Defying Labels Left or Right, Dean's '04 Run Makes Gains | NY Times

[Ediacara]

Defying Labels Left or Right, Dean's '04 Run Makes Gains
By JODI WILGOREN with DAVID ROSENBAUM


OTTUMWA, Iowa, July 25 — During a special live broadcast of the Vermont Public Radio program "Switchboard" before an audience of Iowa Democrats here, the host played two audio clips of his guest, Howard Dean.

The first, from Dr. Dean's 1999 State of the State address, delivered when he was governor of Vermont, was a staid, nonpartisan call to view all Vermont as one community. In the second, which came from the official kickoff of Dr. Dean's presidential campaign last month, you could practically hear fists flying as he shouted over and over, "You have the power!" and "We're going to take our country back!"

Back home, said the radio host, folks have been wondering, "What has gotten into Howard Dean?"

LOTS more at the New York Times

[silverweb]

1. That's our Dean!!

:bounce:

[DrFunkenstein]

2. Some Interesting Passages

Among the most carefully scrutinized are his evolving critiques of the Iraq war. With other Democrats now criticizing the administration for overstating intelligence concerns about Iraq and uranium, Dr. Dean has been claiming that he was the only major Democratic candidate who had been unconvinced by President Bush's evidence on weapons of mass destruction.

But earlier this spring, he said repeatedly that he did believe Iraq had such weapons and just did not think an American-led invasion was the right solution.

"Governor Dean is simply reinventing his own position and that of others, and that's the rankest kind of politics," said Jim Jordan, campaign manager for Senator Kerry, Dr. Dean's leading rival in New Hampshire. "He was an unemployed doctor with no responsibilities, and it was easy to sit there and take political potshots from the outside."

The only major Democratic contender who doesn't have another job, Dr. Dean has been on the road since February 2002. He has logged 34 days in Iowa and 27 in New Hampshire so far this year.

[RogueTrooper]

3. Yet

another whine from Jim Jordan.

[Egnever]

4. Most important election

possibly in the history of this country. Thank god someone is giving it the attention it deserves!

[killbotfactory]

5. Yeah...

Wasn't Kerry's position, at one time, that Saddam probably had some nasty things, but that didn't warrant invasion...

Dean didn't think that Saddam was giving weapons to terrorists, or that he had a credible nuclear program.

[ThorsteinVeblen]

13. What changed Kerry's mind if he was against invasion?

It must have been political considerations.

[dajabr]

6. "did not think an American-led invasion was the right solution."

Yes, while he thought Iraq had WMD, he never thought they constituted an imminent threat. He has been consistent on that point.

Being outside of the process, I think Dean's barbs are aimed at those who were "sitting at the table" so to speak, and yet did not press the administration to provide ample evidence that Iraq was an immediate threat.

Remember all those who said, "We know what we know - and it's BAD, but we can't tell you due to National Security." And something more than an already suspect uranium report should have been demanded. Alarms should have been ringing!

[killbotfactory]

7. Kerry said the public knew everything he knew...

There was no insider knowledge at all, it was just a giant bluff by republican apologists.

In that light, I think it's appropriate for outsiders to take potshots since the insiders were making such obviously bad choices.

[Larkspur]

9. Kerry's retort of Dean on this issue is as lame as his charisma

Two thirds of the Democrats in the House, led by Nancy Pelosi, voted AGAINST the war resolution. Nancy bucked Gephardt and embarrassed him by leading a revolt of Democrats against him.

Nancy was on the Intelligence committee and had repeated said that Bush had not made a case for war.

[whirlygigspin]

8. nice article

Makes me feel gooooooood.

[ThorsteinVeblen]

10. DAMN FINE ARTICLE

GOD BLESS HOWARD DEAN!

[Ripley]

11. Anyone else getting really tired of the "I used to be a Dean...

supporter but moved to the Kerry camp because the Deanies are so vitriolic" crap?

I used to think those people were just freeps, then maybe DLC, but now I'm actually wondering if they're Kerry's people in a panic.

Hate to think that, but it seems like a lot of DU Kerry supporters line up in agreement with these new folks who say the same dreary things over and over.

[LuminousX]

12. Not the right place

but I suspect anyone who claims to be one thing who changed to another. I don't trust people who claim to be a Republican who became a Democrat, I don't believe people who claim to be a Satanist who found Jesus, and I don't believe Kerry supporters who say they used to support Dean but left because of the other supporters.

As far as I found, the supporters of Dean support Dean based on the quality of his message, not on the quality of the other people who support him.

I could be wrong.