Dean, Leaping Into Trouble

[wtmusic]

Howard Dean seems afflicted with Brooklyn Bridge syndrome. This was epidemic when I was a kid -- its symptom being the explanation to a parent that you had done something stupid because a friend had done it first. "And if he jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge, would you follow?" the parent would ask. The answer was supposed to be no.


Dean has twice now evinced Brooklyn Bridge syndrome. The latest example came when he was asked why he had sealed his official papers as governor of Vermont for 10 years. This is four years longer than the recent custom, and Dean has been repeatedly asked why he negotiated such a long term. Dean's answer was that George Bush had done the same thing as governor of Texas.

"I'll unseal mine if he'll unseal all of his," Dean said, waxing about as Brooklyn Bridgeish as you can get.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33561-2003Dec3.html

Yeah I support the guy but am disappointed by this tack. We're *supposed* to be taking the high ground here

[el_gato]

1. tempest in a teapot

[chimpymustgo]

10. Pattern of spinning, backtracking, ouright lying. Read on:

"The problem in both cases -- public access to public records and campaign financing -- is that grave matters of principle are involved. Dean knows that, but his tendency to shoot from the hip and to see himself as a victim leads him to say what he should not. Too often he has denied the undeniable -- his position on Medicare, for instance -- and refused to yield where yielding would be the better part of political valor -- his remark about Confederate flag decals, for another instance."

Grave matters of principal. Cohen sees right through Dean's b.s.

[wtmusic]

13. The article is incorrect on those points

his position on Medicare has been 100% consistent and he did yield on the 'Confederate flag' nonissue.

Hopefully he'll yield on this one as well.

[a_lil_wall_fly]

29. The Rebel Flag..is a non-issue

Please it is still a very big issue..The South is still feeling the effects of the desired freedom.

[napi21]

35. Rebel flag

I live in Georgia. The Democratic Governor lost the election to Saxby Chamblis because Gov. Barnes took the Confederate Flag off out state flag. It's still an issue here, but maybe not the way you see it. There's lots of voters that loved the recognition.

[damnraddem]

22. He'd be better off releasing the records.

He'd be crazy to accept the public-finance limitations. That is a trap. Unless all are forced to abide by the limits, no one should accept them (that is, unless they need the money, can't raise it otherwise -- in which case their candidacies may be dead anyway).

[Jerseycoa]

2. Dupe

I saw this already this morning.

[blm]

3. Are you just noticing that Dean doesn't take the high ground?

Why don't you read ALL his supposedly straight answers over the past year.

[wtmusic]

6. OK, what else you got, blm?

And don't hit me with that 'DLC member' crap unless you have something to back it up.

[blm]

21. Why is it crap? He said what he said

he didn't answer the question straight. He said he "read their literature" while failing to apprise the questioner that he was DLC throughout his governorship. What about that is crap? It's been posted here a few times.

Why didn't he explain that he was actually for Biden-Lugar provisions for war with Iraq while beating up those who supported IWR for the very provisions he supported in B-L?

[helleborient]

24. I suppose because he's a creep...isn't that why?

Round and round the circle we go.

[dfong63]

27. i'll take a former DLC member over a former GOP fund-raiser

... in a heartbeat.

[helleborient]

11. Right after we get finished with the Kerry "nuance" (n/t)

[Scott Lee]

38. Yes, Howard - take the high ground and lose.

Honest to Gods, it gets clearer every day why the old school is such a loser. I thank the stars above that blm isn't in charge of anyone's campaign.

[Racenut20]

4. I thought he gave a great answer, and I don't even like him.

[wtmusic]

9. I don't even fault him

for keeping his records sealed. It's still a big question mark whether executive privilege allows him to do it, and now that Judicial Watch is suing him I guess we'll find out.

What I don't like is the tit for tat response. Why lower himself to that level?

[w13rd0]

16. it's not tit for tat...

..it's strategic. This was discussed on the blog by supporters long before any of the media outlets or our resident Dean haters started in about it...

[ibegurpard]

5. F*** that!

Throw it right back in their slimy, scumbag faces!
:grr:

[mzmolly]

7. I prefer the winning ground KWIM?

In the words of Molly Ivins...regarding Howard Dean.

"For a while, I fretted over Dean being angry, or at least appealing to the political anger that is normally manipulated by right-wing radio jocks. Anger makes liberals uncomfortable: We prefer peace, reason and gentle persuasion. Beloveds, it is way past time for us to get mad -- social, economic and political justice are being perverted by the Bush administration.

....I think he's a fighting centrist. And folks, I think we have got ourselves a winner here."

Gore tried the "high ground," and were sitting with an maniacal idiot in the White House.

Keep our eyes on the prize folks. Dean has to fight fire with fire.

http://www.naplesnews.com/npdn/pe_columnists/article/0,2071,NPDN_14960_2475972,00.html

[napi21]

36. Dean needs to be angry

Well said mzmolly. I always wondered why there was so much talk about Dean being angry. Isn't he just saying a lot of the things we've all been saying amoung ourselves?

Being the nice guy soesn't work against the extremely angry and vicious GOP!

He did a GREAT job on Hardball the other night, and I agree....WE HAVE A WINNER HERE!!!!!!

[kstewart33]

8. The media read him as arrogant and not-ready-for-prime-time

So any gaffes he makes are getting increasing scrutiny. That's the way of politics at this level. Dean needs to stop making so many mistakes and deal with it, because otherwise, this kind of criticism will kill him.

I am not a Dean basher so don't flame me. I like his hard-edged criticism of Bush. But his inexperience is showing and at this level, that's just not acceptable.

[helleborient]

12. An interesting thing...

When something negative appears in the media, Dean's supporters seem to respond with more fervent support and stronger work on his behalf.

This is what happens in a winning campaign.

Attacks from outside...we write more checks, write more letters, and talk to more people...the polls in N.H. go over 40% and a lead emerges in Iowa.

[jmaier]

26. Not entirely rational response.

I'm not sure that is a completely rational response. Some negative reports might bear a bit of initial study and reflection, rather than blind "follow the leaderism".

I've supported candidates in the past and this year as well who have upon occasion caused me to go "hmmm...." for a bit.

Listen, what you hear from the campaign, any campaign, isn't going to be the unvarnished truth -- they spin to win. No matter how generally fine a person the candidate might be. This kind of unthinking adoration for our candidates is exactly the kind of thing that we beat up on others for doing -- Bush supporters for instance.

[helleborient]

33. Are you assuming the people supporting are following blindly...??

I was taken aback by the "Confederate flag" flap...but when I read what was actually said, and read Jesse Jackson, Jr.'s comments...I wrote a piece on the fact that it was indicative of Howard Dean's unwillingness to leave out any part of the country - and his reaching for a mandate. It was not blind following - it was using my knowledge of history, reading the comments, and reaching my own conclusions. It was a clumsy way of saying it...but a big step toward bringing the WHOLE country together.

As far as the opening of the files in Vermont...I still don't completely understand the issue, since there is less than real access to Bush's records...and there is no access to records from the congressional offices of the other candidates. If Dean can use it as a bargaining chip to get Bush records opened more freely...that is outstanding!

I think the checks and additional work is motivated by most of the supporters liking the responses to the controversies that come up. It isn't, at least for me and a number of others I know, blind following, although that is what opponents insist. But why would opponents be any more of a reliable resource for what supporters think than campaign spin is?

[napi21]

37. Following blindly?

I can tell you I have NEVER followed anyone blindly, and I sure am not doing it now!

I don't agree with everything Dean says, but I believe he is the best answer for our Country. He is the first candidate EVER that I have contributed to because GWB has so many wealthy contributors, there has to be money to oppose him.

I love the feeling that lots of regular people are sending $10, $25, or $50 at a time to this candidate. Maybe we can show the folks that think they can buy our government that we still have more power than they do!

[Larkspur]

14. "Much Ado about nothing" so saith Shakespeare

Here is a view of this inane flap from a VT columnist who attacked Dean when Dean was governor of VT.

Dean Records Check
By Peter Freyne
http://www.sevendaysvt.com/insidetrack/

<SNIP>
How did George W. Bush deal with his gubernatorial records in Texas?
Our research indicates Dubya’s done a better job than Dean of keeping his from public view.

When Dubya left office in Texas in 2000, he shipped his gubernatorial records to his daddy’s presidential library on the campus of Texas A&M. According to Texas State Archivist Chris LaPlante, they were totally inaccessible to the public. There was no staff to catalogue them, said Laplante. And since “They were physically in a federal facility, they were subject to federal, rather than Texas, public-records law.”

After complaints were made, said LaPlante, the attorney general ruled they should be shipped to the state archive for cataloguing. The Bush records arrived in Austin in August 2002. According to LaPlante, it’s going to take another three years to complete the cataloguing. Then they’ll be shipped back to daddy’s library.
By Tuesday everybody, including two of Dean’s Democratic rivals, was piling on. The New York Times’ Jodi Wilgoren reported that “Mr. Bush’s Texas records were moved back to state custody after a ruling from the attorney general, and an archivist for the state said the Bush records were available for viewing.”

Archivist LaPlante called the above statement in the Times story “deceiving.” While the Bush records are officially “viewable,” said LaPlante, actually viewing them is another matter.

“They’re technically accessible,” said LaPlante, “but you might not get everything you ask for, even if we can find it.”

In Montpelier, Vermont, opposition researchers have been able to look through most of Gov. Dean’s records box by box. But in Texas, said LaPlante, a member of the public is not allowed to do so.
<SNIP>

So Dubya's are not really accessible to the public as the RNC and Dean's Dem critics say. There's more obstacles to get to Bush's records than there are Dean's.

[goodhue]

18. Texas AG opinion

Here is Texas AG opinion.
http://www.oag.state.tx.us/opinopen/opinions/op49cornyn/jc-0498.htm

While actually getting to Bush's records might be difficult and time consuming, it is worth noting that they are "technically accessible" and certainly not sealed. So Dean was not wise to state that he would unseal his records only if Bush unsealed his as well. There is a downside to bluffing if facts aren't straight. I suspect this issue will not go away until Dean unseals, which I'm thinking he will be doing sooner over later. Which will be a good thing, since transparency is the way to go.

[Larkspur]

23. And the Texas AG is contributing to the Bush deception

per Freyne's column

Archivist LaPlante called the above statement in the Times story “deceiving.” While the Bush records are officially “viewable,” said LaPlante, actually viewing them is another matter.

“They’re technically accessible,” said LaPlante, “but you might not get everything you ask for, even if we can find it.”

Bush has intentionally made his records near impossible to access, thus they are "sealed" from public view by default.

[deminflorida]

15. The sad thing about it is that it's becoming a......

media issue that won't die for him. And now that Judicial Watch is on board, it's starting to jog instead of walk. It will distract unfortunatly from all the good things he did as governor of Vermont. I think he was governor of that state longer than any other standing governor to date. He needs to get past it.

[stinkeefresh]

17. what else can I say but that I totally disagree.

he has yet to make a gaffe that I consider disturbing. This example I see as another masterful way of re-directing attacks directly onto Bush. Like he used the conf. flag crap to hi-light the repubs southern strategy and to reach out to poor southern whites. What could they do but drop it? They sure as hell don't want any poor people below mason-dixon understanding the southern strategy for what it is.

It may not be the high road, but it is effective. And what have other Dems done in recent races that works as well for warding off GOP attacks?

Not so much.

[shance]

19. Why is it okay for George Bush to seal his for 10 years and not Dean?

Again, a double standard between Democrats and Republicans.

I dont deny that records should be unsealed at some point, but why is Bush being given preferential treatment, and why is Dean the one receiving all the scrutiny?

[LuminousX]

25. I don't think anyone is saying it is okay

But if we want to bring that point up, then we should be in a position not to be called hypocrits. If Bush starts clucking that Dean needs to open his records, he'll be a hypocrit.

I am certain Dean will open his records if he gets the nomination but not until closer to the election. If he can get Bush to open his then the media will have to choose which is the juicier story, and I can assure you that the media will see the meat in Texas, not in Vermont.

[torrentprime]

31. Quick fact check: Bush's records AREN'T SEALED

Bush DIDN'T seal his records: he tried to, but the Texas attny general told him where to get off. So his records aren't sealed and are available.
So it is another misstep by Dean on the facts as well as a high ground issue: Is he not like Bush or just saying, "I can if you can." Plus, when a man says "I won't unless he does" and the man already did (or was forced to) years ago it looks baaaaad.

[Andromeda]

32. Your tombstone will be here soon.

.

[helleborient]

20. What about congressional papers?

Do any of the members of congress who are running permit open access to their records? e-mails? meeting minutes with lobbyists?

[no name no slogan]

28. Kucinich

IIRC, DK's records are open and can be accessed by the general public-- but I don't know for certain.

[babzilla]

30. that would be some interesting reading

get back to us when you know for certain.

I for one would not appreciate my senators or representatives making our correspondences open to the general public.

[helleborient]

34. To me, this is an example of media giving other candidates a pass...

Where is the media cry for congressional records to be opened?

Or the candidates who are in congress asking others to look at their records?