Deja Vu
Winter 2004:
Howard Dean makes repeated gaffes.
Dean supporters deny Dean made gaffes, filling up Democratic message boards with explanations as to why Dean was right.
Dean supporters send hate mail to Democrats who criticize Dean.
Dean supporters demand that nobody criticize Dean in the name of party unity, while simultaneously attacking other Democrats.
Dean's campaign self-destructs and Dean winds up third in Iowa caucus, never to recover.
Spring 2005:
Howard Dean makes repeated gaffes.
Dean supporters deny Dean made gaffes, filling up Democratic message boards with explanations as to why Dean was right.
Dean supporters send hate mail to Democrats who criticize Dean.
Dean supporters demand that nobody criticize Dean in the name of party unity, while simultaneously attacking other Democrats.
Do we break this cycle, or does the Democratic Party go the way of the Dean campaign in 2004?
Are we doomed to have the media concentrate on Dean's gaffe of the week, or can we get back to talking about Iraq, health care, social security, abuse of power under the current Republican leadership, judicial appointees, and the other issues?
There is no doubt that the right wing noise machine is ready to jump on anything Dean says, but it is also true that Dean repeatedly gives them all the ammunition they need.
Unlike some of the blogs out there which have been routinely attacking Kerry and defending Dean regardless of what is said, we are happy to report it when Dean says something worthwhile. Monday, when most of the media was criticizing Dean, I had a favorable post on his statements in Washington. This wasn't the first favorable post I've had on Dean, and I sure hope it isn't the last.
In contrast, there are Democratic blogs which recently have attacked Kerry for criticizing the Republican leadership, falsely quoting him as claiming to be an outsider. They attacked Kerry for saying that, despite his personal opposition to gay marriage, he would take no action to oppose the gay marriage plank in the Massachusetts party platform, and called this gay bashing. This week they are attacking Kerry following the release of his military records which verify everything he has said all along under a strange belief that this would have satisfied his right wing attackers if done earlier. They spread tin foil hat theories of how Kerry could have changed the outcome by fighting more in Ohio, and ignore everything Kerry is doing to fight for election reform. They play into Republican hands by calling the Iraq War Resolution a vote to go to war, rather than a vote to get the inspectors back in and to use military force as a last resort under conditions which were not met. These tend to be the same blogs which are defending everything Howard Dean has to say, regardless of how absurd or destructive to Democratic hopes. While Kerry has been their favorite target, they are also attacking others who have said anything critical about Howard Dean
I hope Howard Dean can put this all behind him as our success depends upon it. He must learn to stick to the issues. He must learn a lesson from the Republicans, where the personal attacks are left for people outside of the government and party structure. If he must go beyond the issues, he must be very clear to differentiate between Republicans and the current Republican leadership.
We must never forget that we need to attract the votes of people who voted Republican in 2004. Many, probably most, of these are hard working people. This includes both the working class, many of whom voted for Bush, and businessmen and professionals who also put in an honest day's work. Some of them are also minorities. While Ken Mehlman is doing an excellent job speaking to traditional Democratic groups to attempt to grow the Republican Party, Dean is exciting only his base, and risks alienating those we need to attract.
Howard Dean makes repeated gaffes.
Dean supporters deny Dean made gaffes, filling up Democratic message boards with explanations as to why Dean was right.
Dean supporters send hate mail to Democrats who criticize Dean.
Dean supporters demand that nobody criticize Dean in the name of party unity, while simultaneously attacking other Democrats.
Dean's campaign self-destructs and Dean winds up third in Iowa caucus, never to recover.
Spring 2005:
Howard Dean makes repeated gaffes.
Dean supporters deny Dean made gaffes, filling up Democratic message boards with explanations as to why Dean was right.
Dean supporters send hate mail to Democrats who criticize Dean.
Dean supporters demand that nobody criticize Dean in the name of party unity, while simultaneously attacking other Democrats.
Do we break this cycle, or does the Democratic Party go the way of the Dean campaign in 2004?
Are we doomed to have the media concentrate on Dean's gaffe of the week, or can we get back to talking about Iraq, health care, social security, abuse of power under the current Republican leadership, judicial appointees, and the other issues?
There is no doubt that the right wing noise machine is ready to jump on anything Dean says, but it is also true that Dean repeatedly gives them all the ammunition they need.
Unlike some of the blogs out there which have been routinely attacking Kerry and defending Dean regardless of what is said, we are happy to report it when Dean says something worthwhile. Monday, when most of the media was criticizing Dean, I had a favorable post on his statements in Washington. This wasn't the first favorable post I've had on Dean, and I sure hope it isn't the last.
In contrast, there are Democratic blogs which recently have attacked Kerry for criticizing the Republican leadership, falsely quoting him as claiming to be an outsider. They attacked Kerry for saying that, despite his personal opposition to gay marriage, he would take no action to oppose the gay marriage plank in the Massachusetts party platform, and called this gay bashing. This week they are attacking Kerry following the release of his military records which verify everything he has said all along under a strange belief that this would have satisfied his right wing attackers if done earlier. They spread tin foil hat theories of how Kerry could have changed the outcome by fighting more in Ohio, and ignore everything Kerry is doing to fight for election reform. They play into Republican hands by calling the Iraq War Resolution a vote to go to war, rather than a vote to get the inspectors back in and to use military force as a last resort under conditions which were not met. These tend to be the same blogs which are defending everything Howard Dean has to say, regardless of how absurd or destructive to Democratic hopes. While Kerry has been their favorite target, they are also attacking others who have said anything critical about Howard Dean
I hope Howard Dean can put this all behind him as our success depends upon it. He must learn to stick to the issues. He must learn a lesson from the Republicans, where the personal attacks are left for people outside of the government and party structure. If he must go beyond the issues, he must be very clear to differentiate between Republicans and the current Republican leadership.
We must never forget that we need to attract the votes of people who voted Republican in 2004. Many, probably most, of these are hard working people. This includes both the working class, many of whom voted for Bush, and businessmen and professionals who also put in an honest day's work. Some of them are also minorities. While Ken Mehlman is doing an excellent job speaking to traditional Democratic groups to attempt to grow the Republican Party, Dean is exciting only his base, and risks alienating those we need to attract.
posted by Ron Chusid at 5:17 PM
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