Metzenbaum endorses Dean over Kucinich

[dajabr]

07/17/03

Plain Dealer Bureau

Washington- Former Sen. Howard Metzenbaum of Ohio yesterday endorsed Howard Dean over eight other candidates in the Democratic presidential campaign.

Metzenbaum, who retired in 1994, said the former governor of Vermont "is the only one standing up for the principles of the Democratic Party and exciting Americans about the political process."

He chose Dean over former Senate colleagues like John Kerry and Joseph Lieberman, and also over Rep. Dennis Kucinich, a Cleveland Democrat.

"I have a lot of respect for Dennis," Metzenbaum said. But he questioned whether Kucinich could gain enough "national stature" in the course of the primary campaign to mount an effective challenge to President Bush.

More: http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1058434569309260.xml

[Cha]

1. Well, since I got into politics late (2000) I don't know Howard

Metzenbaum but I gather it's an important endorsement for Howard Dean!

[dsc]

2. He is a terrific liberal

Senator from Ohio who served from 74 to 95. In Ohio this is a huge endorsement for liberals. All I can say is sweet sweet sweet.

[liberalnurse]

17. Absolutely!!!

Metzenbaum is a legend in his own time!!! I just met them both today at a luncheon in Cincinnati. It was a Dean fundraiser. I was truely in shock-n-awh.....

[revcarol]

3. This reflects more on Metzenbaum than on Dean or Kucinich.

He fell for the line that DK is unelectable.
Sorry endorsement, to choose the second best, as he, himself indicates.

[Mairead]

6. Funny, isn't it, how so many acknowledge Dennis's

superiority on the issues. It's a sad, sad statement about the success of the Right during the past 25 years that so many nominal Dems are so ready to compromise and sell their future down the river without even a struggle. And worse--without even having a clue that that's what they're doing!

[dsc]

8. Why don't you give me a list

of all the great and wonderful things you have done for this country and for the Democratic party and we can compare it to the 'nominal' Democrat who is Howard Metzenbaum.

[Mairead]

12. You misunderstood--it wasn't Metzenbaum I meant when I said 'nominal'

Follow the grammar.

And I could give you a list, but, as the saying goes, then I'd have to kill you and I'm not up for that.

[dsc]

14. I will conceed your intentions

as only you know what they are. But the grammar backs my interpretation not yours.

[Mairead]

18. "the grammar backs my interpretation"

It doesn't, you know. :)

I was replying to Carol. She made the point that Metzenbaum implicitly acknowledged that Dennis is the better choice. Riffing on that, I remarked how sad it is that so many nominal Dems not only sell out, but are unaware that they're doing it. But, as Carol pointed out, Metzenbaum does know, so he's not among those to whom I referred in that sentence.

[CitizenDick]

10. revcarol and Mairead

You raise great points. As far as I'm concerned, if you win a major party's nomination, you have a chance.

[mkregel]

13. If Dean wins

don't think for a second that Kucinich won't be included in his administration. Imagine Dennis Kucinich, Secretary of Defense :)

The two have never said a bad word against each other (it's only their supporters that do...LOL)

[blm]

16. heh....

Kucinich is no fan of Dean's. Guess you didn't catch the look on DK's face when they were both speaking in Iowa and Dean made a statement that he was the only one speaking out against Bush on Iraq. The Cspan camera caught DK holding in steam.

[Ediacara]

9. Fell for the line?

When was the last time a no name house member became president? Well there was Garfield elected in 1880.

And that's it.

It's almost impossible to be elected to the presidency from the House, and DK doesn't have the skills, moderation, or charisma.

Gephardt MIGHT have a chance, but DK is dead in the water.

[CMT]

4. Metzenbaum is one of the strongest endorsements Dean has received

He is also one of the great liberals who served in the senate during the 70's, 80's and 90's. This is a terrific news!!

[Larkspur]

5. Good call by Metzenbaum

A Dean presidency will herald a paradigm shift in American politics. None of the other candidates can do that.

[jos]

7. I have great respect for Metzenbaum

who was one of the foremost populist Democrats for some two decades. I understand where he's coming from. But I wouldn't view this as a knock on Kucinich, just a recognition of political reality.

[TheBigGuy]

11. This was a good endoresement for Dean.

Metzenbaum was a very solid liberal, and a bit of a politcal phenom .

He was orignially appointed to his Senate seat, I think, but did win it outright, too, in re-elections. These wins where sort of an anomaly as Metzenbaum was an unapologetic liberal in a more or less conservative state. Sort of like Wellstone, I think (actually, given that Minnesotat is more liberal than Ohio I think Metzs' wins are even more of a poltical phenom than Wellstone).

He was one of the tougher Ohio Democrats and pretty well respected in Democratic party circles here in Ohio.

[revcarol]

15. I am happy for Dean. Metzenbaum is one of our past giants.

But I am DISMAYED that he wouldn't WORK for his first choice. That's all.

[killbotfactory]

19. Maybe Dean was his first choice?

What would lead you to think otherwise?

[Mairead]

20. Nope.

If Dean had been, Metzenbaum wouldn't have mentioned Dennis. Note that none of Dennis's endorsers have mentioned anyone else.

Virtually everyone recognises that Dennis is miles in front on the issues. All the criticisms are on 'electability', that ephemeral quality that depends entirely on self-deception. It's the same kind of thinking that creates the 'gambler's fallacy'; it's an artifact of our cognitive limitations, but it's not an adaptive one in a complex environment. In a complex environment, it's almost always much better to be a Spock than a McCoy.