NO DEBATING IT: HOWARD BLEW IT BIG TIME

New York Post ^ | 1/12/04 | DEBORAH ORIN and VINCENT MORRIS

[kattracks]

DES MOINES, Iowa - Howard Dean's worst debate performance came at the worst possible time: just as Iowans are getting ready to vote.

He was stuck on the defensive almost all night, and got the worst of it from Al Sharpton as Dean tried to defend his failure to hire minority Cabinet members and stumbled over citizenship for immigrants serving in the Army.

[Johnny_Cipher]

It was a performance that could only fuel jitters among Democrats; if he isn't ready to debate Al Sharpton, how can he out debate George Bush?

As that wise sage COL Hannibal Smith once said, "I love it when a plan comes together."

[Hank Rearden]

What? These clowns have a debate every single day? Didn't they have one yesterday? And the day before that?

If they keep this up, they'll all become master debaters.

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[cajungirl]

Damn, I am worried Dean is imploding too early.

[Prodigal Son]

Yep. Pity. Dubya would've mopped the floor with him.

[Graymatter]

>>Damn, I am worried Dean is imploding too early. Me too. I want to watch the train go off...

[Brian Allen]

<< If they keep this up, they'll all become master debaters. >>

That's an ambitious aspiration to project on them all.

Me?

I'd a picked 'em for a buncha wankers!

[Brian Allen]

<< Damn, I am worried Dean is imploding too early. >>

Like -- ah -- six months ago already?

Dean's constituency is 100% comprised of other members of the pathologically-infantile, emasculated, feminized and homosexualized, verbalized-bowel-bubbles brigades.

And he is just passing through them on his way, along with all the rest of the world's hot air, to oblivion.

[cajungirl]

I agree,,I just wish he would be the dem nominee, it would be such fun to watch Dubya slice and dice him.

[goldstategop]

Nikita Dean's pugnacious in your face manners is unsettling Democrats. You need someone who calm, reassuring, and pleasant to serve as President and Dean's gotten to where he is now by being an aggressive political terrier. The approach may help him to win the Democratic presidential nomination but it will probably cost him the middle and the general election.

[Arkie2]

He's not going to be the nominee. I have serious doubts he will even win in Iowa and New Hampshire. It's either the General or Gephardt.

[Adder]

"Dean's constituency is 100% comprised of other members of the pathologically-infantile, emasculated, feminized and homosexualized, verbalized-bowel-bubbles brigades."

LOL! Truth CAN be funny, too. "verbalized-bowel-bubbles brigades"...gonna have to steal that one!

[Lazamataz]

This is double-plus ungood, comrade.

I want Dean to carry the nomination. Otherwise, there's Clark with his Hillary VP candidate.

[Catspaw]

I am so very glad that I watched the Packers-Eagles game instead of yet another debate. Later, I flipped over to MSNBC and thought, "what is this? Iowa debate #116, Hour 5?

Wisconsin is already getting Clark ads, and soon we'll be overrun with the Dems. Pray for us.

[Snake65]

Dean's constituency is 100% comprised of other members of the pathologically-infantile, emasculated, feminized and homosexualized, verbalized-bowel-bubbles brigades.

You sir, have a way with words.

The best part is, when Dean finally goes Hindenburg, his cyber-brownshirts are going to follow him right out of the Democratic party.

[ThirstyMan]

Yep. Pity. Dubya would've mopped the floor with him.

Well I'm not so sure. Don't you think Dean debating Al Sharpton is more difficult than Dean debating the President?
Knowing that W has to maintain his presidential image. The loud, scrappy Al Sharpton hits Dean head on, using the same angry style that Dean enjoys. And Sharpton gets away with pot shot questions and venting with raucous tirades. Why? because he's widely seen as a lunatic candidate. But Dean can't call him that. And Dean can't really answer Sharpton's question about minority staffing. Could Dean have said there weren't any qualified minorities in VT for him to hire? Hardly.

Enjoy the moment! Appreciate the pain and frustration Dean must be feeling. But don't fantasize that Bush will mop the floor with Dean.

[Prodigal Son]

Oh, it's not a fantasy, it's the truth.

Dean is unstable. Mentally unstable.

He'd never make it through the Presidential campaign without having a breakdown. People do funny things under pressure. Remember Gore crossing the stage to stand right next to Dubya during the debate? I saw footage of that. I was thinking- "what a bizarre thing to do".

I think Gore probably has a bit more self control than Nikita. You put him and Dubya on the same stage and Dean is liable to start foaming at the mouth.

I'm really, really hoping he manages to pull this nomination off but I'm starting to have my doubts.

[ThirstyMan]

OK, but I wasn't trying to put a big plug in for Howard Dean. I mostly agree with you and eagerly await his implosion, I think as much as you.
You didn't address my main point though, that Sharpton being a black gadfly who is harder in many ways for Dean to debate than Dubya...[and remain "PC"]
I guess you don't agree with me?

[rintense]

We have Gephardt ads here in Michigan. They've been running for a few weeks. Funny thing is, the ads contains no substance whatsoever- kinda like Gephardt. He says he differs from Bush, then talks about how his parents worked hard. Lame. The entire field of Dem candidates is completely inept.