Is Race For #2 Now Race For #1? (Iowa Dean)

[KittyWampus]

Is Race For #2 Now Race For #1?
WASHINGTON, Jan. 9, 2004

In Iowa and New Hampshire – not to mention at least one national poll – Howard Dean's once seemingly insurmountable lead appears to be shrinking rapidly. As a result, the week's top story – who's going to finish second in the first two states of the 2004 contest and establish himself as the anti-Dean? – has shifted to whether Dean can hang onto his frontrunner status after a week of missteps, bad press and attacks from his Democratic rivals.

In Iowa, where Dean and Dick Gephardt are running neck and neck, the former Vermont governor had a politically schizophrenic Friday. ... in 2000, Dean said the Iowa caucuses – second only to ethanol subsidies and fried Oreos at the State Fair in Iowans' hearts – were "dominated by special interests" and "don't represent the centrist tendencies of the American people, they represent the extremes."

Dean was immediately sent reeling (and pandering) by the howls from his rivals and other Democrats in Iowa. By Friday morning, he was apologizing. "I support the Iowa caucus... and I have already promised... that if elected, the Iowa caucus will be first again in 2008." ... But just as things were looking their darkest for Dean, Sen. Tom Harkin announced his decision to endorse Dean....

No doubt the timing was influenced... by the beating Dean had taken in the last 24 hours over his alleged anti-caucusism. A measure, perhaps, of the Dean camp's concern can be gleaned from the event's timing: Dean was in Vermont, not in Iowa with Harkin for the obligatory hands-over-their-heads TV shot, leaving the event with a distinct "hurry up and do it before it's too late" smell. ... About ten seconds after Harkin spoke, Dean appeared on CNN and was far less apologetic than he was pre-endorsement. "If you want a Washington politician who's going to argue about who said what six or seven years ago, then you should vote for another candidate," said a newly confident Dean.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/01/09/politics/main592474.shtml

[windansea]

1. uh huh

a hurry up I'm tanking endorsement

[sandnsea]

2. Money, Media, Endorsements

And Dean goes nowhere but down. Words matter. Character matters. Iowans know that. No amount of Washington Insider endorsements are going to save him. In fact, they make him look stupid when he bashes them and then turns around and sucks up to them when he gets those endorsements.

It's going to be a Very Kerry New Year!!

[liberalnurse]

12. So, saying that.....

Where do you see Kerry in the next 11 months?

[deminflorida]

3. Looks the way things are turning out, Dean won't be the...

front-runner by the time the Iowa Caucus comes around.

[KittyWampus]

8. I Think Will Be The Frontrunner in Polls

and win Iowa. Perhaps not by such a large margin.

May the best man win.

[liberalnurse]

13. I'm going to Iowa on Thursday to assist Dean to "Victory".

What are you doing for your candidate?

[1floridademocrat]

19. I see it...

A bit diffrent 8)

I'll predict that Dean will win the nomination, will win both IA and NH by respectible margins.

[KC21304]

4. My understanding from the Lisa Meyer's piece

is that the comment about Iowa caucus was made in 2000. Six or seven years ago ?

[windansea]

6. 6th or 7th

Dean likes those numbers...heh heh

[liberalnurse]

14. Are you in denial?

Dean is way up front......No need to be expressing private wishful thinking in a mean fashion.....facts will speak for themselves. Dean is driven by the power of people.....and people vote.

Unfounded cuts and digs without merit are unkind to the Democratic Party. I know we have to fight daily for respect as "liberals".....I really don't want Democrats to destroy our own Party.

Who here is a devoted Democrat? I am.....:)

[HFishbine]

5. FACT CHECK

The article misaccurately reports that, "Dean said the Iowa caucuses... "were 'dominated by special interests'..."

Dean was not commenting on the Iowa caucuses, but on the caucus system in general. He never mentioned Iowa. This was clearly not a (4 year-old) slight of Iowa and a terrible misrepresentation of the facts.

[patricia92243]

9. This is the first time I've heard this - he was talking about caucuses in

general - not Iowa specifically. Need to spread the word on this one.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

15. and which one of all is the most famous caucus?

:freak:

[KittyWampus]

11. He Also Mentioned Extremists On Both Sides

On the Right perhaps he was talking about Corporations like Entergy?
On the Left perhaps he was talking about Environmental groups like the Sierra Club?

[Cheswick2.0]

16. are you under the impression there are no extremists on the left?

he was being diplomatic, he didn't want to single out the right's extremists. That wouldn't be prudent!
He's going to make a great President, heyna?

[patricia92243]

7. Good Dean showing confidence - that is oneof the things that draw people

to him - he needs to keep it up - stop the apoligizing.

[chimpymustgo]

10. Dean needs to stop saying things he has to apologize for.

Excellent, incisive article. Especially the "hurry up and endorse" observation.

[Cheswick2.0]

17. He hasn't said anything he has to apologize for

:7

[JVS]

18. Only the supporters of trailing candidates seem to want apologies

[kerry-is-my-prez]

20. His unfavorable rating is at 39% up from 24% last month. Not good.

IMO - you all would be well-advised to encourage your candidate to begin acting Presidential instead of continuing with his erratic behavior. Sending him money every time he has an "outburst" or acts inappropriately isn't the world's best plan.

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20040107-110341-6605r.htm

Among all voters nationally, the poll found that 39 percent had an unfavorable opinion of him, compared with 24 percent in a November poll.

Even among Democrats, Mr. Dean's negative rating has doubled from 10 percent in November to 22 percent, although his favorable ratings also increased, from 36 percent in November to 45 percent.

[mikewriter]

21. Gep will win Iowa

Dean will be 2nd, Kerry 3rd but Dean will win big in NH and still be the front runner. Clark will be second after more of the primaries
but Dean will survive and beat Bush