Bill Schneider: Speech was Dean's worst ever

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

once again, to complain:
CNN
One CNN Center, Box 105366, Atlanta, GA 30303-5366
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
----------
Call it a missed opportunity

Posted: 9:29 p.m. ET
From Bryan Long, CNN.com

Howard Dean just gave a speech that CNN political analyst Bill Schneider considers his worst ever. Worse than the infamous Iowa speech with the scream.

"It was a terrible speech," Schneider said. "Dean's speech got worse as it went along. The best part about it was before he opened his mouth."

Ouch. But Schneider's point is the audience loved Dean. They were looking for moments to cheer.

At one point, the crowd roared when Dean mentioned Iowa and then Texas.

Personally, I think Dean would have brought down the house if he had ended his speech saying, "John Kerry is going to win Ohio. John Kerry is going to win Pennsylvania. John Kerry is going to win Florida. Yeeaahhh!"

[madfloridian]

1. It was depressing to the crowd in some ways.

I think they expected more. They wanted to cheer. I heard from a friend on the floor, and they were so eager. I had tears. Rob Reiner had tears, so I guess it is ok for me to have them. I guess we have to win, so we need to be careful.

[madfloridian]

39. To explain my post...too late to edit.

My friend on the convention floor explained it well. People knew he was subdued because he had to be. He was reading words that were empty because it was not his speech.

They were roused to expect his enthusiasm, they wanted to embrace it, but it was not there. They understood. But it was sad for them.

BTW, she is not a Dean supporter. She likes him and appreciates him though. But she knew what happened.

Some people are more powerful unscripted, and that can not be tolerated.

[Rabid]

56. Got to be careful

Yeah, God forbod he should speak his mind and be honest.

What are we becoming?

[Doosh]

2. I didn't think it was very good

it was dull, and he seemed awkward up there

[lottie244]

62. I think we was great!!

He said exactly what he needed to say: He was going to work hard to get Kerry elected; and never again should we fear being identified as Democrats!!!

[PROGRESSIVE1]

3. I agree. Dean needed to make a homerun to get the...

crowds going.

[madfloridian]

27. He was not allowed to do so.

I thought people realized that.

[Ravenseye]

61. Sure but...

even though the speech was scripted, other speakers had speeches that were much more...powerfull. Obama wrote his own speech, even though he's normally a totally off the cuff guy, and passed it by the Kerry people who made a couple changes. From what I understand it was his first time with a teleprompter.

Point is, Dean could have put together a bit more energetic speech, unless the whole point was for him to come off duller than ever. Say what you want about Dean, I wasn't a Deaniac, but the guy never seemed that dull and apathetic to me. and....slow....beats....of the....speech....nearly killed...me.

[Torgo Johnson]

4. Personally, I think

Bill Schneider would have brought down the house if he came up on stage and literally fucked himself. But that's just my political interpretation.

[Endangered Specie]

9. ROFL - May I ask how that is anatomically possible?

[ashling]

13. According to our vice resident

it is anatomically possible

[Torgo Johnson]

47. Well...

I was going to type committed seppuku, but felt that was too dark. Besides, committing seppuku implies feelings of guilt.

[jeff30997]

20. LOL!

I just pictured that!ROTFL! Thanks for the laugh!

[Lin]

42. LOL a "lit" f%^&k as opposed to A 'fig f%^*k? Sneider's a ^&*<eom>

[mellowinman]

48. THAT would've been GREAT!

BEST POST OF THE NIGHT!!!!!!!

[mandelion]

5. We have to be careful because of swing voters

And I am sure he was warned to keep a certain tone. I am sure they warned him to not give any RW media the chance to hurt the party any more than they have already.

They have our support; they want to get everyone else's.

But I liked his speech anyway.

[NYCGirl]

6. I'm sure everyone wanted a real "red meat" speech, but

perhaps Howard was advised that if he wanted to stay in politics, he'd have to tone it down a notch and not give the "pundits" any extra ammunition.

[jeff30997]

23. So i guess...

It was a "Tofu" speech?:)

[NYCGirl]

34. LOL! Yep, the swing voters' tofu version. (eom)

NT

[Pastiche423]

35. Perhaps?

lol

I think you can bank on it.

[NYCGirl]

37. I think you're right.

:hi:

[FlashHarry]

7. It was pretty poor. However, Obama/Reagan/Heinz-Kerry overshadowed it.

Dean looked really uncomfortable. In a way, it was a good thing--rather than stealing anyone's thunder, he paved the way for the above-mentioned speakers.

[gardenista]

8. I think that was the whole idea. nt

[madfloridian]

26. Yes, it was the idea. He was not to overshadow.

It was not his speech, not a word of it. For now he is doing things properly.

[Vox_Reason]

10. Agreed

I agree. Dean's speech was one of the most forgettable of the night. That's too bad, but I think he's done more than his share to get the party to where it is today in this campaign. I never really warmed up to Dean--Kucinich was always my long-shot guy--but I appreciate what he's done to energize progressives in America.

[stavka]

11. It was REALLY weak......

[shanti]

12. aha

THAT'S why the threads about dean's speech have been non-existant...

[Uzybone]

16. LOL

exactly what I was thinking. You know the diehards would be posting in full force if it was otherwise.

[Cha]

46. Dean's done a lot for the party as you probably witnessed

by the long standing O for him at the Democratic Convention!

[MercutioATC]

54. Actually, most of us "diehards" know that it wasn't his speech, and

we're feeling a little robbed that the Party we've supported wouldn't let their biggest asset do what he does best.

Nice cheap shot, though...

[LTR]

14. I thought it was a bit bland

Dean's a good speaker, but this one was pretty forgettable.

[Cheswick2.0]

15. I think he was exhausted and was given a speech writen

by other people who didn't get him. If he wasn't so busy carrying water for the party he could have writen his own speech and it would have been much better.
Did you also notive his was not on the teleprompter like everyone elses? Very odd.

[madfloridian]

41. Not on the teleprompter? You are right.

I did not notice, but he was having to shuffle papers a lot.

[Cha]

44. Yes, I noticed and wondered about that! In fact I asked

in another thread or somewhere..why Dean didn't have the telepromter like everyone else. And I think so too that they weren't his words and you could tell. But I think he looked healthy and good.

[bhunt70]

17. I was also unimpressed, but worst ever? I don't think.

He had a very impressive welcoming though. I think there is a lot of respect there for him, for what he's done and said.

[John_H]

18. I thought Dean did a good job for someone reading a speech

written by someon else's speechwriter. He tried his best to make it sound like Howard Dean, but it just wasn't going to happen.

[Jim Sagle]

19. I thought his speech was quite good, actually.

You have to go by what was intended.

[Jim Sagle]

21. I thought his speech was quite good, actually.

You have to go by what was intended.

[jeff30997]

28. Double post. There's a problem with the server.

I guess too much trafic.

[WI_DEM]

22. Cheney Schneider, it was a good speech

it was the speech that the Kerry people wanted and I actually thought he got better as he went on.

[madfloridian]

24. Some on this thread think it was Dean's fault?

And that is why folks are staying away? Then you do not really understand what is going on. If you think the speech being boring and sad was because he wanted it to be....think again. The speech writers were Kerry staffers, once Dean's, but Kerry staffer's now.

The speech was not even written very well. It was not his speech and it showed.

We have been asked to back off and let the party have it, so we are mostly honoring that "request."

It was not a bland speech because he wanted it to be.

[Cha]

31. And who cares anyway? The crowd gave Dean

a big thanks with a standing O and Dean looked healthy and good.

It could have been a better speech but on the scale of things it really doesn't matter.

[madfloridian]

36. It matters in one way.

It means they took the message, exact words which they use now, of a powerful voice.....and then he was subdued. The words of the speech were awful.

It was not even written well. He did not write it, and it showed.

At least he is speaking up elsewhere during the week. He did his job, but the passion had to go.

Sadly, a lot of our Dean email group lost theirs tonight as well. A party does not have to lose its passion to win. Others are saying the same words, but they don't sound the same. I have seen a lot of people and heard from a lot of people who fully understood what happened tonight.

Don't worry, though. He is not over.

[Cha]

43. Yeah, I know what you mean...I think he could have

written something himself that was a more worthy tribute to John Kerry than whatever words were put in his mouth. That's what sounded so fakey. It's like they were trying to write what he would say but not quite making the mark.

[Cheswick2.0]

25. I don't think letting Kerry staff write his speech as a very wise move

just saying

[madfloridian]

29. There was no choice??

The speeches were written by staffers, approved, and tone was set.

[depakid]

30. What did anyone expect?

The Kerry camp and the DNC took away his stock and trade- he couldn't go up there and be the fiery orator we're all used to without his material... could you?

I'm sure it was very demoralizing. He said what he needed to say and was gracious in a very difficult situation. What more can you ask for?

[Cha]

33. Not much!

I was very gratified to see the People give him such a warm reception. But it's Kerry's show now.

[Rose Siding]

32. My Schneider record stands.

I haven't agreed with him about anything yet!

[Zomby Woof]

38. I for one

Have never been ashamed to be a Democrat, and I resented the implication it is something we EVER had to apologize for. What the fuck was that about?

[TeacherCreature]

59. give me a break pretty please

People on DU have been crying out for democrats to grow a spine for almost four years. They have called for someone to speak out and stop enabling everything bush does. Dean expressed what people wanted to hear and other candidates, started giving his stump speech once they saw how it played.

In your amusing and never ending attempt to smear Dean you have made yourself look foolish. He was calling out to democrats just like all of us here who feel the party has spent 3 and 1/2 years being bush enablers. He was also reaching out to democrats in red states who feel like they have no representation because their occasional democratic party politicians support bush's aggenda more than not.

Your hatred of Dean speaks more to your confusion than anything else.

[MidwestTransplant]

40. I agree. Obama ROCKED though!

[Must_B_Free]

45. It lacked conviction in delivery

but what do you expect. Dean was the choice and had it stolen from him.

In retrospective, Kerry is a much better sale to the people whose support we need though. Kerry has it all - he's a christian, he's a jew, his wife is strong, she's an immigrant, he's a genuine war hero, athletically capable, musical.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

52. LOL that's pretty funny cliff notes resume

[wabeewoman]

49. I was so looking forward to

Dean's speech. But I had heard that Bill Clinton's speech was the only one not vetted by Kerry. Dean did sound like he was off his message-pretty much like someone had poorly strung all his lines together. Still, it was nice to see him. And I loved the welcome.

[dsc]

50. I wouldn't go that far

but Dean writes his own speeches for a reason which was demonstrated tonight. He can't fake sincerity and thus can't deliver other people's words very well.

[Melodybe]

51. I just wanted a few moments that made me believe in him, and I got it.

I know some people here didn't like Dean's speech and don't think that it was up to par but I disagree, he went out there because he loves his country. He read those lines because he loves his country, he wants John Kerry to win b/c Dean UNDERSTANDS that failure is not an option. I loved him more than ever because he set his own agenda aside and he wanted to help our country. Like usual Dean is doing what has to be done, and when he said that Mississippi democrats should be proud, no matter who wrote what: Dean was saying that to ME, I felt inspired and hopeful and I can't ask for more.

God bless Dr. Dean for loving our country so much.

[REP]

53. I Agree

Maybe it was just because I was just happy to see him give a speech, but I didn't think it was all that bad. I thought I saw some authentic Dean creeping out from behind that speech, but again, that might have been wishful thinking.

[0007]

55. Fuck Bill Schneider, who in hell does he think he is?

Bill Schneider is nothing but a first class shill for the White House.

[bklyncowgirl]

57. Dean: Subdued but not that bad

Dean's was one of the few speeches I saw on the C-Span reruns. I'd been out to see Kerry in Philly and got home late. While I don't think it was the worst speech ever, I thought he was quite subdued and maybe he's a guy who doesn't do subdued well. It may have been an emotional moment for him. I also wonder if that pile of papers he was carrying was his way of showing that he was reading a speech prepared by others--just in case people didn't get the teleprompter thing.

MSNBC's announcing that Dean will be on with Tweety talking about censorship of speeches at the convention. I expect he'll do the good soldier thing and support the decision to limit free speech--including his own--but who knows he might just be pissed enough to speak his mind.

[Eurobabe]

58. Earth to Bill PNAC: No one give a shit what you think

n/t

[Orangepeel]

60. Okay. So?

I love Howard Dean. I worked my ass off for him as a meetup leader, phone caller, letter writer and sign waiver. But who cares if he gave a poor speech? In particular this situation, he was the warm act. Nobody but political junkies even saw the speech and the convention crowd was certainly happy with it.

[CWebster]

63. Too risky to raise the roof and upstage Kerry.

Wouldn't be that difficult, after all. Dean had to rein it in.

[bhunt70]

64. but I'm not sure he would have upstaged Bill or Obama

and possibly Edwards (we'll see tonight). Why reign one guy in, and not others?

[CWebster]

65. Because Dean's campaign resonates with the base

as Kerry's competition in the race for the nomination.

[janx]

67. The Kerry campaign made a mistake.

Dean could have raised the roof AND given that much more support to Kerry if he had had the opportunity to write his own speech.

[Tracer]

66. I was anticipating Dr. Dean's remarks last night ...

... because I'm an unrepentant Deaniac (who will vote for Kerry).

It seemed to me that he wasn't even reading from his "speech". Yes, he had a bunch of papers (that he never glanced down at), but I thought that he had ditched the "speech" and was giving an impromptu address Ñ which I thought was fairly disjointed and uninspiring (for Dean). No, it was not one of his best.

Smarmy Bill Schneider has never had a good word to say about Democrats and never will.