Doing Dean A World Of Good

[sfecap]

Doing Dean A World Of Good

By Richard Cohen
Tuesday, November 11, 2003; Page A25


Back when I covered Maryland politics, Baltimore was the state's true capital (not Annapolis) and the Baltimore Sun was the state's most important political newspaper. Every once in a while, the paper would unload a blistering attack on some hack politician who would invariably react as if he had gotten the Nobel Prize or, much more welcome, a fistful of cash. To his constituents, any enemy of the supposedly liberal and haughty Baltimore Sun was a friend of theirs.


It is amazing that most of the Democratic Party's establishment, which has fallen back into a stop-Howard Dean formation, does not grasp the lesson I learned lo those many years ago. The more Dean's opponents attack him, the more he is adored by his supporters and the more it enhances his anti-Washington credentials. Every time they give him the kiss of death, it amounts to mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. He revives and comes out fighting.

This happened just recently when Dean's opponents cuffed him around for saying he wanted to broaden the appeal of his campaign to encompass "guys with Confederate flags in their pickup trucks." It was not the most felicitous of political statements, and Dean, after insisting he would not apologize, did so. That supposed debacle was quickly followed by two critical union endorsements, the raising of another $5 million and Dean's decision, applauded by his followers, to reject federal matching funds and finance his own campaign. Another "bad" week like this and he'll be choosing his running mate.

(snip)

Each time, Dean's opponents pounced. This has been especially true of Sen. John Kerry, who must somehow slip the noose awaiting him in New Hampshire. As the senator from next-door Massachusetts, Kerry was supposed to win New Hampshire and then, by virtue of his stunning résumé and shocking good looks, proceed to the convention in Boston, where the nomination presumably would await him. Over and over, Kerry has pummeled Dean, but the Vermont Kid just keeps getting stronger and stronger

(snip)


Dean stands on the verge of a knockout -- a winner not only by virtue of his own prowess but by his opponents' swinging hard at him, missing each time and hitting themselves hard on their own glass jaws. They are the supposed heavyweights, but Dean, more and more, is looking like Rocky.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24525-2003Nov10.html

[meegbear]

1. DUPE

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=689744

[realFedUp]

2. It's a dupe in another forum...

as you know, it happens often.

[sfecap]

3. Oops! Sorry 'bout that!

Mods...lock it if you like...

[RetroLounge]

4. He doesn't care. it's a pro-Dean thread and he can't

stomach any positive Dean threads, even if it IS in a diff forum.