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16 questions for Dean
Town Hall.com ^ | December 29, 2003 | Rich Lowry

Posted on 12/30/2003 10:04:53 AM PST by ThreeYearLurker

The other Democratic candidates for president are beginning to challenge front-runner Howard Dean daily, asking questions about his positions and fitness for office. Here are the questions that they're not asking Dean, but should:

-- The U.N. Security Council in November 2002 unanimously passed Resolution 1441, giving Saddam Hussein "a final opportunity to comply." How do you interpret the phrase "final opportunity"?

-- You routinely say that the Berlin Wall came down without a shot. You mean without a shot excluding Korea, Vietnam and small wars throughout Latin America and Africa during four decades, right?

-- You say Osama bin Laden should be presumed innocent until a jury gets to decide his fate. Who do you think would best represent bin Laden at his trial, Johnnie Cochran or Mark Geragos?

-- You say the United States shouldn't have fought the Iraq War because Saddam did not present "an imminent threat" to the United States. Yet you supported wars in the 1990s in Bosnia and Kosovo. How exactly did Slobodan Milosevic pose an imminent threat to the United States?

-- You say that it was a mistake for the United States to go to war without the "permission" of the United Nations. For what other sovereign acts of the United States would you require U.N. "permission"?

-- You have said at various times that it would be irresponsible not to support President Bush's $87 billion funding request for the troops and reconstruction in Iraq, and that you opposed the $87 billion. What is your position right at this moment on the $87 billion? How about now? And ... now?

-- You quit the Episcopal Church because you thought its position on a Burlington, Vt., bike path was "not very Godlike." What is God's position on bike paths? Scriptural references would be helpful.

-- You say that the invocation before congressional sessions makes you uncomfortable. What phrase or sentiment makes you most uncomfortable from this passage from a recent invocation: "Help each of us to depend upon Your strength as we navigate life's challenging seas. May we trust the wonderful laws of sowing and reaping, knowing You will bring us an abundant harvest"?

-- You say that Republicans want to end public education. Education spending under Bush has increased 65 percent. How is that consistent with the alleged goal of ending public education?

-- Did you have any favorite ski spots during the Vietnam War?

-- In the North Korean crisis, the Bush administration is engaging in intense multilateral diplomacy to make North Korea's neighbors part of any settlement. You advocate that the United States instead cut out other countries to engage in direct talks with Pyongyang. What explains your burst of unilateralism?

-- Do you prefer your would-be Southern voters to fly the tasteful "stars and bars" that was the official flag of the Confederacy from March 1861 to May 1863, or the more familiar and popular Confederate battle flag?

-- You have at various times said you supported NAFTA, and said you opposed any agreement like NAFTA. You have both said, "NAFTA is here to stay," and advocated negotiating a "New Deal" with Mexico. What the hell?

-- You said recently that the Saudis might have tipped off the Bush administration prior to Sept. 11. Are there any other bizarre theories that you have picked up from the Internet that you would like to share at this time?

-- You say that Bush doesn't understand the needs of middle-class families. Yet your proposed full repeal of the Bush tax cut could, as some of your opponents point out, result in a $2,000 tax increase for a middle-class family of four. What do you understand about middle-class families' hunger for higher taxes that the rest of us don't?

-- If you had to choose your percentage of the popular vote in a general election right now, would you pick George McGovern's 37.5 percent, Walter Mondale's 40.5 percent or Michael Dukakis' 44.8 percent. Please round to the nearest single digit.


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2004; dean; howarddean; richlowry
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Cut and clip for your liberal friends
1 posted on 12/30/2003 10:04:53 AM PST by ThreeYearLurker
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To: ThreeYearLurker

The Conversion of St. Howard on the Bike Path to Burlington

2 posted on 12/30/2003 10:07:25 AM PST by billorites (freepo ergo sum)
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To: ThreeYearLurker
Did you have any favorite ski spots during the Vietnam War?

Hee hee!

3 posted on 12/30/2003 10:11:14 AM PST by RabidBartender (Como se dice 'Zot' en espanol?)
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To: ThreeYearLurker
You have both said, "NAFTA is here to stay," and advocated negotiating a "New Deal" with Mexico. What the hell?

I think Chris Matthews could use the author's help...

4 posted on 12/30/2003 10:24:41 AM PST by Dutchgirl
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To: billorites
No. 17: Gov., do you believe that Jesus is the son of God or just another philosopher?
5 posted on 12/30/2003 10:29:45 AM PST by billb
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To: ThreeYearLurker
What did your wife know, and when did she know it?
6 posted on 12/30/2003 10:35:28 AM PST by TommyDale
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To: ThreeYearLurker
In fact, ask all your liberal friends the same questions.
7 posted on 12/30/2003 10:41:01 AM PST by My2Cents ("Well....there you go again...")
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To: ThreeYearLurker
I'm not usually used to quoting biblical scripture, but here goes:

-- You quit the Episcopal Church because you thought its position on a Burlington, Vt., bike path was "not very Godlike." What is God's position on bike paths? Scriptural references would be helpful.

How about this:

Psalms 78:50 - He made a path for his anger; he did not spare them from death, but gave their lives over to the plague.

8 posted on 12/30/2003 10:44:59 AM PST by hunter112
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To: ThreeYearLurker
I hope the Rats don't put these questions directly to Dr. Dean until, say, super Tuesday. I want their present confusion to evolve directly into despair with his resounding triumph in the primaries. Until then the less exposure to reality rat voters get the better.
9 posted on 12/30/2003 10:49:19 AM PST by Homer_J_Simpson
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To: Homer_J_Simpson
Reality has absolutely no effect on rat voters!
10 posted on 12/30/2003 11:19:11 AM PST by SwinneySwitch ("When someone says he is going to kill you -- believe him" - Gamla)
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To: billb
No. 18: During your Residency with Planned Parenthood, approximately how many abortions did you perform?
11 posted on 12/30/2003 11:37:11 AM PST by anoldafvet (Democrats: Making the world safe for terrorists one lie at a time.)
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To: hunter112
Yea, though I cycle through the valley of private property, I will fear no land owner.
12 posted on 12/30/2003 11:39:40 AM PST by DManA
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To: ThreeYearLurker
How about this:

-- You claim that GW Bush had evidence of the 9-11 attacks and have also claimed that GW Bush has been withholding that evidence from the public. Is there any chance that this evidence is contained within the boxes of your Vermont governorship records that you are withholding from the public?
13 posted on 12/30/2003 11:44:25 AM PST by kidd
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To: ThreeYearLurker
#20 -- Did your brother Charles become a POW/MIA in Laos when he was protesting the Vietnam War or when he was taking a trip around the world?
14 posted on 12/30/2003 11:50:26 AM PST by Bonaparte
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To: RabidBartender
>>>Did you have any favorite ski spots during the Vietnam War?<<<

We know where he was during Vietnam....Aspen. The question needs to be reworded.....

Which ski run at Aspen did you find the most fun during the Vietnam war. Which bar/tavern did you frequent in Aspen during the Vietnam war.

15 posted on 12/30/2003 11:56:27 AM PST by HardStarboard (Dump Wesley Clark.....he worries me as much as Hillary!)
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To: ThreeYearLurker
17. You agree that Miguel Estrada should be refused a vote for appelate judge in the Senate because he will not release his past papers, yet you refuse to release your papers from when you were governor. Please explain the difference.
16 posted on 12/30/2003 11:57:41 AM PST by Laserman
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To: ThreeYearLurker
#21 -- Which would you prefer: Leave Saddam alone, accord to him presumption of innocence or execute him? [Dean has advocated all three at various times]
17 posted on 12/30/2003 11:58:33 AM PST by Bonaparte
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To: Laserman
He's also criticized Cheney for not disclosing the records of energy task force consultations.
18 posted on 12/30/2003 12:00:15 PM PST by Bonaparte
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To: ThreeYearLurker
More Dean flip-flops on trade, social security, Israel and campaign finance.
19 posted on 12/30/2003 12:06:56 PM PST by Bonaparte
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To: billorites
That's Doctor Dean in the upper left hand corner.
20 posted on 12/30/2003 1:04:39 PM PST by Lonesome in Massachussets (Uday and Qusay are ead-day)
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