Dean Defense Forces: Lobbing E-mail at the Enemy

[Nicholas_J]

Dean supporters objected to a petition about Dean by Democrats to the DLC, yet have an organized campaign designed to personally assault any appearance in the press that presents Dean in a negative light, much like the assauly on DU of anyone who posts links to articles that accurately reflect Deans record as governor. Is this what can be expected of dictator Dean as president. Far far worse than the Patriot Act, dont you think?


By Howard Kurtz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, July 26, 2003; Page C01


When Dotty Lynch, CBS's senior political editor, wrote a column criticizing Howard Dean on foreign policy, she was deluged with e-mails defending the Democratic presidential candidate, often in similar language.

"They were all rather insulting: 'Why don't you do your research?' " Lynch says. "When anything's orchestrated, you sort of smell a rat."

The letters were indeed generated by Dean Defense Forces, a volunteer outfit affiliated with the doctor's campaign. Day after day, the DDF Web log, which is linked to Dean's official site, hammers reporters deemed critical of Dean and urges its followers to flood the in-boxes of offending journalists.

"When negative press gets written, we'll ensure that letters to the editor get printed in response. . . . The last couple of months have proven the effectiveness of our efforts at media response," the DDF says.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A47852-2003Jul25¬Found=true

[meegbear]

1. Head about this on NPR a few weeks back ...

humble grass roots my ass.

[LeftCoast]

3. Not sure if you support Dean or not, but

for me, this is one of the main reasons I'm supporting Dean. I think the vast majority of DU'rs agree that the media IS not a friend to the Democrats. Our candidate MUST be able to defend himself/herself from these folks.

Frankly, we need to do this for every one of our candidates.

[sandnsea]

2. This is fine with me

I think this is a really good idea, it's the only way to counter the smearing from the right. I'm not saying this Lynch person was smearing, just that we all know it's done.

What irks me is the denial that they're doing it, particularly on DU. It's a good strategy, but don't cry foul when others get in the fray, because it started with the Dean camp.

[molly]

4. I remember this

"When anything's orchestrated, you sort of smell a rat."

This was around the time of the Kerry Philly Cheesestake run on DU.

[Rose Siding]

11. Do you also remember

organized...er...orchestrated "anythings" like calls and letters in opposition to the invasion, or in support of the TX D's, or for any number of things in the DU activist forum?

And this particular article was before Milbank's story on Kerry. I remember because I wrote the WP a critical (but polite) letter about it. -In between writing other letters in defense of Dean.

Whichever campaign isn't making use of every organizational tool at their disposal to battle repubs is at a disadvantage.

That's "to battle repubs", Nick

[pasadenaboy]

5. Your obsession with Dean

is interesting.

You really believe he would be a dictator?

Do you think that type of attitude attracts people to your candidate Kerry?

[molly]

6. Yes - on both counts

Dean appeals to a segment of society that is truly idealistic, however not very realistic.

[Desertrose]

8. I do not find as many idealistic so attracted to Dean

as I do angry ones...and again- not all...some of my dear DU friends support Dean.... but my concern has been so many angry supporters who seem so defensive and upset when Dean is questioned...They all see it as an attack and again, they "react".

I too, am angry with where & what our country has come to but I want a candidate who doesn't "react" with anger as the only way to fight bushieboy. We cannot afford to play the same game as the repubs- to "react"-that is the way they can get us to do exactly what they want....

I am in complete agreement with DK when he tells us we can no longer let fear control us...and when you feel you have to defend & attack others in your candidate's name- that is fear.

I do feel that we are all want to get bushieboy out. Fighting among our ranks will not help- learning and thinking for ourselves is the best we can do....IMHO the best course of action we have is to counter the lies and misstatements with truth not anger ...

Peace
DR

[roughsatori]

7. That is a great thing the Dean Defense Forces are doing

Every Dem candidate needs their own. Copy intelligent ideas.

[Desertrose]

9. To defend- yes...to attack...NO

how easily things can backfire....
....its a fine line to walk....

really sucks we have to fight our own media these days, doesn't it??


Peace& truth
DR

[Nicholas_J]

19. My understanding is

That the media is going to go into heavty attack mode on Dean using such tactics as the Dean Defense Foeces as an attempt to silence free speech.

[AP]

15. Often negative comments about Dean are true, and it doesn't

help to berrate people who point them out.

[Nicholas_J]

20. Yup

The DDF are going whole hog in attacking anyone who points out Deans veryv ery conservative record as governor, and fortunately, the media is more poweqrful than the DDF and it is anticapated that Dean is going to take a lot of heat from the liberal media for attacks on them by the DDF for just reporting the truth about Dean record. Dean is going to be blamed for the DDF's abuses.

[Demobrat]

10. From DeanDefense.org

"When Governor Dean made history on July 1 by announcing that he raised $7.5 million, the most of any Democratic contender in any quarter so far, the world sat up and took notice. And as the world took notice, the buzzsaw started up, heralding another poisonous political campaign -- where issues take the backseat to personal accusations and policies get muddled and spun.

They did it to Gary Hart. They did it to Mike Dukakis. They did it to Al Gore.

But they sure as hell are not going to do it to Howard Dean."
http://deandefense.org/

Of course I'm sure some people would prefer he sat back and took it. Probably lots of people. But I, for one, would prefer he did not.

[molly]

12. Financially depending on how you look at it

http://www.usatoday.com/news/2003-07-16-dollar-chart.htm

Take at look at all 3 columns - as of 7/15/2003

How much is in the chest now?

[Demobrat]

13. I think they pulled in about 10.3 million this quarter

most of it in $50 increments from people like me.

[Evanstondem]

14. And another $50 from me

I prefer to support a candidate who isn't a punching bag.

[AP]

16. Which candidate is the punching bag?

I don't thing any of the candidates fit that description.

[Evanstondem]

17. Who is the punching bag?

Lieberman comes closest, but I was thinking less about current candidates than about the right of a candidate (and his supporters) to defend himself or herself when attacked.

[4dsc]

26. and another $25 from me!!

EOM!!!

[Nicholas_J]

22. No...

Because it they had already out performed their second quarter lead, they would be crowing that they had exceeded it before the first two months of the third quarter was finished.So stating that Dean has already exceeded his second quarter is likely a crock. Deams campaign exceeds at bragging.

[TSIAS]

23. I believe that's the projected number

I don't think he's reached $10.3 million as of yet.

[Nicholas_J]

21. Yup

Dean has been running all sorts of TV adds at a million dollars a week in Iowa and N.H. I have heard from reliable sources that they are extrmemly low on cash reserves and are staking everything on trying to get as high up n the polls as possible as early as possible. Even though all history points against Dean staying at the top using this method, adn Dean is just TOO conservative to be someone who CHANGES history.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

27. "Dean's going broke!"

And the sky is falling!

This is your latest tune, after "Dean can't raise any money", "Dean is fading fast", and "Dean isn't going anywhere in the polls" have all been proven incorrect.

Well guess what? If Dean needs money, his supporters will come through. His money has been raised by so many people, at such a low average, that many of us have a long way to go to hit the $2000 limit (I'm about halfway there myself).

It's a long road to the nomination still, but Dean has surprisingly successful, and so far all of his campaign strategies have paid off.
Don't worry about the money, his support is so strong now that money is not going to be a problem.

[dsc]

28. and later he will post

about how Dean is going to not abide by the limits of the federal matching funds. Consistency isn't his strong suit.

[dsc]

18. What I find most interesting

is that no where in the entire piece is what the lady wrote that the DDf complained about. They cited one example, of a columnist who had criticized Dean's MTP interview, and the criticism people wrote was accurate. Russert did use Republican research. Given the way the press conducts itself it is no wonder that they don't wish to be called on their behavior but it is about time someone did.

[Name removed]

24. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[dsc]

25. While I definately agree with you

on that particular poster for once it isn't his fault. The article, which I presume he had nothing to do with, didn't bother to include it. This is the second time Howie criticized the DDF and the second time he neglected to include the article being criticized. Again, I didn't like people telling me when I did wrong so I am not surprised by their reaction. But we shouldn't be thinking it is a good thing either.

[unfrigginreal]

29. In my best Clinton imitation...GOOD!

n/t