Big Dean Blooper: Repeatedly Calls Russia "Soviet Union" on Hardball (media bias alert)

Washington Post ^ | Sunday, December 7, 2003 | Dana Milbank

[jmstein7]

The Iron Curtain Fell?

The Soviet Union ceased its existence a dozen years ago, but it lives on in the mind of Howard Dean, the former Vermont governor. He made no fewer than four references to the USSR in his appearance Dec. 1 on "Hardball with Chris Matthews" on the subject of Iran's nuclear ambitions. "The key, I believe, to Iran is pressure through the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union is supplying much of the equipment that Iran, I believe, most likely is using to set itself along the path of developing nuclear weapons. We need to use that leverage with the Soviet Union, and it may require us to buy the equipment the Soviet Union was ultimately going to sell Iran." Word travels slowly in the mountains of Vermont.

[jmstein7]

As David Limbaugh -- on NewsMax -- points out:

[T]he Democratic establishment recently organized a six-hour foreign policy tutorial for Mr. Dean. But neither that little homeschooling session nor Dean's sit-downs with former President Clinton have kept him from further blunders. Dean referred to Russia as the Soviet Union, a faux pas virtually ignored by a media that pilloried Mr. Bush for much less.

[MEG33]

Dec 7?Isn't this a bit old.We've hooted about this one.

[jmstein7]

Don't let the media bury this gaffe :)

[jmstein7]

I was in the middle of finals, so I must have missed it.

[UPPA US]

"The Soviet Union ceased its existence a dozen years ago, but it lives on in the mind of Howard Dean.."

THE DOCTOR IS..OUT (of his mind).

[jmstein7]

Here are the exact quotes from Hardball on December 1:

--snip--

JOSEPH NYE, DEAN, KENNEDY SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT: In Iran?

DEAN: Iran is a more complex problem because the problem support as clearly verifiable as it is in North Korea. Also, we have less -- fewer levers much the key, I believe, to Iran is pressure through the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union is supplying much of the equipment that Iran, I believe, most likely is using to set itself along the path of developing nuclear weapons. We need to use that leverage with the Soviet Union and it may require us to buying the equipment the Soviet Union was ultimately going to sell to Iran to prevent Iran from them developing nuclear weapons. That is also a country that must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons much the key to all this is foresight. Let's act now so we don't have to have a confrontation which may result in force, which would be very disastrous in the case of North Korea and might be disastrous in the case of Iran.

-- snip --

[JennysCool]

Yeah, there's at least one good threat on it, maybe more.

[JennysCool]

threat=thread. I must be tense over the Orange Alert! :-)

[modmans2ndcoming]

big deal...Bush was about a savvy as Dean is on foreign policy at this point in the presidential race.

I did not think it was a big deal for Bush, and it is not a big deal with Dean.

[SamAdams76]

This reminds me of the 1976 campaign when Jerry Ford said something to the effect that the countries of Eastern Europe were not under the heel of the USSR. The press never let him live that one down and in my opinion, it did contribute to his loss to Jimmy Carter.

[MEG33]

Welcome to Free Republic.I'll point you to the transcript of this unfortunate interview if you really want to squirm.If you want to research ,type Dean in the search bar and get a full measure of all Dean's gaffe's as recorded in major newspapers.

[I still care]

I don't think it is a big deal either - anyone can misspeak when their mind is racing ahead at a million miles a minute as you know a presidential candidates must be.

The point is, when a Republican does it they get crucified - the old "stupid Republican" theory the media loves. I never can figure that out. I mean, I think a president can be immoral, or ruthless, or many other things, but I can't imagine ever getting into that office if you are really stupid. You have to have some smarts to get there. I don't think any presidents have ever been really stupid.

When the Fox team was discussing it on Brit Hume, one of the members rolled his eyes and said, he was on Dan Quayle's campaign at the time he mispelled "potatoe". And we all know what the media did with that. The elite media loves to ridicule Republicans as idiots.

[GOPJ]

It's an oldie but a goodie.

Remember "potatoe"? The press talked about that for years.

Remember Ford saying Poland wasn't a communist country? The press hung on for years, again.

Remember Bush the father's comments about grocery store scanners? Would the press ever let go of that one? Not 'til he was out of office.

Remember Clinton's surprise about seeing an electric screwdriver? ( Well, it happened, but only two papers reported it and then in the back, and then only once. --- yeah, no "kiss Clinton butt" bias here)

When democrats goof up, it's hours (if that) before it's time to move on...

[ThirstyMan]

I recall that one and I agree. It made Ford look stupid and it did cost him dearly.
What's hard to believe is that Chris Williams gave Dean a pass on his gaffe. If he had challenged Dean, it would have made for some good network coverage of William's program.

[GOPJ]

You're right. Check out comment #13. I totally agree.

[billhilly]

"Don't let the media bury this gaffe :)"

It appears that it was "buried" in the Washington Post, the article that we are now reading and discussing.

Why have freepers joined the rest of the dwarfs in opposing Dean? He is great for us.

[MEG33]

Chris Matthews is the host on Hardball.He only beats up on people who supported the war in Iraq.

[I still care]

Don't forget that Reagan special. I caught parts of it, they played Reagan as an incredibly idiotic man. It was so biased it took your breath away.

The liberals live in their own dream Disneyland of deception. If someone is truly Conservative, the only explanation for it they can think of is that they must be stupid. I think that is the rationale behind these "stupid Repubican" stories.

So many liberals are such intellectual snobs.

[Lion in Winter]

I think for a newby you had best remember that freepers on site support President George Bush. Apparently, you support Deanie the weinnie.

[Doctor Stochastic]

So, does Dean think the Indian Territory University football team is the best college team this year?