Dean Defends Record as Governor of Vermont

[wtmusic]

Howard Dean dismissed the latest criticism against him by rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination as "Washington claptrap" and said criticism has escalated as his surging campaign built momentum.

"I think it's because they think I'm in the lead," Dean said.

The latest assault came Sunday in a speech in Cedar Rapids in which Rep. Dick Gephardt, in a pitched battle for Iowa's labor vote in January's caucuses, said Dean was too eager to cut social programs for the disabled and funding for children in poverty during his 12 years as Vermont's governor.

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Politics/ap20031123_716.html

[Skwmom]

1. I think the "powers to be" are hedging their bet

that Bush will win in 2004 by helping to nominate the Democratic version of George Bush. Dean is definitely willing to play the corporate game as demonstrated in Vermont. The one thing I now for sure is that these people do not put all their eggs in one basket. They always have an alternative plan.

[KaraokeKarlton]

3. Nonsense

just like nearly everything you post about Dean. I find it ironic that you are constantly claiming that people are being "fooled" by Dean yet you are the one who keeps repeating the inaccurate comments that Kerry and Gephardt repeatedly make about Dean.

[sandnsea]

2. Defends record???

Vermont's got a fine record on social services, but it's also true that Dean raised taxes alot and also made alot of cuts. And he seems to have to learn the hard way with implementing Medicaid HMO's that Gephardt somehow knew wouldn't work. Anyway, I don't see how this article defends anything.

"My response is this is a guy with no executive experience and who has never made a tough decision," Dean said."

"Dick is great at criticizing, but what has he accomplished?" Dean asked. "This is more Washington claptrap."

And then this:

Dean said Gephardt, D-Mo., former Democratic leader in the House, has been talking about expanding health coverage for nearly 20 years, but nothing has happened.

Most of Vermont's health care plans are federally mandated. They just had a higher rate of insured people to start with so it wasn't as difficult to cover more people. Even Dr. Dynasaur was implemented because of a federally mandated program back in 1987 to cover pregnant women and children up to age 3, then a few years later age 6. I know Kerry was involved with many of these health care initiatives and undoubtedly Gephardt was too, he's a decent man who has done enormous good for this country.

They just don't deserve to be maligned this way in order for Dean to score political points. This is the behavior I would expect of Rove.

[KaraokeKarlton]

4. Anyone who governs or is president has to make some cuts

Dean also lowered taxes more than he raised them...but ONLY when it made sense to do so. Clinton also gave Dean a Medicaid waiver so the state can run the program different from what is usually federally regulated.

Dick Gephardt is the one who came at Dean first with the attacks, and they were lies on top of that. Dean won't just sit there and "take it". He's going to hit back twice as hard. Dean's "Bush Lite" comment was very mild compared to the attacks being hurled at him and he was just saying what those who were listening already believed. The others are lying through their teeth and just making things up by butchering quotes and hoping it will stick if they hurl it out there enough. That's the difference. Dean is only criticizing what the others actually did. The others are claiming Dean supports things he doesn't and are saying he is against things he's always fought very hard to make better.

[PSU84]

5. Will the best candidate win?

I am so frustrated right now. With each passing day, it becomes
more apparent that if Dean gets the nomination, he will be portrayed
by Rove & Co. as a draft-dodging gay-marriage loving, Northeastern
liberal who does not represent "middle America" and who can't be
trusted with defending the nation from terrorists. Nothing I have
seen or heard of Dean in the last 10 months has changed my initial
impression that he has no chance against Bush. The GOP could not
construct a more ideal opponent if they had tried.

Meanwhile, we have in Wesley Clark a candidate who has no "social
issues" baggage that can be used against him in attack ads; whose
credentials in foreign policy and national security are vastly
superior not only to Dean's, but to Bush's; who is articulate,
intelligent, and (not unimportant to some voters) handsome; who has
spoken passionately in defense of civil liberties, affimative action,
protecting the environment, extending health care to all Americans,
improving education, preserving Social Security, reaching out to our
allies instead of isolating ourselves from them, and of using force
as a last resort rather than as the "easy" way to solve problems
abroad. And yet the press remains obsessed with "gotcha" journalism,
and the public hears nothing except how Clark's campaign "has failed
to fulfill its early promise." I am just so angry and frustrated
right now - mainly with the press coverage of this campaign - that I
feel like kicking the furniture.

I just can't stand the thought of a second Bush term. It will mean
privatization of Medicare, budget caps for Medicaid, turning Social
Security from the last remaining secure income for the elderly into
savings accounts that will be totally inadequate for the majority of
people, untold destruction of the environment, and further limits on
basic civil liberties. We can't let this happen! We are in a unique
era of history in which the policies of the last 70 years that have
done so much to reduce poverty, to provide for the poor, the elderly,
and the disabled, to protect the air we breathe and the water we
drink from pollution, to ensure fair access for all Americans to
education, employment, and houseing all are under attack from people
whose ONLY concerns are cutting taxes, giving favors to their
corporate friends, and pandering to the fears and prejudices of the
voting public.

We have seen the Bush agenda in reckless tax cuts for the rich, huge
subsidies for favored industries (see the execrable energy bill now
before the Senate) and the Trojan Horse that is the medicare bill - a
cheap, inadequate drug benefit that is merely a distraction intended
to hide the steps toward privatization, the huge subsidies and direct
payoffs to big business, the means-test for the poor and the caps on
spending that lurk inside. Can we really endure 4 more years of
this???

I don't believe we can, and I don't believe that Howard Dean can
prevent it because he simply isn't electable. Wesley Clark not only
CAN be elected, he DESERVES to be elected! We all just have to work
more to realize that goal. There is so much at stake for all of us!!!