Howard Dean is the ONLY Democratic Candidate WORTH FIGHTING FOR!!!

[rcglenn]

Imagine early 1992, the first thing Americans heard about their future President was that he was a 'player'. They heard he went behind his wife and sexual molested women. This "so-called corrupt individual" went to Iowa and placed fourth. Then he went to New Hampshire and placed second. This man then went on to win the nomination and the Presidency of the United States. In politics a minute is a day and a week is a lifetime. Bill Clinton proves that if you speak directly to the American people you CAN overcome! I am disappointed in Dean for going negative in Iowa, however, I am more disappointed in the Democratic voters of Iowa for abandoning their party and voting for candidates that support much of Bush's agenda but talk bad about it behind his back. WE CAN NOT WIN in 2004 with an inside the Washington beltway Senator. Proof comes from history, even JFK (the last senator elected President) barely won.

DEMOCRATS>>>>>>>>>>>> PLEASE VOTE YOUR CONSCIENCE. If you are an intelligent human being (which NO one in the media is) you will logically think through Dean's personality and realize he is giving the Democratic party and others a jolt again. The Johns (Edwards and Kerry) co-opted Dean's outside the beltway speech to win Iowa. Dean has completely changed this race despite his poor Iowa showing. I will fight for Dean to the bitter end (win or lose). I just beg of you to really look in your hearts and imagine Dean taking it to Bush in the fall debates. And just imagine a man of courage taking back the White House, it can and it will happen with Howard Dean! Just imagine a man who is willing to step up when everyone else is too scaried. Kinda funny how all of the candidates grew balls once Dean really got in the race. Just think about it!

[Hep]

1. Now everyone credits Dean with inspiring people, yet weeks ago

they couldn't stop attcking him. Assholes is the word we use for that behavior.

[BOSSHOG]

2. Oh my!

I guess General Clark and Senator Kerry didn't have any balls when they were being shot at in Vietnam. They just "grew them when Dean entered the race." I'm taking your advice - I'm thinking about it and I'm also going to VOTE MY CONSCIENCE.

[GalleryGod]

5. My thoughts exactly, Boss!

Here's an additional Question?

As To The Guv'nuh's committment to Anti-War:
October, 1969? Did Dean march?
November, 1969 " " "
May, 1970- Post Kent State- Surely- Dean must've marched!?
April,1971, Vietnam Veterans Against the War, "Operation Dewey Canyon III" Surely,Dean must've....OH,hell..:shrug: nev-er mind.

G.G. :smoke:

[Hep]

7. What a dumb set of criteria you have set up.

I was against the war in Iraq and I didn't waste one minute marching or demonstrating. Frankly, I think it's stupid.

Oh well, I guess it's all about vanity for some.

[BOSSHOG]

13. Criteria which offers comparative analysis

The original poster suggested Dean had balls. Okay. When did he get he get them? When he was protesting the war in Vietnam like Senator Kerry did? When did he oppose the shooting of students at Kent State? Was he working to get First LT Wesley Clark and his men brought home from the war in Southeast Asia? Criteria is far from stupid. It allows one to make a choice. If you are to lash out, please do so at the original poster. Howard Dean did not serve. I don't hold that against him. Kerry and Clark did serve. Don't hold that against them, even though Senator Kerry ONLY GOT x AMOUNT OF PURPLE HEARTS.

[Hep]

14. Talk about flip flopping!

Kerry joined the war and then ran away from it.

Dean has had balls all through his campaign. Balls enough to say what he thinks. Balls enough to be himself without trying to kowtow to everyone. Balls enough to fight against the right wing control of discourse, all while Edwards and Kerry freely gave up.

Who cares if he did or didn't march? I don't march. Many don't march. Doesn't mean anyone wasn't against the war. Some people think marching is a waste of time.

Senator Kerry got as many purple hearts as it took to flee the war. He didn't wait around to get another. He jokingly called himself "The walking wounded" because he got THREE purple hearts and missed all of TWO days of service. I don't hold his service against him. I hold his touting of his service after wimping out of the war. He served as long as it served him. Then he quit and acted out against it. Best of both worlds I guess.

[BOSSHOG]

18. Fled the War? Wimped out?

Senator Kerry wimped out? He served as long as "it" served him? Then he guit? He acted out against it? Because he knew, first hand about "it"? In a bizarro world you are right. There are those who think that Governor Dean is the testosterone monster in this fight. You would have to have experienced both worlds to have the best of both. Those who can do that - do that.

[Hep]

19. Hey, I'm not saying I wouldn't do the same thing, but

when he talks about his buddies in the boat, he doesn't talk about how he left them behind.

[BOSSHOG]

21. Left them behind?

You are creating a lot of questions. Why is that? Left them behind? Are you spending too much time with Limbaugh? Please share with us the events describing LT Kerry leaving his men behind. And please, and I know this will be difficult, stick with the facts. As Mark Twain once said, "always tell the truth and you will never have to remember anything."

[Hep]

23. He left in the middle of his tour

Three purple hearts and you are eligible for discharge. Even if you get a purple heart for getting nicked on the arm. Three purple hearts and TWO DAYS of missed service. And then, BAM, gone.

"When you're on a boat in vietnam, no one asks where you are from" he said in one of the debates. I can only wonder if they ask where he went.

[Capn Sunshine]

16. Sorry, Clarks actions make him suspect

to sign up for a career in the military while participating in Vietnam without so much as a post card of regret, makes him a part of the problem.

At least Kerry learned something there.

Which is the Rhodes scholar again?

[Cassandra]

22. He got them when he had to campaign in a bullet-proof vest

after signing the civil union bill.

[lurk_no_more]

29. From one that "DID" march

It was neither a waste of time or stupid to voice my opposition to the war by marching and I find it insulting that someone without the conviction to show an outward display against the war would have the audacity to belittle those that did while sitting on their asses like so many others.

Maybe if you or the other "I hate the war in words only" crowd would've taken the time or effort to get off your sofa and do something positive instead of just watching the world go by, another war like this would not happen again.

For those like dean that think it's enough to just say they were against the war and have those of us that actually did protest believe their lies is bullshit.

dean was as much for the war as any of those that did sign the IWR, the fact that he didn't do it is only because he wasn't allowed to.

You can live in deanial all you want, the truth is dean was in favor of every war except for Nam and that is fact not fiction. The difference between the IWR and Biden/Lugar means nothing in the final outcome.

You want to stick up for dean because like you he did nothing to oppose the war that's fine, but don't make lite of those of us that at least tried to stop it.


And then there were none!
” JAFO”

[Hep]

6. Kerry was nicked

and fled the war.

Three purple hearts, THREE, and a total number of TWO days of missed service. He gets out toot sweet, and leaves others to dodge those bullets.

Can't say it isn't what I would have done, but I wouldn't exactly tout my Vietnam experience.

[Capn Sunshine]

15. One thing about guys who went to Vietnam

they either learned the hard way what the military industrial complex is all about and came home in a box, or lost a piece of their morality and their sanity...

or they went into politics

[Hep]

17. or they went into politics

how is that different from losing morality and sanity?

:)

[displacedtexan]

3. Bill Clinton was not my first choice in '92

not liberal enough. Harkin was my choice.
But I campaigned for and voted for Clinton, and he was great!
If Dean is the only one worth fighting for, we're sunk. The general election season is a lot longer than the primary season.
Let's keep our eyes on the prize.

[library_max]

10. Well said. Thank you. /nt

[On the Road]

4. I'll Vote for Dean, Too

and I agree he is the major candidate least controlled by the establishment. I support Dean and just made another small contribution.

But seriously, there's no need to phrase it in terms of the other candidates being unworthy of fighting for. This just fuels the Hatfield/McCoy aspect of the primaries.

[GalleryGod]

8. Hope you get a chance to.

I respect your position,just not his.

[FreeperSlayer]

9. I'll vote for Dean

Or ABB!!!!

BUSH OUT!

[Nicholas_J]

11. Dean

Has never fought for anyone or anything but Howard Dean. THere is no record of him supporting anyone or any social plan in his history as governor, but of spending all of his efforts as governor in attempting to cut all social programs, and cut budgets to medicaid and other social prorgrams, he opposed gay marraige and so opted out for civil unions, killing the legislation that those with real courage in the Vt Legislature put forth to provide gay marriage, risking their political careers. Dean played it safe. Deans history as Governor is noted by many Vt Progressives and Liberal Demcrats,

No one said it better than these people:

Howard Dean: the Progressive Anti-War Candidate?
Some Vermonters Give Their Views

I know that a lot of you are going to vote for Dean -- he talks a good game; he can be charismatic and charming. But I'm warning you. This man will tell you what you want to hear, or at least tell you something that has some little kernel of something that you can interpret as support for the things that are important to you. But when the time comes to stand up and lead on the issue, to take on the money interests and backsliders in his own party, that stiff little spine will turn into a slinky.

If you vote for him, it's your job to stand behind him with a poker and keep him headed in the right direction. Don't give him any honeymoon period, either--keep the pressure on from the second you drop that ballot in the box. The minute you relax, he's going to turn right back into what he really is...a privileged, arrogant, middle of the road republican. Put your political energy into getting some truly progressive folks into the House and Senate, and into State legislatures around the country so that there will be more pressure from more directions. We need to get together our sophisticated progressive thinkers to develop policy ideas in every area, so that we're ready with real, well-thought out counter-proposals for the incremental changes a Dean administration might put forth. If you feel you must, support Dean, do--but then go do the work necessary to make real change.


http://www.counterpunch.org/jacobs08292003.html

And if you want an accessment of Dean political leaning from his closest advisor, who has advised him politically for 30 year:

It’s Business As Usual, Starring HOWARD DEAN


"The joke among a lot of Vermont Republicans was that they didn't need to run anyone for governor because they basically had one in office already," said Harlan Sylvester, a conservative Democratic stockbroker and longtime adviser to Dean.

(St. Petersburg Times, July 6, 2003)


http://www.optimalprime.org/archives/001435.html

Dean has done a clever job convicining people to vote for him.
Especially clever was his finding a means of appealing to new voters, but convincing them that he supports the thing most imprtant to them.

But there is absolutely no evidence from Deans entire career as governor, lt governor and before that indicates that ther is any possibility that Dean will actually follow though with even one element of his campaign platform.

It is this alone that caused Iowa to do a rapid turn from Dean, as evidences of his past performace were compared to his campaign speechs, as well as evidence being presented of his repeated failure to follow through on campaign promises.

This is what is happening in New Hampshire now, with Deans polling numbers falling daily, and those of other candidates rising, as the truth of Dean actions as governor is reported in the local papers for the public to examine, and compare to Deans words.

Dean needs a massive win in New Hampshire to sustain his campaign. A small win will not do it.

[Hep]

12. Big surprise, Kerry supporter has nothing good to say about Kerry.

Go figure. It's how I felt all along.

[killbotfactory]

20. Dean is the best candidate.

And he doesn't even have to cite phantom statistics promoting him as the best chance against Bush.

[Nashyra]

24. I still like Clark better than Dean but

I'm glad that Dean is doing a good job. He is telling it the way it is. I don't think he is finished by along shot. These commentators are just whore, I have got to take a shower after this over.

[ThirdWheelLegend]

25. Yes vote your conscience... Vote Kucinich..

All the things you want are exactly what Dennis Kucinich is about, not Dean.

NAFTA?
Patriot Act?
Continued illegal occupation of Iraq?
Not cutting military spending but balancing the budget? (bye bye social programs)
Pro death penalty?
Keeping the profit in health insurance and leaving millions uninsured?

That is not my conscience.

On the other hand:

Canceling NAFTA and reworking FAIR trade agreements that protect the environment, promote standards of living, and protect worker's rights.

Repealing the Patriot Act.

Getting our troops out of the illegal occupation of Iraq.

Providing health care for ALL, removing the system of profit from health insurance.

Cutting the bloated military budget to provide education support among many things.

Those are things that would be VOTING MY CONSCIENCE.

[molly]

26. LOL!!!

I just watched John Kerry on C-Span - a man with class and conviction and compassion!

[UTUSN]

27. Really????????? No Dem Would Be Better than Shrub??? n/t

[bread_and_roses]

28. DK more so

on every issue. Why fight for Dean, when you could fight for the real thing?