Russert Has Dean for Breakfast on MTP; Dean is Toast

NBC ^ | June 22, 2003 | nwrep

[nwrep]

Dean is Toast; Russert skewered him on MTP

Please post your impressions of this morning's Meet the Press. Here are some revelations about Dean that Russert dug up, thanks to his thorough research staff:

1. Dean actually wants to raise payroll taxes, and increase taxable income from the current 85,000 dollars to 100,000.

2. Got a Vietnam deferrment for a bad back, but spent the same year skiing in Aspen (1971).

3. Wants to recognize gay couples who get married in Canada.

4. Lied to NARAL by withholding critical, relevant information about parental consent during the abortion of a 12 year old girl. Got totally hammered by Russert on this.

5. First said no cuts in SS, Medicaid and the military, but on being pressed, conceded he may have to cut atleast the rate of growth in all three.

6. Changed stance on the death penalty recently, but argues his "thinking" started changing in 1994, but offered no proof of it (how could he? It is easy to say my thinking started changing long before I became a presidential candidate).

7. Claims to be strong on guns, but has "no problem" with gun control laws being "as tough as they want to be" in the states. (My comments: "As tough as they want to be"? Mr. Dean? No respect for the constitution? Have you read the second amendment?)

8. Argues he did not apologize to Sen. Graham, merely said "I am sorry I said that". Russert laughed and asked, "That is not a apology?" What a phony this "straight-talker" is turning out to be!!

9. Got completely shredded to bits on the military when he could not remember the strength of our armed forces, could not say how much he wanted to increase the Afghanistan forces, got flat footed on his statement about ours will not always be the strongest military. Came across as completely unworthy of being a steward of our armed forces.

10. And best of all, wants to increase our income taxes by rolling back all the tax cuts passed last month.

It is hard to imagine a worse performance by a major party candidate. Even Sharpton came across as more believable!!!

[nwrep]

ping

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

Russert is tough on guests that are not in the Clinton family syndicate.

He's doing Hillary's work.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

Russert is grilling him.

[bvw]

So what? Live and learn.

[hole_n_one]

Please post your impressions of this morning's Meet the Press

That's what this thread is for.

[BunnySlippers]

Last night I saw a poll. 49% of liberals want a moderate liberal, 19% want a conservative liberal and 24% want a liberal liberal. Looks like Dean is in that last number.

[winodog]

you nailed that. What a shame the "free press" has become

[Grampa Dave]

It is hard to imagine a worse performance by a major party candidate. Even Sharpton came across as more believable!!!

Go Big Al!

[unojook]

This is how Dean is treated by a DIE-HARD Kerry Supporter........

[Republican Red]

I'm now switching my vote from Sharpton to Dean in the Georgia open primary.

Dean answered most of Russert's questions with "I don't know, I can't answer that".

Republican's for Dean 2004!

[bonesmccoy]

Actually, my impression of the interview was to change channels.

Gov. Dean keeps pointing to the fact that he has made "similar" decisions as Gov. of Vermont. The reality is that Vermont is not a major state. It's the Arkansas of the Northeast.

Gov. Dean currently is chatting about murders of children, mass murder, and death of law enforcement officers and the death penalty. I would have followed his comment with a question on banning abortion in the second half of pregnancy. Since babies are routinely saved above 25 weeks gestation, it should be unlawful to terminate pregnancies after 25 weeks gestation.

Since he's a doctor, he should be capable of understanding clinical medical issues (though he denies the ability to state a position on gay marriage because he's not a lawyer).

[AM2000]

IMO, the only point out of the above that could be a real problem for Dean going forward is this one:

2. Got a Vietnam deferrment for a bad back, but spent the same year skiing in Aspen (1971).

That, if it can be proved, is downright damning. But Russert would need evidence that that's how he got the deferment and that he really did ski.

Bumping to vt_soccer_mom..... the only known Dean-fan in the FRuniverse.

[kabar]

1. Dean actually wants to raise payroll taxes, and increase taxable income from the current 85,000 dollars to 100,000.

The cap on FICA wages are raised every year now. The cap is tied to inflation. It will reach 100K eventually by itself. Of course, higher contributions also mean higher payouts.

[hole_n_one]

Sharpton scheduled to be on Blitzer's CNN yack show beginning at 12:00 est.....it's a 3 hour show and there's no telling when within that window he'll appear.

[muawiyah]

Dr. Dean got pretty close to disclosing his personal favorite in the way of abortion techniques.

He also suggested judges cannot be trusted to follow the law whereas abortionists can always be so trusted.

Dr. Dean is a total whacko. It's beyond "toast".

The Dems will probably nominate the guy in one more attempt at political self-immolation and destruction.

[nwrep]

Exactly, he came across as having no clue about FICA, the military, foreign affairs, taxes, and guns. Yet he wants to be CIC. What a schmuck!!

[Thebaddog]

If Dean truly is the front runner, the next election should be called now for the slaughter rule. Dean is the biggest lightweight I have ever seen on network TV. He's unprepared, unfocused, he has immature thoughts, he has sloppy diction, he has no center except for his craving the spotlight.

Dean has to find better ways not to say that I will raise taxes.

[MJY1288]

I can almost guarantee that Dean's handlers are not too happy with his performance on Meet the Press.

But then again Tim Russert would have not handled Hillary or John Kerry the same way

[Arkie2]

"It's the Arkansas of the Northeast".

Excuse me?