Posted on 06/04/2011 1:38:35 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Howard Dean, the former Democratic National Committee chairman who helped Democrats capture the White House in 2008, warns that Sarah Palin could defeat President Obama in 2012.
Dean says his fellow Democrats should beware of inside-the-Beltway conventional wisdom that Obama would crush Palin in a general-election contest next year.
“I think she could win,” Dean told The Hill in an interview Friday. “She wouldn’t be my first choice if I were a Republican but I think she could win.”
Dean warns the sluggish economy could have more of a political impact than many Washington strategists and pundits assume.
“Any time you have a contest — particularly when unemployment is as high as it is — nobody gets a walkover,” Dean said. “Whoever the Republicans nominate, including people like Sarah Palin, whom the inside-the-Beltway crowd dismisses — my view is if you get the nomination of a major party, you can win the presidency, I don’t care what people write about you inside the Beltway,” Dean said.
Dean spoke to The Hill the same day the Labor Department revealed the national economy added only 54,000 jobs in May and the national unemployment rate had risen to 9.1 percent.
Last month the private sector created 83,000 jobs, about a third the average for the previous three months.
Dean said he doesn’t think Palin will win the GOP nomination or would have the advantage over Obama in 2012. But he warned it is dangerous for Democrats to dismiss her.
Palin said Friday that she was "still weeks away" from making a decision about a presidential campaign.
“Anybody who gets the nomination could win the presidency,” he said. “Do I think she’s going to get the nomination? No. But that process is so difficult and really tests candidates in ways that no other process can."
Dean knows the rigors of presidential primaries first hand. In 2004, his unconventional campaign briefly put him in contention for the Democratic nod before the eventual winner, Sen. John Kerry (Mass.), pulled away.
“Anybody who survives the process can win the presidency,” he added.
Dean said Republicans made the mistake of underestimating Bill Clinton in the rest of the Democratic field in 1991 when former President George H.W. Bush seemed to have a strong advantage but the economy was still mired in recession.
“I can remember Bill Clinton, I think, was one of the seven dwarfs,” Cain said. “This goes on every four years and I think it’s best not to pay attention to that kind of talk.”
Bruce Cain, a political science and public policy professor and director of the University of California Washington Center, subscribes to the prevailing view that Palin would be a weak opponent against Obama.
“I stand with conventional wisdom that she’s way too flawed,” Cain. “Polls show that many women and independent voters aren’t happy with her.”
Cain believes the national economy must sink back into recession and unemployment swell to double digits before Palin becomes dangerous to Obama.
“If unemployment soars back up to double digits, voters will tune out any personal differences and be desperate for an alternative,” Cain said.
Dean thinks former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, Jr. (R), who recently finished serving as the Obama administration’s ambassador to China, would be the president’s most dangerous general-election opponent in 2012, a view shared by many Democrats.
“He is an independent. He is a moderate on some social issues and has a strong record as a governor and also has international experience that I think is lacking in every other candidate,” Dean said, comparing Huntsman to the rest of the GOP field.
Dean, however, doubts Huntsman, who has little national name recognition, could win the GOP primary.
Cain, of the University of California, said Dean’s view of Huntsman matches up with the conventional wisdom of many Democrats.
He says Huntsman would be especially strong in the general election if unemployment and growth numbers fail to improve.
“With Huntsman or a more credible candidate, Obama could be in trouble with unemployment in the 9 percent range and [economic] growth at one percent,” he said.
While I like Palin, it’s this sort of statement from crazy-assed “YEAARGH” Dean and the rest of the LSM that leads me to discount their judgment (once again):
“Dean said Republicans made the mistake of underestimating Bill Clinton in the rest of the Democratic field in 1991...”
Clinton never would have “won” in 1992 if Perot and his independents had not left the GOP.
I don’t blame them for leaving, heck they’re today’s Tea Party, but any analysis of how Clinton “won” which does not acknowledge the effect Perot had on the election is asinine.
ROFLOL!
This is not news. I have a feeling my golden retriever puppy could beat Obama.
He knows better. The Dems would love to see the uneducated, platitude spewing Palin to get the nomination.
Palin should have left the scene for a while and studied up and come back as a real conservative voice come 16.
Note “Hat Tip FReepers” in Article.
http://noiri.blogspot.com/2011/06/sarah-palin-says-it-as-it-is-video.html
That was a good imitation of a Kos Kid or DUmmie. Now tell us what you really think. Or are you Chuck Krauthammer?
I've met about 1/2 dozen women of child-bearing age...otherwise moderately conservative...who say they "just don't like her" and are unable to articulate a reason beyond that.
And women are, by far, the majority of "independent voters".
Howard Dean is scum. Whatever he says should cause you to worry.
THAT's pretty funny! I mean Howard Dean thinking like a Republican!
Another senior Democrat engaging in their time-honored hobby... selecting the Republican’s nominee for them. Up till now most the the senior dems had thought that they softened up Sarah Palin to the point that she could not possibly win the presidency. Howard Dean isn’t so sure.
You must be either a troll or just very ignorant of basic facts - just looking through FR there is enough articles of Palin giving out policy issues or leading discussions that most of the other potential candidates have never touch. For example, none except Palin has giving out any plan and reasons for military action around the world, she gave a 5 points plan.
“The Dems would love to see the uneducated, platitude spewing Palin to get the nomination.”
If they would love it so much, then why to they attack her 24/7? What would be the point? Why try to destroy her if you don’t think she’s the strongest candidate?
Please point to one thing she has actually said or done that would make any conservative NOT vote for her?
(crickets...)
Howard Dean is a crazy kitten strangler. And here, a blind pig.
0bama has an uphill battle ahead of him for sure. Facing Palin or Cain will be his hardest fight because their approval numbers will certainly rise as the truth gets out about them and 0bama’s numbers will remain flat or will fall. He's basically done unless the pubbies cram through another middle-of-the-road, go-along-to-get-along RINO and force a bunch of us to leave the top ticket blank next year.
If she makes the decision NOT to run it would be based on her believing that the American people prefer Obama or a traditional Republican machine establishment candidate, and not someone for from the Tea Party. She is almost forced into running if this but she knows that if she says she isn’t, that’s the end of the gravy train. That is why an announcement is “weeks away” ??
An annoucement is "weeks away" because the deadline for the ankle-biters to file additional bogus ethics complaints in Alaska is "weeks away".
About July 26.
Resolved NOT to give...
(sorry for the bad typing)
Ping!!!
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