Dean Reverses Statement to Quit if He Fails to Win in Wisconsin

The New York Times ^ | 02/09/04 | JODI WILGOREN

[Pokey78]

GREEN BAY, Wis., Jan. 9 — Reversing his statement to get out of the race if he failed to win Wisconsin's primary on Feb. 17, Howard Dean said today that "it's not going to be the end of the line" and that "we're going to find a way to stay in one way or the other."

Dr. Dean acknowledged that his statements, made in a series of interviews with television stations here, were an "obvious contradiction" to a fund-raising e-mail message sent to supporters last week saying that his campaign would be over unless he won in Wisconsin. Asked today whether he would drop out if he lost next week, Dr. Dean said, "No." Asked if he were in it for the long haul, he responded, "Yup."

"There's too many people who've come up to me and said whatever you do, `Don't drop out,' " Dr. Dean said. "I don't know. I don't know what's going to happen in Wisconsin, but we're going to find a way to stay in one way or the other.`

Dr. Dean flew around this state today with a new slogan, a new speech and a new policy proposal, urging voters in Wisconsin to use their Feb. 17 primary to keep the Democratic nominating contest going.

"The media claims that this contest is over," Dr. Dean told 300 people gathered in a Madison hotel ballroom, before flying here. "They say that Wisconsin's voice doesn't count, that your votes don't count. They expect you to rubber-stamp everybody else's choice.

"But you don't have to listen to them," he added. "Wisconsin, you have the power to keep this debate alive."

Here, at a satellite campus of the University of Wisconsin, Dr. Dean stood under a sheet painted with the new slogan "Real Choice, Real change" and proposed a ban on lobbyists' giving campaign contributions, and an instant online database that would list whom lobbyists met with and what they discussed.

Speaking in Madison, Dr. Dean said, "I'll take on the big-money lobbying at the heart of the corrupt Washington game — the means by which special interests buy access and influence." He added: "The reason Congress writes an energy bill for oil companies and a Medicare drug benefit for pharmaceutical companies is that they pay the piper so they call the tune. Average Americans have no idea this is happening because the lobbying disclosure system in this country is a joke."

These proposals, along with reiterations of his ideas for overhauling campaign financing, highlighted Dr. Dean's main line of attack against the front-runner for the presidential nomination, Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, whom Dr. Dean has criticized for taking money from lobbyists.

As he has since his ballot losses in Iowa and New Hampshire, Dr. Dean emphasized his record of balancing budgets and expanding health insurance as governor of Vermont, along with the broader theme of being willing to stand up for unpopular positions.

"Let's just everybody close their eyes for a moment," Dr. Dean urged his audience in Wisconsin, painting a picture of a general election debate in October. "The president turns to the Democratic nominee and says, `Well, you voted for my war on Iraq, you voted to support my No Child Left Behind, you voted for some of my tax cuts. Why don't you just support me?"

As his rivals toured Tennessee and Virginia, which have primaries on Tuesday, Dr. Dean kicked off an eight-day sprint in Wisconsin, a state he has attached great significance to for his campaign. He plans to camp out in the state most of the week, leaving only to fly back to Vermont for his son's two high-school hockey games. His campaign also began running television advertisements today for the first time since Jan. 27.

In an interview with the ABC television affiliate in Madison, Dr. Dean noted that although he had not yet prevailed in any of the 12 states that have voted thus far, he is "only about 200 delegates behind John Kerry, maybe a little bit more, but I'm second in delegates right now."

Many of those delegates, however, are the elected officials and others known as superdelegates, who often switch camps throughout the process — indeed, Representative Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick of Michigan withdrew her endorsement of Dr. Dean on Sunday night, following the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

But in the television interview, Dr. Dean confidently predicted that "a win in Wisconsin would allow every state in Super Tuesday to take a second look."

"My great fear is that John Kerry may not be the strongest nominee against George Bush, because he believes in so many of his platforms," Dr. Dean said. "All I want to do is make sure we nominate the strongest person. Obviously I believe I'm the strongest person or I wouldn't be running, but I think Democrats ought not to be stampeded into the kind of rush that's going on right now."

Asked about the weekend's results, in which Washington State, Michigan and Maine — three states once thought very friendly to his message — all gave overwhelming support to Mr. Kerry, Dr. Dean said, "I think it's great."

"Three seconds in a row," Dr. Dean noted. "Better than anybody else so far."

[mwl1]

Yes, voters can cross-over in the Wisconsin primary.

Every Republican and conservative activist in Wisconsin should vote for Howard Dean next Tuesday.

[ZULU]

GO DEAN, GO!!!!

[elli1]

This Wisconsin Republican will be doing her part to keep Dean's campaign alive next Tuesday. Was going to vote for Sharpie but that was ''Before Iowa''. Pray for good weather, i.e. nothing worse than 20 degrees and light snow!

[mwl1]

Excellent, please take family and friends with you to the polls!