Uh oh...A Dean Cover up?

[in_cog_ni_to]

Howard Dean & Affirmative Action
The Governor's Big Cover Up
By JOSH FRANK


http://www.counterpunch.org/frank11012003.html

In a recent statement released by the organization, Judicial Watch quoted a letter that Vermont State Archivist Greg Sanford sent to the state's Governor's Council in 2002. In that note Sanford claimed that "ambition" is not an ample reason to block access to Government documents. He also pointed out that Vermont's Open Record Laws (V.S.A. § 315) clearly oppose such actions. As the law itself states, "It is in the public interest to enable any person to review and criticize decisions even though such examination may cause inconvenience and embarrassment."

What is Dean covering up? Tom Fitton of Judicial Watch believes Dean is obviously hiding something. "Dean's personal political ambitions and apparent obsession with keeping his public record secret are not consistent with Vermont law," Fitton says "nor are they compatible with principles of transparency and accountability in government."

Although Judicial Watch is a pronounced conservative organization, they are not partisan in their litigation. Last year the group led the effort in attempting to force the Vice President's office to release all information they possessed on Cheney's Energy Task Force.

So how will Sharpton's attacks and Judicial Watch's legal actions against Dean play out? If indeed Shapton's comments do hit home in prominent black communities, Dean's wide Internet support may seem overtly narrow. The ex-Governor may not be the next George McGovern, as some claim, but the next Eugene McCarthy-as Dean's campaign fails to bridge the gap between "white" Vermont and the "black" South.<snip>

[Scott Lee]

1. dupe of a locked thread.

[Scoopie]

2. Can't stand it when

people beat you at your own game, can you?
:P

[windansea]

3. nice counter argument!! n/t

[in_cog_ni_to]

4. This is not a dupe

the locked thread was about something completely different. Sooooooorry.

[windansea]

5. Rev Al nails it

In a statement released this past week Rev. Al Sharpton stated that, "Howard Dean's opposition to affirmative action, his current support for the death penalty and historic support of the NRA's agenda, amounts to an anti-black agenda," he went on to say, "that will not sell in communities of color."

[in_cog_ni_to]

6. I think Al has Howards number.

He knows what's up.

"that will not sell in communities of color."

Maybe that's why Dean had to have white supporters hold up signs that read...African American's for Dean at his Harlem rally? :shrug: Could Sharpton be right?

[catherineD]

9. Did he really?

Is there any video of that?

[SahaleArm]

13. Here's the article...

While the address was billed as a major speech on race, only a handful of the audience members were black. The pre-printed signs, "African-Americans for Dean," were held by white supporters.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0312080163dec08,1,5661319.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-he

[John_H]

7. How obvious does obvious have to be?

I hope it doesn't take seeing Chimp with his hand on a bible to make it dawn on people.

[blm]

38. I know what you mean. It makes me sick to no end

that people refuse to open their eyes.

They are too vain to admit they've been played and we will all suffer for that vanity.

[MoonRiver]

8. I really don't understand why Dean won't release his records,

or give the public a synopsis of what's in them. What makes him different from bush*/cheney in terms of secrecy? If nothing else Dean's hiding this gives him ZERO credibility in terms of calling * on the same behavior.

[catherineD]

10. Yes, it's interesting how he can attack the congressional candidates

for their votes about Iraq (and how do we really know how he would have voted if he were in Congress?) while his own "votes" he's sealed to make sure that no one can attack him. My feeling is that there is no way they will still be sealed by the general election, so we should know what we're dealing with now. If there are going to be Willie Horton ads in the general election, we should know. The records of the other candidates -- their voting records, Clark's performance reports, etc -- are all on display -- so, why not Dean's?

[MoonRiver]

11. It makes him very vulnerable to bush*s rovian attack dogs.

Bush*co can say that Dean had no national security interests to protect, UNLIKE selected resident.

[Scott Lee]

25. Many Clark and Kerry supporters want Rove to savage Dean

It's a very strange phenomenon, really...seen it in lemmings, but can't explain it in humans.

[paulk]

36. Rove won't need any help from Kerry or Clark

And the lemming analogy - that works a lot better for the Democrats following DEAN over a cliff, IMO.

[blm]

41. Dean deserves whatever he has coming to him because he's a liar

and lied about the others and lied about his own actual positions. His campaign rhetoric was coopted from internet message boards and do NOT match his record as a compromising centrist governor who kissed GOP ass for 11 years.

[babzilla]

12. Dean's voting records are not sealed

the sealed records are mostly private correspondences. When will Clark's private correspondences be on display? I hope that my letters to my Senator will never be publicized either.

[mouse7]

15. Dumbya, Lieberman, Kerry, Gephardt, Edwards haven't either

None of the currently serving members of Congress who are running for President have released the their personal corresponsdence and office memos. That's what they are demanding from Dean.

It's complete hypocracy for these people to demand from Dean what they won't release themselves.

[TLM]

19. His records are already public....

What is sealed is correspondence and memos. This has already been addressed over and over again. Dean has given a synopsis of what is in there.. letters from folks in Vermont to Dean, some with very personal and private information.

But I guess absent any real positive message or substantive issues to run on, these other candidates have nothing to do but attack Dean and repeat BS.

And again where can I view the correspondence from the campaigns or congressional offices of Kerry, Lieberman, Clark, or Sharpton.

[Padraig18]

20. "I really don't understand why Dean won't release his records"

Because they don't belong to him any more, that's why. The State of Vermont owns them, and Dean is not contesting the lawsuit to have them opened.

Clear it up for you now? :hi:

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

14. Feel free to post your comments here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=108&topic_id=96196


It's getting to be laughable.

[Myra]

16. Dean's not the best candidate for Affirmative Action and associated issues

Dean is very vulnerable on this point, what with Vermont's demographic
And franky, as much as I respect Gore in some ways, he magnified
the problem Dean has when he signed on, and when they
went to Harlem yet couldn't seem to find many blacks for their
photo-op.

The Dem party has long taken the African American demographic
for granted. Gore is especially guilty of that.

Most Dems, including Gore, don't speak out even though a
huge percentage of black men are convicted of felonies and then denied the right to vote. It's a clear Pug strategy to use the
racist American "justice" system to erase people from the voting booth.

Most Dems, including Gore, didn't even speak out when blacks
were targeted in Fla2K to erase their (usually Dem) votes and
successfully steal the election.

It's time a prominent Democrat did pay attention.
Attention must be paid...
Dean is not paying attention, or doesn't much care.

[in_cog_ni_to]

Well, considering Dean

said he believes affirmative action should be based on class and not race, you're right, he's not the best affirmative action candidate. I'm sure that poor AA students will be chosen before a poor white student, aren't you? There are no racists in our country!<sarcasm> :eyes:

[TLM]

21. This is also not true....

Dean said we should look at programs like AA that address class. He never said we should change existing AA programs to address class instead of race.

He was talking about developing new programs that address class that are structured like AA programs that address race.


Why is this concept so hard to understand? Or is it that folks understand the difference, and are just distorting the fact in order to attack Dean because their candidate is losing as a result of having no real message other than "Dean bad?"

[in_cog_ni_to]

28. He said it.

Dean said: "You know, I think we ought to look at affirmative action programs based, not on race, but on class and opportunities to participate."

http://www.sacobserver.com/government/apwire/102903/dean_minorities_record.shtml

What? Another flip flop? Back pedaling? He made that statement back in 1995 and NOW he says something different. I don't buy it.

[Scott Lee]

29. And now, for the facts.....

Howard Dean's position on Affirmative Action

http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/PageServer?pagename=policy_statement_civilrights_affirmativeaction&s_oo=WwNFwMVxH5CPLhYs3lnipg..&OVRAW=affirmative%20action&OVKEY=action%20affirmative&OVMTC=standard

I strongly support well-tailored affirmative action programs. All Americans deserve an equal opportunity to succeed, and these policies help the nation move toward that ideal. They also help strengthen our economy and society. American history is characterized by too much discrimination, intolerance and inequality. But there is also a long tradition of Americans helping each other to overcome adversity and build a better nation, and affirmative action is firmly in that tradition.

Great strides have been made in achieving equality, but we still have a long way to go before we can hope to be the nation Dr. Martin Luther King dreamt of, a nation in which children are judged “not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” Despite the passage of landmark civil rights laws, discrimination remains a stubborn feature of American life. Laws mandating school segregation are gone, but segregation and discrimination continue in practice. Studies show that African-American job applicants are consistently less likely to be hired than less qualified whites. Civil rights remains the unfinished business of America.

Last term, the United States Supreme Court upheld the affirmative action program at the University of Michigan Law School, and in doing so affirmed the basic principle that race can properly be considered by universities to overcome past discrimination and achieve diversity. I was delighted that the Supreme Court upheld the principle of affirmative action in education. This was a victory for the civil rights of all Americans. The Bush Administration had urged the Court to reverse course in the nation’s historic march to equality, but the Court’s majority wisely refused to do so. Instead, the Court wisely heeded the advice not only of civil rights advocates but also of numerous business leaders, military leaders, and students themselves, all of whom argued that America’s future depends on drawing strength from all segments of our society.

As President, I would pursue policies that encourage racial diversity on campuses because I know that diversity serves important goals -- it produces benefits for all students, and for society as a whole. The Supreme Court decision clears the way for policies that advance both equity and excellence. I also support fair and effective affirmative action in employment, and in programs that aid small disadvantaged businesses, both to remedy discrimination and to build greater diversity and opportunity in all sectors of our society. (editor's note: This is what you referred to as the totality of Deans AA policy. Tsk, tsk.)

When President Bush used the inflammatory word “quota” to describe the Michigan program, I criticized him for distorting the facts. In fact, the Supreme Court rejected that misleading label. It is time for the President to stop using code words that divide Americans by race. With the ink barely dry on the Court’s recent decision, opponents of affirmative action threatened to make the dismantling of these efforts a litmus test for future Supreme Court nominations. As President, I will instead appoint judges who display a commitment to equal rights, and who recognize that affirmative action is a constitutional means to further that goal.

Our nation’s racial and ethnic diversity contributes to its strength. Affirmative action honors that diversity and makes America stronger.

++++++


The bolded instances were mine. The embarrasment, yours.

Bon apetit.

[in_cog_ni_to]

30. Riiiiiight.

NOW, he says that because he HAS to in order to win the nomination. I tend to believe what he said in 1995 BEFORE his presidential aspirations. I also don't trust that man to nominate pro-choice federal judges to the bench. He won't make pro-choice a litmus test? WHY NOT? That is a position that cannot be trusted by me and shouldn't be trusted by any woman who is pro-choice. JMCPO

[blm]

22. actually Myra

John Kerry advocated for years for felons to get their voting rights back. He knew it was unfairly targeting blacks who were more likely to get convicted in the judicial system.

He was also the Senator to call for parity in sentencing because blacks were getting sentenced for crimes where whites were routinely getting off or classified as misdemeanors.

[TLM]

17. Dean's own file gate.... and watch dems line up to support this crap

The fact is that Dean public records from his time as gov are public... you can go to the Vermont statehouse and view them.

What is sealed are the private correspondence and memos from the gov's office. Which is standard for all governors or congresspeople.

Will Sharpton be making all his campaign correspondence and memos public? Will Kerry be doing the same for his congressional memos and correspondence?

And the fact is that Dean has let a judge review the contents of the correspondence and memos to see if there is anything that should be public.

This is simply another example of the desperation of other campaigns that have no positive message to campaign on, and instead can do nothing but attack Dean.

Sick how these dems have all this energy to attack every little think they can dig up or make up about Dean... yet they had no energy to do anythign even close to Bush for the last three years.

Really tells you what side their on, doesn't it?

[Padraig18]

18. Dupe

This is post #42798353 of the 'sealed records' non-issue.

[Scott Lee]

23. Uh oh...another Dean slime thread?

Yessir, that appears to be the case.

[Name removed]

26. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[blm]

24. Dean's coverup will be exposed in the GE by the Koch brothers.

Dean made a deal with two of the biggest BFEE loyalists in the country when he allowed them to buy Vermont Yankee.

[Scott Lee]

27. Goodness, we haven't seen this issue in....what...hours?

hit macro key. hit macro key. hit macro key.

Coffee break.

hit macro key. hit macro key. hit macro key....

[Padraig18]

31. I think someone missed their shift.

They take shifts posting this, as though it's something someone hasn't ever seen before...:eyes:

[FrenchieCat]

32. I'm just tired of all of this....

I guess it will take a Mack Truck......to get through....nothing else seems to matter.....no reasoning anymore........just whatever!

Dean Vermont Energy Group Met in Private
http://tinyurl.com/2f573

WASHINGTON - Democratic presidential contender Howard Dean (news - web sites) has demanded release of secret deliberations of Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites)'s energy task force. But as Vermont governor, Dean had an energy task force that met in secret and angered state lawmakers.

Dean's group held one public hearing and after-the-fact volunteered the names of industry executives and liberal advocates it consulted in private, but the Vermont governor refused to open the task force's closed-door deliberations.

In 1999, Dean offered the same argument the Bush administration uses today for keeping deliberations of a policy task force secret.

More......................go to link!

[in_cog_ni_to]

33. Oh, come on!

Dean having secret energy meetings is DIFFERENT than Cheney's secret energy meetings! :eyes: Damn....this is beyond ridiculous. I honestly don't know what it will take for people to wake up. :shrug:


<snip>
Dean's Vermont re-election campaign received only small contributions from energy executives, but a political action committee created as he prepared to run for president collected $19,000, or nearly a fifth of its first $110,000, from donors tied to Vermont's electric utilities.<snip>

[CTLawGuy]

34. 19,000 dollars!

He's obviously corrupt :eyes:

So why should we vote for Wes Clark? or should we just stay home this election season?

[in_cog_ni_to]

35. Oh, no opinion

on the secret energy meetings, eh? I didn't think so. :(

[CTLawGuy]

37. every time

Dean opens his mouth, someone twists what he says around and attacks him. Im sick of it.

VT was facing an energy crisis and Dean appointed a bipartisan and ideologically diverse board to deal with it. It heard anyone who wanted to approach it. The presentations of those who came were kept private to ensure frank advice, but the list of people who attended was made public after the report came out. Cheney wouldn't do that. We suspect his meetings were dominated by campaign contributors which is why we want to know who was there.



Everytime you attack Dean (or anyone else) you are attacking the Democratic party.


Why don't you talk about why to support Wes Clark?

[in_cog_ni_to]

39. I do. I have said why I support Wes

and get attacked by DEAN supporters when I do. Don't try taking the high road now. This is beyond that. I have tried being fair minded in this debate, but as soon as Clark entered the race, presented himself as a threat to Sir Howard, shit hit the fan around here. My gloves are off and they didn't come off until the DEAN supporters forced me to take them off by your endless Clark bashing threads.

People twist Dean's words? If he didn't hold secret energy meetings, the article would never have been written. If he didn't seal his government records, there would be no issue about it. If he hadn't said he thought Affirmative Action programs should be judged by CLASS not RACE, there would be no issue. If he hadn't refused to make pro-choice a litmus test for nominating federal judges, there wouldn't be a question about it. I mean, come on. Howard is no innocent in this. Give me a break.

[CTLawGuy]

40. endless Clark bashing threads?

do you read a different DU than I do?

Post me names and links to all current Clark-bashing threads and Ill post all current Dean-bashing threads. Lets call "current" the first three pages.

[CTLawGuy]

43. 17 Dean bashing threads in first 3 pages of GDP2004

1. this one

2.http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=22365

"I think we need to face facts"

3.http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=33881

"if bush beats( generic) dem by 9%, yet bush beats dean by 20%"

4.http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=33793

"DEAN suffers batting slump????"

5.http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=33873

""Assessing Mr. Dean" editorial from today's Washington Post..."

6. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=34703

"Dean Hits Cheney Task Force, But Had Own" John Solomon, AP writer"

7.http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=33728

"Where were they right after 9.11? HD vs Clark:"

8.http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=30174

"Dean On The Way Down"

9.http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=34448

Dean- the Democratic Bush (this is a gem!)

10.http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=32628

"Dr. Dean's Giant Donut Hole"

11.http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=16930

"The Dean Deception (part 2)"

12. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=30073

Does Howard Dean still think Americans are not safer after the..."

13. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=32899

"Happy Hanukah from Dean"

14.http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=33031

"Kerry Says Dean Has No Chance Vs. Bush"

15.http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=32651

"Howard Dean: Hard Work and Frugal Living?"

16.http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=28605

"CSPAN- Dean may suffer from being pessimistic and angry in the GE."

17. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=32437

"CNN Capital Gang: Dean Nomination And Bush Landslide 3/5"

How many clark bashing threads can you get me?

Ill tell you right now, not many...

A few Clark bashing threads does not preclude me from requesting civil and positive discussion about our favorite candidates.


thanks!

[TeacherCreature]

50. wow, and so much of this is dupes the ABD

folks post over and over and over and over. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[CTLawGuy]

46. any clark bashing threads?

they should be everywhere, if what you claim is true?

[Hep]

42. Hmmmmmm

This is a bigger deal now than it was in November when the article was published? Let's all keep up!

[WillyT]

44. Poop !!!

:hurts:

[MIMStigator]

45. Dean's secret files issue isn't going away

eom

[drfemoe]

47. Clark's

war crimes and zero governing experience are not going away.

[SupremeBeing]

48. Rehash, Rehash, Rehash

Gosh you'd think people could come up with something original
on this, like proof of a cover up.
Maybe the burial place of Jimmy Hoffa is in the records?
Maybe Dean was in on the JFK assassination and the papers will prove it.
I know, space aliens didn't just land at Roswell, Dean had a meeting with them when he was Governor






Wesley Clark: The Candidate for Democrats Who Really Wish Bush Was Theirs

[blm]

49. Maybe Dean's deal with the Koch brothers is in there...

you know the Koch Industries Koch brothers...BFEE loyalists.

Now why would they want to do a deal with someone who was pushing energy deregulation and also planning to run for president against their boy Bush?

[SupremeBeing]

51. Don't ya think

Don't ya think that if there was something really damaging in those records that it wouldn't be there? As in lost or shredded?
Or don'tyathink?



Wesley Clark: The Candidate for Democrats Who Really Wish Bush Was Theirs