No Left Turn: Democrats fighting over the direction of the party is a good thing

Wall Street Journal ^ | Wednesday, July 2, 2003 | AL FROM and BRUCE REED

[presidio9]

Democrats are fighting again over their party's direction. We think that's a good thing.

The 2004 presidential nominating process is the first big chance Democrats have had to define the party in a dozen years. This definition will determine whether our candidate can defeat George W. Bush. For party and country, the stakes couldn't be higher, so we've urged candidates to follow President Clinton's strategy and seize the vital center, not veer left.

[areafiftyone]

[ClearCase_guy]

no Democrat will take back the White House in 2004 unless he recaptures the trust of ordinary Americans as Bill Clinton did in 1992.

So ... they're looking for the most convincing liar they can find? That's gonna be hard ... I think all their current candidates are terrible liars.

[TroutStalker]

LOL! So true.

[Xthe17th]

There's a reason Mr. Clinton was the only Democrat elected and re-elected president in 60 years: R.O.S.S. P.E.R.O.T.

[headsonpikes]

"So...they're looking for the most convincing liar they can find?"

This article really is an amazingly frank appraisal of Democratic Presidential prospects.

And you're right - none of them are very convincing liars. I'm sure the Demogogues can do better.

[presidio9]

That's the one battle Republicans know they can win -- without having to answer for the worst economic record since Hoover.

I continued to be intrigued by this sentiment wafting up from the Democratic strategy sessions. Maybe they haven't heard, but the the Clinton recession has been over for months now. It would have been over earlier, except for the 9/11 attacks. Are they rooting for another economic downturn between now and next summer? Ain't gonna happen.

[InterceptPoint]

We don't have to compromise our principles to win. We simply need to live up to our best traditions: Jackson's belief in equal opportunity for all, special privileges for none; Roosevelt's passion for reform; Truman's tough-minded internationalism; Kennedy's civic obligation; Mr. Clinton's insistence that opportunity and responsibility go hand in hand.a

And we should add:

Ghandi's approach to national defense

Marx & Lenin's views on organizing society

Machiavelli's approach to dealing with your politcal enemies

I'm sure there are many others.

[ClearCase_guy]

In 1992, when Clinton first ran for Presisdent, he said it was the worst economy in 60 years. Now they say George W Bush has the worst economic record since Hoover.

My prediction: George Bush wins in 2004. Democrats campaign slogan for 2008 will continue to be: "Worst economy since Hoover."

[presidio9]

Sharpton and Farrakan's road map for racial harmony...

[VRWC_minion]

we love government and taxes too much, and care about security and values too little -- are back

[ken5050]

If you reread the article, the tone suggests that these guys, ( the DLC) have already tossed in the towel...they're already getting ready for the post '04 recriminations..

[areafiftyone]

Apparently alot of Democreeps are turning against the DLC. They are very angry because the DLC bashed Dean and said he was unelectable!

[Davis]

cartoon

[The Electrician]

Yes... It has a strong odor of 'whistling past the graveyard', doesn't it?

[ken5050]

Exactly..that's the phrase I was looking for, but couldn't come up with....the whole piece has a sense of deja-vue...all over again...

[JacksonCalhoun]

Mr. Bush's record -- shafting the middle class and helping the wealthy -- will do more to get our core voters to the polls than overheated rhetoric and promises.

This middle class guy just received an extra $180/mo thanks to the tax cut. I feel so 'shafted'.
Typical RAT name calling without facts.

[randog]

It's about time. The dems (at least some of them) are finally realizing what we all knew 6 or 7 months ago--a lurch to the left is a death sentence for them. The trick is going to be convincing Nancy Paloozi & Co. that they made a horrible mistake after their ass-whooping last November.

[schu]

Certainly the stars are aligning for a sweep in November 2004. And the Demos are cooperating wonderfully.

The question to me is what will the Pubbies do with this new mandate? Hopefully we will see:

More tax relief

New conservatives on the Supreme Court

A true reduction in the size of government

Privatization of Social Security

Medical Savings accounts

School choice

Changes in immigration policy

We can always hope.

[thoughtomator]

Looks like there is one candidate who fits the bill.... George Bush.