Dean Explains 'Explosive' Speech [tries to explain away crazed remarks]

Washington Post ^ | 01/20/2004 | Fred Barbash

[GulliverSwift]

Howard Dean spent part of the morning today explaining what one network television interviewer called his "explosive" speech Monday night telling supporters he would not give up......
Dean referred to his frenetic, shouting appearance before supporters in Iowa after the caucus results became known, a performance that led NBC's Katie Couric to tell him this morning, "Some people watching feared you might implode."
"Do you think things got a little out of control and you got a little over the top?" she asked Dean on the Today Show. "Can you explain that?"
Dean replied, "Thirty-five hundred young people showed up in Iowa to help me win the caucuses. We didn't win, but I thought I owed them a little bit of fun. We're going to have some fun in this race."

........
"Well, you've got to have a little fun in this business," said Dean.
"Some people also said it was decidedly unpresidential," Storm said. "Why'd you take that tone after finishing third?"
Dean answered, "There were 3,500 young people that came to Iowa to work for me, and they worked hard. We didn't get as many votes as I would have liked to, but they worked hard. I thought they deserved everything I could give them. And that's what they're going to get for the next eight days in New Hampshire as well."
It wasn't what Dean said, which was normal, but the animated way he said it that inspired the questions.

[GulliverSwift]

I guess that explains it.

AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

The greedy liberals at the Post forced me to only post the most important excerpts, but you can read the rest.

[billorites]

"Well, you've got to have a little fun in this business," said Dean."

I couldn't be having more fun Governor.

[Poundstone]

I saw Dean's "tirade" live yesterday, and I really didn't think it was anything remarkable. It was obvious he was trying to fire up his supporters who were understandably deeply disappointed over Dean's third-place result in Iowa. I didn't think Dean's performance indicated he was unhinged, unbalanced, or loony. What's curious to me is why so many journalists immediately characterized Dean's appearance along those lines. I think they were eager to pounce on any "evidence" that Dean's famous anger was boiling over. But I really don't think that was the case.

[GulliverSwift]

I thought it was crazy, especially the scream, which I couldn't imagine any president doing, ever. I laughed every time I saw the clip replayed again and again on the various cable channels.

[bannie]

He sounded like his vocal chords were flopping against each other. It was embarrassing and freaky.

[Always Right]

I don't know if it was looney, but it was very unusual. Iowa means nothing on the scope of things as there are 49 other states which most are much larger to come.

[bannie]

Dean Disarms Hecklers with National Anthem
Tue January 20, 2004 06:05 PM ET

CONCORD, N.H. (Reuters) - Democratic presidential contender Howard Dean on Tuesday unleashed an unlikely weapon to disarm hecklers -- the U.S. national anthem. When a rally at the New Hampshire Technical Institute in Concord was interrupted for a second time, the former Vermont governor led his supporters in a rousing rendition of the Star Spangled Banner to drown them out.

Earlier, Dean had called for security to remove a couple of protesters who were shouting and waving the Confederate flag, a divisive symbol of racism and slavery in the South. As they were hustled out, Dean requested they not be "manhandled."

Last year, Dean was roundly attacked for making an insensitive remark about wanting to be the candidate for "guys with the Confederate flag on their pickups." He later apologized for the remark.

Dean criticized the hecklers, saying they "refuse to respect our right of free speech" and told the crowd:

"But you can exercise your right to vote and that's the way we're going to take back our country. The way to deal with what you have seen this afternoon is to vote."

"Dean criticized the hecklers, saying they 'refuse to respect our right of free speech' " What about the RIGHT OF FREE SPEECH of the "hecklers"?

[samtheman]

I didn't think Dean's performance indicated he was unhinged, unbalanced, or loony.

Well, some people do think that Dean's performance indicated he was unhinged, unbalanced, or loony.

And once the question becomes one of whether or not Dean is unhinged, unbalanced, or loony, then the argument of whether or not he should be the nominee falls by the wayside.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

I heard them playing it on a local shock jock this morning. They were laughing their butts off at him.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

On the radio he sounded like he was a WWF wrestler.

[facedown]

I wish I knew how to post audio files. That primordial scream at the end of his tirade was priceless.

[Twinkie]

I think the man was deeply disappointed and probably
angry because of the negative stuff Kerry mailed out
against the other candidates. That having been said,
any political figure making the same type of gestures,
flailing about and shouting extremely loudly will
forevermore hearken back in the minds of most of us
with any age on us at all to Adolf Hitler's behavior
in public speaking. While that doesn't necessarily mean
the person is unstable, still warning bells go off in
our minds even if we aren't conscious of them. In addition,
a candidate who doesn't instinctively KNOW this is lacking
in some important political savvy.

[LaraCroft]

Oh he lost because of negative campaigning for sure.

Of course it was his negative campaigning that turned people off, not other peoples about him. He is his own worse enemy.

You don't take a war that 85% of the people support and ridicule it, and you don't pooh pooh the capture of a murdering lunatic as antidotal.

He is a loon, it is so obvious, and his wife is just as bizarre. She primly says she would maintain her practice even if he were elected president. What an idiot!!!!

[Benrand]

Dean has explosive Diarrhea of the mouth.

[DustyMoment]

Dean melted down, period. He saw 2 years of wasted time and money that he invested in an unimportant state and a huge lead in the polls go down the drain. His rant and primal scream is reminiscent of the meltdown that Edward Muskie experienced after the press went after his wife. His presidential candidacy hopes also melted down shortly after his public meltdown.

I think Dean is toast and he has little chance of recovering. Had he made some gaffes in Iowa, it might be possible, but he flat blew up and that is scaring the heck out of a lot of folks. Voters are now starting to realize that Dean simply doesn't have what it takes to be the President of the United States.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

I thought they were going to have to call animal control to shoot him with a tranquilizer dart. He was nutzoid.

[BunnySlippers]

Shame on you ... you changed the title.

[sarasmom]

Welcome future FReeper.
I guess in your world, it would be hard to understand how foolish he looked.
Since you post from tomorrow...

[Jank]

Sorry, but I think the doctor is taking drugs!! That was
not normal.

[Jank]

That's it!! You've got! Thanks