Iowa....Tide of Second Thoughts Rises Among Democrats

[windansea]

IOWA
Tide of Second Thoughts Rises Among Democrats
By ADAM NAGOURNEY and CARL HULSE

Published: January 9, 2004

NEWTON, Iowa, Jan. 8 — Only a few weeks ago, Jenny Briggs, an Iowa State University graduate, was all set to enthusiastically support Howard Dean in the caucuses. But now, with the vote 11 days away, Ms. Briggs said she is having second thoughts as she watches Dr. Dean stumble through his difficult days of the presidential contest.

"I had listened to him on TV, and I thought he sounded pretty good," Ms. Briggs said, standing in the town square in Newton, Iowa. "It turned out he was too good to be true."

She said she grimaced when Dr. Dean, in what she described as an act of arrogance, declared at a debate in Des Moines on Sunday that he would balance the budget "in the sixth or seventh year of my administration," and then looked befuddled when his audience broke out laughing.

more....
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/09/politics/campaigns/09VOTE.html?ei=5062&en=ab0fe81b8a8919a8&ex=1074229200&partner=GOOGLE&pagewanted=all&position=

[bowens43]

1. Thanks to Harkin

that tide will soon be ebbing......

[windansea]

8. congrats to Dean on that

:thumbsup:

[w4rma]

2. Wishful thinking by some. (n/t)

[blm]

3. I hope so. Scrutinize Dean thoroughly and he isn't half what he claims.

Scrutinize Kerry and his lengthy record and he is many times more than what can be readily seen.

[library_max]

11. Great, and I agree with you about Kerry. But where does that get us?

Turn your statement around and look at it yourself, and you'll see that it says that Kerry is a lousy campaigner. I started off a Kerry supporter myself, and I wouldn't hesitate a second to vote for him. But I see very little remaining chance of him being the nominee, and maybe that's just as well. The general election is going to be a bitter fight to the death, and we need the best campaigner we can get. We HAVE to win this one and get Bush out! Watch what's happening to the courts, the Constitution, redistricting, the media, and everything else. The Republicans are trying to establish a reich that will last 1000 years.

[CMT]

4. I don't think there is a democrat as beloved as Tom Harkin

in Iowa and I would guess he knows his state pretty well and yet he endorsed Howard Dean.

[edzontar]

5. OOPS!!! Harkin at 4!!!!

Bye bye.

[maddezmom]

6. ya never know...what if JK beats Gep?

:)

edited: to change he to JK

[Padraig18]

9. If JK beats DG...

... then Clark's current second-place spot in NH becomes tenuous again, IMO...

[Padraig18]

7. I guess Tom harkin didn't read this article.

:evilgrin:

[wtmusic]

10. You mean, Tom had second thoughts about endorsing Gep?

Do we really have to go into the 'hidden significance' of his 'sixth or seventh year' comment? :eyes:

[windansea]

12. heh heh

blast away!!

congrats to Dean and supporters

:toast:

[rucky]

13. And buried in the article is this:

Given that Dr. Dean has drawn many new Democrats into the process, and given the intensity of his supporters, no one in Iowa is suggesting he is in serious trouble now. Among the campaigns now conducting nightly counts of supporters, there is a rough consensus that Dr. Dean is in front, followed by Mr. Gephardt, with Mr. Kerry and Mr. Edwards fighting it out for third.

[mourningdove92]

14. I would love to see John Edwards make the top three in

Iowa. I have felt all along that he would do better than most of the polls suggest. Maybe this could help launch his campaign to a more national focus.

[TexasSissy]

15. It seems SOME people are really listening.

[windansea]

16. hopefully voters will make up their own mind

Personally I have never voted based on endorsements...but they do create buzz and publicity and are always welcome