Posted on 08/17/2003 8:46:54 AM PDT by NutmegGuy
Who could have thought that a 54-year old doctor and ex-governor of sleepy Vermont could send all of the Democratic presidential contenders scrambling for cover? There are lots of reasons for Republicans to wish Howard Dean all the best of luck in his quest to become George Bush's opponent in 2004. It makes a true Republican want to send a campaign donation his way.
Howard Dean is such a thorn in everyone's side because he disrupts the delicate balance of power that has been so cultivated by the "front-runners." It was expected that Dick Gephardt would easily sweep the Iowa caucus since he is from nearby Missouri and because of his close ties to labor groups who helped him sweep Iowa in 1988. Instead, Dean is giving Gephardt his biggest challenge in the corn state and could pull off an upset.
Conventional wisdom also had it that John Kerry would easily sweep New Hampshire, given that his home state of Massachusetts is just to the south. It is here that Howard Dean could pull off the biggest upset. Voters in New Hampshire are just as familiar with the ex-governor of Vermont as they are with the junior senator from their neighbor to the south. John Kerry MUST win New Hampshire to keep himself viewed as the leading Northeast liberal candidate. It is his niche and a failure in New Hampshire could jeopardize his chances in New York, New Jersey and other states that Kerry has expected to form his base. Right now, there is an unexpected dead heat where Kerry cannot afford it.
Dean has also been surprisingly strong in South Carolina, the third contest in sequential order. This threatens John Edwards, who otherwise would benefit by being seen as a moderate southerner from neighboring North Carolina. South Carolina is Edwards' must-win state. It is where he has to start his counter-attack in the south. The question-mark here is where the state's large black voting base will turn. The liberal, maverick message of Dean is only just starting to be heard and could tip the scales to the renegade candidate.
But where Dean has an ace in the hole is with his fund-raising machine. In the most recent quarter, he picked up $7.6 million, almost $2 million more than runner-up John Kerry and almost twice that of the labor-backed Gephardt.
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(Excerpt) Read more at dondodd.com ...
I can just see them sucking up to Bustamente (or the reverse).
Arnie may be a Rino but he is a Kennedy Rino....I bet the ashtrays are flying thick and fast as we speak.
In any case hill has to get through '06....with a strong contender in NY the rats will loose out big.
That statement ought to kill him with farmers.
Most farmers want that ol' gummint handout more than anything else.
Never known one to turn down a subsidy.
Dean has already threatened to "clean out the DNC". Which, since McAuliffe & Co. are all Clintonoids, was viewed (properly) as a direct assault on the Clintons.
Consequently, if they believe Dean can win, the Clintons will do everything they can to destroy him. If they believe he will lose, badly, they will let him go -- clearing the field for Queen Hillary to ride to the party's rescue in '08.
Don't know many farmers, do you?
In 2008 I will be 71. But I don't think I would worry. Hillary does not have what it takes to win. Go back five years. Back to 1998. Fox news was 2 years old and was not a pimple on CNN's rump. The major media could lie and CNN would swear to it. Those days are gone. FR was just beginning to be a force. And Matt Drudge had a fraction of the hits per day he has now. Hannity was no where to be found. Except for Rush, conservative talk radio was not much.
Who knows what will be the case in 2008. But the media won't be the same. When I was first getting into the Radio and TV news business, every broadcast reporter wanted to be Cronkite or Edward R. Murrow..They all were as liberal as Cronkite and Murrow. Today no one wants to be Brokaw, Jennings, or Rather. That is not where the action is. The girl reporters don't want to be Katie Couric either. Today the kids aspire to be Rush or O'Reily, Cavuto, Bret Hume or a news babe on Fox. Some even want to be Greta or the Cosby Gal.
How would a young person get on Fox. Well it would not be by making Hillary look good. Those working at local radio and TV stations will make a name for themselves by nailing Hillary to the wall. They will let Paula Zahn or who ever replaces her failed rump, try to suck up to Hillary. But the boys and girls in the small market with asperations for the big bucks and big fame will emulate Rush, Hannity, O'Reilly, Glenn Beck, and Mike Reagan. They will try to make Hillary blow her stack or catch her in alie or anything that will make negative news for Hillary.
It will not be 1998. For the first time Hillary will face what every Republican has faced for decades. She will face a large segment of the media that is hostile to her. It will be a segment with access to a huge voting audience.
Hillary can't ignore then or they will destroy her and she can't handle them. She is toast. She will likely get the nomination and then implode.
I watched Hillary perform in Cleveland on Wednesday. She is an amateur trying to play pro. Bubba was a good pro player. He has talent and he knows how to garner votes. Hillary is a spoiled brat amateur with next to no talent. If she had not been Billie boys wife she could not get elected to city council. She knows that is true. That is why she married the flawed SOB.
Quite frankley I think Monica would be a better candidate than Hillary. Hillary is a mean obnoxious person. She will not be able to hide that in a presidential campaign.
The "McGovern" is KUCINICH. Kerry is the one I want to face. He's Dukakis.
Gen Wes Clark will be her VP pick to give her military gravitas.
Sends chills up & down my spine when I think of the possibility of her as prez (again).....UGH....she already had 8 years as prez while Bill chased the interns & played golf!
Do you really feel Hillary will win the nomination and chose Clark as VP? Would you explain WHY you feel this? I've heard her state that she wouldn't run for pres., however, I don't believe anyone has asked her if she was "drafted" if she would or not? Does anyone have any insight into this question? Also, don't forget that she was Republican many moons ago..Wasn't she a Goldwater girl?
Interesting. Dean's most powerful supporter is Steve Grossman,who was chairman of the DNC before McAuliffe. Grossman was in charge in 1998 when Republicans almost lost the House. Those upsets shocked everyone. I thought we would gain 20 seats--at least. Dean and Grossman should not be underestimated.
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