Dean Tries to Summon Spirit of the 1960s

Washington Post ^ | December 28, 2003 | Paul Farhi

[nwrep]

DAVENPORT, Iowa -- Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean has a vision of where he'd like to take the nation. It turns out to be the 1960s.

In campaign stop after campaign stop, in overheated high school gyms and smoky union halls, Dean repeatedly offers this misty-eyed homage to that turbulent decade:

"When I was 21 years old," he says, "it was the end of the civil rights era, and America had paid an enormous price. Martin Luther King had been killed. Bobby Kennedy was dead. A lot of other people who are less well-known, including four little girls in a Birmingham church, had died so that we could have equal rights under the law for all Americans.

"But it was also a time of great hope. Medicare had passed. Head Start had passed. The Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act, the first African American justice [was appointed to] the United States Supreme Court. We felt like we were all in it together, that we all had responsibility for this country. . . . That [strong schools and communities were] everybody's responsibility. That if one person was left behind, then America wasn't as strong or as good as it could be or as it should be. That's the kind of country that I want back."

It is a stirring piece of rhetoric, and one that inevitably draws cheers and sustained applause for the former Vermont governor as he campaigns through this state, which holds its first-in-the-nation Democratic caucus in three weeks. In this part of the farm belt last week, Dean used it as his closer almost every place he spoke.

His references to the '60s, Dean makes clear in an interview, are something personal. "We felt the possibilities were unlimited then," he said last week. "We were making such enormous progress. It resonates with a lot of people my age. People my age really felt that way."

As history, however, Dean's memories of the era are selective. Rather than the time of great national unity and purpose he describes, the 1960s were a period of great upheaval, and surely rank among the most divisive for America in the 20th century.

[clamper1797]

You're welcome ... just remember that not all of us baby boomers were dope smoking hippies.

[Cogadh na Sith]

Heck... I grew up in the 80's. I want to bring the spirit of the '80s back. Seemed like a lot more productive time...

I was born in '68: What the hell to I care about the '60s!?

[maxwellp]

Not only is Dean living in the past, he seems to have completely forgotten September 11, 2001 - the day the world changed forever. America has two major problems, to my way of thinking and they are terrorists and illegal immigrants. Dean never comments on these issues, nor do the rest of the Dem candidates. President Bush is very strong on terrorism, but I really do not understand why he won't crack down on illegals and this really bothers me.

[Bars4Bill]

Hey, Howard...

[qam1]

I do not relish the day when these baby-boomer, '60s rejects start to retire and demand more and more services because they were irresponsible with their lives and money.

Oh yeah, I really can't wait until the future when the baby boomers are retired and they start demanding that Viagra be added to that wonderful prescription drug benefit they are going to get that we will be paying for.

I hope we can use Dr. Deanmento to finish these whackos off, once and for all time!

Wishful Thinking. The boomers aren't through by a long shot. Unfortunately we are stuck with the me, me, me selfish baby boomers in power at the heads of our government (and Law firms)for at least another 10-20 years, Then it will probably take another 20 years to clean up the mess that the worst good for nothing generation in US history has made

[TedsGarage]

I'm a Gen X-er, and I will be sooo glad when the baby boomers are done with politics. They all want to refight the '60s. The left wants to bring those years back, the right wants to pretend they never happened.

[qam1]

Xer Ping

Ping list for the discussion of the politics and social aspects that directly effects Generation-X (Those born from 1965-1982) including all the spending previous generations (i.e. The Baby Boomers) are doing that Gen-X and Y will end up paying for.

Freep mail me to be added or dropped. See my home page for details.  

[KC_Conspirator]

You are right on about the liberal baby boomers who have been trying to break America over its knee since the 60s. They have been the most divisive force in this country since the civil war and you are right that only time will heal the massive wounds they have been dealing the country for decades.

I am also thankful for the other half of baby boomers that held some good American values in the face of all this througout the years.

[tortoise]

I do not relish the day when these baby-boomer, '60s rejects start to retire and demand more and more services because they were irresponsible with their lives and money.

Sadly, one does not have to go further than FreeRepublic to find "conservatives" who believe themselves "entitled" to all manner of government largesse at your tax dollar expense. They "earned" it doncha know. Never mind that they elected the government that squandered the tax dollars spent...

Painting with an overly broad brush here, but even the Boomer Freepers tend to have the entitlement mentality. You can see evidence of it throughout many threads on this forum. The younger generations will have the Boomers sucking the life blood out of them no matter who is in power. It is sickening that there is an entire generation of such pathetic creatures in America. I feel for Boomers who's good reputation is tarnished by their birthdate, because they are in the minority.

[tortoise]

Heck... I grew up in the 80's. I want to bring the spirit of the '80s back. Seemed like a lot more productive time...

Heh. Same here; I enjoyed the 80s actually. Way better than the 70s, but perhaps that is merely generational myopia.

[xrp]

Can we just exile the [entitlement minded] boomers?

[McGavin999]

Can't you just hear the theme song of the 2004 Democrat convention. It is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius, the Age of Aquarius, ummmmmmmm.

[BillF]

Expect Dean campaign to buy below vehicle for campaigning. Will paint in "IRAQ," where it now says "VIETNAM."

Is Dean having an acid-induced flashback?

[BillF]

See my post above. What do you think?

Did Howard Dean take the brown acid at Woodstock? He shouldn't have. BUMMER!

[Jimmy Valentine's brother]

As I recall the brown acid was said to be not very good but it was his own trip.

Every time A.NS.W.E.R. aka WWP comes to town we see these Woodstock burnouts in the street.

I remember the 60's, a poor deranged girl set herself on fire at Westchester State Teacher's College in sympathy with the Buddist monk's in Vietnam. H. Rap Brown convinced some citizens of Cambridge, MD to set their homes on fire. Washington, DC was set on fire. "Burn baby burn" became the watchword of the 60's.


Oh yeah, that Black Supreme Court Justice did not agree with Dr. King's methods for achieving civil rights. It isn't talked about widely but the radical left had moved from banning the bomb in the 50's to the civil rights and anti war movement in the 60's. Refer to "Commies" by little red school house graduate Ronald Radosh.

[Jimmy Valentine's brother]

Just in case you missed the warning, here it is:

http://www.kcbx.net/~rloomis/brnacid.wav

[FrankR]

Just a little clinton trick to try and court the black vote...