Will Dean Bring New People Into Politics?

[Composed Thinker]

Can he get some new people to become active in the political process? I think so. He's the first candidate, as many of you know, to fully utilize the Internet. Others are starting to copy him--a very wise move--but he'll always be the first. And he's got gall; he's not afraid to go after Bush. That's a promising level of excitement. I think Dean will run as far as he can with it.

[rabid_nerd]

1. False argument.

Every candidate for every office gets some new people to become active in the political process.

He does not "fully" utilize the internet. There is yet to be a candidate who does.

[CatWoman]

3. isn't this being discussed here?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=128&topic_id=2809&mesg_id=2809

[Composed Thinker]

5. Then let me rephrase that

He's used it in ways no other candidate has. I think he'll be able to energize apolitical individuals.

[rabid_nerd]

9. Again, no...

and perhaps yes. Every candidate is using it in ways no other candidate has.

However, MoveOn.org and MeetUp.com cannot be counted as objects of the campaign.

The credit goes to the people behind those websites.

The voters are using the internet like never before, not the campaigns.

(I like playing word games, can ya tell? :P )

[Composed Thinker]

10. But can you honestly say others have been as successful as Dean?

[rabid_nerd]

12. Yes

George Bush

[Composed Thinker]

18. How has he used the Internet?

[ryharrin]

7. Well then how about a revised question.

Will Dean bring more new people into politics than the other candidates. I say absolutely. I think you might just not like the question because Gore has already brought all the new people into politics that he will ever, so this is not one of his advantages.

[rabid_nerd]

13. I disagree.

It's a completely academic, unfounded argument.

I believe Gore would inspire more people to be positively involved in politics.

[ryharrin]

17. Why?

How many people that he didn't inspire in 2000 will be inspired now?

[poskonig]

8. I'm glad Gore invented the internet.

Without Gore, Dean would not be where he is today. :evilgrin:

[rabid_nerd]

11. Sarcastic Title aside,

you're absolutely correct. No Gore, no internet-exactly-as-we-know-it-today

[realFedUp]

2. Why do you always sound like Chris Matthews?

You ask a question and then answer it.

Who are you?

[CatWoman]

4. OMG!!!! Tweety has infiltrated DU!!!!!!

Hide the blonde hair dye!!!!

[Composed Thinker]

6. "You're watching HARRRDBALLL!" Ha, no

I'd like his money, though.

[imax2268]

14. I sure hope so...

The last election debacle got me heavily into polotics...hopefully more are getting involved now especially how * has raped the country.

In the words of Jack in Batman...

THIS TOWN (D.C.) NEEDS AN ENEMA...!

[lkinsale]

15. I'm new, but it was Graham who brought me in, not Dean

And it wasn't the internet where I found out about Graham, it was the Washington Post. It was the net that put me in active touch with the campaign, though.

There's a big world out there outside the net.

*****

Contribute to Graham For President (Enter "Laura Kinsale" as your BobCat if you want to give me credit toward my pledge to raise 1k for Bob. Still need 1 $25 contribution to meet my goal this week!)

[redeye]

16. Two answers

The short answer is that like everybody else who's ever run, he will.

The long answer is that he'll bring many more people into politics than other candidates, especially Kerry, Graham, Edwards, and Lieberman, no bash intended. The best evidence I can offer is the Seattle meetup a while ago, when Dean asked how many of the 1,200 people there had never been involved in politics and about half raised their hands (I think that 600 out of 1,200 is representative and un-anecdotal enough).

[killbotfactory]

19. He already is.

And I think he will continue to do so.

People have been wanting, for years, a candidate who is socially liberal and fiscally responsible. Dean is one of them.

People like candidates who don't bullshit them. Dean is one of them.

[West Coast Democrat]

20. Isn't that what Nader and his supporters claimed?

that he would get new people interested in politics, and more people to vote. I didn't see that happen.

However, I will say that my Nader-devoted neighbors--who had "Nader2000" bumper stickers on all of their cars for the past 4 years--have just recently removed these stickers and replaced them with "Kucinich 2004" stickers.