Defending Dean
Wed Dec 07, 2005 at 07:49:29 AM PDT
So I get up having coffee and am reading an article on
MSNBC web page in which
Rep. Jim Marshall (D-Ga.) is saying ""Dean's take on Iraq makes even less sense than the scream in Iowa: Both are uninformed and unhelpful."
Well I was disturbed that Mr.Marshall is so uninformed and that he is still ignorant of the truth about how the networks manipulated the audio to filter out the backround cheering and screaming, thus making the governor look like a screaming maniac. Needless to say I immediately called Mr.Marshalls DC office to inform them of the facts and urge them to quit perpetuating a lie.
So I am not above defending the governor when he deserves defending. And it makes me crazy with dems still attacking their own.
That being said, I do think Dean's recent comment about the US not being able to win the war in Iraq was a stupid thing for him to say. We could argue all day long on the veracity of the satement, but thats not really what I'm looking at. I'm looking at the potential political damage. And make no mistake, most Americans do not want to hear that we cannot be victorious. Despite any evidence to the contrary many, many people still believe we can do anything, that we are the most powerful and the most righteous nation on earth. And for the governor to come out and basically tell them that their delusional, well one can see how that would be offensive to them.
I always liked Dean, his energy, and enthusiasm were inspiring and infectious, however he is in a different role now, and I would suggest he be fitted with a filter placed between his brain and his mouth. There are bigger fish to fry, but once again we are left expending energy defending Dean, as was the case throughout his primary run.
There are so many more messages Dean could be sending, he should be talking about the culture of corruption around Delay and Frist et al, he should be developing messages about the dangerous influence of the extreme religious right wingnuts, he should be screaming about the administration environmental record, about their plan to sell off more federal land to developers, and on and on, jesus!! we have a whole arsenal to use against this administration and congress, and no one up their with enough brains to develop a message.
We need to connect with the voters , not alienate them with statements, no matter their veracity, that offend them. Their are a million statements Dean could make about Iraq that can serve to reenforce the truth that Iraq was a huge mistake, that this administration and congress have failed us miserably, and that it is again time for a change.
And finally because its just my nature, I must be a little snarky here and suggest that perhaps the governor is just trying to raise some money by putting himself at the center of controversy again. What the hey, it worked in the primaries. Problem is, we dont really need money, we need the hearts and minds of the voters.
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