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Dean’s hot comment on Bush draws cool, caustic reaction
Manchester Union Leader ^ | December 7, 2003 | NH Sunday News Staff

Posted on 12/07/2003 6:11:20 AM PST by billorites

Reaction to Democratic Presidential candidate Howard Dean’s reference to an allegation that President George W. Bush had advance warning of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks ranged from caustic to cool.

While Washington Post commentator Charles Krauthammer questioned Dean’s sanity — in a column that also noted the apparently widespread indifference to his remarks — Dean and his competitors in the race for the Democratic Presidential nomination were silent.

The comment by the former Vermont governor came during a broadcast last Monday of the Diane Rehm Show on National Public Radio.

Rehm asked: “Why do you think he (President Bush) is suppressing that (Sept. 11) report?”

Dean replied: “I don’t know. There are many theories about it. The most interesting theory that I’ve heard so far — which is nothing more than a theory, it can’t be proved — is that he was warned ahead of time by the Saudis. Now who knows what the real situation is?”

In a column published in The Washington Post on Friday, Krauthammer wrote: “I cannot testify to Howard Dean’s sanity before this campaign, but five terms as governor by a man with no visible tics and no history of involuntary confinement is pretty good evidence of a normal mental status.

“When he avers, however, that ‘the most interesting’ theory as to why the President is ‘suppressing’ the Sept. 11 report is that Bush knew about Sept. 11 in advance, it’s time to check on thorazine supplies.

“When Rep. Cynthia McKinney, D-Ga., first broached this idea before the 2002 primary election, it was considered so nutty it helped make her former representative McKinney,” Krauthammer wrote. “Today the Democratic Presidential front-runner professes agnosticism as to whether the President of the United States was tipped off about 9/11 by the Saudis and it goes unnoticed.”

In New Hampshire, a Republican Party spokesman described Dean’s comment as reckless, while a Democrat attached no significance to it.

“It’s an absolutely reckless and irresponsible statement,” said Julie Teer, the communications director for the Republican State Committee.

“Sadly, it’s typical of candidate Howard Dean to make charges that he has no proof of or reason to think is true. He says those things simple because he represents the vehement Bush haters that make up a tiny sliver of the electorate. Most Americans are turned off when they hear comments like that.”

In contrast, Kathy Sullivan, New Hampshire Democratic Party chairman, said, “It doesn’t sound like really that much to talk about. He said this was ‘one of the theories.’ He didn’t say it was a good theory, or a legitimate theory or that the theory had any credence to it.”

Requests for comment on Dean’s remarks on the theory that President Bush had advance warning of the 9/11 airliner hijackings were placed with the campaign spokesmen for Democratic Presidential candidates Wesley Clark, John Edwards, Richard Gephardt, John Kerry, Dennis Kucinich and Joseph Lieberman.

None was forthcoming yesterday, nor did Dean’s campaign staff respond to a request for elaboration.

“We’re not going to have any further elaboration,” Dorie Clark, Dean’s communications director in New Hampshire, said last night.


TOPICS: Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2004; bds; cynthiamckinney; dean; dianerehm; howarddean; krauthammer; slime
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1 posted on 12/07/2003 6:11:21 AM PST by billorites
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To: billorites
Diane, could you move the mike a bit closer please?

2 posted on 12/07/2003 6:14:04 AM PST by Tijeras_Slim (SSDD - Same S#it Different Democrat)
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To: billorites
I hope sincerely that Howard Dean's campaign goes down in horrific flames. Ah, he's just popped up on FOX-- Tony Snow's old show. Ugh. I don't like Chris either.
3 posted on 12/07/2003 6:16:51 AM PST by Clara Lou
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To: billorites
There is absolutely nothing, whether it's Dean's commemts or Kerry's use of the "F" word, that will bring rebukes from fellow Democrats. Their party has sunk so far into the gutter that nothing short of a complete electoral massacre will ever bring them back to sanity.
4 posted on 12/07/2003 6:20:04 AM PST by Russ
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To: billorites
The Dems are so consumed by hatred of George Bush that they are willing to believe he eats babies. I am not sure why they hate the man in such a vicious manner, but I feel its because he beat Gore who was Clintons man. Whatever the reason it goes beyond sane thought. It seems each Dem feels that in order to get elected they have to come up with even more vicious things to say about our President.Not a one of them is running a positive campaign, their only thoughts are anti-Bush, they have No, I repeat No, solutions for anything.
5 posted on 12/07/2003 6:20:05 AM PST by sgtbono2002 (I aint wrong, I aint sorry , and I am probably going to do it again.)
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To: billorites
He didn’t say it was a good theory, or a legitimate theory or that the theory had any credence to it.”

Then why did he say it at all??? Hmmmmm? Could it be because he has nothing else to say?

6 posted on 12/07/2003 6:21:06 AM PST by Don Corleone
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To: billorites
At least Chris Wallace is giving Dean a hard time. He has asked Dean some tough questions and has had Dean stuttering several times.
7 posted on 12/07/2003 6:22:39 AM PST by Clara Lou
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To: billorites
He didn’t say it was a good theory, or a legitimate theory or that the theory had any credence to it.

He didn't need to. He knows perfectly well he planted seeds of doubt from which more hatred for President Bush will grow. His handlers probably gave him a little "Mission Accomplished" medal after the interview.

8 posted on 12/07/2003 6:23:52 AM PST by arasina (I can't believe I said that.)
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To: billorites
"He didn’t say it was a good theory, or a legitimate theory or that the theory had any credence to it.”"

So even Democratic operatives admit their candidate espouses tinfoil hat theories with no substantial proof. Yeah, that's the kind of guy I want with his finger on the nucelar trigger!
9 posted on 12/07/2003 6:24:26 AM PST by Arkie2
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To: billorites
Howard Dean is doing what he needs to do: moving to the extreme (nutty) left in order to capture the leftie activists that actually go out and VOTE in the primaries.

But comments like this one will hurt him in the general election...when he has to appeal to both moderate Democrats and Independents.

10 posted on 12/07/2003 6:25:04 AM PST by HennepinPrisoner
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To: Arkie2
The Dems would have made a better choice to go with impeachment of Bubba and replacing him with someone with moral authority. Did they really think that the Bozo having oral sex in the Oval Office in broad daylight would fly with the American people???? Not to mention the perjury! Who wants idiots in office especially during times of war?
11 posted on 12/07/2003 6:29:37 AM PST by DooDahhhh
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To: sgtbono2002
The Dems are kinda like the Taliban and Al Queda and other Islamists. They hate everything and everybody that isn't a DemocRAT.

Now for some equal time - There are quite a few Republican's especially hanging around FR these days that aren't a whole lot better in hating those with whom they disagree.

12 posted on 12/07/2003 6:35:05 AM PST by ImpBill
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To: billorites

13 posted on 12/07/2003 6:36:27 AM PST by ChadGore (Kakkate Koi!)
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To: arasina
Your # 8 nailed it in three sentences.

Leni

14 posted on 12/07/2003 6:40:36 AM PST by MinuteGal (Florida Freepers! Go to Fla. chapter forum for important announcements on chapter re-organization!)
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To: ImpBill
Amen. Say something about stopping the war on drugs, or that gays are really cool people, with great fashion sense and loved by God and you feel like a Christian dropped into the middle of the Taliban. Hate is so ugly.

Regardless, I don't think Deans Statement will make a difference, because the news media won't repeat it, unlike they would hourly if Bush made a small grammatical error.
15 posted on 12/07/2003 6:41:30 AM PST by LaraCroft (Grrr baby, very very grrrr)
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To: ImpBill
BEING a republican does not make you right all the time, I will happily take eighty percent though .
16 posted on 12/07/2003 6:45:55 AM PST by douglas1
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To: ImpBill
I will never agree with their lies! How can you not hate them?
17 posted on 12/07/2003 6:50:08 AM PST by RobertM
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To: billorites
It was really the Soviet Union that tipped Bush off, that's what Dean said.
18 posted on 12/07/2003 6:55:57 AM PST by Benrand
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To: Arkie2
"He didn’t say it was a good theory, or a legitimate theory or that the theory had any credence to it."

Hey buttwipe, he said it was the most interesting theory. Well if it's not good nor legitimate and doesn't have any credence how is it "interesting"? Why can't a reporter EVER follow up with a logical question that gets too the heart of the matter.

19 posted on 12/07/2003 7:04:33 AM PST by Dilbert56
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To: Dilbert56
Well if it's not good nor legitimate and doesn't have any credence how is it "interesting"?

It's interesting to Democrats and to the press because it paints Bush as a fiend. No doubt the suggestions that Bush molested children at Neverland or kidnapped Dru Sjodin would be absolutely engrossing to them.

If Dean had said that the theory was good or legitimate, I might dismiss him as a nutball. In this case, I can only conclude that he is seeking to undermine the authority of his government, and the stability of his country, by promulgating what he understands to be a lie.

20 posted on 12/07/2003 7:19:41 AM PST by Physicist
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