The Dean dilemma (NOVAK)

TownHall ^ | 12/22/2004 | Robert Novak

[NYS_Eric]

The Dean dilemma
Robert Novak (archive)

December 22, 2003 | Print | Send

WASHINGTON -- Before a single vote has been cast anywhere, thoughtful Democrats across the country are reaching a melancholy conclusion. Howard Dean is close to clinching the nomination. The question is not merely whether he can be stopped but also whether he should be stopped.

This poses a dilemma that was discussed during a small, private dinner party last week attended by people actively engaged in politics for much of the last half-century. They viewed Dean's increasingly probable nomination with loathing and fear that it benefits George W. Bush. But to try and stop him now, they agreed, may open a bloody split in the Democratic Party not seen since the great divide of 1972.

This situation is made possible by Democratic reforms following the tumult of 1968. In 1972, at least, the party establishment fought to the bitter end attempting to block the nomination of George McGovern, because his loss of 49 states was widely anticipated. The final touch to the reforms has been added in this cycle by Democratic National Chairman Terry McAuliffe, whose front-loading of primaries was designed to pick an early nominee.

The Dean dilemma was spelled out to me by a sage Democratic practitioner whose views I have sought since 1968. He has felt for months that the former Vermont governor faces horrendous defeat against President Bush. Last week, this party loyalist told me he felt Dean will be nominated unless an act of intervention stops him. He added that he is sure Dean can be stopped but at the cost of unacceptable carnage. Implicitly and reluctantly, therefore, he is swallowing Dean.

The hope inside the Democratic establishment has been that once Dean perceived himself on the road to the nomination, he would pivot sharply toward the center. He may be unable to perform or even attempt this maneuver. He is no ideologue, but he has not outgrown being the smart-aleck kid from Park Avenue with a hard edge. The Democratic savants I have contacted can only shake their heads over his stubborn insistence that Saddam Hussein's capture has not made the country safer.

This discomfort was behind the Democratic group that last week put on television a tough ad depicting Dean as unable to cope with terror or "compete with George Bush on foreign policy." Dean campaign manager Joe Trippi immediately sent out an open letter to the party's other presidential candidates assailing this relatively restrained TV spot as "the kind of fear-mongering attack we've come to expect from Republicans." The ad was pulled off the air, suggesting limits to how far Democrats will go in confronting Dean. If nominated, he can expect much worse from the Republicans.

Most Americans and, indeed, most Democrats are hardly aware of Howard Dean's existence. The national polls that have propelled him well ahead of any other candidate still give him support from only one of four Democrats (slipping slightly after Hussein's capture). He runs far behind Bush in any one-on-one poll. However, the McAuliffe-shortened primary campaign is all in Dean's favor.

If Dean is the clear winner in Iowa and New Hampshire, he would seem assured of the nomination. Even if he is upset in Iowa by Rep. Richard Gephardt, it is hard to imagine Gephardt with enough money in the bank to battle Dean down the long primary election trail. Sen. John Kerry is seen as the only Democrat with the potential wherewithal to contest the money-heavy Dean, but Kerry's performance has been one of the year's great political disappointments.

As the economic outlook brightens, Democrats depend on the situation in Iraq to defeat Bush. That only deepens the party's dilemma. Surveys taken after Saddam Hussein's capture for the CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll show just 37 percent of Democrats think Iraq was worth going to war. But among all other voters, such support reached 70 percent (amounting to 61 percent nationally if Democrats are included).

Joe Trippi last week said the anti-Dean ad on foreign policy "panders to the worst in voters." Actually, the Democrats and Dean are out of step on the issue they think will move the nation. That makes it even more difficult to stop Howard Dean.

©2003 Creators Syndicate, Inc.

[Diogenesis]

Novak has betrayed the USA when he OUTED a CIA operative for his mistress(master) at the DNC.

So the question arises in reasonable people's minds: Can Novak believed at all?

[FormerACLUmember]

Well at least Dean is the first physician ever to run for the Presidency in the US, not a disgusting shyster lawyer like the Clintons. Beyond that feature, Dean is singularly unqualified and a bloviating demagoge.

[Ispy4u]

There are serious doubts as to whether the "operative" was much more than just an employee. I have met more than a few people who don't believe for a minute she was an "operative", that word implies a lot more than being in the employ of the CIA.

Don't take my word for it though.

[RLK]

The answer to Dean is Hillary, if she wants the nomination.

[samtheman]

One traitor writing about another traitor. But anyway, I find it believable, that the DNC is depressed about Dean the Traitor leading their party to certain defeat.

[MrConfettiMan]

bump for later

[tbeatty]

A). I don't believe he "outed" her.

B). She wasn't an operative.

C). Novaks article was true. Why wouldn't you believe him now?

Her employment at the CIA as a WMD expert was well known and it seems kind of silly to believe that an "operatives" cover was as the spouse of someone in the employ of the US government in the area of WMD. She was an analyst.

[G.Mason]

"The Dean dilemma was spelled out to me by a sage Democratic practitioner whose views I have sought since 1968. He has felt for months that the former Vermont governor faces horrendous defeat against President Bush. Last week, this party loyalist told me he felt Dean will be nominated unless an act of intervention stops him. He added that he is sure Dean can be stopped but at the cost of unacceptable carnage. Implicitly and reluctantly, therefore, he is swallowing Dean."

Excuse me? "a sage Democratic practitioner"?

According to my dictionary SAGE = wise, [can't be that] or a plant, [hmmm ....... I wonder] or green.

Inasmuch as this "sage" is "swollowing Dean", I would suggest the "sage" must be green.

Afterall, isn't that what happens to one if they igest poison?

[BushCountry]

He also might be the first abortionist doctor to run for President. His duties at a planned parenthood client have come under question. I prefer a lawyer to an abortist.

[Ispy4u]

Exactly.

[PGalt]

Dean is the least of The Democratic Crime Syndicates fears. The American Soldier is the Person of the Year (2003) for fighting foreign enemies. The American Voter is the Person of the Year (2004) for fighting domestic enemies.

[Diogenesis]

The point was not to laud her, or those of utterly poor judgement
who hired such a purported "asset" or "agent" who had such limited judgement as to
flash herself in a national magazine to hurt her oiwn country.

Mr.Novak outed her by name, obviously erroneously thinking that his own treason would reflect on President Bush.

It did as much as Benedict Arnold's treason wrought stain on George Washington. Not at all.

[Prodigal Son]

So did Novak out her or not? I'm hearing two different versions here.

Does anyone else besides Dio think Novak has committed treason?

[Fantelina]

Joe Wilson "outed" his wife for political and monetary gain. She had already been exposed from things I have read before the article.

[Diogenesis]

To be completely accurate, the outing was by Time/Life Magazine a few months earlier
and then Novak. They BOTH are guilty of this.
And both attempt to use transferrance of their guilt,

[Ispy4u]

Novak reported the truth. That truth did not "out" anyone who had cover, an analyst is not an "operative". There is a hell of a lot more to being a CIA operative than being on their payroll.

The only persons in this story who intended to damage the current administration were Mr. Wilson and his wife.

[Loyal Buckeye]

"Well at least Dean is the first physician ever to run for the Presidency..."

True, but as another poster on FR noted, 50% of physicians placed in the lower half of their classes.

[Grut]

Does anyone else besides Dio think Novak has committed treason?

There is a certain kind of Freeper who uses 'treason' the way kids use ketchup; they just splop it on anything they don't much like the taste of.

[bullseye1911]

Inasmuch as this "sage" is "swollowing Dean",

Why bring up Monica?