'Hateful' allegations mar Dean's bid for the White House

[T_i_B]

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/story.jsp?story=473959

Attempts to smear Howard Dean and thwart what looks increasingly like an unstoppable bid for the Democratic presidential nomination grew uglier yesterday. An incendiary television advert highlighted his lack of national security experience and an internet gossip-monger hinted at possible cam- paign finance irregularities.

The smears represented, on the Democratic side, a last-ditch attempt to break the aura of inevitability surrounding Mr Dean's candidacy and, on the Republican side, the opening salvos of what promises to a be a long and bruising fight for the White House.

The advert, aired in the crucial primary states of New Hampshire and South Carolina, mingles sinister music, a close-up of Osama bin Laden's eyes, and a series of slogans flashed up on the screen: Dangerous World, Destroy Us, Dangers Ahead, No Experience. "Americans want a president who can face the dangers ahead," an announcer says. "But Howard Dean has no military or foreign policy experience. And Howard Dean just cannot compete with George Bush on foreign policy." The advert was sponsored by a previously unknown Democratic Party group headed by a former Ohio congressman who has refused to divulge the names of his financial backers. The Dean campaign dismissed it as hateful and cynical, "exactly the kind of ad that keeps people from voting".

The campaign finance questions were raised by Matt Drudge, the internet columnist who hounded Bill Clinton during the Monica Lewinsky scandal, and centred on the legality of foreign contributions to political websites such as MoveOn.org which are close to the Dean campaign and General Wesley Clark's campaign.

[IndianaGreen]

1. The only thing that this will accomplish is in alienating voters

As I said repeatedly, these pathetic attempts by supporters of prowar candidates to do a Willie Horton to Dean may cause irreparable damage to their candidate if he were to "win" the nomination. You ain't going to get people to vote for him. ABB is a fallacy! The war is the litmus test for 2004.

[ithacan]

11. I fear they'd prefer Bush to Dean

I really think that DLC types' worst fear is a successful Dean candidacy.

They would much rather have Dean lose and Bush keep the White House than to lose their own grip over the Democratic Party.

[Khephra]

2. Everyone behind this should be driven from the party

if they do truly end up being Democrats. This is the same shit the Republicans did to Max Cleland. There's no defense of this tactic.

[screembloodymurder]

4. I agree.

If they represent what is left of the party, then Nader was right.

[Nlighten1]

9. I second that motion

[MostlyBlackCat2]

14. I third the motion

They're handing * the election on a silver platter. I've already heard mutterings among friends and coworkers of disillusion and hopelessness, and many of these were enthusiastic about the election a month ago. I'm really worried about the dems fighting dirty so early on. makes it easy for shrub to skate in again. *sigh*

[JoFerret]

28. but....are they Democrats?

not to say that Democrats are all sweetness and light and purity. BUT...does this not smack of Lee Atwater's versions of dirty tricks? Now Atwater may have retracted on his deathbed, but his protege Rove is alive and well and willing to do what it takes.

[Mountainman]

3. The money and brain power should have been used to attack Bush

and Drudge. Move-on should make a big public stink about the fact that they returned the money. The right only tells half the story. We need to discredit Drudge so bad that no one would ever believe him again. I'm sure we have enough brain power to do that but we lack the will to fight I'm afraid to say.

[Khephra]

6. Totally agreed

It seems some Democrats can only summon the will to attack others when it's a member of their own party.

Can you imagine how low Bush's poll numbers would be right now if the Senate Democratic candidates had put this much effort in going after Bush for the last two years?

Now Lieberman is promising us that the time for division between the two parties is now at an end, and under his administration there would be none of the "nasty" partisanship of the last two years.

Yep, that's what I'm looking for in a Democratic candidate. Someone who gets along with Republicans.

[CounterCoulter]

12. Do you remember Newt?

Newt Gingrich went after the President with that kind of ferocity, and look where it left them in 1996 and 1998.

[CTLawGuy]

19. what?

in control of Congress?

[TankLV]

32. HA! Good one!

It's amazing how the "we shouldn't be too critical of bunkerboy" crowd seems to lose site of the FACT/RESULTS of going for the jugular.

Sure failed for the repiggies big time!

Control of both Houses of Congress.
Control of White House.
Control of SOTUS.
Control of more governorships and state houses.
Only 2 or 3 of bunkerboy's HUNDREDS of appointments defeated - with most comming back a 2nd and 3rd time.

Yup - looks like an absolute failure to me!

(sarcasm off)

[ozymandius]

5. Anyone whose fingerprints are on this ad must love tyranny.

This sounds like an ad written by Lieberman or Zell Miller. Seems that they love Bush so much that they would torpedo anyone who does not fill the mold of an "ideal" candidate.

[xchrom]

7. no matter who the dem candidate is

this is the sort of thing that drives people away.
when will dems get the idea not to attack each other -- but to stay on bushco?

[T_i_B]

10. This bit got me...

"But Howard Dean has no military or foreign policy experience. And Howard Dean just cannot compete with George Bush on foreign policy."

Who is behind this? Do they seriously think that this sort of comment is going to provide votes for any candidate other than the $hrub being so lavishly praised here?

And besides, $hrubya was waaaaaaaaaay less experienced in these matters than Dean when he took office and boy does it show!

[patricia92243]

8. Hate tv ads backfire everytime, also

what can we ordinary citizen's do to help discredit old Drudge? Suggestions???

[demdave]

13. You will have a hard time discrediting Drudge,

since he routinely scoops every other news outlet. I know he posts "breaking news" items that never materialize into anything, but he is usually the first with real news. You see it on this very board. How many times will someone post that Drudge has an item but no link and then it takes a half hour for any other outlet to cover the item? So long as he is first with the news, us newsjunkys will keep checking him.

[Khephra]

23. No...Drudge doesn't "scoop" anyone

He gets early copies of the NYT or WP. His "scoops" that end up being really always turn up later that night as pieces for the next day's paper. Those stories don't show up because of Drudge...drudge piggybacks on their work.

[demdave]

24. I really don't care how or where he gets the news

The only thing that matters to me, and MANY others, is the timing. If he publishes the news first, I will read it. That is the whole concept behind our LBN also. Isn't it???

[Timefortruth]

30. Drudge is sometimes first with sludge.

Sometimes, but he is always unbalanced in what he releases.

[Mick Knox]

29. Drudge is awesome

He's fair - he is an equal opportunity slammer. I'll admit I dont know much about him other than his site and I dont listen to his talk show. .. but The number of people who check Drudge then run here and post what they found on Drudge is significant..I see it on drudge, then come here, and its here... but ok.. lets play pretend no one at DU LOVES drudge.

[rustydog]

15. These candidates need to learn to say..

Kiss my ass if you don't like it.

I stand by what I say and if I offended you in any way..LEARN TO COPE.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

16. So not a chance the Republicans are behind this?

Usually Deaners are quick to point out that the GOP fears Dean so much they will do anything to stop him.
Just wondering.

[T_i_B]

18. Well.....

Here are some lines from the ad

"Americans want a president who can face the dangers ahead," an announcer says. "But Howard Dean has no military or foreign policy experience. And Howard Dean just cannot compete with George Bush on foreign policy."

Now how is that supposed to benefit any presidential candidate other then George W Bush?

[Triana]

17. Gephart or who/whatever is behind this is not Prez material..

...and furthermore, Chimpy had NO foreign policy experience when he was court-appointed either, and had never even been out of the country. And, he ain't doing none to well at foreign policy now...

Any Democrat that would put out criticism of another Dem like this is NOT prez material, IMO. They should be criticizing BUSH, not other Democrats. Somebody needs to get their bleedin priorities in order. Gephardt, meanwhile is off my list - he may as well be a Repub. If I later find out it wasn't his campaign, then that may change but for now...I'm going to consider that it was Geppy, Kerry...I will *not* support this and will write off any candidate that does it - Dean included.

[tlcandie]

20. Not to point fingers, but while we sit here and diss our fellow dems

because they are dissing Dean...isn't that the same thing? :shrug:

Maybe we should take a DEEP breath and look at the psychology working here then look at the possibility/probability of the following:

Maybe some Repug-lites were paid to do this via the repugs (after all they are in bed together) OR maybe they did it because they would prefer * over Dean. Does it really matter why?

Either way it points again to a number of articles that have been well written discussing about the change/transformation of the Dem party. Hate and fear during this transition will further only one party and one candidate and we know who that is .. * .

Is it possible that we can hold our tongues regarding each other, take a step back and find another way to resolve this issue? All we are doing, even here, is adding fuel to the repugs fire which will ultimately be used to burn us asunder.

I think we should get to the bottom of it, but stay above reproach and stay above the flak that they are trying to dish out. Be better, more honorable and make the move to separate ourselves from this click.

Reform/transform while holding our honor and integrity staying clear of fear and hate, so that we aren't part and parcel of the cannibalism.

Agree...disagree (I'm sure there will be more than not) it is just my two cents and that isn't much!

This isn't meant with judgment or pointey fingers, it is meant in a true caring way that will hopefully make us stop and think before we further plow into the abyss.

:loveya:

[Chico Man]

21. As long as Dean's candidacy does not end up like the dot com boom

(Another internet driven phenomenon) I'll all for it. But I refuse to join in based on hype and hype alone. I've seen Dean speak live at a fundraiser here in Newport and many times on television. Often times he goes back to the same rehearsed lines.

The question thrown at him during the debate a few weeks ago about "when is it appropriate to lie as president" evidently caught him off guard in an extreme way. If this is any indication as to how he would answer questions he has not rehearsed for we are in for a tough ride against president Bush. Dean looked like a deer in the headlights when he was fumbling around trying to answer that question. I'm sure Bush would have had the crowd in an laughing uproar if asked the same question, and there is something to be said about that, no matter how disgusting Bush is.

Just my humble opinion.

[CityDem]

22. This is childs play

Sure, these ads are nasty and are call into question Dean's foriegn policy credentials. It would be nice if all the dems played nice, but Kerry, Gephardt, et al want to win the nomination and they will use negative campaigning as a tool. And if Dean wins the nomination, he can expect MUCH worse from the Bush* campaign and independent right wing advocacy groups. The repubs smell blood in the water and not only want the white house, but want BIG wins in the senate and house. They believe that a landslide is possible in all houses of government with Dean as the standard bearer of the dem party.

This is spring training for Howard Dean. He needs to prove that he can weather these attacks because the repubs are going to play hardball this next fall.

[Patriot_Spear]

25. The 'ugly' thing is that it's from people who claim to be on our side.

Sad.

[Debi]

27. WASINGTON POLITICIANS...

Are who are behind this ad...funded by Gephardt supporters, PR by Kerry supporters, produced by Clark supporters and enjoyed by * supporters. Alot of people in Washington who don't want their jobs lost when HOWARD TAKES IT TO THE PEOPLE!!

Don't you see it...when the PEOPLE get the POWER back in Washington then the insiders have to go back to haulin manure.

Sad what some will do to keep their jobs....

[Rex]

26. They're right, Deam cannot compete with Dubya's foreign policy

Quite frankly, who would want to? Nobody competes with failure.

[PassingFair]

31. This has DLC

...written all over it. Dean supporters must brace themselves, we knew it was coming, but the Gore endorsement has brought on a kind of early labor pain, if you will. This is just Braxton-Hicks, for those who know birthin'...
Hopefully we'll get through it and deliver a new democratic party.

GIVE 'EM HELL, HOWARD!!!

[Lugnut]

33. Who needs the"Pukes

When you have Dems such as these? It's sickening.