Attacks on Dean Expose Democrats' Shift to the Right

[Classical_Liberal]

Attacks on Dean Expose Democrats' Shift to the Right
Stephen Zunes


In one of the relatively few policy differences that have brought serious fireworks to the campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, former Vermont governor Howard Dean has been attacked by two of his principal rivals as well as the House Democratic leadership for calling on the United States to take a more "even-handed role" as the chief mediator in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.




Dean declared that the United States should work to "bring the sides together" and "not point fingers" at who is to blame. Says Dean, "It means bringing them together in a constructive way."

However, Senators John Kerry and Joseph Lieberman have denounced the former Vermont governor for his moderate stance. Senator Lieberman went as far as to claim that Dean was essentially calling on the United States to "compromise our support for Israel," and that taking a more balanced position in the peace process was tantamount to "breaking commitments to longtime allies."

Dean has dismissed such attacks, pointing out accurately that he is a strong supporter of Israel and that his position on Israeli-Palestinian issues is essentially the same as former President Bill Clinton........

http://www.tikkun.org/magazine/index.cfm/action/tikkun/issue/tik0311/article/031103e.html

[Scott Lee]

1. Fantastic. A writer that gets it.

And if you want evidence, look no farther than the daily sliming of Dean here on DU. When you scrutinize other positions of Deans regular detractors here, you discover they tend to be establishment, old school democrats who have definitely swung to the right on several issues.

To give credit where credit is due, Dennis Kucinich's remark about representing the "democratic wing of the democratic party" has found fertile ground in Dean's candidacy. The Democrats need to remember what it's like to oppose the rightists again, rather than imitate them.

[Demobrat]

2. I thought it was Wellstone who said that.

But you're right either way.