Howard Dean answers his critics, dismissing them as the "old Democratic Party"

[DeepModem Mom]

LAT/AP: Howard Dean Defends 50-State Strategy
By MATT GOURAS, Associated Press Writer
November 17, 2006

TETON VILLAGE, Wyo. -- Democratic chairman Howard Dean on Friday took a swipe at Washington critics who questioned his strategy of spending money in all 50 states, dismissing them as the "old Democratic Party."

Basking in the afterglow of last week's election victories, Dean told the state party chairmen who were among the biggest beneficiaries of his strategy that it was an approach marked by Democratic wins at all levels of government.

"It was a great win for what I call the new Democratic Party," Dean said in a speech to the Association of State Democratic Chairs. "This is the new Democratic Party. The old Democratic Party is back there in Washington, sometimes they still complain a little bit."

In recent days, political strategist James Carville, best known for his work on Bill Clinton's campaign in 1992, has assailed Dean, saying he left too much money in the bank that could have been used to seize an even larger Democratic majority in Congress....

"The people who complain always get the headlines," Dean said, adding there are other high-profile Democrats who support his initiative. "But the fact is that this strategy not only works, it works in states Democrats have given up on for 30 years.

"We cannot give up on anybody."...

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wire/ats-ap_top14nov17,0,3458811.story?coll=la-ap-topnews-headlines

[Cooley Hurd]

1. K&R! FDR smiles from the beyond!

:bounce:

[rodeodance]

57. you bet

[4morewars]

2. Ha !

Best comeback yet !

[AIJ Alom]

3. Let'em have it Howie !

[buddysmellgood]

4. Booo YAAAAAA! Howard Rocks. Kick and recommend.

[texpatriot2004]

5. yeah, the passe party aka DLC nm

[blm]

6. Call them what they are, Howie - the COVERUP wing of the Democratic party.

There are alot of OLD Democrats who don't agree with the COVERUP wing of the Democratic party.

[Seabiscuit]

43. I for one am an old Democrat who joined Dean's "New Democratic Party" in 03

I don't care if he calls the Carvilles and DLC'ers "The Old Democratic Party" at all. It's the perfect dismissal of their failed strategies.

[blm]

53. As long as Kennedy, Kerry and others aren't lumped in with the COVERUP CROWD

who actually pushed aside the traditional Democrats in their effort to play nice with BushInc in 1993.

That worked out well for the party, didn't it?

It's long been said that the 90s was about replacing Kennedyism with Clintonism. Clintonism brought us Bush2 administration.

[Seabiscuit]

55. I wouldn't think of lumping them in with that crowd.

I'm not positive what actually brought us Bush2. Perhaps it was just a ditz named Monica. :)

[blm]

59. We lost Congress before Monica - and wouldn't have had Clinton pursued outstanding

matters of IranContra, BCCI, Iraqgate and CIA drugrunning. No takeover of congress, no impeachment. It ALL relates. Fock - we could have had healthcare by now, and full environmental protections had Clinton just opened those books when he took office.

[deminks]

7. Dr. Dean still speaks for me.

We had a dem beat out an incumbent rethug here in Kansas. Every state matters. Every dem matters. The DLC just plays games with people and money. The DLC never got me a dem rep.

[RadiDem]

15. Doctor Dean speaks for me too!

[smoogatz]

8. Go Howard. It was an honor voting for him back in the '04 primary.

Maybe again, someday.

[Seabiscuit]

44. I would vote again for Dean in a heartbeat - unless his opponent was Al Gore

But I'd rather not see him run again - I think he's the ideal man to chair the DNC, a position I hope he retains for a long, long time.

[smoogatz]

45. I think you're right.

Howard would also make a fine Senator, IMO.

[Seabiscuit]

56. Introducing the next Senator from the great state of Texas, ladies and germs:

I give you.... HOWARD DEAN!!!!

(ROOOOAAAAAAARRRRRRRR!!!!!!)

:)

[mom cat]

9. "We cannot give up on anybody"

Now that is a winning strategy if I ever heard one!

[Nite Owl]

10. As usual for Dean

the perfect answer!


:applause:

[CharmCity]

11. Dean challenged the definition of insanity...

You can't do the same thing, cycle in and cycle out, and expect different results. I'm thrilled that Dean is heading "out there," and that he's spending in 50 states. We can't keep trying to cobble together presidential victories depending on Ohio or Florida... we need grassroots support that's broad and strong. God bless Howard Dean.

[democrank]

12. Love it.

Dean is once again rocking the boat and for good reason.

[Vickers]

13. This guy has stones that DLC Dems can only dream of.

Go, go, Dr. Dean!

As somebody mentioned in a thread last week, the Repukes even ran a guy against Ted Kennedy.

[melissinha]

14. He was also positive not condescending, very classy

He could have made a personal attack or taken a defensive tone, but this classy man just put a positive face on the victory by defining it as the New Democratic Party and saying "they still complain a little bit", he didn't take the bait.

[DeepModem Mom]

17. Beautiful, wasn't it? I know a man who was a mentor to young Howard...

a liberal, religious man, actually ("We cannot give up on anybody") -- and I think of him when Dean rises to the occasion like this. And, he came from a privileged background, unlike SOME we know, with class.

[melissinha]

23. lucky you

there's a real shortage of classy gentlemen here in Texas...


just hope Deano keeps it up...

[MoonRiver]

16. GO DR. DEAN!!!!

We love you! Don't every go away!! :kick:

[Senator]

18. Old Dems == Carville's Cult of Silliness

Actually, Gov. Dean, we can give up on Carville and his fellow LieberDems among the DC/Euphemedia Analstocracy.

--

[Cha]

19. So Dean spent his birthday in

Wyoming. Did he leave "money in the bank" to get him started immediately on the 2008 election?

[applegrove]

20. Is the theory that one has to hold back money for those Southern

States where not enough funds will ever be raised to fund the campaign there? So you have to hold back money? What is the theory behind the brouhaha?

[newsguyatl]

21. *smack down*

dean's tha man

[OzarkDem]

22. Old school Dems from the days of lost elections

Progressive grassroots Dems are the new Democratic Party.

[w4rma]

24. The link has gone bad. (nt)

[eviltwin2525]

25. THAT is the Core Democratic Value....

"We cannot give up on anybody." You cannot sum up what it means to be a Democrat any better than that.

[amb123]

42. I see bumper sticker!

:think: :think: :think:

[populistdriven]

26. what did carlying say about kerrys left over cash?

well... what did he say?

[W.E.B. Du Bois]

27. Dean fouled up

Had he spent more money on the close races, there would be more Democrats in the House. Maybe Harold Ford Jr. might have won.

[MichiganVote]

30. That's nonsense.

[madfloridian]

34. No, they wanted money for more attack ads on TV.

They had already spent 3 million on one race...IL 06 which Rahm referred to this week as possibly being a win if Dean had given more. That is just not fair at all. 3 million...enough. And Rahm had spent about half a million to get someone out of the race who had an on the ground setup in motion already.

Dean was doing his job. Rahm should have been able to pull out a win there. Dean gave extra for on the ground GOTV, but not for TV ads.

[fooj]

40. If Harold Ford Jr. didn't spend most of his time PANDERING to the conservatives

Perhaps, then, he might have won.

[CTLawGuy]

47. Ford lost becuase he tried to out-Republican the Republican

and you can't do that as wel learn time and time again.

[Irishonly]

50. I agree

Although I don't live in Tennessee I have a good friend who does. I was surprised at the intensity of his dislike for Ford. I don't believe it was because he is too conservative. My friend felt Ford was so critical of the democrats he may as well have changed parties. According to my friend, democrats became "those" liberals. He told me many people voted for another party rather than vote for Ford. He saw little to no difference between the two major candidates politically. BTW, is anyone else having problems getting the check spelling feature to work?

[LaPera]

68. Total & complete bullshit! Carvilles & DLC talking points The DNC did give Ford

money, but there were candidates in other states that won with Dean's 50 state strategy that would of NEVER had a chance...under the same old DLC plan that Rove targeted quite successfully with republican owned electronic voting machines...don't believe it check out this...

http://electiondefensealliance.org/

But Dean threw Rove & the Republicans off...It seems the corporate sponsored & run DLC was going to go right along with the republicans plan of targeting just races the Dems had a chance to win, the republican were sitting and waiting for steal votes with that old dumb DLC tactics.

But the DLC was more diabolical they simply wanted to get their few Dem candidates elected and then easily point the finger at Dean for losing the elections...outs Dean and get Carville (Clinton's boy) or some other DLC asshole in as head of the DNC and push for Hillary at the DNC!

But Dean was too smart & quick for the bastards at the DLC!

Cheers to Howard Dean & all the Dem voters in ALL 50 states!

[Casablanca]

76. Had Carville addressed the hacked voting machine issue, they'd have won more races.

Dean has gotten more Dems into Congress on less money than the DLC, and has saved the money because he knows there are more media battles to be fought and won.

If Carville was serious about unspent campaign money, he would ask Kerry about that $40 mil plus he pocketed in 2004. Maybe Carville and Matalin got a cut.

[emulatorloo]

28. kicking to the top -- kicking carville to the curb EOM

[LittleClarkie]

29. I wonder who the other high profile Dems are that he's referring to

I'd be interested to know. I would assume Kerry is one. Perhaps Clark was another.

[capi888]

46. Think you are right !

I know Wes Clark stumped in the (RED)States that Dean isn't leaving behind, and we won many seats in these states. I am sure Kerry did so too. We now have PURPLE states instead of All Red...so many Dems in those states, didn't feel they had a voice...now they DO. Good for DEAN, hold your ground.

[PegDAC]

74. I would agree about Kerry

He came to South Carolina twice to support our CD1 candidate, Randy Maatta.

Edited to correct typo.

[Laelth]

31. "the OLD Democratic Party"

Now that's what I want to hear. Let the DNC die, already. Famous words (Truman, I think) oft quoted by Molly Ivins: "Given the choice between a Republican and a Republican, the American people will choose the Republican every time."

I hope the "new" Democratic party thrives.

:dem:

-Laelth

[dpbrown]

32. Eight election night failures for the DLC, one success for Howard, and the long knives come out

The "old Democratic Party" is trying to seize the power unto itself that it wouldn't have without Howard.

If the DLC and the attack dogs knew what was good for them, they'd be a little more gracious and a little less dense right about now.

The people are watching.

[unkachuck]

37. sort of....

....makes you wonder if the DLC and the 'Old-Democrats' were/are been paid to 'lose' elections, which they did/do quite well....

[blm]

79. Or get inside and UNDERMINE the candidates by being weak spokespeople and

never showing complete grasp of the issues, like Terry McAuliffe did for four years, and all the DNC spokespeople he used back then. I thought they were just dumb and schooled only in defending Clinton for 8yrs - now that weakness could be seen as deliberate.

[ProSense]

33. Link in OP is now to an article on Boehner. Dean article in the UK Guardian:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6222661,00.html

[DeepModem Mom]

38. THANK YOU FOR NEW LINK TO THIS ARTICLE...

ProSense -- the LA Times has done this to me several times before. When they emerge from their difficulties with the Tribune Company, I hope they turn attention to their website!

[followthemoney]

35. Just the old Conservative wing of the party trying to shake out the...

moderates and progressives so they can lead the conservative core of the Democratic Party in their worship of the Republican Party.

F U and the horse you rode in on, Carville.

[madfloridian]

36. Video clip from Wyoming News...

They sang Happy Birthday to him.

I am amazed at the newscasters who are amazed that a Democratic leader would go there. In other links I saw that Dean was saying they did so well, getting Trauner so close at the end that Cheney had to campaign there in his hometown.

There seems to be a mindset with the newspeople that it is odd for him to be there.

http://www.localnews8.com/news/local/4682301.html

The news was polite, credit for that.

[Cha]

61. That was just the most perfect

speech I could have heard on Dean's birthday..he's too cool for school. :)

"The New Dems who don't criticized each other after a win..congratutlate and GET TO WORK.".. paraphrasing I'm sure.

"Tip O'Neil who says all politics is local but the overriding issue was Iraq". And that's hit each and every town.

What a cool place to spend his birthday..I love it.

[autorank]

39. Way to go Dr. Dean ... don't listen to the naysayers... n/t

[earth mom]

41. New Democratic Party has a nice ring to it!

Bravo Howard! :applause:

[DirtyDawg]

48. Gore/Dean '08

...I propose that they two of them simply enter the primaries as a 'ticket'...it'll wipe the floor with any other dem candidate. Of course, it'll be hard to deflect the onslaught of the AIPC-financed opponents, but it'll win in the end and will have been worth it.

[greeneyedboy]

69. that is my dream ticket.

[ananda]

49. Don't forget Texas next time!

Go Howard... and make sure Texas
is included in your 50 state strategy
next time. We're ready!

[Lilith Velkor]

51. Is Dr. Dean making a sly reference to Rumsfeld?

That's fucking brilliant! :rofl:

Well done, Howard! :applause:

[The Backlash Cometh]

52. Yeah! Old Guard Dems. Who needs them?

[FredStembottom]

54. Dean still speaks for me!

I said it before and I'll be saying it in the future!:toast:

[survivor999]

58. Dean is a hero. Carville could not even be his butler.

In terms of pragmatic acumen and honesty.

[Hawkeye-X]

78. Hell, in my opinion

Carville wouldn't even get a janitor job.

Not even if he divorces Matalin

He'll probably wind up flipping burgers and being ignored.

Hawkeye-X

[Straight Shooter]

60. Dr. Dean speaks for me.

That's why the DNC gets my money. Because I know it will be used wisely under his stewardship.

[Tarc]

62. Dean sees things long-term

While the Carville's do not. Sure, we probably could've netted 45+ seats by concentrating funds in the traditional battleground realms. But what Dean is doing is laying the groundwork for a solid future, which you do by building up strong support at the state and local roots.

[NVMojo]

63. But where was Dean with the $10 million line of credit for guys like

Jack Carter? And many, many others who ran in this election? Stuffing money into state parties where it is wasted? No wonder people are pissed off. All of our candidates needed $$$ to win. Not to be left standing out in the cold why Dean did his 50-state strategy. I can tell you in Nevada, it was all but wasted on the rural reps.

[bahrbearian]

71. Line of Credit is not, Cash in hand,, Lets pay as we go.

Otherwise were are just going into Debt.

[sampsonblk]

64. Dean speaks for me-nt

nt

[Arugula Latte]

65. Great response, Howard!!

That's right! They are the dinsaurs, roaring angrily because their time has come and gone.

You -- and the people -- are the future of the :kick: party!

[nankerphelge]

66. Amen Brotha...

Dean deserves nothing but credit and praise. He's doing exactly whet I hoped he would.

[ShotInTheDark]

67. Zing!

For all their efforts, the old Democratic Party deserves a nice warm cup of shut the f' up!

Oh, I see, it is NOW that you desire to lead?

Really, you Bush appeasers are ridiculous.

You didn't win one goddamn race for us this election cycle.

So get you head out of your ass and look at the scoreboard: Dean, and the electorate for that matter, won big with the 50 state strategy.

Besides, those who voted Dems into office are sick to death of the old dem's armchair quarterbacking.

Wow, good thinking on that one champ! Like anybody wants more of the same bullshit that got America into this mess in the first place.

We will NOT stay the course of the last twelve years---the course of the old dems. We will not maintain or support the all too familiar balance between tyranny and appeasement.

The American way of life is far too delicate, for such neglect.

America has decided to go in a different, better direction. And frankly, any direction is better than the old way espoused by you and your antiquated counterparts.

For all your toil and boil, you've done nothing but consistently lose the hearts and minds of Americans at the ballot box, so for chrissakes don't cry like babies when you have to stand on the sidelines and watch the real boys play the game.

We desire leadership; you deserve to be benched.

[Cha]

73. You have a "ZING",

yourself! "Oh, I see, it is NOW that you desire to lead?

Really, you Bush appeasers are ridiculous."

[hijinx87]

70. I am sooooo glad to hear from Dr. Dean.

and very relieved that he is still in fighting trim. :applause:

[japple]

72. Howard Dean="New and Improved Democratic

Party." He speaks for me.

[m_welby]

75. 'New' Dem party meme will win over more of the public.

The media and the pubs have been discrediting the Democratic party for so many years people have stopped listening. A 'new' democratic party won't be dismissed out of hand by people who don't pay that much attention. These days especially, with the republicans looking worse and worse a reinvigorated Democratic party is just what we need. Dr. Dean is smarter than these beltway blowhards.

[opihimoimoi]

77. Dean is my MAN...a Patriot ......smart too....the man for the job for sure...

[Sturmrabe]

80. Loosing Howard Dean would be a tragedy for America!

Well maybe thats overstating, but when you have "beltway insiders" pissed off that means you are doing something right, and connecting with the REAL America...

Dean was the only one who would go on the Daily Show and when Jon Steward pressed him on what the agenda was he actually busted out with some real salient points rather than vagueries...

He is on the shit-list for not being a Clinton insider, as its was said somewhere else, and I'm glad for it!

The Democratic party cannot afford an unsympathetic candidate, and certainly cannot afford such a republican-galvanizing like Hillary... lets get some realism here folks, first lets see if a woman can get in as a VP before you start getting them to run for Prez, cause say all you want about equality, if the majority of the people won't vote that way you are handing over the election...

Pragmatism owns idealism every time.

Dean did more in the last 3 years that any democratic leader in 15, hands down. Clinton you say? thats one election, how many did Dean help to win? too many for me to care to try to count!