Sen Bob Graham (D-FL) applauds Dean's foreign policy agenda as "visionary"

[w4rma]

Graham stands up for Dean at Democratic fundraiser
…
Graham, addressing some of the party's most influential Florida players at a dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel Miami near downtown Miami, defended Dean's foreign policy agenda as ''visionary.'' He also called on Democratic candidates to end their sniping.

''It will substantially weaken our chances for election next November if this primary process degenerates into a squabble among Democrats,'' Graham said.
…
In his remarks, Graham echoed the sentiments expressed this week by Dean in his first major foreign policy address -- that the capture of Saddam Hussein does not mean the war was a success.

''There was no question that we would find Saddam Hussein,'' said Graham, the former chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee who built his own candidacy around the belief that President Bush was undermining the war on terrorism by focusing on Iraq. ''We have not caught Saddam Been Forgotten,'' he said, slightly flubbing a line he's used before in referring to Osama bin Laden.
…
Graham abandoned his failed bid for the White House and is retiring from the Senate after three terms, but his oldest daughter now works as an advisor to Dean. Tuesday night's speech seemed designed to help push Graham into contention as a vice presidential running mate next year should the former Vermont governor win the nomination.
…
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/politics/7512416.htm
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=274192

[Cooley Hurd]

1. Bob Graham deserves a lot more respect...

...than he's been shown. I think he would make an excellent VP candidate.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

8. too bad Dean couldn't follow that advice

when he disparaged Graham as a 2nd tier candidate.

[KaraokeKarlton]

10. Well, depsite how great a guy Graham is

which Dean acknowledged in the comment you're talking about....

Graham WAS a 2nd tier candidate. The fact that he dropped out first would support that. Graham obviously doesn't hold a grudge, so what are you?

:shrug:

[LuminousX]

11. LOL, just another case where Dean was right

while others were spinning their wheels.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

12. Dean apologized

but it was still a revealingly punkish thing for him to say.
And the gloaters whom I won't respond to do Dean a disservice to justify the trash talk.

[w4rma]

2. FYI, Graham is chairman and founder of the Senate New Democrat Coalition

WHAT GAVE IT to him this time, he tells NEWSWEEK, was his experience last year overseeing a joint House-Senate inquiry into the events of 9-11. Graham says he became “outraged” by the intelligence and law-enforcement failures discovered by the inquiry—most of which, he charges, are still being suppressed by the Bush administration. The inquiry’s 400-page report can’t be publicly released because the administration won’t declassify key portions. Graham says the report documents far more miscues by the FBI and CIA than have been publicly revealed, as well as still unpursued leads pointing to “facilitation” of the hijackers by a “sovereign nation.” (Sources say the country is Saudi Arabia.) “There’s been a cover-up of this,” Graham said.
http://www.msnbc.com/news/879530.asp
http://www.democraticunderground.com/cgi-bin/duforum/duboard.cgi?az=show_thread&om=16629&forum=DCForumID61

Senate New Democrat Coalition

• Chairman and Founder

http://graham.senate.gov/committees.html

[drfemoe]

13. This guy makes me proud ..

to be a democrat. He has a very loyal and well informed base of supporters.

[rumguy]

3. Graham is a good guy but I hope to God

he's not the VP pick...

[LuminousX]

7. Why? Do you care to elaborate?

I think Graham's experience in Congress would cover some of Dean's weak spots quite well. In fact, it would cover the one element that has been my biggest concern - how to work with Congress. Paul Simon's endorsement of Dean put that to rest and if Dean were to select someone like Graham, I would be completely at ease about it.

[DrFunkenstein]

4. Dean/Graham, Kerry/Edwards, Clark/?

Clark is going to need a Washington insider with a strong domestic background to cover up his achilles heel. I just don't know who it would be.

[LuminousX]

6. Clark/Kucinich

I'm only half-joking. Kucinich really would give Clark's campaign an interesting angle and dynamic.

[TexasSissy]

5. Bob who?

[KoKo]

9. Good find! Thanks for the links.

Glad to see Graham support Dean's foreign policy. He should know, since he's been privy to so many secrets, he's a good one to judge.

[lurk_no_more]

14. Nice word "visionary"

I wonder if Graham knew this?

Main Entry: 1 vi·sion·ary
Pronunciation: 'vi-zh&-"ner-E
Function: adjective
Date: 1648

1 a : of the nature of a vision : ILLUSORY b : incapable of being realized or achieved : UTOPIAN <a visionary scheme> c : existing only in imagination : UNREAL

2 a : able or likely to see visions b : disposed to reverie or imagining : DREAMY

3 : of, relating to, or characterized by visions or the power of vision




Just food for thought from….”JAFO”

[Jerseycoa]

15. I remember this speech

Graham was great. Hillary was terrific. Both gave unity speeches. Then Lieberman got up and tore Dean to shreds. It was pathetic.

[drfemoe]

16. lift n/t

[ldoolin]

17. kick

nt