Posted on 01/30/2005 6:51:19 PM PST by kattracks
NEW YORK - It seemed like old times: Howard Dean (news - web sites) lambasted the Republicans in a speech before 300 cheering supporters at a union hall on Sunday. But now he is running not for president but for the national chairmanship of the Democratic Party."In the last election we frankly ran the best grass-roots campaign I have seen in the Democratic Party in my lifetime," said Dean, the front-runner among the seven contenders for chairmanship of the party. "But theirs was better."
The former Vermont governor and unsuccessful presidential candidate said the GOP rode the issues of "guns, God and gays" to victory in 2004.
"The reason they picked those issues is they got nothing to say about jobs, health care and education," he said.
Dean also said the United States must not remain the only industrialized nation without universal health coverage.
He said he was "sickened" by the ballot initiatives in 11 states last year banning gay marriage.
"The only reason to put gay marriage on the ballot in those 11 states was to scapegoat a minority that was unpopular in order to win an election," he said.
Dean's appearance at the 1199 SEIU health care workers' union hall came one day after he appeared with the six other candidates for the Democratic chairmanship during a regional caucus of the Democratic National Committee (news - web sites) in Manhattan.
The other candidates are former Texas Rep. Martin Frost (news, bio, voting record), former Indiana Rep. Tim Roemer, former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb, Democratic activists Donnie Fowler and Simon Rosenberg and Ohio state chair David Leland.
The DNC will hold its election on Feb. 12 in Washington, D.C.
Why do you think Hilllary had Harold Ikes ask Dean to be his Valentine?
Puuhhhllllleeeeeeeezzzeee let Dizzy win.
Just keep telling yourself that, Howie. And just exactly how many of those loser orange-hat college kids you "mobilized" stopped shooting smack long enough to go and vote for you in Iowa?
To hazard a guess:
Previously, the real power of the DNC chairman was to be the chief fund-raiser for the party. McCain-Feingold has made that function irrelevant. 527s are now the "where the money is".
Consequently, the Clintons can use Ickes to "make" Dean, buying him off and earning his beholdeness. Meanwhile, Ickes can continue serving them as "their man in the 527 environment", where the real money is.
Presto! One less competitor for Her Heinous on the left.
"...300 cheering supporters..."
Does 300 make it a legitimate speech?
Does 300 make them legitimate supporters?
Gore in '08. "The Mummy Returns" will be the theme.
I think that when Dean gets the party chairmanship he will play loyal DNC leader until the 2008 election. Then I look for him to get even with both Hillary and Kerry. Dean is well aware that it was the Clinton's who put out the word that Kerry could beat Bush and Dean could not.
I read Dean as a man who wants revenge. Why else would he want the DNC position? As you note the head of the DNC is not worth much now that CFR has put the DNC out of the money business.
But if Dean wants revenge agaist Kerry and Clinton, it is the ideal place to be. The only thing the head of the DNC can get is media attention. But only if he is attacking a Democrat. Otherwise 90 percent of the media attention will be going to Hillary. Hillary will be the Democratic spokesperson in 2007 and 2008. That is if Dean does not start a war with her and Kerry. I think he will do just that.
Was this the speech where he said that he hates Republicans?
I hadn't thought of that. But, then, I'm not a vengeful sort. Dr. Dean, though, I suspect is. And, not being a dummy, he should be able to surmise it was the Clintons who sabotaged his campaign.
You are correct. Chairman of the DNC is the perfect place from which to launch a revenge attack.
To camoflage the fact that will back Fowler against Dean?
To camoflage the fact that the Klintons will back Fowler against Dean?
Dean is abou tthe dumbest doctor I have ever heard or seen. Scratch that, he IS the dumbest.
Was that taken at Nuremberg aound 1940?
...and everything we stand for.
You had me at YEEEAAAARRGGGHHH!!!!!
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