Transcript of Gov. Dean's remarks at DNC winter meeting

[sfecap]

Remarks By Gov. Howard Dean
Democratic National Committee Winter Meeting
Washington, DC

February 21, 2003

(snip)

One of the things I thought was terrific about Bill Clinton was that when he became president in 1992 he said that his Cabinet would look like the rest of America. And he did it; and he did it.

(applause)

I want all of our institutions of higher learning--our law schools, our medical schools, our best universities--to look like the rest of America, and I thought (applause), I thought that one of the most dispicable moments of this president's administration was three weeks ago when on national primetime television he used the word quota seven times. The University of Michigan does not now have quotas; it has never had quotas. Quotas is a race-loaded word, designed to appeal to people's fears of losing their jobs.

(cheers, applause).

I intend to talk about race during this election in the South, because the Republicans have been talking about it since 1968 in order to divide us, and I'm going to bring us together, because you know what, you know what? White folks in the South who drive pick ups with Confederate flag decals on the back ought to be voting with us and not them because their kids don't have health insurance and their kids need better schools too.

(cheers, applause).

We're not done yet.

(cheers).

Yeah!

(snip)

http://www.gwu.edu/~action/2004/dnc0203/dean022103spt.html

Golly...February, 21, 2003....I don't get it? Where was the outrage?

Where was Kerry? Edwards? Gephardt? Sharpton?

Selective outrage, borne of desperation. Karl Rove is very pleased tonight.

[LuminousX]

1. That has to be false

This is such an outrageous statement he made, that the DNC couldn't have applauded it. Dean is a svengali!

[LuminousX]

2. kick

:kick:

[boxster]

3. The difference is in the wording.

This time, he said he wanted to be "the candidate of the guys with Confederate flags...."

Before, he said, "White folks in the South who drive pick ups with Confederate flag decals on the back ought to be voting with us and not them because their kids don't have health insurance and their kids need better schools too."

"The candidate of the guys..." sounds like he wants to represent them.

"White folks..." sounds like he thought they should be voting Democratic for other reasons, such as health care and education.

Frankly, there's a huge difference in those two statements. As such, there is much more room for interpretation in his recent remarks. He should have repeated what he said the first time and saved himself a lot of grief.

[LuminousX]

4. It wasn't said in a vacuum

When you see it as part of his message that he has been saying since February, it is crystal clear what he means. Desperation changes perception though. I understand. If I was in KerEdGep campaigns, I would be leaping on this opportunity as well. Time is short and if they don't make some major dents in Dean now, he will walk away with it.

The thing is, don't you see that Dean is controlling this whole game. This is what pisses me off about Kerry. Kerry should be in control. Kerry should be setting the agenda items. What the hell is wrong with his campaign?

[boxster]

7. I don't think it's desperation.

Frankly, there's little reason for desperation. I'm not sure why many, many Dean supporters (and supporters of other candidates, as well) think that Dean is a dead lock for the nomination. Far from it. He's in 4th in SC, and other candidates, Bill Clinton included, have won the nomination without winning Iowa and NH. Dean winning is most certainly not a foregone conclusion.

When you see it as part of his message that he has been saying since February

Yes, but please understand - the vast majority of the public has not been paying the same attention to Dean's every appearance as people on DU. And the media works in sound bytes, so sound bytes are what the public is going to get. I don't think Dean's in as much control as you might think.

I, too, am surprised Kerry isn't showing stronger in the polls, etc. Lately, I've come to the conclusion that, in some ways, our field of candidates is almost TOO strong, so it's difficult for many of the presumed frontrunners to get the results they'd expect.

[LuminousX]

8. vast majority of the public has not been paying the same attention

But the other candidates have and it is the other candidates who are making this an issue.

[helleborient]

12. It seems clear to me...

In the first statement he wanted to be their candidate as well...and he wanted to represent them.

Representing a group of people is not the same as endorsing everything they believe in.

Basically, I think the Democratic Party, like they indicated with their applause in February, would love to be the party of the people Dr. Dean is speaking about...and you don't have a prayer of changing their ideas on the Confederate battle flag without including them in your circle.

Do you really want to go through federal troops sent to the South and fighting governors standing in doorways of schools to fight the Confederate battle flag?

Can't we just give a try at fighting it with delivering on better jobs, health, and education?

[LuminousX]

13. Using Hope instead of Force?

Far better to alienate them, pretend they don't exist, mock them. Eventually they'll come to their senses and give up supporting Republicans and racism.

[cindyw]

5. KERRY HAS PROSTATE CANCER AND WAS A LITTLE BUSY

:thumbsdown:

[LuminousX]

6. And didn't bother having his staff read the transcripts or watch the tape

[Pavlovs DiOgie]

9. He should have seen Dr. Dean for the cure

Kerry is a day late and a dollar short on most every issue.

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10. He does?

I thought he was over that.

Gee..if he has Prostate cancer, maybe he ought to see the Doctor.

Does Prostate cancer affect the voicebox? He said NOTHING for 9 months. Now it's an issue with him?

Kerry is a fake.

[DianeK]

11. well, well,

here we are again on the day after a democratic debate and look who we are talking about..i would say that the good dr is very much in control