Posted on 12/22/2003 1:19:12 PM PST by jmcclain19
Some Excerpts
Q: What is it that led you to run and say I can do this?
A: I thought the country was in really bad trouble. I thought the right-wingers were really hurting the country badly, huge deficits that we are never going to be able to pay back. A defense policy that is making this country weaker not stronger for all the president’s bully-boy stuff. I just think this country needs a fundamental change in direction and we really need to go back to principled American ideals that we are all in this together, a defense policy that is consistent with moral leadership in the world and a financial policy that does not run up enormous debts.
{. . .}
Q: How did you get the bug to do this and enter politics?
A: Jimmy Carter. I was a big fan of Jimmy Carter’s and I worked in his 1980 re-election campaign and got to know a lot of people in politics in Vermont. Politics in Vermont until you get to the most senior levels is a part-time profession, so I was county chairman for a while I was practicing medicine ... I was in the legislature.
Q: Were you reading papers at this point? How were you involved?
A: No, no, I liked Carter a lot. I thought he was an honest and decent person and those qualities are a little farther and few between than they ought to be in Washington and I wanted to see him get re-elected, which unfortunately didn’t happen but I did the things you need to do. I licked envelopes. I posted notices. I got to know a lot of great people in politics and they basically got me involved.
{. . .}
Q: If you were writing this story, what would you write?
A: I would try something new if I were a journalist. I think a lot of journalism is gotcha — can you find something that I said in 1985 that contradicts a position now. A lot of it is Senator So-and-So said something about Senator So-and-So and there is a lot of back and forth. You know that doesn’t really contribute much to the debate. It is entertaining, but it’s not very serious. The things that I would like write about if I were a reporter is policy differences. Go into the policy. First of all, ask the tough questions about policy. How are they really going to finance this? Get everybody’s health-care plan side-by-side and find out what it costs from an analyst and that is an interesting story. Here is a story I would like to do if I were a reporter. I would like to take everybody’s proposals for spending money and add them up and see how big the deficit is going to be by the Democrats who are running against the president and see how do they plan to pay for it. That would be a very interesting thing to do and I think people would be impressed. Ok, Senator So-and-So has 14 billion dollars worth of spending here and 106 billion dollars there. Let’s see what Senator So-and-So has on the tax revenue side. Those are the kinds of things that don’t get done in journalism that should that require some resources and investigative capacity. Instead, what often gets done is General Clark said this and Howard Dean said that, John Kerry said this about each other. It is not very informative.
{. . .}
Q: Is it hard for you to stay quiet?
A: Yeah, I am somewhat of a street fighter. If someone punches me I am apt to chase them down and I need to be restrained by the people who know better and have been in the game longer than I have.
{. . .}
Q: Are you surprised it has gotten to be like this?
A: I am disappointed. I really am. I don’t think it needs to be that way and it is going to do long-term harm to the Democratic nominee whomever that person is because Karl Rove is cackling at all these broadsides the other guys are putting out. On the other hand the American people probably aren’t going to believe them either because I think they see them for what they are.
{. . .}
Q: What is it that we don’t get to see?
A: I am on the phone all the time. When I am not with you and I am in the van and there is cell service then I am on the phone. I am raising money. I am calling people I hope will endorse me — people in Iowa or people like the vice president. I am getting advice from people around the country including former presidents. You live your life on the phone if you are not shaking hands with people.
{. . .}
Q: Does the press coverage bother you — especially the restrictive elements?
A: It did a lot at first, but in the end it is not bad training because there are a lot of things you can’t say when you become president, mostly having to do with foreign affairs. It is important to have the ability to be diplomatic when you are the president. Being with the media where you can’t say what you think probably isn’t entirely bad for someone who has spent their life saying exactly what they think and that is me.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
Actually, we only have to go back a few months, Howie.
Too bad he didn't get his envelopes from the same place as George Costanza.
Sing with me, now:
Kum ba yaaaaaah, my lord.
Kum ba yah.....
Like restoring the Clinton era?
That's all anybody really needs to know about Dr. Deanmento.
Howard WHO???
Wake me up in Dec 2004 after Bush is confirmed landslide winner, 'cause if any of those 9 idiots Dems running for Prez think they even have a chance of winning then they really should get some of Gore's son weed and puff a bit.
And we know what Stainman licked.
Tucker Carlson noted in his book that the key to positive press coverage for a Presidential candidate was providing free booze to the press detail. McCain was the first to realize this apparently. I wonder if Dean does the same thing.
Carville on MTP yesterday noted that the Republicans wouldn't have to run any ads in the fall other than the statements that other Democrats are making about Dean.
Bottom line...no one really gives a s*%t about dean!!
Enough said.......
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