Ailing Democrats Put Their Faith in Dr. Dean

washingtonpost ^ | 02/11/05 | Dan Balz

[Pikamax]

Ailing Democrats Put Their Faith in Dr. Dean Some Fear Choice Will Add to Red-State Blues By Dan Balz Washington Post Staff Writer Friday, February 11, 2005; Page A01

Two questions swirled around the Democrats as their national committee assembled yesterday to select a new party chairman: Can Howard Dean cure what ails the party, or is Howard Dean symptomatic of why those ailments may be so difficult to cure?

The former Vermont governor is poised to claim the party chairmanship tomorrow. His victory represents a personal triumph one year after his presidential campaign was in ashes and symbolizes the strength of the party's revitalized grass roots in the aftermath of John F. Kerry's loss to President Bush in November.

But for a party grappling with the question of how it can become more competitive in the red states of the South, Midwest and Mountain West, the decision to elect as its chairman a confrontational New Englander with a liberal identity and a penchant for making controversial statements sends a message in the view of some Democrats that little has been learned from the losses in 2004.

[MJY1288]

The "Wild Man" will lead them into the abyss

[pcx99]

Doctor Dean is the best thing that ever happened to the Republican party. Yeaaaaarghhhh!

[Mariposaman]

Lemmimgs over a cliff.

[Big Giant Head]

symbolizes the strength of the party's revitalized grass roots in the aftermath of John F. Kerry's loss to President Bush in November.

Hehehehh.... funny. This is classic spin.

[Fido969]

... add to "red state blues"?


I don't think so.

[Republican Wildcat]

"I hate the Republicans and everything they stand for!" - Howard Dean, DNC Chairman

[JudyinCanada]

My, but aren't we the champion of tolerance, Mr. Dean?

[CT]

Dr. Dean Prescribes: Make Two Screams, and Call Me In The Morning.

[DennisR]

The inmates have finally taken over in the asylum. This is going to be so much fun to watch!!!!

[agincourt1415]

Dean is the KISS OF DEATH for the Democraps.

[agincourt1415]

Dean is the KISS OF DEATH for the Democraps.

[Y0K]

The Blind Leading The Blind Into The Ditch.

But, remember this - it takes away from him running the next time and allows Her Lovely Legs to be the next candidate.

[harrowup]

Dean will be a better choice than someone like Ickes, who said, "...Democrats must find a way to talk differently about such issues as abortion, gay rights, guns and the environment. "We're on the right side of those issues, but they have hurt us with a lot of people in too many jurisdictions," he said. "We have to learn how to talk about those without ceding our principles."

Dean correctly noted that President Bush proved that voters respond to candidates with "convictions" and those "who stand for something" which is a whole lot different that pulling a Hillary Clinton obfuscation on abortion...which is what Ickes is saying. Hillary is trying to reframe that issue by asserting that those who oppose abortion are nice people who just won't budge. She isn't going to budge either, but since she is standing on principles she doesn't have to...get it?

If Dean can pull just a couple of upsets in the South he will be hailed as a hero because the Republicans are in for a tough go in the farm states and could easily get whupped in 2006, espcially if Iraq and the economy continue to tank.

[harrowup]

Dean will be a better choice than someone like Ickes, who said, "...Democrats must find a way to talk differently about such issues as abortion, gay rights, guns and the environment. "We're on the right side of those issues, but they have hurt us with a lot of people in too many jurisdictions," he said. "We have to learn how to talk about those without ceding our principles."

Dean correctly noted that President Bush proved that voters respond to candidates with "convictions" and those "who stand for something" which is a whole lot different that pulling a Hillary Clinton obfuscation on abortion...which is what Ickes is saying. Hillary is trying to reframe that issue by asserting that those who oppose abortion are nice people who just won't budge. She isn't going to budge either, but since she is standing on principles she doesn't have to...get it?

If Dean can pull just a couple of upsets in the South he will be hailed as a hero because the Republicans are in for a tough go in the farm states and could easily get whupped in 2006, espcially if Iraq and the economy continue to tank.

[clee1]

Faith without works is death.

[Waco]

Taller, dumber Ross Perot?

[centurion316]

"...Democrats must find a way to talk differently about such issues as abortion, gay rights, guns and the environment. "We're on the right side of those issues,..."

Harold Ickes may be onto something here. Perhaps the democrats are on the right side of these issues. If only they could learn how to talk differently about them. How about if we strip away the veil of euphemisms that the left and the press use to cloud the debate - then we discover that the Democrats favor infanticide, buggery, tyrannical government, and anti-capitalism. Right side? I think not.