "Are you a good leader or a bad leader?"

[ladylibertee]

53. This country CAN unite on one big issue

lowering the cost of OIL.:rofl:

[radfringe]

54. that may well become an even bigger issue

once people start getting their heating bills.

We've stacked about 3 1/2 cords of wood for winter - have 2 more cords coming in the next couple of weeks

over the next month we will be insulating the house more, putting up weather stripping, plastic-ing the porch windows etc.

hopefully this will all help keep our heating bills to a financially managable level

[ladylibertee]

55. Goose Feather down Comforters. I think it's worth the $300.00 now.

[baron j]

64. Search online for an "Acrylic Mink Blanket"

Getting one is a wise purchase, and, no, they are not made of Minks! Yes, they come in hideous colors and patterns, but they are inexpensive and are ridiculously warm because they are gigantic, and weigh what seems like a ton (it feels like getting a workout when I lift ours). Get the kind that are sold in Asian or Korean markets. If you can't stand the horrendous prints, throw something on top. But I guarantee it keep out the elements in winter, and you can turn the heat down.

[mandyky]

58. Not sure what they would LOOK like but

We need to chose a person with foreign policy experience, preferably a governor or former governor, who lead well while in office.

We need someone who will not only blast Bush and the corrupt GOP congress people, but also make clear that noone, Dem or GOP should be in power for personal gain.

This person should also have a real understanding of race relations, poverty, and issues like health care.

Most of all I want authenticity, not pandering.

I was a Howard Dean supporter, and there are still days, I say to myself, wow, he was right again on this or that issue. We need some one with common sense who gets to the point and make sense to the American people.

[Name removed]

65. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[gulfcoastliberal]

66. Gore/Boxer or Gore/Dean, or Gore/Clark

Gore/Boxer has a nice ring to it.

[DOJ-IG]

67. 911 Exposed.

This is for everyone who wants to know the TRUTH.

Please go to justacitizen.com and sign the petition requesting our government/Bush to release the DOJ-IG Report.

The real truth about 911 or as we call it, “The Bush cover-up.”
Go Sibel Edmonds. The most gagged person in America.
The truth will set us free!!!!
www.justacitizen.com/

The ACLU is also asking the Supreme Court to reverse the D.C. appeals court's decision to exclude the press and public from the court hearing of Edmonds' case in April. The appeals court closed the hearing at the eleventh hour without any specific findings that secrecy was necessary. In fact, the government had agreed to argue the case in public. A media consortium that included The New York Times, The Washington Post, and CNN intervened in the case to object to the closure.

Edmonds, a former Middle Eastern language specialist hired by the FBI shortly after 9/11, was fired in 2002 and filed a lawsuit later that year challenging the retaliatory dismissal.

It is way past time for a little bit of critical thinking. The Attorney General cites two reasons to justify the unconstitutional and panic driven assault.

Reason one: To protect certain diplomatic relations - not named since obviously our officials are ashamed of admitting to these relations.

Reason two: To protect certain U.S. foreign business relations. Let’s take each one and dissect it (I have given up on our mass media to do that for us!) For reason one, since when is the Department of Justice, the FBI, in the business of protecting ‘US sensitive diplomatic relations?’ They appear to be acting as a mouthpiece for the Department of State. Now, that’s one entity that has strong reasons to cover up, for its own self, what will end up being a blunder of mammoth scale. Not internationally; not really; it is the American people and their outrage they must be worried about; they wouldn’t want to have a few of their widely recognized officials being held criminally liable; would they?

[donsu]

69. a democratic leader could look like a woman

nt

[ieoeja]

73. What did the Republican leader look like?

Question: What did the Republican leader look like during Clinton's presidency?

Answer: That (like yours) is a trick question. These are political parties, not cults. There is no single leader of either party except the president when the president is a member of that party. Even then it does not always work out that way.