Democrats owe a debt to Dean (Mark Shields) [View All]

[WillyT]

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His opponents for the Democratic nomination are indebted to Howard Dean for making them better and sharper candidates. Dr. Dean nearly performed a vertebrae transplant on his rivals, with challenges like, "Most importantly, I want my party to stand up for what we believe in again," and, "The deal I'm going to make you is this: If you make me the Democratic nominee, I'll make you proud to be Democrats again," and, "If you're going to defend the president's tax cuts and if you're going to defend the president's war, I frankly don't think we can beat George Bush by being Bush Lite."

For millions of Democrats dispirited by their party's fear in the 2002 campaign at being branded by Bush as "soft on terrorism," Howard Dean gave them hope that they were not alone. It was Dean, according to my notes, who condemned "companies (that) are leaving the country to avoid paying taxes or to avoid paying people livable wages.

And corporations are doing this with the support of the government and a political process in Washington they rent -- if not own." Sound familiar? And after terminal constituency-coddling from countless Democratic candidates, it was refreshing, at last, to hear a leader challenge people to make an "America where it's not enough for me to want health care for my family but the obligation of every one of us as American citizens to ensure that each one of us has health care for our families."

It's not just "Are YOU better off than you were four years ago," but instead, "Are WE better off -- are the strong more just and the weak more secure -- than we were four years ago?" Nobody made Howard Dean, after doubts had been raised about his presidential temperament, stand up in a Des Moines hotel ballroom and act, in the acerbic assessment of former Wyoming Republican Sen. Alan Simpson, like "a prairie dog on speed," but his campaign must not be confused with that one episode.

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Link: http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/01/29/column.shields.opinion.dean/index.html

Thanks Mark, I agree!

I've been trying to imagine what this campaign season would have been like without Howard Dean. Maybe Dennis Kucinich would have been featured more prominently, but I doubt it. He was gonna be marginalized as a 'minor' candidate by the media whores no matter what, I fear. But if Dean hadn't stepped up to the 'national plate' and publicily captured the anger (and the hearts) of many many Dems around the country over the War in Iraq, and the unfairness, even dangerousness, of this current administration, I wonder which of the 'major' candidates would have stepped up to that plate.

Not trying to be provacative here, thought provoking maybe, but I really wonder what the last year would have looked like without Dean. Would Clark have still entered the race? Would we have taken the War off the table? Would Gephardt have done better?

I really don't know, and I'm not writing off my man just yet, but either way, I'm damned thankful to have had a guy stand up, with passion and anger, and SPEAK FOR ME!!!

Thoughts?

:shrug: