Dean: Schiavo case to be used against GOP in elections

[wyldwolf]

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean, who has accused congressional Republicans of "grandstanding" in the Terri Schiavo case, said his party will use it against the GOP in coming elections.
"This is going to be an issue in 2006, and its going to be an issue in 2008 because we're going to have an ad with a picture of (House Majority Leader) Tom DeLay saying, 'Do you want this guy to decide whether you die or not? Or is that going to be up to your loved ones?'" Dean said in West Hollywood, Calif.

Dean, answering questions at an Access Now for Gay and Lesbian Equality event on Friday, went on to say: "The issue is: Are we going to live in a theocracy where the highest powers tell us what to do? Or are we going to be allowed to consult our own high powers when we make very difficult decisions?'"

Republican National Committee spokeswoman (and obvious hypocrit)Tracey Schmitt said Dean, a physician who practiced internal medicine, was the one politicizing the issue.

"It's disturbing that Howard Dean would plot to use the life of Terri Schiavo for political gain," Schmitt said Saturday. "This demonstrates a troubling lack of sensitivity and one would hope that Democrat leaders in Congress would reject such a strategy.

"The American people expect their leaders to provide solutions and principled leadership rather than overt partisan politicking (unless it's the Republicans)."

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-04-16-dean-schiavo_x.htm

[Leilani]

1. Good for Dr Dean

& Frist is going to make it more of an issue when he does his performance with the Fundie Religious people.

I hope Dean emphasizes his credentials as a physician; medicine is not political or religious.

[Leilani]

9. I just read the other thread pertaining to this discussion

& it's hard to tell whether it was framed correctly, but it will be an issue.

I don't like the "using Terri Schiavo" thing, but the larger issue of govt vs privacy, religion vs medicine should be used.

[FreedomAngel82]

16. Right

I think that's more so what Dean is going to do. I hope so and am glad. :D We can probably use this to help some in 2006. I remember reading a lot of republicans were pissed at this.

[Goldeneye]

2. There was a post about this earlier

and in that one there was a direct Dean quote saying

"We are going to use Terri Schiavo later on."


ed...here's the link from this morning:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1398912
:spank: :eyes: :thumbsdown: That's not going to be good...

[ClarkUSA]

4. Bad "framing" of a good idea

No politician should "using" Terri Schiavo for anything, IMO.

Calling George Lakoff!

[Cha]

5. Buzzflash likes it!

"DEAN SOCKS IT TO DELAY"
"Do you want this guy to decide whether you die or not..Are we going to live in a theorocracy?"

http://www.buzzflash.com/

[KittyWampus]

7. Not If Dean Actually Said "We're Going To Use T. Schiavo"

but then, maybe he didn't even say that and the article that quoted him was heavily edited.

[janx]

8. That was my thought in the LBN thread.

It's interesting that this article makes no mention of it.

[Cha]

10. And the Democrat got the last

word in the article..amazing!

"Karen Finney, Democratic National Committee spokeswoman, defended Dean's comments, saying they were not a reflection of him trying to politicize the issue, but rather he was speaking to "Republican intrusiveness into people's lives."

"This is another example of a Republican party that is overreaching," she said. "Tom Delay and his cronies want to intrude in personal family matters. Democrats believe that individuals and their families should be trusted to make these very personal decisions, not Tom DeLay and not the government."

[MollyStark]

13. I think all the fussing over his choice of words is wussy

Are we going to agonize over every phrase now and panic everytime we think repugs might have "something to use against us"?
History shows they will just make stuff up anyway. Don't you argree?

[Cha]

18. Yes, I agree..

And I think those who are wussed out on this should write Chair Dean in care of the DNC and tell them what they think. He'd love to hear from them, n'est-ce pas?

[KittyWampus]

6. One Wonders If Dean Actually Even Said That... Or If His Statements

were purposefully distorted/edited.

[Goldeneye]

11. I was wondering that myself since USAtoday didn't have it

in their article. But the LA times seems reliable, so I'm not really sure.

[janx]

14. I have emailed Mr. Finnegan, the LA Times reporter

and anxiously await his reply.

[Goldeneye]

15. If it turns out Dean didn't say it,

you should definately make a post. A lot of people were bothered by that quote.

[janx]

17. I'll post about it if Mr. Finnegan replies. n/t

[Gothmog]

3. This may be a good issue for 2006 and 2008

The polls show that main stream america is uncomfortable with the GOP being so tied to the right wing religious groups. We need to exploit this.

[ulysses]

12. GOOD. n/t

[flpoljunkie]

19. If this is the best Dems can do in '06, we are screwed!

This may be all that is left snce the Democrats sold out the American people by enabling the Rethugs to pass the one-sided bankruptcy bill.

But it ain't gonna cut it. James Carville was right. It is the economic stupid--in this case economic justice and fairness--American people deserve decent health insurance with their jobs and not to be ripped off by credit card companies.

This is something the American people could rally around, but the Democrats blew it.

Saving Social Security and blocking a few right-wing judges is not enough for me to feel that my party is the democratic party I believe in and wish to support.

What will their motto be--vote for us, we are not as corrupt as the Rethugs!