Dean bid showing strength in Mass., pulls even with Kerry; [Ketchup Splatters in his own backyard]

The Boston Globe ^ | November 23, 2003 | Frank Phillips and Rick Klein

[nwrep]

US Senator John F. Kerry is facing a serious challenge from Democratic rival Howard Dean in Massachusetts, according to a Boston Globe/WBZ-TV survey of likely voters in the state's presidential primary.

The poll shows Dean getting 27 percent of the 400 likely Democratic primary voters, with Kerry receiving 24 percent. The two are far ahead of seven other candidates, with retired Army General Wesley K. Clark running a distant third with 6 percent.

[nwrep]

ping

[pabianice]

BOSTON, MA ... Kerry campaign managers were left momentarily speechless today when Kerry's latest tracking poll showed that his support had tied that for the late Rep. Louise Day Hicks. Hicks -- who died in 2002 -- served one term in Congress as the representative from the South Boston district, following a decade of turmoil over forced bussing, one of the most spectacular Liberal failures of the past 50 years...

[ChadGore]

[Simmy2.5]

If Dean starts pulling away and recieves a huge majority in the primaries...that means Hillary can't come in and "take" the nomination without looking like she stole it from Dean. Kerry, Clark, and the other dwarves must bring down Dean in order to let Queen Hillary come in and save them from destruction. If they can't do it...write off the Democratic Party for the next generation or so.

[Tacis]

Remember all the neocommunists who fussed that Bush had dodged the draft by serving in the national guard?

Have any of them mentioned Dean's efforts to dodge the draft? I know that his brother may have been working for the other side, but what about Dr. Dean?

[Little Bill]

I see that the rats are abandoning a sinking ship.

[zencat]

It the same with my liberal friends. While they don't particularly like any of the candidates, there is something about Kerry that "rubs them the wrong way" as well. They just can't bring themselves to like the guy.

[Iris7]

It will not be possible to hold these people off without changing the present political consensus. Folks like Dean are the future unless effective action is taken very soon.

[185JHP]

Is Kerry's nastiness so pervasive and deep-seated that he can't, or won't, try to coceal it? Is he that much nastier in his essence than Clark or Dean? I'm not sure.

[Cobra64]

Mr. Ed, "Ooooohh Wilbur. This can't be happening."

[FRgal4u]

Kerry is the really the story of the year for the dims..

once touted as the great hope for the dims in 04

once touted as the one with the resume and the $$$ (ketchup bottles) to defeat Bush

once touted as the only one can stop the deaniacs

none of the above comes true (at least so far)...

Kerry is the greatest self-imploding act of modern politics, a nice tradition for Northeastern liberals - remember Ed Muskie from Maine in 72, or Paul Tsongas in 92..

early in Summer, I was thinking about a Kerry/Graham ticket in 04..but no more - these two have imploded in ways I couldn't have forseen. Right now, if I have to bet, it will be a Dean/Clark type of ticket - a hothead plus a paranoid - oh my..the stale old bread Gephardt may survive, if that is the case, then I will bet on a Stale Bread plus a chewed Bubble-Gum ticket - Gephardt/Edwards - no matter what, Kerry, at least for now, can offer no new ideas, offer no visons, offer no solutions, and certainly can't stop the roaring train named Dean.

[Cobra64]

It the same with my liberal friends. While they don't particularly like any of the candidates, there is something about Kerry that "rubs them the wrong way" as well. They just can't bring themselves to like the guy.

Well they could have sent their children to Michael's Neverland. Or go to VT or MA for the alternative life-style choice.

[pabianice]

Dean leaps to the lead for Dem nomination...Massachusetts SJC orders gay marriage... 2004 is looking real good as a spectator sport for non-Liberals...

[ItsOurTimeNow]

You mean his "medical deferrment" for an "unfused vertebrae?

That same "ailment" didn't stop him from taking a 90 day skiing trip to Aspen shortly after he got his medical clearance though, did it?

He tried to explain it away to Russert once...I remember him mumbling something about "being young and stupid at the time..." or somesuch nonsense.

[alwaysconservative]

Thanks for posting this! Didja notice THIS:

Dean was backed by 29 percent of the 400 Democrats and independents who were surveyed in the UMass poll, while Kerry got 23 percent.

The UMass survey also shows that Dean runs slightly stronger against President Bush, leading 58 percent to 34 percent. Kerry leads Bush by 56 percent to 38 percent.

The way I read this, President Bush gets 34-38% of the Democrats and Independents in head-to-head matchups in one of the most rat-infested states in the country!

[FastCoyote]

"If Dean starts pulling away and recieves a huge majority in the primaries...that means Hillary can't come in and "take" the nomination without looking like she stole it from Dean. Kerry, Clark, and the other dwarves must bring down Dean in order to let Queen Hillary come in and save them from destruction. If they can't do it...write off the Democratic Party for the next generation or so."

Your analysis may darn well be right. Go Dean Go! It might even be worth a primary crossover vote just to cancel Hillary's future.

[jmaroneps37]

Notice the ratmedia speak in which the headline is written.
The glob wants lurch to win ( well I'm sure they don't so much want lurch to win as the sooooo much don't want how-odd? to win ) anyway in ratmedia think and speak when your guy is one tenth of one percent within the margin of error of a poll, he's even. But I your guy is ahead by 1/10th of one point, he has a solid lead. If he is up by one point, he is pulling away and if he is up by two points he has a commanding lead. Somebody should tell the glob that lurch is losing. He is NOT even with how-odd? he is LOSING!
Aint life great?

[Pilsner]

They seemed drawn to Dean's aggressive style.

As an attorney in rural Texas you spend a lot of time sitting in Court. The judge comes to town just a few times a month so one is often forced to waste a good bit of the day watching other folks try their cases or have their motions hear before the judge.

One client/lawyer combo you see is hate-filled client/nasty lawyer. The client is filled with hate (perhaps with reason, perhaps not) and has searched out a lawyer who is willing to be just as nasty, as rude, as insulting and as spitefull as the client would be if they were representing themselves. You see the nasty lawyer insulting opposing counsel and his/her client. The nasty lawyer calls opposing counsel names, makes scurrilus accusations about the other party and asks "When did you stop f@@cking your dog?" type of questions to hostile witnesses. The hate-filled client's eyes shine with vindication. At last (this is at least their second and often their third or fourth lawyer)they have a lawyer who will make their case the way they want it made!

Of course everyone else and I do mean everyone, the opposing counsel, the lawyers sitting in the jury box waiting for their time in front of the judge, the court reporter, the clerk, the bailiff and most of all the judge are bored, offended, or both. They don't hate the way the hate-filled clients do, and they at best unmoved or at worst revulsed by the nasty lawyers antics. At last the trial/hearing is over and the judge renders a verdict, usually very different from what the hate-filled clients wanted, and they walk out of court certain that they have a fine lawyer and a corrupt judge.

The Dean supporters look more and more like the hate-filled clients. They want a representative who will vindicate their hate, not one who will tell them the truth -- that third parties don't see it that way, and are put off by blazing eyed hatred.

The American people didn't hate Bil Clinton. I think that they were in error there, but that dos not change their opinion. The Amercian people don't hate George W. Bush. I agree with their opinion as to him, and the fact that the Dean supporters do not will (if we all work hard) be their downfall. If the Democrats put up a candidate who said "George W is an OK guy but you can do better for X-Y-Z reasons" we would have a race. If they put up a guy who says "I hate that SOB George W just as much as you hate the SOB" our only concern will be supporting down ballot races.

[expatpat]

It's time for Frenchy to surrender