For the official response to Spritzer's comments look at
http://www.newsday.com/news/loca...p-regional- wire
Steven | Email | Homepage | 06.06.03 - 2:27 pm | #

The words of Mr. Spitzer are damaging to the party as a whole. Just look at that that snide little memo the DLC sent, where they talk about Bush's "dangerous doctrine," or words to that effect. If you are against the Bush Doctrine, you can't be for the Iraq war. It's that simple. How can you possibly argue against the Bush Doctrine if you support its main manifestation? The attempt will look like a craven attempt to curry political favor. So, Democrats, are you for the Bush Doctrine, or not? Only if you were against the war can you win this election. The only electable Democrats are Howard Dean and Bob Graham.
BriVT | Email | Homepage | 06.06.03 - 2:30 pm | #

May I suggest that people consider using my talking point that the idea of against the war being equivalent to soft on national security is a fallacy. Americans really want national security, and the war on Iraq is a poor, superficial substitute for the real thing.
thx | Email | Homepage | 06.06.03 - 2:40 pm | #

The Kucinich petition is not cool, folks, and I beg everyone not to sign it. Why?

Well, it runs completely counter to some of the core tenets of Dean's candidacy. For one thing, he is seriously trying to encourage everyone to get out and vote, to participate in our democracy. Dean would -never- encourage anyone to drop out of the race and neither should we. Sure, I'd love to see Kucinich throw his support to us, but if that happens it will be Dennis's decision. If that happens it will be on Kucinich's terms.

Right now, having him there is better than not having him there because he's helping energise many Democrats who will - I believe - eventually turn to Dean if Dennis drops out.
anna | Email | Homepage | 06.06.03 - 3:03 pm | #

I don't like the Kucinich petition. I think it would be much more in our favor to e-mail Kucinich, identify ourselves as Dean Supprters, and say we appreciate his voice in the campaign field and any decision he makes about said race is his to make and we will respect it.
Sherri in TX | Email | Homepage | 06.06.03 - 3:15 pm | #

Below is the letter I sent

-------------------

Hi Eliot:

First off - I'd like to thank you for your efforts fighting the worst corporate excesses in America. You truly do great things!

Second, regarding you published comments about Dr. Howard Dean, who is seeking the Presidential nomination: I think you're wrong about him being 'unelectable.'

Dean is proving every day that he can inspire people because of his independent streak that is difficult to categorize (a trait he shares with another Vermonter, Jim Jeffords). He has a strong record of accomplishments - including balancing his state's budget, saving up a rainy-day fund (so is successor is not being forced to make the same painful choices as, say, Pataki – can any Republicans be trusted with money?), passing civil unions. Even his opposition of the Iraq war can be an asset. An asset that is becoming more important as news reports emerge of dubious intelligence decisions by the President's cabinet.

I know as a New Yorker, you feel the pain of the war on terror more strongly than most. I too lost friends on 9/11. But the President's war with Iraq has not made us any safer than his continued withholding of vital money to implement the homeland security measures we need.

I urge you to further examine his campaign materials, and even speak with him personally. I believe you will be surprised at how strong of a candidate he is.

Regards
SZ | Email | Homepage | 06.06.03 - 3:21 pm | #

Yeah, that Kucinich petition is incredibly rude. It's Kucinich's place to decide if or when he wants to drop out. The rather unfortunately named writer is way out of line. How did Mike "Fiasco" come to know Kucinich's constituents better than the man himself?

Me, I think Mike "Fiasco" is Al Frum in drag!

I like Sherri's idea.

Oh, and online petitions are stupid, anyway.
hamletta | Email | Homepage | 06.06.03 - 3:22 pm | #

The petition is extremely well-written and, I'm sure, well-intentioned.

However, Governor Dean does not believe pressure should be placed on anyone to withdraw from the race. Governor Dean is standing up for the democratic ideals of our nation, and those ideals mean that the voters should decide who is able to run-- at the polls.

In order for Howard Dean to win the White House in 2004, we must bring together all of the constituencies and viewpoints that make up the Democratic party. Efforts to encourage a particular candidate to drop out-- no matter how well-intentioned-- will only alienate those whom we need to include in the fight against George W. Bush.

Howard Dean welcomes the healthy debate that a broad Democratic field brings to the nominating process. It's a chance for the Democratic party to consider where it is going, and where it has been. We will win this race based on the power of our ideas and the rightness of our actions. And we will win this race by bringing the entire Democratic party together.
Zephyr Teachout | Email | Homepage | 06.06.03 - 3:24 pm | #

I too am wholly against signing that petition in more ways than one.
Scott G. Medford, MA | Email | Homepage | 06.06.03 - 3:55 pm | #

A petition to humbly request Kucinich to get out of the race seems like overkill. I'd like this primary race to be over before it begins next Janaury as much as anyone, but hope that the candidates themselves will have the sense to tell which way the wind is blowing and make contstructive decisions about remaining in the race or not. I have no sense that any of our candidates want to be spoilers; they're all way too smart for that as far as I can tell and I believe that each of them so far knows exactly the valuable role they are playing. Come September though, I hope three or four of them will have the good sense to retire from the race as much as I hope latecomers will have the sense to stay out.

I'm amazed that these folks in politics, like Spitzer, keep coming out of the woodwork suggesting that Dean's candidacy is problematic from their point of view. Are there so many loose cannons in the Democratic Party? Spitzer, reportedly, is one of the few legal officials in a position to respond to corruption in US corporations and on Wall Street, and the fact that he's performing this function of his office is a good thing. All of our elected and appointed officials should be doing their jobs. But these public officials who simply mouth off that they don't like someone are irritating on about five different levels. If they've got someone to endorse, that's one thing. But simply to come out against a candidate is chickenshit.

Thanks to all New Yorkers for Dean for responding to Spitzer's rote assertions about the relative merits of supporting Bush's insane war in Iraq and electability.
NB | Email | Homepage | 06.06.03 - 4:11 pm | #

Just want to second the comments against the Kucinich petition. A retraction on the main blog page would be appropriate, especially since Dr. Dean has formally disavowed it. We should be encouraging Dennis Kucinich to continue raising his voice on behalf of his progressive ideals, which will benefit the party as a whole.
Leslie in CA | Email | Homepage | 06.06.03 - 4:52 pm | #

Maurice,

Reading, then re-reading, it sounds like you've given up your personal power of choice to "The press and GOP". Clearly, Howard Dean and his supporters don't take their cues from the press and GOP. Dennis Kucinich and volunteers are no exception. As for Dennis being caricatured as politically inviable in his own congressional district, here's the math - the percentage of voters that put him into office the last three elections: 1996=49.06% 1998=66.77% 2000=73.989%

If Dennis wanted to start a social movement, he could simply post issues in the Congressional Record. (Oops! He already does that.) But, more importantly, to understand the strength of his candidacy, you must look to Kucinich supporters. We decide the outcome of the next election. Not the press. Not the GOP.

Break the spell,

Critt

Critt Jarvis
Kucinich for President
Massachusetts Volunteer State Coordinator
Critt Jarvis | Email | Homepage | 06.06.03 - 5:08 pm | #

The official blog has a statement up that quite clearly discourages any attempt to get other candidates to drop out of the race. It doesn't specifically mention this petition, but since it is the only one of its kind I am aware of I think it's clear what they are referring to.

I think you should take this down Matt.
Chris Andersen | Email | Homepage | 06.06.03 - 5:23 pm | #

Also, the petition expired in February.

Respectfully,

Critt
Critt Jarvis | Email | Homepage | 06.06.03 - 5:54 pm | #

i agree - this petition link needs to be taken down before this becomes an issue.

critt, thanks for visiting our humble little site. i just want you to know that, as a dean supporter, i totally respect kucinich and am grateful to have him in the race. he seems to be a man of principal. and although i don't believe he'll be the democratic nominee, i think we all benefit from his presence in congress. i hope that the good people of ohio continue to send him to washington for as long as they can.
anna | Email | Homepage | 06.06.03 - 6:00 pm | #

I agree, please disassociate the Dean campaign from this petition.

I've given money to Dean's campaign, he is my candidate. However, in my mind, at this stage it helps Dean to have other antiwar, progressive candidates in the race. There's no evidence so far that Kucinich is drawing significant votes away from Dean, and he has plenty of time to run an effective House campaign even if he withdraws from the Presidential race in the summer of 2004.
Joe Buck | Email | Homepage | 06.06.03 - 6:22 pm | #

I, for one, do NOT respect Kucinich. But I think this petition is the perfect way to increase his support and make him a viable candidate. I am afraid that, just like Kerry bashing Dean, a Dean supporter opposing Kucinich will cause him to gain traction among the people we want to win over. Please, please ignore this petition and don't sign it!
Nonpartisan for Dean | Email | Homepage | 06.06.03 - 6:40 pm | #

Yes, remove the petition. We will beat all the other candidates on the strength of our ideas, not be encouraging well-intentioned people with good ideas to drop out.

While I understand politics is a contact sport, it was WAY too early to be using all us volunteers to get involved with something like this. Now if it was an impeach Bush or Cheney petition, I'd be all over this.
Carlton Nettleton | Email | Homepage | 06.06.03 - 8:07 pm | #

you can sign the impeachment petition at votetoimpeach.org. go! =)
anna | Email | Homepage | 06.07.03 - 12:53 pm | #

I agree with many of the thoughtful posts, I now recognize I did not think the whole thing through and I have called and emailed the host to take down the petition.

I did not mean for my petition to be decisive. I apoligize for any bad feeling that may have been stirred up.

It is to be hoped they take down the petition as soon as possible.
Maurice | Email | Homepage | 06.07.03 - 1:40 pm | #