Should Kucinich offer Trippi a top position in his campaign?

[MMT]

Somehow, Howard Dean went from almost total obscurity to internationally-known front runner in a matter of a few months. And (I know Dean supporters will disagree with this) he himself really doesn't offer anything so special that it would account for such a stunning overnight success. So was it all the media? Or was it Trippi taking advantage of what the media would have done anyway? Or did Trippi make the media do it?

Is Trippi a near-genius politically, or did he luck out? I think some of it was luck, but most of it was skill, and that that same skill could put Dennis out in front because Dennis really is special in many ways and that would give Trippi a lot to work with.

What do you think?

[poskonig]

1. DK should go for it!

Just the hiring of Trippi itself would gain Kucinich instant exposure all over the place.

[KamaAina]

2. Why don't you ask his new press secretary?

No, really. It's our own Will Pitt!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=213087&mesg_id=213087

G'wan, ask him. Will Pitt AND Trippi? Now there's a political "Dream Team" if I ever saw one!

[libview]

3. Does Dennis know Will supports Kerry?

[MMT]

4. Actually, it was Will joining the campaign that made me think of this

[plurality]

5. No, because Kucinich wants to clean up politics

and Trippi has done some underhanded things before, plus he sent out campaign flyers that lied saying Dean was the only candidate that opposed the war. Do we want someone who does these types of things to run DK's campaign?

[goodhue]

8. yes

Trippi is bad news.

[genius]

6. Yeah. But Dean ran a dishonest campaign under Trippi.

Dennis's selling point is that he's honest.

[MMT]

11. ???

So do you think that's a character flaw in Trippi, then? Do you think he'd do it even if he didn't need to, I mean, and even if the candidate resisted? I assumed Trippi did it that way because he had so little to work with and was feeling desperate. No?

[Clark Can WIN]

13. Feeling desperate

Doesn't justify his actions. Trippi sucks.

[codegreen]

7. imagine

imagine if Trippi had hooked up with Kucinich...

[goodhue]

9. it would be a problem

Kucinich tells the truth, Trippi doesn't. Water and oil.

[newyawker99]

24. Hi codegreen!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[THUNDER HANDS]

10. first Will Pitt, then Joe Trippi?!?!?!?!

It's an internet enthusiasts' dream. :D

[Clark Can WIN]

12. No, Kucinich is better than that. By far.

The entire Democratic party should throw Trippi as far away from us as we can get.

[Myra]

14. NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Kucinich has too much class.

Then again, it would be entertaining to see Trippi and Pitt butt
heads.

Ok, let's go with Trippi.

:evilgrin:

[stickdog]

15. Yes! He should also hire that disillusioned Draft Clark guy.

And whomever gave Kerry his latest facelift.

[MMT]

16. So is everyone here saying that Trippi doesn't know how to win honestly?

Or that he doesn't even try, or what? Did he practice "black magic" and Dean let him? I'm feeling really startled. I had no idea that feelings against Trippi ran so high here!

[GreenPartyVoter]

17. I've heard folks call him the DNC's answer to Karl Rove

but honestly I do not know enough about him to say whether I feel the same way.

[MMT]

18. So would it be a good thing or a bad thing to have a Democratic Rove?

I don't really know. It seems like it would a good thing, but maybe not?

[tinanator]

19. Dennis is smarter than all the weasel operatives you can name

put together. Trippi is slime, and I suspect when the dust settles, he wont have a friend here. Kucinich doesnt need Trippi's kind, or Larry King's endorsement/airtime (might not hurt, but somebody get him a clean chair) what he does need is you. And you. And you. And you. And you. And you. And you. But not nearly as bad as you need him.

[Jerseycoa]

20. Read this

http://nytimes.com/2004/01/29/politics/campaign/29DEAN.html?pagewanted=1&hp

I don't know who is to blame for what, but I wouldn't want him near a decent sort like Dennis. I don't think DK could afford it, in any case. What a blowout this is. The guy managed to spend almost all of the money, yes, $40M. Maybe it's not all his fault, but he probably won't be running any campaigns anytime soon.

[Uzybone]

22. I didnt know he was regarded so negatively wither

but someone has to be the scapegoat. And since Dean is "god" it has to be Trippi.

[no name no slogan]

23. He ran a slimy campaign for Geph in 1988.

Trippi has been around for a long time. IMHO he's part of the problem, not the solution.

He's one of those "political opportunists" who's in politics for all the wrong reasons: power, personal glorification, self-promotion, etc. He'd sell his soul to the highest bidder if he thought it would get him a cabinet job.

I worked on the Dukakis campaign in 1988, when Trippi ran Gephardt's campaign. Trippi convinced Geph to go very negative very early, which backfired tremendously. One of the more disturbing images from the '88 campaign was that of Gephardt going after a brand-new Honda Civic with a sledgehammer in front of a crowd of cheering auto workers. Sure it got the point across, but it reeked of demagoguery and racism.

The less we see of Trippi, the better. He and Dick Morris should hook up, they'd be a great pair.

[molly]

25. I didn't know about the Geph incident

but I've always thought of Trippi as arrogant and in your face. That's the type of campaigns he's obviously run.

[LWolf]

21. No.

No thank you.