Who here thinks Howard Dean is God?

[BurtWorm]

I believe strongly in Howard Dean's vision for the Democratic Party as he expresses it. I will defend him when he's attacked by other Democrats (and others). But I don't view DFA as a cult of personality. It's quite possible that other Dean people do, I realize. He's a charismatic guy, after all, and a refreshingly frank Democrat. But it's the vision that I think is most appealing about him, the idea that the party can be made stronger if it shifts focus back to the grass roots, to the local level and organizations, all over the country. It's common sense. It's not just a Howard Dean thing. Know what I mean? Or is it a Howard Dean thing for you?

[madfloridian]

1. He has clarity of thought and speech. A simple thing.

He looks ahead where the others in the party have really not done that. He already is the savior of the party BECAUSE he has everyone dialoguing and arguing. That was not happening before. Not really.

He inspires, and he helps people feel they can do things they have not done before...like run a campaign and run for office.

[BurtWorm]

2. I agree with you, and yet he is really just saying things that NEED to be

said. He's rare because he's a leader who is saying what activists have been saying for years. But he does make it sexy.

[JNelson6563]

3. I don't think he's God

But I admire his plain-spokeness. He's got a spine and so few of those who would lead us do.

Not that this pic doesn't do anything for me....

[WI_DEM]

4. that is the usual talking points of the most fervent anti-Dean person

on DU. And it is stupid. These jerks obviously can't understand that you can enthusiastically support someone and still not agree with him 100% of the time. To my way of thinking Dean talks sense and i'm not drinking any lemonade. They feel by diminishing Dean supporters they diminish Dean. What they don't understand is Dean supporters are not just liberal democrats but moderate, conservatives, independents and republicans.

[mandyky]

5. God? - No, Prophet? - maybe!

I like his honesty, even when they are perceived as gaffes.
I like his spirit. Fighting and Backbone.
I like his ability to speak clearly and plainly, about most issues.
I like that he has changed his mind. Remember he used to support Free Trade until he actually talked and listened to Iowans who had been hurt.
I like that he is right, more than wrong, even though it may not be obvious immediately.
I like that he paints his own house, and is as frugal in his personal life, as he wants our country to be.

There is much more I like about Howard Dean. And I am mad as hell at Kerry and Geppy and all those folks who I feel dishonestly derailed him. Yes, I know some was Dean's responsibility and some Joe Trippi, but it was a hell of a ride and it inspired me, and made me a lifelong supporter of Howard Dean in whatever he chooses to do!

[ibegurpard]

6. Not me

And if Howard Dean moved away from the positions he has taken on where the Democratic Party and America in general need to go (and I'm not talking about individual policies but a general philosophy that politicians need to be held accountable to PEOPLE and not moneyed lobbyists and corporations) then I would no longer support him.

[Cheswick2.0]

9. well of course

If it weren't for the positions and Ideas he wouldn't be the same person and I would not support him.

[Capn Sunshine]

7. Theres an undertone of bitterness and jealousy in the anti-Dean Posts

That can't be missed. Some of it is so overt it makes me wonder about the actual Democratic inclinations of those folks.

How anyone could be a member of the Democratic Party and not recognize fundamental core value Democratic thought is a mystery to me.

But there they are, in all their ignominious ignorance.

No wonder they react as they do; their ideas have proven up for eight years now to be bereft of any fundamental substance, and lacking enough in resonance that they create electoral loss after loss.

Yet, WE are the ones with a perception "problem".

Further, it's extremely telling that our forum is the only one that does not use the name of our favorite politician. Yet WE are the ones who are worshipers?

Eh.

[Cheswick2.0]

10. Yup, there is a purpose to what we are doing

and we don't need to sit around hoping Dean will run again in 2008, because that is not what DFA is about.

[hippiechick]

14. They feel threatened because DFA/Dean represents change ...

I suspect that they are 'Dems', but they have completely bought in to the 'let the experts decide' theorem that the leaders know what's best for the people (and that they'll actually do it).

Someone like Dean - energizing people to take matters into their own hands, to become their own party, to roll up their sleeves and take the country back - is beyond their paradigm because along with the power that DFA/grassroots organizing gives us, also comes changing the way one looks as things, and responsibility for following thru on one's intentions/actions.

It's alot easier to get on the bandwagon of Candidate A and bash the crap out of Candidate B than it is to actually study the issues, get out in the local community, see what average people want/need and work to make it happen - which IMO is what DFA is about.

Some people can't seem to cope with building 'democracy from the ground up'.


:hippie:

[Kolesar]

15. "That's my From!"

I saw DLC "head" Al From on tv the other day. What a clueless powermonger.

you put it well: " their ideas have proven up for eight years now to be bereft of any fundamental substance, and lacking enough in resonance that they create electoral loss after loss."

[Cheswick2.0]

8. absolutely... Howard Dean three in one

The God
The Candidate and
The Holy Democratic party spirit

Thank Howard for for Howard

[mandyky]

11. LOL

Thanks, I needed a good laugh!

[DFLforever]

12. How about his messenger?

Just kidding. O8)

But he's not an ordinary, everyday politician with narrow ambitions and goals.

He sometimes speaks like a prophet. As does Kucinich, and as did Wellstone most especially.

[patricia92243]

13. Nah! Bush is God. Just ask any Republican.

[Philostopher]

16. My reasons were perfectly pragmatic.

But, of course, I'm not big on 'deities' of any kind, and don't expect anybody, whether prime mover or politician, to do my dirty work for me.

Howard Dean appears to have the amazing ability to be pissed off and still be able to think on his feet. Some folks like to insinuate he's angry, or tactless, but I'll bet if you dug into the morgues of some newspapers from the late forties and early fifties, you'd find very similar things being said about Harry Truman.

Before Dean even came along as a potential candidate, I remember endless conversations in General Discussion, just after Gore announced he wouldn't run in 2004, over what the Democratic Party needed in a candidate. Several of us repeated the notion, over and over, that Dems needed a plain-spoken candidate who didn't hesitate to tell the truth and criticize Bush over the things that should have been big issues to the average 'Joe sixpack' voter, like the outsourcing of jobs and affordable health care. Some of us gravitated to Dean for that very reason -- he does know how to distill important concepts down into simple explanations, and he doesn't hesitate to criticize.

These talents won't serve him badly, whether it's from the DNC, as a candidate or as the head of DFA and the coalition DFA's forming with other progressive groups. I'm glad we've got somebody who can do the work, because we need one -- whether the Democratic Party gets with the program or not, progressive concerns still need to be articulated well by somebody. Dean's damned good at it, whether he's the 'spiritual leader' of the party or an organizer of progressive organizations within the left wing. I'm good with the guy either way, I think he can still do plenty and he appears to be willing.