KiCk! Howard Dean for Surgeon General

[mdmc]

[DeepBlueC]

1. does anyone know why he's been left out in the cold?

He did a lot for the Democratic Party in my estimation and they can't find some kind of place for him?

[napi21]

3. Howard was never accepted by the "regular" politicians. He's too

much of a common man I think. That's why WE all love him, and they don't.

[mdmc]

4. he hasn't been , imho..

I think Howard Dean walks on water. I am proud and amazed by Obama. I think both men are fine and perhaps Dean might be better off outside the mud alla Al Gore.
If Dean can return to DFA and organize single payer rallies, I think it would help Obama most.
So now I am directly contradicting my own OP after the first reply..

[garybeck]

21. bullshit, he was snubbed by obama, no two ways about it.

he stated publicly he would take the position. he was very qualified and had a ton of public support, even several petitions with thousands of signatures and multiple senators supporting him for HHS. he was snubbed.

he would make a great surgeon general but he will be snubbed again.

sooner or later you will realize that the obama camp takes the progressives for granted

[ooglymoogly]

28. He was stabbed in the back; There is no other way to read it.

He was right, they were wrong and they can't stand that fact. They have pulled the rug that he alone has woven, woof and warp and claimed it as their own. It is to painful for them to even look him in the eye because he is honest and they are not.

[mdmc]

59. mutually agreed that single payer is the way to go

Obama on the inside chipping away at the private, Dean on the outside leading rallies for single payer. eventually they meet

...

[Individualist]

6. He's been left out because he's a progressive Democrat.

[Jackpine Radical]

9. and KNOWN as one.

I don't think Obama wants a front man with that strong a partisan ID. Howard would have Harry & Louise foaming and twitching at the starting gate.

[Individualist]

10. Screw Harry and Louise

and damn the DLC.

[lsewpershad]

26. Totally agree

Rahm is a good democrat but Obama IS THE PRESIDENT.

[LittleClarkie]

14. Nah, he's been left out because Ralm Emanuel can't stand him

It would seem to be a personal thing.

[inna]

7. "does anyone know why he's been left out in the cold?" - him and Wes Clark...

i find this inexplicable and almost disturbing, especially re. Clark

(he HAS been left out in the cold completely; it's too early to tell whether or not Dean will be "left out in the cold", at this point.)

[DeepBlueC]

15. yes, I'd like to see a place for Clark too

[Politicalboi]

41. Maybe Clark will

Replace Gates or be in charge of Homeland Security.

[ooglymoogly]

30. They are afraid to look either of these honest men in the eye

truth is deadly to the Washington kabuki dance and its daisy chain, gravy train.

That was my dream; Dean and Clark in any order. Now that is change you could trust. But alas too good to hope for.

[LosinIt]

36. I agree wholeheartedly

I don't want to believe that these two have been knowingly snubbed, but there is no way to deny it if Dr. Dean is passed over again.

[jhain]

42. We need Wes.

I remain stunned by his absence.

[PassingFair]

24. Here is Cenk, asking the same question....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=280798&mesg_id=280798

[Faygo Kid]

40. He and Emanuel didn't get along.

Howard's 50-state strategy didn't go over well with many.

Of course, Howard was right. Time to all pull together. Let the Repukes eat one another.

[coffeenap]

2. Yes!!!

kick!

[marketcrazy1]

5. .

.

[mdmc]

13. agreed

We need him back at DFA organizing labor education and single payer rallies

[tekisui]

8. knr!~

[Gregorian]

11. Does the surgeon general need to be an active MD?

I'm just wondering if it could be a disqualifier.

Otherwise, YES!

[robinlynne]

18. umm Dr. HOward Dean is an MD. As is his wife. The disqualifier is that he is

a right on progressive!
Sunjay Gupta, or whatever his name is, is the owner of huge health care centers,, making millions, which should absolutley be a disqualifier..... I doubt he is active as an MD. he just owns a bunch of MDs.

[Qutzupalotl]

23. A poster here yesterday said Dean's medical license expired years ago. n/t

[Sebastian Doyle]

29. Not surprising.

Considering he has been practicing politics, not medicine, for a while now. But if he chose to go back to being a doctor in Vermont, he would have no problem getting his license back.

[ooglymoogly]

57. this is not a big deal...I know a doctor who after

20 years building a real estate empire that was destroyed by the Reagan years; a precursor to what is happening now, boned up for a couple of weeks took the exams and became registered again with no hassle.

[Iwillnevergiveup]

12. Now wouldn't that be something

considering the long overdue attention health care is getting. Even though Dean is a political animal, what a bully pulpit the SG's office could be. Dean certainly changed the dynamic and influence of the DNC....if he wants SG, I say let him have it.

K&R

[robinlynne]

16. oh YES!!!!

[ecstatic]

17. I support him for any position but if he doesn't get it

it won't be the end of the world.

[mzmolly]

19. I keep holding out "hope" that he'll be in the administration,

but.......

:kick: and R.

[mdmc]

20. .

:hi:
love to see the Dean folk out
I would be ok w. dean at DFA advocating for single payer. he can do Obama the most good there..

[mzmolly]

25. Hello mdmc.

Great to see you as well. :hi:

[WI_DEM]

22. I'm all for it.

[kaygore]

27. As hard as we worked for Obama' election, he owes us this one!

Plus, it was Dean's 50 state strategy that gave him the feet on the street. I hope that Obama listens this time. I have so much admiration for Dean. He is my hero.

[elizfeelinggreat]

31. ditto

The man is amazing and he has so much to give still ... isn't that a great thing for us!

[elizfeelinggreat]

32. to add: Al Gore and John Kerry and

Wesley Clark, Valerie Plame, I'm sure I've left some out ... there are so many who deserve a voice right now because they fought the hard fight

[elocs]

33. Wow! So that's how it works. We kick and Obama has to nominate him.

I never realized it was so simple.

[zyguh]

34. Its not about who is the best candidate....

It's about who is the best candidate that can be confirmed. Sebelus will be confirmed because Brownback is going to retire and run for governor of Kansas. He wants to make sure that a Republican will be able to keep his Senate seat when he makes that switch. If Sebelus is in Obama's cabinet it will make things easier for Brownback in 2010. She wont be running for the Kansas Senate seat in 2010 if she is still fighting to get universal healthcare passed by then, so Brownback will be free to run for governor and let another Repub take his vacant Senate seat. So Brownback and his allies want her confirmed, and it will happen. Thats why she was a safe (safer) nominee.

Dean would never have been confirmed. All the Republicans would have fought his confirmation, and Lieberman would have been thrown in the fray. Dean said he supported the Democratic candidate, remember, so there are scores to settle there and the Senate Dems would have had to deal with an uncomfortable "Lieberman is opposing it" scenario. ALONG with enough other Dems who were mad about Dean switching up the playbook with his 50 state strategy(which really meant switching up which states got all the money spent in them, and changed who held power in the party).

Dean would have had a united Republican front(cause they know they lost because of his 50 state strategy) allied with Lieberman and at least another handful of Dems who were mad that he changed the status-quo. Dean could not win confirmation to HHS. And Reid and the President know that. They poll all the members of the party on these things, so they had to know that there would have been some Senators who would have opposed it, and they had to know it would have caused a "Lieberman situation".

Dean COULD NOT HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED in the Senate. He angered too many people that were entrenched in positions of power when he switched up the established strategy. No one likes losing even a tiny bit of power once they have it, and they will get "payback" when they get the chance. This isnt just about Rahm. Its about every single Republican, its about Lieberman and the head of the DNC actually publicly supporting the Democratic candidate over an Independant, and its about a few Dems who's states lost millions of DNC money when Dean decided to spread the spending out to all 50 states instead of sticking to the established DNC playbook from years past.

[Fire1]

35. K&R

[Cha]

37. I just gave it the 50th

Rec'd!

[KamaAina]

38. But, but, but he doesn't even have a show on CNN!

:sarcasm:

seriesly, excellent call! :thumbsup:

[mvd]

39. K&R

:kick:

[DeeDeeNY]

43. YES YES YES

:thumbsup:

[yellerpup]

44. Dr. Dean deserves major props.

K&R

[bigwillq]

45. Kick

:bounce:

[Political Heretic]

46. Howard Dean also says no to single payer, so what's the difference?

[SHRED]

47. Is Dean for Single-Payer coverage?

[MasonJar]

48. Rahm disagreed with Dean's successful tenure at the DNC very vocally

and irrationally as it turns out. But Rahm is Obama's man. Howard is a hundred times the man Rahm could ever even aspire to be.

[bvar22]

49. Surgeon General is essentially a powerless/token position.

If offered, I hope Howard turns it down.

We (Progressives) need him right where he is....DFA.
He can do much MORE good on progressive issues than he would if harnessed and hog tied by the "Surgeon General" position.

[libodem]

50. He's one of the good guys

and America will be a better country for having him in the administration. I so hope the right decision is made! Why did that Sanjay Goopda decline his position?

[OhioChick]

51. I like the sound of that!

:thumbsup:

[Rhiannon12866]

52. K&R! I'm on board... Why he hasn't been considered is a mystery to me...

He was stellar as DNC chair, deserves credit for the 2006 and 2008 Democratic blowouts, was successful in getting the vote out. He is terrific at anything he takes on. :patriot:

Rhiannon:hi:

p.s. I love the pic... :bounce:

[trickyguy]

53. He's the man. And has been for quite a while.

[MissDeeds]

54. Kick! Dean is my kind of Democrat

Howard Dean made tremendous inroads for the party and spearheaded the 50 state initiative when many said it was a waste of time. He refused to write off any state, no matter how red, and got the word out and the votes followed. I have the greatest respect for Howard Dean. He would be an excellent choice for surgeon general.

K&R for Howard!!! :kick:

[glinda]

55. I will follow Howard anywhere but he should only position himself where he can be

effective.

[JFKfanforever]

58. Hooray for dr Dean! (This thread has 83 recs so far...)

[deaniac21]

56. Howard Dean is too important for this job.