Bush supporters' aftermath thread

Tico - it's wonderful that your statements should be taken as oracular by some here!

I personally support Dean, and hope he and Senator Boxer will share the party ticket in 2008 - the 2 of them together (if she climbs on his shoulders) would be able to reach the average-height microphone <G>

[deleted double post]

Cyclo - you should consider some anfger management counselling.

Neither of usd really knows what the average inflluence of Dean's style will be on undecided voters. You certainly don't have the facts to back up your assertions that you rather oddly demand of me for mine.

I'm going on the central tendency of expressed opinions by political commentators whom I admire. Also I consider the trajectory of Dean's candidacy for the 2004 nomination. He strongly energized the committed left wing of the Democrat Party, but did poorly with others. His support collapsed precisely over the perception that he lacked a coherent view of things and was prone to outbursts of irrationality and petulance - and this perception affected the marginal supporters primarily, not the committed "true believers".

The problem for the Democrats is they need the support of moderates, and they are not doiing what it takes to get it. OK by me. I hope your attitudes are those that end up dominating the Democrat Party. it will give us another four years of rational leadership.

I certainly don't wanna see Dean get the axe, but it wouldn't surprise me a bit if before autum arrives he "chooses to explore new career opportunities". That would really be a shame - he's doing so well where he is.

I'm not sure why you think I'm angry. I'm not angry. Just calling it as I see it.

Dean's failure to win a nomination has more to do with the structure of the Dem primaries and the media assissination that he suffered than it does to do with anything else. YOU may have the perception that Dean 'lacked a coherent view of things and was prone to outbursts of irrationality and petulance' but many others disagreed, enough to get him elected party chair, for sure.

The fact that he is breaking records of personal donations surely doesn't make your happy either. It's not just the amount of money that he has raised, but the fact that people who are donating money to Dean, who believe in him, aren't some faceless corporation or PAC but actual voters. This turns into actual votes. Which, no matter what you say, isn't anything but good for Dems and bad for Republicans.

The least surprising part of your post is here:



This is not a strategy I would recommend for Democrats or Republicans.

Cycloptichorn

Washington Outlook
Edited by Lee Walczak
BusinessWeek Online

Howard Dean's Raised Voice Isn't Raising Cash

One hundred days into his tenure as the high-energy, higher-decibel chairman of the Democratic Party, Howard Dean is in trouble with party moneybags. The former Vermont governor seems to be doing a better job flaying the Republicans than bridging the cash chasm between the parties. Given Dean's 2004 run as a populist crusader, moderates were never wild about his takeover of the Democratic National Committee. So some big donors are sitting on their wallets.

Dean wowed the faithful in '04 with his Web-based fund-raising magic. But major business donors still count, and in his new role as party honcho, the feisty doctor seems to be struggling to connect. After achieving money parity with the GOP in 2004, Democrats have fallen far behind. According to the Federal Election Commission, the DNC raised $14.1 million in the first quarter of 2005, vs. the Republican National Committee's $32.3 million. Dean drew about 20,000 new donors, while his rivals picked up 68,200. The bottom line: Republicans have $26.2 million in the bank vs. $7.2 million for the Dems.

Why the yawning gap? For starters, Dean is not a natural fit for the "stroke and joke" style that traditional party chiefs use to extract cash from well-heeled contributors. "It appears that the chairman has come to the conclusion that he doesn't need major donors," sniffs one fat cat. "He hasn't made any effort to reach out."

Personality factors aside, Dean's business-bashing '04 campaign makes him a hard sell in corporate circles. "There's a wait-and-see attitude from business and major contributors," says Nathan Landow, a Maryland developer and big-time donor. "This guy has some work to do to get the comfort level up." William W. Batoff, a Philadelphia real estate developer and longtime Democratic fund-raiser who backed President Bush in 2000 and 2004, is less diplomatic. "Howard Dean is the wrong person to be chair," says Batoff, who claims he will help fund the Dems' congressional efforts but will boycott the national committee while Dean reigns.

"Kind of a Dustpan"

Recent evidence of big-donor discomfort: A DNC event scheduled for May 25 at Manhattan's cavernous Jacob K. Javits Convention Center was scaled back to a smaller venue at the Essex House hotel. Bridget Siegel, the DNC's New York finance chair, says the event was moved because the new room "just worked better."

According to his defenders, Dean is doing just fine in the money wars. Internet and direct-mail appeals have started pulling in $1 million a week, says party spokeswoman Karen Finney, and the chairman "is pleased overall with [the pace of] fund-raising." Former DNC Chair Steve Grossman, a close ally, says Dean "is becoming more comfortable with [asking for money] by the day." Dean may yet find ways to build bridges to reluctant donors, but few think he'll ever be another Terry McAuliffe, the human money machine whom he replaced. "McAuliffe was like a vacuum cleaner," says Rutgers University political scientist Ross K. Baker. "Dean is kind of a dustpan."

He may be no McAuliffe, but Dean defenders note that his predecessor's golden cash register was accompanied by stinging setbacks at the polls. The new boss represents the grassroots' desire to take the fight to the Republicans. That he's doing. Still, unless Dean narrows the huge cash disparity, he may not be able to build the political dynamo he promised.

By Eamon Javers and Richard S. Dunham
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_23/c3936057_mz013.htm

This is my 5000th post on A2K.

This means I am now a "Veteran Member" and am entitled to all that comes with such distinction, whatever that might be. (... now that I mention it, what might that be?)

It also means I am spending altogether too much time on A2K. Which makes me wonder why that is ...

Is it because I enjoy the interaction with all the friends I've made here? Is it because since I became a member here I have travelled virtually all over the world? Is it because the people here are so nice (... well, most of them.) Is it because I get to chat with people all over the world every day? Is it because of all the caring people who go out of their way to help a fellow poster answer a pressing question? ... or those who go out of their way to get a "dig" in? Is it because of the stimulating debates here in the Politics Forum? Is it because of the good advice dished out in the Relationships Forum? Is it because I like trying to answer the riddles in the Riddles Forum? ... or posting a joke or two in the Humor Forum? Is it because of the Trivia & Word or Music games? ... or the Insult Thread? Is it because we genuinely miss our fellow Atookians when they are absent, and are concerned for their well-being.

It is because of all of those reasons and more. This is certainly my cyber-family. I've tried hard to not be vitriolic in my postings -- I am, after all, the very Paladin of reasonable and courteous discourse at this site -- but I don't always accomplish that. But I hope that those who don't like me do so because they don't agree with my political views ... or my occasionally smug delivery, not because I've been a jerk towards them. I truly hope my presence at this site in the brief time I've been here has affected you in some way -- and preferably for the good. I certainly feel enriched because of my experience.



Now ... where the heck is Gus? I've some more slappin' to do!

Go Tico!!!

5000 already yet joined 3 months after me.

Nice post, Tico

Congratulations.

Well we don't always agree, Tico, but you've never made me mad and have never made me dislike you. Besides, your avatar makes my heart go pitter pat. Congratulations on your 5000th post.

When I read this Reuters article, I was reminded of the recent poll showing public confidence in the MSM is at an all time low. Perhaps this is part of the reason:



I'm guessing N. Korea will be his next stop. Idiot.

Sean Penn is like so many other political liberals in Hollywood--small minds, no sense of history, and anybody or anywhere in the world no matter how corrupt or twisted is better than the USA. Don't you wonder why they don't just move?

I saw a public opinion poll conducted in Iran that shows 74% of Iranians feel America's presence in the Middle East will increase the probability of democracy in their own country. And two thirds believe that regime change in Iraq has been a positive for both neighboring countries.

Hate to think what a similar poll would show in Los Angeles. Sad.

Sean won't move. That would involve pride, decency and a bit of common sense, none of which he possesses. We can count on him to lead with the "Death to Americans" but leave out the poll that shows the overwhelming support for the war effort. Another loser from the left.

I would like to hear precisely why you think he is an idiot for checking out the situation himself.

What exactly makes him foolish to do that?

He's a wealthy man, he can do whatever his means enable him to.

With all respect, when someone uses an acronym that is put forward by right wing bloggers only, it says to the rest of us that the blogs are doing all the thinking for him.

Occasionally someone comes up with a beautiful phrase that becomes part of the language. "With malice toward none and charity for all", etc.

But any idiot can string three initials together. And when people start using it as if it is presently accepted by the general population, which it is not, the whole matter seems to come down to the level of kids in junior high school making up their own code so that they can feel exclusive.

well Just Wonders, I'm not real sure just who this Mr Penn is but if he's all you say he is being both an idiot and a liberal (is that 2 conditions or 2 labels for one condition?) well I guess the only honorable thing he could do is to take a shotgun and disconnect his brain. The sooner the better.

I got a kite, anybody got some string?

I never saw that term until a couple of days ago here on A2K.

Now people are using it as if it is UNDERSTOOD to be the new hot term.

Try expanding your horizons outside the right wing blogs, Lash. There's a whole beautiful world out there.

My opinion that he's an idiot is pretty much derived from the fact that he has no clue that when the Iranians who support the Mullahs cry 'death to America' that he is the prime example of the type of person who's beliefs and lifestyle would be the very first on their hit list. There are some significant human rights problems going on in Iran, perpetuated by the Mullahs, but don't count on Penn to address any of those issues in his rush to concentrate on how terrible the US is.

He's been in Iraq, now he's in Iran...N. Korea is the next logical choice in the 'axis of evil' (although if he's seen Team America and how he was shredded to pieces, he might want to stay away from Kimmy LOL).

KW - I occasionally stop by several lefty blogs and have yet to see anyone spell out 'main stream media', but if something so minor bothers you (and obviously it does), then I suggest you ignore it.

Or not.

So why not go for broke and string together one million (it's easily done, you've done it before)