Mixed feelings about Hackett withdrawal

[dolstein]

On the one hand, I think that Sherrod Brown may be too left-wing to win a Senate race in Ohio. At least on paper, a pro-gun veteran who isn't too closely tied to the Democratic establishment seems more promising. On the other hand, after reading Hackett's withdrawal statement, I wonder whehter Hackett had the temperament and discipline required to win. The last think we need is another candidate like Howard Dean who self-destructs on the campaign trail.

Of course, this could all have been avoided if Sherrod Brown hadn't dithered so long in deciding whether to enter the Senate race. If memory serves, he actually announced back in August that he wouldn't be running, and then changed in mind in December. I suspect that if Brown had decided to run earlier, Hackett would simply have run again for a House seat, which no doubt would have pleased Rahm Emanuel at the DCCC.

[pocket]

1. Dean Didn't self destruct

and Hackett was stabbed in the back

[dolstein]

3. Who are you kidding? Dean did self-destruct

He had far more money to spend than any of the other candidates, and he finished a distant third in Iowa. He was an incredibly undisciplined candidate who ran an incredibly undisciplined campaign. Now that he's head of the DNC, he continues to make gaffe after gaffe.

[MrBenchley]

5. Exactly so....

And Hackett QUIT, and tried to blame everyone else for his failure. But his supporters don't want to face up to reality.

[400Years]

6. Yeah, it's hard to run a campaign when those in your party are fucking you

Who in their right mind would run under those circumstances?

[dolstein]

10. Ah yes, the persecution complex

Everyone on the left-wing has one. Of course, it's a little hard to justify with Howard Dean, who after all had more money and more high profile endorsements than any other candidate heading into Iowa. And of course, Howard Dean IS the friggin' establishment now. And yet the left-wing continues to blame their problems on some shadow DLC conspiracy.

Newsflash -- people don't vote for candidates who feel persecuted. It's not an attractive quality.

[400Years]

11. just laying out the facts, if you can't handle it don't cry to me

[MrBenchley]

13. The dog ate Hackett's homework

[tsuki]

23. Really? They have voted Republican for years. n/t

[MrBenchley]

12. Don't let the door hit you in the ass.....

[emulatorloo]

19. Hackett has spoken and he is willing to help Brown

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=428154&mesg_id=428154

[Kukesa]

14. This Buckeye will face reality: DeWine's going to win. nt

[MrBenchley]

18. Funny, Chimpy went to Ohio today and DeWine's dodging him.....

[tsuki]

24. I agree. Sorry, but Brown is facing a phantom Hackett in the

general election. If anything, the Republicans can take one issue, weakness, and blow it into a full blown issue-only. Brown is toast.

[Jon8503]

2. When did Dean self-destruct?

What I remember is he had to fight the DLC and the media both.

[dolstein]

4. Iowa

NT

[400Years]

7. You mean when CNN edited out the crowd noise and played it 500 times

[IA_Seth]

8. I am about ready to Dean-Scream myself....

Dean failed in Iowa long before the death-scream in Des Moines. His supporters in Iowa were mainly out of staters who failed to grasp the perplexities of the Iowa voter.

Kerry had local unions, and large ones at that, with personal ties to him and his campaign. Kerry had Iowans knocking on doors and connecting with their neighbors rallying support.

Grassroots, it makes a big difference.

Not saying Dean was a bad guy, but he was definitely ill-served by his supporters, and should have relied more on locals.

Just my observation, from Iowa I might add.

[400Years]

9. and yet CNN's actions had nothing to do with it?

I don't think so.

[emulatorloo]

16. Dean Scream was after he finished third in Iowa n/t

[IA_Seth]

17. Were you here?

Lol, of course the media had something to do with it. What I am telling you is the reality in Iowa was that Dean's people were not doing Dean justice. Kerry had the unions (at least the big shots) and in turn had the local Iowans drumming up support.

Would you listen to your neighbor or a stranger knocking on doors? Would you listen to your in-laws or a kid visiting from out of state? Would you take to heart what your co-worker told you before you took to heart what a piece of junk mail said?

That is the key. Local support wins local elections, and Iowa caucuses are by far a local process. You don't get more grassroots.

And by that same token...would you listen to CNN, or would you listen to your family, friends, unions, and members of your community.

CNN had something to do with it, sure. But Dean and Kerry's supporters had a LOT more to do with it.

[Nederland]

22. Bullshit

There was NO editting. What you heard was what the CNN microphone picked up, plain and simple. Microphones are specifically designed to pick up the speaker holding it and filter out the crowd. That's just how they work. You make it sound as if CNN went out of their way to produce the clip. They didn't.

[Jon8503]

20. Bullshit - Dean did not self-destruct in Iowa & if just the word "Iowa"

is your exlanation, then that is a strong indicatiion you have nothing but some outlandish mis-understanding of his campaign.

[LittleClarkie]

15. Must we pick the wounds of 2004

And diss our current DNC chairman in the process?

I don't think Dean self-destructed. But I do think he was better suited for what he's doing now. A Dean supporter I talked to over the weekend kept saying she thought we should have picked Dean, but then when I asked why he didn't make it, she talked more about his poor organization in Iowa than anything, not about his self-destruction.

They're both fiery and kinda centrist, but that's where it ends really. The two campaigns are apples and oranges.

[Nederland]

21. I'm sorry Dolstein

You write a fine post about Hackett that reflects my own feelings and the only responses you get are in regard to an offhand remark about Howard Dean. Oh well, hang in there my moderate friend.

:hi:

[Armstead]

25. I have mixed felings too -- but you lost me on your first sentence

Democrats are the left wing party. Or at least they are supposed to be.

Republicans are the conservative party.

That does not mean that the democratic Party should not have room for moderate left types. But we have to stop kowtowing to the conservartives. If Ohio is so conservative they decide to re-elect a right winger, then that's their damn problem. We should not have to be Republicans too...Or else why not be Republicans?

As for Brown, from an article I read, his "dithering" had to do with personal matters that he had to tend to.

But I agree that Hackett seems a little too volatile and tempremental to take the heat. What the Democratic leadership did was kindergarten compared to what the Repugs would subject him to.