Presumptive Dean Assumes He's Won Nomination Despite Flag Flap

[DJcairo]

This is how the Bush campaign believes they can defeat us. If we accept federal matching funds -- and the $45 million spending cap that goes with it -- they will have a $155 million spending advantage against us. From March through August, they will be able to define and distort us, and we will have no way to defend ourselves.
http://www.deanforamerica.com/

Excuse me, but you haven't won yet and the flag flap ain't going away soon, especially in light of your 1/2 apology. I'd like to say, for the record, this is the moment when the Dean cmapaign f**ked up. Assuming you've won the nomination three months before anyone has voted is one thing, but on the heels of the most racially divisive remarks from any of the candidates, including Bush, takes real cajones - or real arrogance.

[Northwind]

1. The nomination is his.

Period.

Nothing you or anyone else can do about it. Cry as much as you want. Dean is it.

[Name removed]

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[soleft]

32. you look fat

[Octafish]

29. LMFAO

Says who? You? Dean? All there is so far is talk. Talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk. Not one vote in not one caucus in not one primary has been cast.

Until then you and Ho-Ho can talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk all you want until you're blue in the face.

BTW: What's Ho-Ho ever done, besides talk?

[GreenArrow]

37. Dean ain't it

Try Kerry. With Clark (or possibly) Edwards as his second. Dean is simply an alienating figure.

[Name removed]

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[La_Serpiente]

4. Hey DJ Cairo

You know what DJ. I have been wavering between Dean, Kerry, and Clark.

An aricle came out today in the New York Times where they did an interview with George McGovern. Here it is:

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/05/politics/campaigns/05TALK.html?ex=1068613200&en=7b100c6930af6c0e&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE

He discussed all the candidates, but he hit it on the money with what he said about Kerry.

He expects Senator John Kerry "to be a very strong candidate," though Mr. Kerry "hasn't caught on as quickly as I thought he would." The principal problem with the senator's campaign, in Mr. McGovern's view, is the vote he cast in favor of the Congressional resolution that authorized use of force against Iraq.

"If he's having second thoughts now, as he seems to be," Mr. McGovern said, "he should say straight out that he was deceived."

Now I am not saying Kerry should apoligize nor do I think he should say he is deceived. I just want him to explain his war vote.

He could put up a video on his website explaining his war vote.

I mean, the war vote is really the main reason why so many Democrats went to Dean.

We had a discussion about this before here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=620926

Do you think you could explain his war vote? Because I really would like an explanation.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

6. Anybody who doesn't already understand what Kerry has to say

about that vote, isn't going to understand it no matter how many times Kerry explains it.

[arcos]

8. same thing applies to Dean and his confederate flag remarks... n/t

[Feanorcurufinwe]

10. Agreed, even Dean seems to understand what he said now, he apologized

[helleborient]

23. Read the Cooper Union speech....

The apology is for the way in which it was said, not for beginning the conversation.

The conversation that has begun is an extremely important one in this nation.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

27. You are right he didn't apologize till later

The Cooper Union speech was just more of the same Dean hubris.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

36. Well at least the smart voters are keeping notes on Dean's shifts

while the less critical ones are getting a snow-job.

[a_lil_wall_fly]

28. helle.....if I was one of Dean staffers before the Rock the Vote event

knowing that the flag statement was a hot issue...wouldn't it have be wise and prudent to have some to counter that attack on Dean and then turn Edwards solid attacks back on Edwards. Cuz no one will be able to truly shake off Sharpton.
Dean half heart apology and then the Cooper Union speech--shows that Dean's senior staffers have some issues of research and speech writing abilities. With all the HARD EARNED MONEY in his coffers from around THE USA you would think he would afford stellar writers and researchers!!!!
He needs to fire whomever gave him the idea of the FLAG line and show to the people that he doesn't have tolorance of ass-backwards rheotric.

[helleborient]

34. His supporters were very pleased with both

The Rock the Vote appearance and in particular the Cooper Union speech.


Polls have shown no negative impact at all from any of this.

Why again should handlers and speechwriters be fired?

[La_Serpiente]

9. Oh geez

well, I guess Kerry just lost my vote.

[Ediacara]

25. you just don't get it

Kerry refuses to say this:

"Bush lied to me, and I was too stupid to realise that if I gave him an inch, he'd take a mile."

WHEN Kerry says that I'll wear Kerry bumperstickers on my clothes from head to foot every day until the election day.

Don't you understand that that's the problem people have with the war vote? All your pontificating about how reasoned and nuanced his explanation is means fuck-all, because no matter how he nuances his explanation, it's still lame.

Until he says he was hoodwinked by untrustworthy warmongers, he'll lose a significant portion of dems.

[dsc]

5. at the debate last night

in the video he submitted, your candidate said "When I am President . . ." did he f up too?

[arcos]

7. of course he didn't!

his name isn't Howard, so he would never fucked up.

[SahaleArm]

11. Dean's now front and center on Drudge.

That was quick: http://www.drudgereport.com/

Someone get this man some handlers:).

[ClintonTyree]

12. You'd prefer..................

someone with handlers? George Bush must be the man for you then? I prefer a candidate that can think out of the box, on his own. Staying within the box hasn't reaped rewards for the Democratic Party lately, has it? Yeah, let's play it nice and safe and not ruffle anyone's feathers. That's the sure road to victory. :eyes:

[SahaleArm]

13. I'd prefer a candidate that thinks before he speaks.

Dean is not very cognizant of Southern politics and it's shown in his speeches. Presidents don't shoot from the hip.

[dkf]

14. If Dean is accepting matching funds he has to stop raising $

Apparently, he's already at the ceiling.

[Lexingtonian]

15. Hubris is kind of funny, though

The paranoid note within the appeal really says it all, doesn't it?

I think Christmas is going to be the last truly happy day in the Dean camp. Their slide is going to be long and painful, and it's best not to even think about the whining we're going to get subjected to.

[lastliberalintexas]

22. Do you really think that was paranoid?

Or is it just because Dean said it?

If you don't think that our nominee (whoever that turns out to be) is vulnerable during the time period after the primaries up to the convention, then you haven't been paying attention.

As much as I want COMPLETE public financing of campaigns, I think Dean, Kerry, Clark and anyone else who has the ability to raise substantial sums MUST opt out. Shrub's $200 million makes it a necessity unfortunately. So just call me paranoid too.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

35. It truly will be a painful wailing

for us all outside the Dean camp.

[MercutioATC]

16. What candidate hasn't said "When I'm President..." or "That's why I'm

going to be your next President."? Are you really THIS desperate for ammunition? Hell, short jokes would make more sense than this.

[Padraig18]

17. MMM hmmm..

What you see are signs of desparation from the supporters of flundering candidates. :hi:

[9119495]

18. Its about time DJ

The Dean campaign must make its decision soon or fundraising grinds to a halt. As democrats we should want our candidates to make the decisions that will best allow them to take on Bush in the general election--which for him starts during our primary. I would support a decision from any candidate on this issue if it allows them to compete after the nomination is sewn up. Whoever wins, it will more than likely be decided early.

[Nazgul35]

21. Yep....

Let's ignore the fact that Dean is the first non-incumbent dem who has to face this problem in such a crowded field....after all, he's peeked, going to flame out, had a major fuck-up...that's why he's having such a hard problem trying to figure out what to do with all this cash being thrown at him....

What you don't hear people saying is that after the flap began....6000+ people signed up at MeetUp for last night, when every the news covers this all you hear is Dean...Dean...Dean....without any full discussion of the other dems....and the fact that as I have talked and watched TV, many...many....many....MANY people have expressed the same two thoughts over and over again...

1) Why are they getting so worked up....it's silly and I knew what he was trying to say....

2) I give him credit for trying to bring people together.....

two horrible things for a candidate to be portrayed as huh....

Let the other Dems continue to practice the politics of exclusion and race-baiting...Dem style...it'll all be over soon for these screetching mimi's.....if they have the sense to drop out and stop doing further damage to the party's chances come next Nov...

somehow, looking at how they're acting now, i'm not going to be expecting anything from them....

[LuminousX]

19. Ever play a sport?

The coach tells you not to think in terms of if, but when. Never doubt you are going to accomplish your goal.

[Name removed]

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[cindyw]

24. So now Dean has to raise all of his funds.

Can someone explain how the matching funds work. Do they come in the primary or in the general. Is the limit 45 all through the campaign? Does this mean that if someone takes them, and they spend 25 million in the primary that they can only spend 20 million in the general? Does money spent by the party count in that limit?

[helleborient]

26. The limit only applies to the primary season.

There are different limits and rules for the general.

If Dean, Clark, Kerry, or whomever is the presumptive nominee by March...I would hope they have more than 45 million to spend against Bush's 200 million between March and summer.

[sfecap]

30. Here's how it works...

(Simplified version...)

Candidates who are qualified to receive Federal matching funds are limited to a maximum spending cap of $45 Million during the Primary campaign. They cannot spend, nor may they collect more than that.

During the General campaign, the spending limit is about $74 Million for the 2004 election.

bush has opted out. That means he may collect and spend unlimited funds in both the primary and general eclection cycles. For instance, he could spend $100 Million during the primary against an opponent who is limited to $45 million because they accepted Federal matching funds. The problem is that with the enourmous amount bush has raised, he can cause his opponent to exhaust their funds well before the Democratic convention. (And that is exactly what he'll do...)

More info at: www.fec.gov

None of our candidates should accept FMF, IMO. They are toast if they do.

[mzmolly]

31. So now this is the stuff that controversy is made of?

:eyes:

[CMT]

33. well maybe it is something the other campaigns should think about?

One of the things I like about the Dean campaign is that they do think ahead.

[genius]

38. I saw a posting today about Dean belonging to whites only

"no blacks allowed" club. Does anyone here know anything about that?