Dean to seek chairmanship of Democrats

Brandon9000 wrote:

snood wrote:

No, Brandon - I don't think that was her oh-so-grown-up-point, at all. I think it was that the pResident thinks and speaks in all-or-nothing, black-or-white, us-vs-them, childlike, simplistic terms.

Well, when someone kidnaps planes loaded with innocents, cuts the stewardesses' throats, and runs the planes through city skyscrapers killing thousands, personally I don't think it is simplistic to call them evil doers. In fact it is accurate. Such a situation actually is fairly black and white and would appropriately be described as "us-vs-them." The truth is that his descriptions are congruent and appropriate to the situation, unlike those of your camp who are simply living in a dream world. Would you care to go for the million dollar stupidity prize and tell me that there's no such thing as evil?

Naw, too many who think like you have the natural advantage on winning that particular prize. Yes, Brandon, there's evil in the world. But if my next door neighbor punches me in the nose I'll retaliate in kind to him, I won't go beat up my across the street neighbor on the outside chance he's thinking of doing the same.

That's the morass your president backed us into on the pretense of chasing "evildoers". Of course, that rationalization has morphed since, from "connections with 9/11" into "preventing the proliferation of WMDs" into "spreading freedom", but that's another kind of stupidity.

Your president has lots of different kinds - and his blind followers even more.

Dean roars into town

Democrats welcome new DNC leader

By Joel Mathis, Journal-World

Saturday, February 26, 2005

There were plenty of screams Friday afternoon at Liberty Hall, but none of them came from Howard Dean.
advertisement


Instead, the new chairman of the Democratic National Committee was cheered enthusiastically by a sign-waving crowd gathered to hear Dean's message that the party must build its strength in traditionally Republican states such as Kansas.

"We need to go everywhere," he told the rally. "There is not one county in this state, I don't care how far west you go, that doesn't have Democrats. We have to be proud of who we are."

It was a message gladly received among the Democratic faithful.

"It was wonderful, very energizing, a very positive, powerful message," said Micheline Burger, who joined nearly 1,000 others in paying $5 to hear Dean, the former presidential candidate. "It gives me a hope there's a good future ahead of us, as opposed to what we've been having the last four years."

Mark Simpson, executive director of the Kansas Democratic Party, was unavailable to say how much the party raised Friday. But Dean's rally, along with a $100-a-head fund-raiser at the home of Lawrence residents John and Nancy Hiebert, provided the state party with a fresh infusion of cash.

Just as important, other officials said, they got some inspiration.

"Just enthusiasm," said Kathy Greenlee, chair of Douglas County Democrats. "Not only for Democrats in Douglas County, but Democrats across Kansas."

Red meat

More than 100 people attended the Hiebert fund-raiser, where the house was festooned with a dozen "Dean for America" signs in the front yard.

Media weren't allowed into the event. But Dean spoke in the Hieberts' backyard, over a public address system, making it relatively easy to hear and see -- there were wide slits in the fence -- from a side street. At one point a group of four people quietly huddled at the fence to listen.

His speech was similar in both Liberty Hall and the Hiebert back yard. Democrats, he said, must reframe the values debate, claiming the high ground on Social Security, health care and protecting American security.

"Those are Kansas values," he said.

But the Hiebert crowd got a little more red meat than the Liberty Hall attendees.

On abortion specifically, he said, the party must commit to making abortions "safe, legal and rare" while maintaining women's rights to choose.

"The issue is not abortion," Dean told the closed-door fund-raiser. "The issue is whether women can make up their own mind instead of some right-wing pastor, some right-wing politician telling them what to do."

And Dean told the Hiebert fund-raiser that gay marriage was a Republican diversion from discussions of ballooning deficits and lost American jobs. That presents an opportunity to attract moderate Republicans, he said.

"Moderate Republicans can't stand these people (conservatives), because they're intolerant. They don't think tolerance is a virtue," Dean said, adding: "I'm not going to have these right-wingers throw away our right to be tolerant."

And concluding his backyard speech with a litany of Democratic values, he added: "This is a struggle of good and evil. And we're the good."

When told of Dean's remarks, Derrick Sontag -- executive director of the Kansas Republican Party -- said he was "shocked."

"My immediate reaction to that whole dialogue is, it's full of hatred," Sontag said. "The Democratic Party has elected a leader that's full of hatred."

....

It is everywhere, and everywhere it is attributed to the same source, the New York Daily News. And I can't find it by searching their archives for it. I'd feel better about believing that he said that if 1) it didn't sound so bizarre and 2) I could find an original source.

Dean's howling to lead DNC

BY MAGGIE HABERMAN
DAILY NEWS CITY HALL BUREAU

HOWARD DEAN, THE favorite to be the next head of the Democratic National Committee, made his case in midtown yesterday, promising to make his party operate more like the GOP - at least when it comes to elections.

"I hate the Republicans and everything they stand for, but I admire their discipline and their organization," the failed presidential hopeful told the crowd at the Roosevelt Hotel, where he and six other candidates spoke at the final DNC forum before the Feb. 12 vote for chairman.

But Dean said the Democrats should not change their beliefs to be "Republican lite."

"We can talk about our faith, but we cannot change our faith," he said, echoing themes he sounded in his presidential bid. "We need to be people of conviction."

Later, he said that what "95% of Americans are really concerned about" is national security. But he said Americans also do not want to sacrifice the nation's values. "They want America to be the moral leader of the world again," he said.

Dean came into the event riding a fresh wave of momentum. A day earlier, he was endorsed for the top Democratic spot by Clinton ally Harold Ickes amid speculation over whether Bill and Hillary Clinton would try to block Dean.

Ickes, who briefly considered running for the DNC chairmanship himself, said he was not speaking for the Clintons, but it was a sign the former First Couple won't oppose Dean, who would be chairman for any run Hillary makes at the White House.

Also vying for the seat are grass-roots activist Donnie Fowler, former Texas Rep. Martin Frost, 9/11 commission member Tim Roemer, Simon Rosenberg, former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb and lawyer David Leland.

Originally published on January 30, 2005

whats going on with your sig, Lash?

Beatific