Anybody see Howard Dean on Face the Nation ?

[kentuck]

I thought he did a good job. Bob Schieffer asked him "where is the Democrats plan" in regards to an exit plan for Iraq? Dean responded that no one expects a Congressman or a Senator to come up with a plan - that is the job of the Commander in Chief. Dean also said that Bush and Rumsfeld have shown they do not know what they are doing.

[Carolab]

1. Good answer. Better than what he was saying before.

About not being able to leave now that we're there. I understood what he meant but I didn't want to hear it.

Better he puts the burden/blame where it belongs.

[Carolab]

10. Is there a link anywhere? n/t

[madfloridian]

11. Here is a link to the transcipt and video clip.

There is another video clip up at Crooks and Liars. The transcript is in pdf format. I took the liberty of snipping the part where Schieffer demands that Dean and the Democrats come up with a plan, and HD reminds him that the president is the commander in chief. Note that Dean is now admitting we need to start planning to get out, but he puts the burden on Bush....refuses to let Schieffer force a plan from them.

It was misinterpreted by many here as "the dems won't make a plan", but he is correcting Schieffer. I will post more snippets as I know some do not read pdf files.

Transcript of Face the Nation with Howard Dean

SCHIEFFER: Well, I'll go back and ask you about that in a minute, but I know the president
said, and I think it was just this week, giving a timetable for leaving Iraq would be the worst
thing we could do because it would just tell the people who oppose us there, `Look, all we have to do is hang in till they leave, and then we're OK.'

Dr. DEAN: We need to leave. We're not going to be there forever, I hope. We're not going to be there forever. So the question is: What is a reasonable way to get out? And that's--we have no answers from the president on that at all. He keeps saying--well, his administration appears to be divided. Some of the generals have said, `Well, we can withdraw some of the troops, perhaps as many as 30,000, after the elections.' We have others saying, `Well, we're not going to leave.' These people do not know what they're doing. They didn't know what they were doing when we got in, they had no plan then. They have no plan now. They do not know what they're doing.

SCHIEFFER: Why do you suppose it is, though, Governor, that while people are losing confidence in the president's handling of the war that--and every poll suggests that--why do you suppose that people are not buying what Democrats are saying? They don't seem to be taking too much to the Democrats on that.

Dr. DEAN: I think they are buying what Democrats are saying. I think people believe that we need a plan to get our troops to come home. I think that people do understand now...

SCHIEFFER: But if may say so...

Dr. DEAN: Sure.

SCHIEFFER: ...I mean, saying we need a plan. I mean, sure, you need a plan, but do you
have a plan? Is anybody working on a plan? What would you propose?

Dr. DEAN: Well, Bob, the president of the United States is commander in chief. It is up to him to come up for a plan. You can't expect a congressman and senators who don't have the
same access to intelligence as the president does to come up with a plan to withdraw our troops from Iraq. We look--the president got us into Iraq 'cause people were willing to trust the president, even some Democrats were willing to trust the president in assuming he knew what he was doing. The problem is now that there's ample evidence to say that they didn't understand what they were getting into and they still don't know what we're doing there.
They changed their goals. The troops are still not properly equipped. The constitution looks
like it may take away freedom from the Iraq people, at least half of them, instead of added to
them. What we need is a plan from the president of the United States. You can't expect a
particular senator or particular congressman to have a plan. Only the president can do that."

Basically this is the same approach they took about the Social Security privatization....putting the burden back on Bush.

[Metta]

2. Refreshing as opposed to Joe Biden on Meet the Press.

I was pleased that HD continues to name the Bush administration and their policy as failures in everything except in lining the pockets of their base. He's very sharp, too. Schieffer couldn't get him to betray himself.

[jasmeel]

3. How about how he dealt with the Naral issue. He just said the

Naral ad is a distraction. The real issue is knowing as much as possible about judge roberts! Perfect!

[kentuck]

7. He also said he didn't agree with the Swift Boat ads...

which was a good connection to remind people of the double standard.

[xchrom]

4. oh so it's the responsibility of the democrats to rescue bushco, tim?

that was a very good response of dean's.

[kentuck]

5. Not Tim? Face the Nation on CBS

Bob Schieffer

[FreedomAngel82]

6. Sounds good!

I love how Dean is a straight shooter. He knows how to do the press. He should teach some other democrats about how to deal with the press.

[me b zola]

8. I saw it & also thought he did a great job

He said that there are at least four very troubling areas about John Roberts that the WH needs to explain about his nomination & release relevant documents. He said it would be within the Senate agreement to filibuster if the WH doesn't provide documents and/or cooperate with the committee regarding the troubling areas.

He slammed the WH pretty hard, but did it in an irrefutable manner.

He said shrub should meet with Cindy.

He said that religion has no place in a science classroom, that this president has done much to undermine science.


I thought it was a GREAT appearance by Gov. Dean!!!!!!! :loveya:

[madfloridian]

9. He as much as said we can't afford to attack Iran.

We squandered our resources. We gave them 5 years to build up their strength, while we were in the wrong country....paraphrased.

His best interview ever.