Dean Seeks Media Blackout, Changes Mind

abcnews ^ | 2 16 05 | RUKMINI CALLIMACHI

[freepatriot32]

PORTLAND, Ore. Feb 16, 2005 — Howard Dean, the new chairman of the Democratic National Committee, requested a media blackout of a debate with top Pentagon adviser Richard Perle, then quickly changed his mind Wednesday after news agencies complained.

"DNC Chair Howard Dean has declared a news blackout of his appearance and requested the media not quote, record, and/or paraphrase his remarks," event coordinator Gabrielle Williams wrote in an e-mail sent to news agencies Wednesday morning. "We apologize for the late notice, but we were just informed of this request."

Less than two hours later, Williams called to say: "We were told just a few minutes ago that it is now open" for media coverage. The decision to open Thursday's debate came roughly 30 minutes after an inquiry by The Associated Press.

Dean spokeswoman Laura Gross said Dean had decided the event would be closed before he was elected DNC chairman Saturday, but changed his mind because of his new job.

"Some speeches are open, some speeches are closed. He decided months ago that this speech would be closed. We're in transition. Now he's the DNC chair and so we needed to have this changed," Gross said.

Perle, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld's top policy adviser, is a key architect of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, and Dean is among the war's most prominent opponents.

Perle said that he was surprised to learn that the press had been barred from covering the debate.

"It seems quite extraordinary that the chairman of the Democratic National Committee would not want the public coverage of this debate," said Perle, a resident fellow at the conservative American Enterprise Institute.

Don Walker, president of the Harry Walker Agency, which represents Dean on the lecture circuit, said that many of the talks it is associated with are closed to the press and it's up to the individual speaker to decide whether he or she wants them to be open. "We default to a closed press policy," he said.

Meanwhile Wednesday, Dean called on the head of New York's Republican Party to apologize or resign over remarks linking the Democrats to a civil rights lawyer convicted of aiding terrorists.

[vpintheak]

Spineless weasel!

[Wayne07]

Is this debate going to be televised now? I'd love to see it!!!

[Cicero]

Well, I may have to apologize. I've been warning Freepers that Dean isn't as bad as he's been painted and that he shouldn't be underestimated. Now I'm not so sure.

He sure has gotten off to a lousy start. Three screwups in three days. And those are only the ones that are being reported.

[satchmodog9]

what a fool

[Stellar Dendrite]

"Dont stay home go vote straight libertarian ticket then call your local county Republican commity and tell them what you did and why you just did that."

I won't vote Libertarian either. From what I've seen, they are not socially conservative. On top of that, they seem to be isolationists (against the War in Iraq). I can't support that.....

[Stellar Dendrite]

"plus there are very few true RINO's........this term is used too much around here...."

People I consider to be RHINOs:

Olympia Snow
John McCain
Lincoln Chafee
Ah-nold
Chuck Hagel

[Stellar Dendrite]

BRILLIANT!!!!!!

[NorCalRepub]

Snow and Chaffee for sure....Arnold kind of. I think McCain gets a bad rap sometimes though I know he has some different ideas but his record it 80% for Repubs in 2004 which I think is better than RINO status.....Hagel is the one I object to the most....some people can disagree with their party on some aspects....Hagel thinks the war aftermath was done badly.....he is half right, but when you look at his senate voting record for 2004, the is like at 92 or 94% with the Repubs.......I hardly think that percentage is RINO status......I'll bet your spouse or girl/boyfriend don't agree with you than much

[Bonaparte]

I'm surprised he consented to debate Richard Perle, whose intellect dwarfs his own. The debate must be structured in some way that will shield Dean.

[Ditto]

If Richard Pearl had asked it to be closed to the press, you can be damn sure Dan Rather would have lead the evening news with that item.

BTW. What kind of "debates" are closed? Doesn't that negate the whole idea of a debate?

[MJY1288]

Dean wanting a media blackout is so typical of a Liberal

I remember when Rosie O'Donnell told Bill O'Reilly how nervous she was about appearing on his show, she even said she had a bout with diarrhea the day before the taping of the show.

If Liberals really believed in what they stand for they wouldn't be afraid to stand up and defend what they stand for. Howard Dean, Rosie O'Donnell and 99% of the Liberals I have ever met, refuse to debate conservatives one on one in a public forum. Howard Dean showed his true colors when he demanded a media blackout, and proves my point.

Have you or anyone else here on this thread ever heard of a Conservative afraid to debate a Liberal?

[CyberAnt]

Is this a joke ..?? Can a person just request a media blackout and get it ..?? I'm stunned!

[Mo1]

Meanwhile Wednesday, Dean called on the head of New York's Republican Party to apologize or resign over remarks linking the Democrats to a civil rights lawyer convicted of aiding terrorists.

Hmmmm .. Geee what are his thoughts on LBJ's former Attorney General being Saddam's lawyer??

[Mo1]

Have you or anyone else here on this thread ever heard of a Conservative afraid to debate a Liberal?

Nope

I'm not even afraid of debating my liberal family memebers

[MJY1288]

LOL, I rise every morning with the hopes that a liberal will challenge my beliefs before days end. Their positions on the issues we face as a nation are indefensible, and they know it....

What else would explain their desire to avoid debates and their attempts to deny the media from covering their tax payer funded activities?

Liberalism will force the Interior Department to place Democrats on the endangered species list if they keep drifting to the left

[Mo1]

Liberals are afraid of what people will think of them .. which is another reason why they are afraid of being called a liberal

My thinking is ... if they are afraid .. then their beliefs aren't very strong in the first place and they are just parrots for the DNC

Plus I'm amazed at times of how little they know of the facts

[MJY1288]

Liberalism is based almost entirely on emotion. Reality is not factored in when Liberals set their agenda. They rely upon scare tactics and victim-hood in order to remain in power. Liberals have always avoided any form of confrontation, whether it's debating Conservatives, confronting evil, or tackling tough issues. They usually try to find some way to blame America for all the worlds problems in order to justify their unwillingness to confront the threats we face head on. Because Liberals refuse to call evil by it's name or confront it in any way, they empower our enemies and undermine our Military. Neville Chamberlain is a prime example of the Liberal mindset.

[Mo1]

Neville Chamberlain is a prime example of the Liberal mindset.

A very good example of Liberals

These liberals could learn from history

But they won't .. because as you say .. they views are based almost entirely on emotion

[Timeout]

This is a perfect example of the Dems' dillema.

They nominate Dean because he "fires up the base" and raised all that money on the internet.

Then they say he won't talk about policy and he tries to "soften his image".

But softening his image buys him nothing with that base he got all fired up. And they won't open their wallets if they start to see him as an "insider".

I think the Dems thought they still lived in a world where the MSM could allow Dean to speak softly on the record, but then rouse the base with "off the record" fiery rhetoric. But the media's monopoly is history and anything Dean says will get out.

Yep, quite a dillema they've got there.
_______________________________

PS: I'm not totally convinced that all that "internet money" came from little ole anti-warriors logging onto Dean's site. I suspect Soros et al were funneling "soft money" thru those channels. And, I suspect, the same will be true of the Dem party...hidden donations thru the internet.

[Timeout]

Captain's Quarter blog has this story:

http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/ [10:42pm post]

When and where is this debate?