****FLASH****Tom Harkin to endorse Dean News Conference at 4pm ET

[TrueAmerican]

flash

[Hep]

1. Sorry Kerry folks

Maybe next election cycle, if Kerry ever runs again.

[DancingBear]

2. No need for that, Hep

Gloating never wears well on anyone.

[Hep]

7. I'm supposed to care about how my attitude wears on people?

I gave caring up recently. Probably something to do with the pure hate thrown my way lately. I apologize to you though, as I do have utmost respect for you.

[dave29]

17. Hep

uncalled for - I love your posts - but we really shouldn't gloat about this. It is a fantastic endorsement - and some of the Kerry people here at DU have not been particularly nice - at all - but still. Not a great way to start the thread of this great news.

After all the nonstop Dean bashing we should take a deep breath - and enjoy this moment :)

:toast:

[Hep]

32. I'm out of cheeks to turn.

I just started on zyban to quit smoking, and we got snow which means people will be driving 10 for the rest of the day and clogging the grocery stores with their 8 gallons of milk. Today is the day when my civility wore off.

To all Kerry supporters who have been nice, reasonable, and fair, I am very sorry for my generalization. To the rest, suck on it.

[dave29]

57. understood

and best of luck with the non-smoking. It was a very wise choice. Congratulations :)

[Hep]

58. Thanks! I'm wuitting for Dean

donating my savings to the campaign!

[HFishbine]

59. Hey Hep

Just wanted to let you know about the savory Camel Light I'm enjoying right now.... Mmmmmm.

Seriously though, good luck on quiting. You can do it!

[Hep]

60. You can't phase me!

I started zyban today which means I don't quit until next week.

[bitchkitty]

67. If you still have trouble quitting,

try adding the nicotine patch. It helps immensely.

[Hep]

74. I'll be using an inhaler.

And eating lots of carrots and gum!

[HFishbine]

72. Zyban's yummy too

Just don't expect to get it up for a couple of months.

[Hep]

76. If zyban can defeat my sex drive

It will have accomplished things that no amount of alcohol or narcotics has ever been able to accomplish!

I'm more worried about what happens when I STOP taking it.

[YellowDawgDemocrat]

82. Hey, Hep, I just started Zyban this past Sunday

So far, I can't tell any difference. My Dr. told me to keep smoking for a week and give the zyban time to start working. Well, it's been 5 days and I still crave cigs just as much as always?

Any different for you?

Sorry guys, OT, I know.

[Hep]

86. I'm on day one.

so not yet. But my Dr. said that in your mind either you are a smoker or a non smoker. The zyban is supposed to make your brain indiffrent about it. For the nic fits and the oral stimulation my Dr. prescribed an inhaler, although if I'm going to give myself nicotine fixes, I don't see why I just can't smoke. TarI guess.

[janx]

90. I tried Zyban but it always made me feel very spaced out.

Kind of a speedy feeling for some reason. I didn't like it.

[Hep]

92. That's how I have felt all day.

n/t

[janx]

109. Really? It affects some people that way but not others.

My S/O quit cigarettes using Zyban and had no problem. He never felt that way.

But I felt spaced out, slightly speedy, and a bit nauseated.

[bitchkitty]

107. I think that you really

should try the patch. It helps you break the habit of needing to inhale nicotine - seems to me the inhaler defeats the purpose! What do I know, though, I've never tried it.

[DancingBear]

18. Understood - and thanks n/t

[TrueAmerican]

23. Please continue to show your support

and when/if Clark wins the nomination your cheerleading will be much appreciated to help beat Bush.

[Hep]

35. I won't cheer for Clark. I will cheer for the US of A.

Thanks for helping guarantee that it will never be about Clark for me.

[SahaleArm]

99. Dean supporters should spare us the self-pity and enjoy the moment. n/t

[liberalnurse]

54. Me too......

And my other twin agrees as well.

[Ficus]

85. Dean supporters like you

make me want to vote Green.

[Hep]

94. Vote green then. I BEG you.

It's YOUR soul.

[Ficus]

95. HAHAHAHAHAHA

what forboding words. If I don't support Dean I'll go to hell or something!

Give me a break. Get off your high horse hep.

[Hep]

103. No need to get off my high horse

I'm right. I know all about spite.

[funky_bug]

105. Way to go

Congrats on a solid endorsement from a well respected politician! Good luck in Iowa, Dean and Co.

:hi:

[tedoll78]

3. Oh my god!

Oh my god!

Waaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!

YES! YES!!! Just in time!

[mmonk]

4. Congratulations to the Dean campaign

[CMT]

21. thank you

I've always found you a most courteous supporter who well represents your candidate.

[mmonk]

36. Thanks CMT

best of luck.

[JNelson6563]

5. This is fabulous!!

Delightful news. Just fabulous!!

Julie

[xultar]

6. Congratulations Dean Camp!!! yeee Hoo! n/t

[HFishbine]

34. Thank you (n/t)

[janx]

43. Thank you xultar. You're very kind. n/t

[slinkerwink]

87. thanks xultar!

[LuminousX]

8. Awesome!

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/01/09/politics1325EST0614.DTL

[Renew Deal]

9. This is big news for Dean.

If this doesn't seal IA, nothing will.

[DakotaDemocrat]

69. Yeah...

The Harkin vote is a good one to win Iowa. It will be interesting to hear what he says swayed him (or at least made him play his hand - he may have been at Dean supporter for a long time and just waited to see things play out...)

Nonetheless, congratulations to Dean and his supporters.

[Freddie Stubbs]

Apperently he is not offended by Dean's comments about the caucuses

And another superdelegate for Dean!

:party:

[Renew Deal]

37. Dean gets every break.

He is like Bush. For every bad thing, some good thing happens to keep his polls up. The good thing is it jacks Deans expectations adn is more likely to kill of Gep and Kerry (in that order).

[Hep]

39. Who knows, maybe it is because the tactics of his critics have failed

from day one. Perhaps we Dean supporters have been warning you all along, and perhaps the Dean opponents have been ignoring us.

These aren't "the breaks" This is a result of our hard work for our guy and everyone else's hard work AGAINST our guy rather than FOR theirs.

[LuminousX]

47. Yeah, it has nothing to do with his tireless campaigning

Sometimes, when someone seems to have 'all the luck' you better take a closer look and see if they aren't just better at taking risks and seizing opportunities.

Dean is a great risk taker, willing to go out on limbs and stake out positions that don't seem to be winners yet he always seems to come out on top. Luck, or amazing skill? Either way, as one philosopher once said, don't bet against a lucky man.

[Padraig18]

10. Yeah, baby!

:bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce:

[CMT]

11. This makes the attacks this week bearable

Thank you Senator Harkin!!

Dean/Harkin '04

[tedoll78]

13. YES

This came at just the right time!

And to think - this is what will be on peoples' minds all weekend long!

Woo-hoo!!!

(now, to resume dancing around my living room..) :)

[LuminousX]

20. I'm just dancing in my chair, damn I needed this

The attacks were getting unbearable and I was going to retreat into my cave for a week. This just re-energized me!

Much like the Paul Simon and John Conyers endorsements, this just proves to me that Dean is the man to recreate the Democratic Party and who will help us take back our country.

I'm a proud American.

[chocolateeater]

12. WOW

:wow: Thank you for posting this:yourock:

[quinnox]

14. Congrats to Dean!

This will probably put Dean over the top in Iowa and he will win a decisive victory there.

[JaneQPublic]

53. Thanks, quinnox.

No doubt Harkin also thinks very highly of other candidates; otherwise, he wouldn't have had so much trouble deciding.

[liberalnurse]

15. Harkin is a brilliant American Icon.

Brilliant as a leader of Iowa and our U.S Senate.


Lets move for Harkin for VP!!!!!!

[janx]

22. It took some real guts for him to do that...he hurt some of his

old friends. But he knows how important things are right now and that we have to get Dean the nomination. We have to get Chimpy OUT!

:bounce:
:hug: :party:

[liberalnurse]

70. He has always kept his eye on the ball.....

and that ball is now a globe......He's gone global with this endorsement. He knows how to be a spoke in the wheel to take back this country. A true hero. Leadership is abundant among Democrats.

[Tatiana]

16. WHOA!

Damn, this pretty much finishes Kerry in Iowa. Congratulations to the Dean camp!

Major, major coup for Dean. If people don't realize this is going to boil down to Dean v. Clark, they better wake up.

[terryg11]

19. Gore, Bradley, and now Harkin hmmm

I would say Dean is doing a good job of solidifying his support with some rather left of center politicians which is good. Is Bradley more of a centrist or lefty? I'm not real sure, anyhow, he's got three good endorsements which could be a big deal.

[Padraig18]

29. Don't forget that Paul Simon did, too, God rest his soul.

:)

[Atlant]

62. Bradley, Gore: Centrist. Harkin: Flaming Liberal.

(Coming from a Harkin '92 supporter)

Atlant

[AntiCoup2K4]

24. Welcome aboard Tom!

And thank you, Senator :)

[BrewCrew]

25. Raises Expectations More

Wow! This is a great endorsement. The only negative now is that if Dean doesn't win Iowa it could be a fatal blow. His expectations in that state now have to be Huge. Kinda of scary, but I'm sure the Dean camp can handle it! Congrats to all Dean voters, and especially Governor. One of the last good guys in politics has just endorsed your campaign.

[LuminousX]

31. I prefer a candidate who shoots for the stars

than a candidate who shoots for the crappile.

Bush is the master of low expectations. Dean is the master of raised expectations. Can he always meet them? No. But that does't stop him from trying. That is the type of campaign I'm proud to be associated with.

[dave29]

41. yes, "the soft bigotry of low expectations"

lets make Bushco eat those words

[diamondsoul]

64. Funny,

that's what Kucinich supporters have been saying and you tell us it's "pie-in-the-sky idealism". Make up your mind. Shoot for the most or accept lowered expectations, but don't try to pull off both.

[LuminousX]

77. There are subtle differences

When Dean says he can accomplish X it is based upon what he has already been able to accomplish. Some of Kucinich's plans require correct cosmic alignments and to betray my gaming background, a few natural 20s to work. I support his effort to try, but I like Dean's raised expectations with his pragmatic methodology.

[Atlant]

66. There's a huge effort by the Dean Team going on in Iowa right now.

> The only negative now is that if Dean doesn't win Iowa it could be
> a fatal blow. His expectations in that state now have to be Huge.

There's a correspondingly huge effort by the Dean Team going on
in Iowa right now.

Atlant

[maddezmom]

26. congrats :)

[RetroLounge]

27. Sweeeeeeeeeeeeet!

The more he's attacked, the more support he gets.

(Lets hope that extends to the GE also.)

Thank you Senator Harkin!

[helleborient]

28. Congrats Dr. Dean! There should be celebrating when I get to Iowa tonight

I'm revitalized for the weekend!!

[tedoll78]

30. My analysis:

This is the equivalent of a political earthquake in Iowa.

Dean will most likely win there handily.

And, if published reports are true, he will have enough caucus votes to throw some to John Kerry. If Joe Trippi can engineer a second-place finish for Kerry, Kerry gets a boost in New Hampshire, which could potentially knock Clark back down to third.

Either way, this will pretty much seal victories for Dean in Iowa and New Hampshire. With the positive coverage that comes from such a feat, the poll bounce he gets between New Hampshire and Feb 3rd should be enough to carry him to the nomination.

(Of course, this is barring some other unforseen incident.. the media do like to dig, and opponents can get mighty desperate..)

[edzontar]

33. Yet another body blow to the "Stop Dean Movement."

A lovely day.

[LuminousX]

40. It makes them more desperate though

We can't let up on our vigilance. The Dean campaign is about to be accused of actual crimes (my prediction) instead of campaign shenanigans. Whether it is Gep or GOP, I don't know, but someone really doesn't want Dean to get the nomination.

[edzontar]

100. Thanks for the heads up.

Vigilance...never surrender

[Demobrat]

38. Already? I thought it was tomorrow.

Guess he couldn't wait!

[HFishbine]

42. Harkin for VP?

Is he a contender?

[TrueAmerican]

45. I'm sure it was Dangled

But a Dean/Harkin ticket makes no sense.

[HFishbine]

56. Who knows

But for what it's worth, he has some things going for him: experience, political strength, and clean as a whistle. Less valuable for regional advantage and not completely aligned with Dean on policy. Wouldn't rule him out though.

[tedoll78]

46. I like that idea!

He'd solidify our status in Minnesota and Iowa, and his union credentials would help with Ohio..

[goodhue]

50. he would make a good VP

but I think Secretary of Agriculture is more likely

[JNelson6563]

65. I've thought about it too

but I doubt it would happen. Strongly.

Julie

[sandnsea]

44. Congratulations

That's big for Dean.

[JaneQPublic]

48. Thanks! Very good of you to say! (nt)

[zulchzulu]

49. Congratulations to Dean

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2004/01/09/politics1325EST0614.DTL&type=printable

[HFishbine]

61. Thanks Zulu! nt

[JaneQPublic]

63. That's mighty big of ya, Zulch. Thanks!

And from your guy's point of view, this frees him to spend his time and money in other primary states besides Iowa.

Edited for spelling.

[slinkerwink]

88. thank you for saying that...

[NoPasaran]

51. Woo Hoo!

Welcome aboard Senator Harkin!:toast:

[dave29]

52. Harkin - "He's the Harry Truman of our Generation"

I couldn't agree more.

"He's the Harry Truman of our generation," Harkin said in interview with The Associated Press. "Howard Dean is really the kind of plain-spoken Democrat we need."

[dajabr]

71. Yes!

How wonderful for someone like Harkin to affirm in words what a lot of us have been feeling about Dean.

:toast:

[ozone_man]

91. It was a very nice thing to say

and I think appropriate for the plain speaking Dean. What a great endorsement!

[JaneQPublic]

93. Get your Dean/Truman buttons here!

http://democraticbuttons.freeservers.com/2004Dean.html

[dajabr]

97. Cool! Thanks for the link! (nt)

[Atlant]

55. Kick back to the top 'cause it has happened! (NT)

[Lisa0825]

68. More good news:-)

I have been waiting for this for weeks, listening to the buzzing rumors about it.

and thank you to the courteous supporters of other candidates who popped in to say congratulations. I really appreciate everyone here who is honestly ABB. we're all in this together, after all.

[Duder]

73. Looking forward to the news conference

A welcome endorsement from a great Senator.

Along with Dr. Julie Thomas, the 1st Vice-Chair of the Iowa Democratic Party, that makes two superdelegates today.

[w4rma]

75. Give 'em hell, Howard! (n/t)

[slinkerwink]

78. great news!!!!!!!

:bounce:

[dajabr]

79. Thank goodness we did not lose you over this!

Man, you sure did roll the dice on this one!

;-)

[WillyT]

80. Oh Happy Day... Oh Happy Day ...

Yeah Baby !!!

:bounce::grouphug::bounce:

[BootinUp]

81. Congrats to Dean and his supporters!

Well done. :hi:

[David Dunham]

83. Dean Is Still Sinking in the Polls Nationally

Dean wins IA, but Clark wins NH, SC, and many other states. Go Wes!

[LuminousX]

84. Your analysis is weak.

[CMT]

96. Dean is still well-ahead in NH

his support has fluctuated between 35-39 percent in the ARG poll. Still a good 15-points ahead of Clark, who seems to be huring Kerry more. If Dean does win Iowa, he will also get a bounce in NH.

[slinkerwink]

89. thanks for saying that!

:hi:

[CMT]

98. kick

this thread to the top

[cthrumatrix]

101. I just saw the news.....excellent...go Dean!!!!!!!

[quaker bill]

102. Best news all day

I like these parts best

"One candidate rose to the top as our best shot to beat George Bush and give Americans the chance to take our country back. That person is Governor Howard Dean..."

He said the former Vermont governor is "the Harry Truman of our generation. Howard Dean is really the kind of plain-spoken Democrat we need."

[Printer70]

104. Prediction: We will win Iowa

New Hampshire...and then sweep up the undecideds. I don't see anything barring that from happening...we have the Big Mo and Clark will only put up token resistance from the Right.

[slinkerwink]

106. I'm thinking Dean will win IA and then NH

but I'm expecting another "gotcha" moment from the other campaigns in IA to bring down Dean's MO.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

108. As one who watched all of the Harkin forums...

This is execellent, as were the forums themselves.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

110. I don't see NYfM?

:kick:

[mvd]

111. Great!

I'm a Kucinich supporter, but Dean's my favorite of the candidates with a real shot - and he needed something good to make the news. I've always liked Harkin a lot.

[shivaji]

112. This is amazing, since I thought exactly the same way as Harkin,

which is that Dean is Trumanesq. Someone who is forthright, no nonsense leader who has common sense in abundance.

[askew]

113. Great news!!

I am so excited to hear about this endorsement. Harkin is my first choice for Dean's VP (should he win the nomination). He has great experience and would help out in the midwest and rust-belt states which are swing/"soft" Republican states that we have a shot at. I think he makes more sense than a southern candidate, because we aren't winning a whole lot of those states.