What negative consequences did this hold for Falwell. None at all. He got lots more air time.
What did it hold for Howard Dean? Attacks from the right, more air time for Falwell and his ilk, and tsk tsk tsk from his own party for talking too tough. Have we learned since then? I hope so.
“They believe that the views of Christians are akin to those of Islamic terrorists and Nazis,” Falwell said. “The purpose of government is to protect the rights of individuals. If Howard Dean had been president in the 1940s, he would have been responsible for the American people speaking German.”
What did Howard Dean say to be called a leader who would have lost WWII? (And that is the best interpretation that can be put on that statement.)
Dean was speaking to a group of about 400 Northwestern University students after the 04 election.
“The truth is the president of the United States used the same device as Slobodan Milosevic used in Serbia,” Dean was quoted as saying on the Web site of Editor & Publisher, the Internet version of the newspaper industry magazine. “When you appeal to homophobia, when you appeal to sexism, when you appeal to racism, that is extraordinarily damaging to the country. I served with him (Bush) for six years (as a fellow governor). He is not a homophobe. He is not a racist. He is not a sexist. In some ways, what he did was worse … because he knew better.”
Dean also criticized the Bush campaign’s support in ballot initiatives in 11 states that essential banned same-sex marriages.
Dean said that support “had only one effect, which is to appeal to homophobia and fear and gay-bashing in order to win a presidential election.”
Dean singled out Falwell as an example of a “hate monger” prone to support the Bush campaign tactics.
“Most Americans are decent people - not all,” Dean said. “I mean, there are those hate mongers. I wouldn’t call Jerry Falwell a decent person.”
So what got coverage? Not the fact that Dean said Bush was using bigotry to win the election. No, not that. The fact that he dared criticize Jerry Falwell just got more coverage for Falwell.
And then Dean became chairman, and he doesn't talk like that much anymore. He said he had to be careful not to say anything that wasn't helpful to congress, and he has to speak for everyone in the party now. That means careful cautious speech so no one can accuse him of being against the religious right. He learned his lesson.
John Edwards has learned a lesson as well. He got through it just as Dean did...but neither will be really outspoken again.
That is our loss.
Oh, did I forget to mention what else Falwell said in his amounts of airtime he got from being insulted?
“He is mad at me because I represent 30 million evangelicals who helped re-elect George Bush, push (Senate Minority Leader) Tom Daschle from office and gave Republicans tighter control of the Senate and House,” Falwell said. “The truth is they’re crybabies on the left. They’re just sore losers.”
And the Jerry Falwells are still getting air time. And we go back to being careful and cautious not to offend those who want to control us.
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