Slinging Mud At Dean, Helps Dean!

[burning bush]

Yes, I know that Democratic infighting seems to fuel the Republican agenda, and I know that it is terribly hard to hear attacks on your favored candidate, but Dean supporters - take heart!

In 2000, Republicans used every tortured political device to smear Candidate Gore. It was bloody. It was shocking! It was relentless... Remember, thats just what they did to gain power.

Now the Neocons have power, and you can only bet that they will not give this power up easily. Try to take a juicy bone from a hungry junk-yard dog, and you may get an inkling of what the Dem candidate will have to face. You may also lose a finger or two in the process.

As November 2004 approaches, I suspect we will sit in witness to a veritable heavy weight boxing match, a depraved display of political pugilism that will make Mike Tyson's ear-munch-fest look like breakfast at Tiffany's.

And I believe that Howard Dean will be the Dem candidate on the Holyfield end of that ear. Ouch.

But (to continue this odd analogy), like any smart boxer (is that an oxymoron?), the Dem that goes up against the Bush will need to have some time in the ring with a sparring partner.

That is the only way to prepare for the oncoming carnage, and it is time that Dean supporters started to welcome it.

Either Candidate Dean will win the General Election by large margins, or he will lose by equally large margins. The same could be said of most of the Dem candidates, but the Big Mo seems to be favoring Dean, and I predict Dean will win the primary battle without much problem.

Unless your candidate stops him.

Want to form a "Stop Dean" campaign? LOL! I call it a "Prepare Dean" campaign, because if Dean can't handle whatever trash you can throw, he won't be able to handle Bush. So, again, step right up, give it your best shot.

Give it all you can stand, then give it to us some more. I don't speak for Dean, but I can tell the man is hungry, and a fighter. I don't fear losing the primary. I fear sending a bloated, overconfident candidate up against Bush. I fear sending a candidate with a closetful of skeletal remains up against Bush.

Spar with Dean? Please do, but here's the kicker. Ready?

If Dean survives the best you can give, and if Dean--despite your unfaltering attacks-defeats the Democratic opposition, promise here that you will get behind the man and campaign for him just as vigorously as you campaigned to defeat him. Deal?

That is the honorable thing to do. That is the Democratic thing to do. And if you really are concerned with beating Bush, it would be an incredibly brilliant thing to do!

So, my Democratic friends...Are you ready to rumble? :)

[burning bush]

1. Kick

Because My Thread Must Not Die! /mad scientist routine

[windansea]

2. deal

Dean is a short shifty eyed draft dodging tax raising weasel who sells warm kool aid.

[burning bush]

12. Thats Ok windansea ...

you tried, I know you tried, but you really have to hit Dean with something that can stick!

Draft dodging? Disn't happen! I dare the Bush Troopers to bring up military records. Whooohooo! Cant wait :)

Raising Taxes? Nope. Rescinding irresponsible federal tax cuts that caused states to RAISE taxes and cut services. Net effect of the Bush "tax cut" is a tax burden on the middle class. And you want to keep that burden? Shame on you....tsk tsk tsk

Shifty Eyed? don't know where ya got that from. Oh yeah, old movies and Raymond Chandler novels. Ho hum....

Short? ok Dean is short. Cant deny it.

Ya got us there. Can't elect Dean because he is SHORT.

snicker...

[windansea]

16. heh heh

when was the last time we elected a prez that short anyway?

hmmmmmmmmmmm..this could have legs!

I've heard he snowplows when he skis too!

[liberalnurse]

20. No,

that is the other guy, Kerry.

[caledesi]

3. I am ready to rumble. The more they "trash" the more cash for Dean. nt

[PSR40004]

4. I still wish the attacks would stop...

There are attacks and then there are "attacks", we can't shoot our canidate in the leg during the primaries and expect a good run in the fall. Some attacks I'm seeing are out of line...

[Khephra]

5. The Dean campaign reminds me of the end of Rocky movies

You just keep hitting him and he keeps on coming back at you stronger than before.

[WilliamPitt]

6. That's the movies, tho

[Khephra]

9. Those images in films like Rocky work

because they have a connection to real life. If the underdog didn't occasionally get stronger in real life from his foe's punches, winning the battle in the end, then those scenes would fall flat and not resonate.

It's happening, it's been happening, and I betcha that it will continue to happen. I'm convinced that we have our Anti-Bush, teflon candidate in Dean.

[burning bush]

13. Oh come on Mr. Pitt! Let it rip!

Hit Dean with your best.

You've been pretty effective in the past (nothing that could'nt be licked) and you have excellent research skill. Use those skill to uncover all the dirt, get it out in the open, let's all debate it.

Let's get on with it, get it over with. Whaddya got? :)

[bitchkitty]

28. He reminds me of Clinton in that

respect. The attacks on Clinton by the rabid right still pissed me off no end, though. The attacks on Dean do and will no doubt continue to piss me off, especially since this time they're coming from our side. I really have come to dislike some people. People who would support and pay for an ad that compares Dr. Dean to Osama bin Laden - I can't forgive that.

[mb7588a]

7. This goes for all candidates.

Every candidate should be able to handle what the party members throw at them. I think all this bickering is healthy. If we're not satisfied with our man, how will swing voters every be satisfied with our man? This is why we have primaries, to get the best candidate the job of going after their best candidate.

[burning bush]

21. kick back

:)

[molly]

8. Our candidate must be fast on his feet

able to debate any issue - any time - any where. There will be no opportunity for any briefings or tutoring. He'll be in the ring alone.

[KaraokeKarlton]

10. you need to watch Dean do question and answer segments

Dean is the fastest on his feet of all the other candidates. He's also used to just getting up without anything prepared and doing great. He's usually do the state addresses without anything written down at all. The thing about Dean that a lot of people don't know is that he spends a lot of time delving into information about important issues. He doesn't just ask people what to think or say, he actually looks at all the facts, does the research and forms his opinions accordingly. The advisors he has right now will point him to the issues, and he will fill himself with everything he can find to read about them. He also absorbs information like a huge sponge.

Now, I can understand the caution and fear some feel about whether or not Dean can handle himself. But what I find both annoying and disturbing is that those who talk about this the most typically also repeat things about Dean that's just not true. That tells me that they have done much assuming and no significant research.

So, watch the way Dean handles himself when questioned on the spot in the town meetings, question and answer segments and look at the guy with an open mind instead of through the blinders of someone who really wants someone else to win. No one is telling everyone you have to choose Dean or even like him. But damn, there are a lot of people on here who I think don't even know enough about him to form a fair opinion either way.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

11. Your insight is much appreciated, KK

I always read your posts about Dean because as a Vermonter, I know you have an understanding of Dean that the rest of us will never have. You watched him in action for many years, and that gives your insights a great credibility.

Thanks so much. :)

I also love how Dean can speak "on the fly" -- Clinton could do that, too. Dean's not smooth like Clinton but he is well informed.

[IronLionZion]

19. He gets royally pissed off during debates

We've all seen it and he admits it. As a former Dean supporter, I don't like it when he snaps back in an angry tone, it makes him look bad.

[kaitykaity]

14. Very nice. Good post.

Thanks for kicking it. You are right on the money,
which is why I laughed so hard at Holy Joe's whining
at the perceived Gore 'slight'. I was like, oh puh-leeze,
grow up, Joe.

:hi:

[ArkDem]

15. Hmmmm...........

>Either Candidate Dean will win the General Election by large margins, or he will lose by equally large margins. The same could be said of most of the Dem candidates, but the Big Mo seems to be favoring Dean, and I predict Dean will win the primary battle without much problem.<

Or he will win or lose by a close margin. Or he will win or lose by a "moderate" margin. Or.....

[burning bush]

17. Nah...If the race is close either way, Bush will cheat

and cheat big, creating a mandate where non exists.

The Dem will either win big or not at all.

[burning bush]

18. Kick again

This post will be kicked till Im sick

[Andromeda]

24. Kick...

:kick:

[burning bush]

26. kick off

:)

[burning bush]

34. kick back

kick till I'm sick :|

[LiberalBushFan]

22. you are so right

The mud-slinging just boosts his status... Republicans make me laugh.. between that, the constant exposure, and the Dean donations, they must really have no idea how to stop a nominee.

[depakid]

23. You make one asumptiom that I'm not prepared to make

I do NOt believe that many if not most Denocratic politicians are honorable- I've watched them sell out, pander, enable, make back-room deals (only to bend over and accept the proverbial shaft with nary a whimper) once they've sold out whatever unfluence they had to the far right or their corporate minions.

It's nice theory, but thus far I see little grounding in reaity.

Manybe this year will prove me wrong. I hope so, but I ain't couten' on it.

[burning bush]

25. I don't believe I said the Dems were mostly honorable

I simply challenged them to do something honorable.

We'll see if the rise to that challenge. :)

[John_H]

27. "if Dean can't handle whatever trash you can throw, he won't be able to.."

I hope this is official Dean strategy. I wouldn't want to get a whiney letter like Trippi wrote about the osama ad!

[burning bush]

30. Re-read what you read, and read well

Because I said that I (obviously) don't speak for Dean.

Damn. Can't y'all focus? I don't mind bantering, but can't you try a little harder?

[Scott Lee]

29. Odd how the Dean attackers go silent when you say "bring it on"

What's at work here? It's hard to say. Either they are cowards at heart, or they have run out of ammunition (there are only so many ways you can spin "he was for the war").

Come on Dean Haters, don't let us down. Let's see what you got.

[burning bush]

31. LOL Scott, you nailed it!

I was just thinking the same thing.

We're dealing with schoolyard bullies here. All mouth.

[Cheswick2.0]

32. I am sorry, but I think this is nonsense

We don't need to "prepare" any of the candidates, we need to support them. We also don't need to manufacture talking points for republicans to use next summer and fall.

[burning bush]

33. Cheswick, I understand your opinion

But this thread illustrates a point I wanted to make.

The Dean bashers don't want an open discussion, they want character assasination.

Hit and run.

It's like following a frong, jumping from one lilypad to the next, running circles around the pond.

The Dean bashers get defeated on topic A, so switch to topic B, get defeated, then goto C. When C gets debunked, half go back to A, half go back to B, and the cycle begins again.

They are not interested in the truth, only in stopping Dean, by whatever means, honorable or not.

[DFLforever]

35. It does because of the way the Dean people handled the ads

The ads are now the story - not the 'message' about Dean they were intended to convey.

Downpoint is that it's a rather disheartening to watch these Dems ganging up to destroy a leading contender in a Rove-lite manner;
it's bound to turn off some Dem voters any may reduce turnout in the primary and if we're unlucky in the general as well.

One gain for Dean from this assault - hard to call him or his campaign 'negative' after this onslaught, isn't it?