Dean's hometown newspaper calls for him to gracefully withdraw

[Freddie Stubbs]

The grace to leave

Howard Dean's presidential aspirations have come full circle. He is exactly where he was a year ago -- trailing badly in the polls and with little money to conduct a nationwide campaign.

But what a year it has been. From an obscure former New England governor to the momentary favorite to capture the Democratic nomination, Dean has experienced the full sweep of presidential politics -- the exulting highs and the crashing lows.

It's over. Dean will not be elected president in 2004.

After the hurrahs, the speeches, the debates, the media confrontations, Dean should exit gracefully from the presidential contest. Barring an electoral miracle today in Wisconsin, Dean will have lost every one of this year's first 17 presidential caucuses and primaries.

more: http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/bfpnews/editorial/1000h.htm

[NewYorkerfromMass]

1. Is this a newpaper disendorsement?

Shame on the Burlington Free Press, they obviously just don't "get" the Dean campaign.

[RogueTrooper]

2. What an utterly charmless comment.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

4. Hey, I didn't "get" it either.

:shrug:

[Finch]

5. Drop Out

In My view their dead right really Dean should have quit after New Hampshire… and I say this as someone who supported Dean early last year (after the speech in Sacramento)… Dean really has no shot at the nomination… if he wants be any thing more than a historical aberration he should pour what if left of his resources into some kind of DLC like organization… if he continues on after an Iowa loss then he’s on the same level as Sharpton and Kucinich… simply a vanity candidate… that’s no me knock Sharpton or Kucinich (I mean in our hearts we’d all want Kucinich to be Prez… but It isn’t going to happen)… In a way it would be nice if by some miracle Edwards could exploit his good performance at the debate the other night and his news paper endorsement and come in a very solid second in WI and make a race of this thing… but after failing to bump Clark out in OK and then after TN and VA… that’s only marginally more realistic than Dean’s grand strategy to gain the nomination at this stage… shame really this contest looks like it’ll be over pretty soon…

[KoKo]

3. When most Dems haven't had a chance to vote in a primary this is really

annoying. I really wonder if even our own Democrats have forgotten the Democratic process. We might as well go back to the "smoke filled rooms" of years ago when the party "powers" decided whom the candidate would be doing lots of trading back and forth of favors and making behind the scenes deals.

What's so different, today? At least then you knew it was all a "done deal" and smarmy. Now, McAuliff, Brazille and the rest of the "back roomers" put lipstick on a primary that was fake to begin with. Sheesh...it's really gotten to me. I've become a cynic.

[Stuckinthebush]

6. "Dean will not be elected president in 2004"

Such a sad statement, but very true.

Unfortunately it is time for Dean to bow out of the race. I'll never get a chance to vote for him as a viable candidate, but nevertheless, his run is over this time.

This and other primary seasons are strange beasts. A large portion of the electorate hops on the bandwagon of the front-runner during all primaries, but this season seems to be worse. The only way to avoid the bandwagon syndrome is to hold all state primaries on the same day. This way, you wouldn't have the first states setting the path for the later states.

While this kind of band wagoning happens all of the time, this year was different because we Democrats are desperate to get the idiot out of the White House, and feel that it is important to rally around one person early. There is some logic to this approach in that it allows one or two candidates to hit at Bush earlier instead of having seven candidates hit at each other all the way to the convention. However, it hurts us all because the best person may not win the nomination.

I know that Dean will support the nominee 100%, and he will encourage all of his supporters to do the same. There is logic here as well. While Mr. Kerry is not the best person for the job according to me and other Dean supporters, he still is a far cry better than George Bush. Dean and the other candidates know that four more years of Bush is unacceptable - in fact it may be catastrophic.

There will be much crying and sadness when Dean drops out - at least in my household - but the majority of us will move on and do what is best for our country.

I thank Dr. Dean for getting into this race and pulling the discussion to where it needed to be. Without him, who knows where we'd be right now! He deserves a spot in the cabinet or at least a continued visible role in the Democratic Party.

[stickdog]

12. The only way Dean can SAVE HIS POLITICAL CAREER is by

standing and fighting now.

That's it. The media may have the power to determine this nomination, but it does not have the power to decide when an individual's "time" has come and gone.

Think Reagan, Howard. Keep fighting because you are right. You are the best candidate and Kerry sucks.

[library_max]

7. This is premature.

We can all understand why the media want to get ahead of the curve - they want a "scoop." There's cachet in having said something first or predicted something before it happens.

But why do we keep trying to hold funerals before anybody's dead at DU? What's our excuse? What can this do but annoy and inflame Dean supporters? Why can't we just wait and let what happens happen?

[Samantha]

8. Obviously an attempt to humiliate Dean

I looked for the author of the editorial and saw no name. Very interesting. I also looked for "contact us" and did not see that feature. I was ready to fire off an angry letter to the editor of this paper.

He speaks of the rank and file rejecting Dean. I live in Maryland, and will not have the opportunity to vote until next Tuesday. Neither has three-quarters of the so-called rank and file.

I wonder exactly who whispered in the ear of this anonymous columnist and convinced him to write this article?

This is just another example of how the press is attempting to control this election and it is infuriating. Obviously, it has not dawned upon some of the so-called party elite that the entire base will not be rallying around Kerry, whether Dean is in or Dean is out. It is to the advantage of the party to let the nominating system play out, to the extent it can with the front-loading, so that more voters will have more exposure to John Kerry. I believe the more they learn of him the more doubts that will set in.

It's not logical to suggest that the man currently running second should drop out before three-fourths of electorate have had a chance to vote. Shades of election 2000 ... the political elite know best.

[republicansareevil]

9. WOW! Well, if the Burlington Free Press says Dean should go...

...then obviously he should. I mean hasn't everyone across the country just been waiting breathlessly to see what the Burlington Free Press would do? I know I have! Come to think of it, what's the point in even having the remaining states participate in choosing the nominee? Let's just let a portion of the states make all the decisions for the rest of us. Those other states are just getting in the way of Kerry's right to win, just like counting votes in Florida was getting in the way of Bush's right to win in Florida in 2000.

[madfloridian]

10. Then why have the primaries at all?

Dean, you better listen to that paper and just drop out right now. Kidding.

Why is there such a rush?

[stickdog]

11. The corporate media has spoken. You must obey! (nt)

[Freddie Stubbs]

13. The voters are seakeing too

And they are sending Dean the same message.

[RetroLounge]

14. Must follow the media script...

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