The problem of course is that Kerry has no credibility for the claim -- especially when using such a red-meat phrase as "regime change". He still has to run against his record of that blank check to Bush in October.

Interesting that Dean gets dinged in Salon for keeping his promise to cool the war rhetoric, and Kerry gets press for breaking his -- yet another flip-flop.
Kevin from the North Shore | Email | Homepage | 04.03.03 - 9:35 am | #

In another interesting twist - it is obvious the Republicans are really starting to worry about Dean. The Weekly Standard recently featured an article by its editor Fred Barnes (who in 1991 called Bush 41's handling of the Gulf War "perhaps the most inspired example of American leadership ever.", only to claim that Bush 43 is not the most inspired leader ever because he's correcting 41's mess) where he dismissed Dean out of hand by saying his anti-war stance made him unelectable.

It does look like Dean is gaining "political traction" - or whatever the current buzz word is for rising support.
SZ | Email | Homepage | 04.03.03 - 12:20 pm | #

Well we will no we've won when Kerry get's up and really fights instead of pandering to the Dean crowd. He won't get anywhere unless he's interested in taking a strong stance and taking it national.

Yes, the right is starting to pay attention:

http://washingtontimes.com/comme...403- 5554412.htm

They are trying to dismiss him as a one issue candidate. To bad for them he is not and futhermore he is not afraid to take the fight to them. I can't wait until he is demanding to know why Bush is not for health care for all.

Dean is very intelligent in that he understands the key is to expand an enormously popular and successful program in medicaid and medicare to the rest of the country. If Bush fights to strongly against this then seniors might start to wonder what Bush has against there health programs. The other key is to explain medical savings accounts for what they really are. Just the government helping you to make a non existant deduction.


Adam in MA | Email | Homepage | 04.03.03 - 2:28 pm | #

I still don't know what his position on Iraq is. Is it that he is for War on Iraq, but only if Bush got UN support, but since he didn't he's for the war anyway? And why did he trust Bush?

"I voted to give the President to have a legitimate threat of force for the reasons he gave: to go to the United Nations and form a coalition. This President failed. It was a failure of diplomacy,” he said. “We need not only a regime change in Iraq, but also in the United States. We need a President who will respect the institutions we have built up over many years."

http://www.theunionleader.com/ar...l? article=19727
Phil | Email | Homepage | 04.03.03 - 2:48 pm | #

Remember Dean doesn't get the attention that Kerry gets. Yet Dean
Is now tied In New Hamphesiere with
him. Kerry needs to worry. Dean could
very well win both Iowya,and New
Hamphesere.
Chris Roberts | Email | Homepage | 04.03.03 - 3:36 pm | #

Our good buddies Hastert and Delay today criticized Kerry's regime-change remarks as "desperate and inappropriate" - no surprise there. I was surprised that Kerry's camp came right back at them:

"Clearly, Senator Kerry intended no disrespect or lack of support for our commander in chief during wartime, but the point of this campaign is, obviously, to change the administration of this government," said Kerry spokesman Robert Gibbs. "And unlike many of his Republican critics, Senator Kerry has worn the uniform, served his country, seen combat, so he'd just as soon skip their lectures about supporting our troops."

I'm a die-hard Dean supporter, but I have to say I like the sound of that "skip their lectures" bit. Maybe Kerry does have what it takes to withstand the Wurlitzer.

Theresa in Oakland | Email | Homepage | 04.03.03 - 4:35 pm | #

If nothing else, a tough campaign against Dean could teach Kerry a lesson or two about growing a spine. If Kerry continues to learn from Dean's example then Dean will have done some good even if he doesn't get the nomination.

I'm still for Dean though. I'd rather have someone for which having a spine comes naturally.
Chris Andersen | Email | Homepage | 04.03.03 - 5:20 pm | #

The thing that's bugging me right now is what seems to be a coordinated effort by Kerry and his supporters to smear Dean for attacking on the Iraq issue.

In the BAR, the local gay paper in SF, half the political colunist's piece was dedicated to trashing Dean. It's the same trashing I'm hearing/reading a lot and has a few consistent elements:

1) He's not electable because he's anti-war (with obligatory gratuitous references to Gene McCarthy and George McGovern)

2) He shouldn't be going after other democrats over Iraq - they had their hands tied by the president on the resolution.

3) He's trying to have it both ways by calling himself anti-war while saying he's support war if Iraq had nukes or after 60 days. Also by not saying he'd pull the troops out immediately.

4) He's categorically against medical marijuana and therefore a horrible, uncaring person.

Now these arguments run the gamut from weak to fraudulent, but they seem to be pretty consistent.

They're visisons of smears to come and if we aren't successful at consistently countering them without seeming defensive or whiny, the Rethugs will pick up on the arguements and plaster them far and wide.

Just food for thought.
Paul | Email | Homepage | 04.03.03 - 6:37 pm | #

You know it really bothers me that Democrats don't seem to stick up for each other. I am glad that Kerry has finally decided to stick up for himself a little, but it would really go a long way if Dean and the other Democrats including Edwards would pointedly stick up for Kerry and give DeLay and Hastert a powerful rebuke.

Whenever the Democrats criticize it seems that the Republicans dispatch these hatchet people to flame them with some rhetorical junk that get's all of the media jumping. The Democrats need to respond enmasse and tell these guys to shove it! I'd love to see Dean speaking up for Kerry and others with some stern rhetoric of his own for these people.
Dean should stick up for Kerry | Email | Homepage | 04.03.03 - 6:48 pm | #