Sen. Fritz Hollings: "Howard Dean is right"

[dajabr]

A panel offering advice to President Bush and his Democratic rivals had just gotten underway at Renaissance Weekend in Charleston, S.C., when a surprise visitor strode to the podium. It was Sen. Fritz Hollings, South Carolina's senior senator, with a word for the assembled strivers.

"Howard Dean is right," declared the silver-haired Hollings, launching into a spirited defense of Dean's assertion that Americans are no safer now that Saddam Hussein has been captured. "Saddam wasn't causing anybody any problem. You have some little smart-aleck announcer on television asking, 'Do you think we're better off with Saddam gone?' What else is gone? We have 456 dead; 11,000 maimed for life, and I don't think it was worth it. I had intended to vote against that resolution , but Rummy and Condi Rice and Cheney said you can't wait until the smoking gun is a mushroom cloud. I thought they had some intelligence, that they knew something."

More: http://msnbc.msn.com/Default.aspx?id=3860722&p1=0

OK, it's Eleanor Clift :puke: but I'm hoping she at least quoted the senator correctly...

[Rose Siding]

1. This shocked me

It isn't an endorsement but Hell! "Dean's right"? from a guy who voted yes on the IWR! Has that happened before? It was terribly gracious of Fritz- he has nothing to lose- he's retiring and speaking his mind.

[mzmolly]

2. *sigh*

Thank goodness some are telling the truth! Thank you Fritz!

[madfloridian]

19. That had to take courage for Hollings to say that about his war vote.

I admire him for that.

One question: the 16 year old they were quoting about Dean, why was he at the Renaissance thing? It sounds rather private, I thought.

[slinkerwink]

3. good for him!

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. No this year is going to be WEIRD

Dean Republicans? I am not kidding

[tridim]

7. I keep wondering if this is why the Repubs

are attacking Dean so fiercely. I really think they're scared he's going to suck away votes from Bush and change lots of smart conservative Republicans into conservative Democrats. If we get enough defectors, maybe well take the congress too.

[dajabr]

8. You can bank on it.

I think the number of voters who will cross Party lines to vote for Dean will amaze many - not me.

[dajabr]

9. Maybe...

Fritz saw Dean's latest poll results? :evilgrin:

[mzmolly]

5. heh, did you see this?

"The Dean people saw in Charleston was not the angry, vein-popping politician they see on television, and many came away impressed. One longtime Renaissance-goer pronounced Dean "Clintonesque," the highest compliment that can be paid in this crowd. In response to a question testing his youth-culture awareness, Dean did a brief takeoff of a song by Outkast, the hot hip-hop group. "He knows the lyrics to Outkast songs and, man, can that dude dance," enthused a 16-year-old."

[dajabr]

6. Yes I did!

Thought I'd leave some suprises for those who actually wanted to read the article.

:hi:

[madfloridian]

10. Yep,that dude can dance.

That was funny.

[burning bush]

16. Wonder if it was Land of a Million Drums

the Scooby Doo song....?

Damn, that would have been one fine party...and a day for the history book!

[DFLforever]

11. Looks like Dean is going to do quite well in So. Carolina.

[WiseMen]

12. Fritz is Right. I Agree with Dean on this Point. Go Howard!

[CMT]

13. there is a rumor that Hollings will endorse before the

South Carolina primary--and if he did endorse Dean that would be a big one to have in that state.

[arcos]

14. I thought Hollings had endorsed Kerry n/t

[Padraig18]

15. Wowzers!

A pro-IWR senator admitting that Howard Dean was right??? Dayum! :wow:

[Cheswick2.0]

17. I always liked this man

He is at the end of his career. He is not affraid to state the truth. He and Byrd are priceless treadsures to the democratic party.

[mandyky]

18. Maybe Sen. Breaux (LA) will take a second look, too

I think Hollings originally had a bad attitude about Dean. Glad he changed his mind.