In the past decade or so, the sneaky right-wingers have managed to wrestle away from the Democratic party its claim to being the party of the new, the future, the forward-looking, a party of bridges to new centuries.
Moreso, having no actual interest in progressivism as we know it, they did so purely on a verbal level, painting behind their bold linguistic pronounciations a misty, insubstantial landscape of an iron-fisted empire, full of good Christians and cheap oil (nevermind that if you squint hard enough, you'll see the outlines of an Orwellian nightmare):
"Project for a New American Century"
"Neoconservative"
"Campus Republicans"
"The New Republic" (haha)
etc.
With me, all roads lead to Dean, and I noticed something astonishingly clever in his candidacy announcement back in June... I haven't seen much of it since, or maybe I haven't been paying attention, but I do wish he'd do more of it:
From "The Great American Restoration":
"I ask all Americans, regardless of party, to meet with me across the nation to come together in common cause to forge a new American century. Help us in this quest to return greatness, and return high moral purpose to the United States of America."
..He goes on to reference "the new American century" two more times in the same speech.
If I think about it, he's been doing sort of the same thing in one other instance: calling himself a fiscal conservative. That is a phrase that resonates deep within the souls of old-school Republicans, longing for the days of a strong dollar and financial sanity. Let's see how deeply Dean's warm, measured tone resonates with these millions.
...How do you tear down your enemy? Well, besides making sure that they're playing on YOUR turf, you also reappropriate their language. Before they open their mouths, you take a deep breath and call yourself tough, compassionate, prudent, disciplined, hopeful and determined all in one sentence.
It's a good thing Dean's a fast talker.
