Grateful to Howard Dean

[Larkspur]

JON CARROLL
Jon Carroll
Friday, February 6, 2004
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URL: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/02/06/DDG744IC961.DTL

Like a lot of people, I was grateful when Howard Dean started sounding off about the war in Iraq. It was easy to hear him because almost every other politician had been bullied by the administration into silence.

He said the magic words, and yet lightning did not strike him down. People did not shun him as a traitor. No one knew who the hell Howard Dean was -- I'm still not sure, to be candid -- but they were really happy that someone was breaking the silence.

Imagine: an elected Democrat who said out loud that Sept. 11, 2001, did not justify all excesses, did not explain all malign or stupid decisions. An elected Democrat who gave other elected Democrats permission to find their courage. Even better: an elected Democrat who demonstrated that Bush-bashing might be a noble and necessary occupation.

So now we've had 2.5 rounds of primaries (Iowa is its own thing, a quasi- democratic photo op of limited significance), and Howard Dean seems to be pretty much out of it. I do not pretend to understand the reasons; it is my guess that people who say they understand the reasons probably don't either.
<SNIP>

[lastknowngood]

1. be careful your not allowed

to say anything good about Dean.

[jmaier]

2. I do agree that Howard Dean

and his willingness to be aggressively anti-Bush has put the rest of the Democratic candidates, particularly Kerry, in more of an attack posture. That is very good news for the general election.

A :toast: to Govenor Dean.

[janx]

7. But there are still people who mewl and puke about it--

They refuse to acknowledge the fact that had Dean not called some of his rivals "Bush Lite" and pointed out that we can't bring Bush down by being like him, we'd have no chance at all.

He did that for a very good reason.

[blm]

15. check out New York Observer August 2002

Joe Conason has an insightful article that may be helpful to you.

[mmonk]

3. I know I am

[jedicord]

4. Why I don't want him to drop out after Wisconsin...

He's taught the other guys they can use their gonads and not get shot down. While I'm sure the media destroyed the man's chance, we need his voice, just as I also believe we need Al Sharpton's voice. These messages are getting heard, and most importantly LEARNED, by an uninformed, TV addicted, America.

[Monte Carlo]

5. Perhaps Moses will not be able to follow the Jews into the Promised Land.

Whatever happens in this election from here on in, Dean will be noted in history for being the first major candidate to fuse the technology of the internet with the American political process. He has re-energized the grassroots level of support for the Democratic Party. He has held the feet of every other candidate to the fire, and force them to adapt. That is very good. Whether or not he wins the nomination, there is a future for Dean in the party.

[Pax Argent]

8. Great analogy Montecarlo!

I do feel that it was Dean that was the voice that led us out of the wilderness. Unfortunately, between the DLC and the Rethugs I feel that this result was inevitable. The reward for telling the truth is usually betrayal and castigation.

Happily, he did bring the Pink Tutu Democrats around to actually taking a stand and getting them off of the "whatever you say is fine by us Mr. Bush" program that they adopted after 9-11. Hopefully it will be enough.

[JNelson6563]

6. I'm also grateful it's not over yet

[madfloridian]

12. Good point, good graphic!

Sure enough, it ain't over!

[MODemocrat]

17. Madfloridan, your Dean photo has really cheered me up

Maybe I'm crazy, but, I still feel that Dean can win. I think I must have cried a bucket full of tears on Wednesday, after receiving the email, then came to this board and started feeling better. Thanks to all. We're all in the same boat.

:toast: :thumbsup:

[rucky]

9. If it weren't for Dean, Joe Lieberman would be our frontrunner

think about it.

[D G]

10. I truly find that difficult to believe.

Unless you are suggesting that Dean supporters would have all backed Lieberman?

[deutsey]

11. I don't think that's what the poster is saying

I may be wrong, but I think the poster is saying Lieberman, as Gore's running mate, may have been the heir apparent by default. Dean, by voicing strong opinions that challenged everything Lieberman stood fore, offered us all a clear alternative. No other Democrat was challenging Bush the way Dean was early in the campaign; he forced most of the candidates distinquish themselves from Bush's "popularity".

I may be mischaracterizing what the poster is saying, but that's what I believe anyway.

[D G]

16. Yes, I was being a bit sarcastic

If Howard Dean were never born, I think someone would have stepped up to the plate and challenged Bush far better than Lieberman ever could have.

Hell, if Howard Dean weren't around, maybe Kucinich would have gotten the grassroots support he deserved, and the bandwagon would be around him. I wouldn't argue with that.

[Old and In the Way]

13. I credit Howard for setting the rhetorical bar.

Howard did give voice to our collective anger. I've always thought this board was 6-9 months ahead of the political curve. Howard was out there first with us. But, in the long run, I think his candidacy exposed limitations that the Republicans would exploit and I don't think he has the broad based appeal that is needed to defeat the Republican machine in November.

[bushwakker]

14. Dean is a breath of fresh air

In a different year maybe he gets the nomination - and maybe wins it all.