quixotic, indeed. nothing unbearable or Dukakis-in-tankish, but Parris Island isn't exactly friendly turf for the governor running against the "wartime" C-in-C. His good intentions are clear, though. More power to him.
Gets me to thinking about running mates, though- we'll need someone with loads of military/defense credibility. Not because Dean is lacking in this area (though there's really no comparison, look at pop-quiz failing Bush in 2000), but because the thrust of the rationale behind his candidacy seems to be based on domestic issues. So, running with, or at least getting endorsements from folks like Gen. Wesley Clark would be a great asset, especially in the general election.
A gaffe?? Please, watch the video a bit more carefully before naming a gaffe that doesn't exist. Dean asked all three recruits if they were from Vermont and one answered affirmatively and the others said nothing. After speaking with the first one, he stepped up to the next and said, "you're not from Vermont, are you", which was only stated b/c he didn't say yes when Dean asked the first question.
While it may or may not be an actual "gaffe," I wouldn't put it past a candidate or either party to cut the video to make it look that way. In any case, the whole Parris Island segment makes Dean look uncomfortable with the troops, which makes sense considering the politicization of the brass of late.
This ran in Sunday's Philadelphia Inquirer ...
Posted on Sun, Feb. 02, 2003
A fresh Democratic voice for 2004
Howard Dean may be too liberal to get a nomination, but people are paying attention.
By Steven Thomma
Inquirer Washington Bureau
LISBON, Iowa - Stepping into a small-town Iowa restaurant to meet 40 Democrats one brisk Sunday morning, Howard Dean stood awkwardly for a moment, unsure whether to shake hands or launch right into a speech.
But after he finished talking half an hour later, it didn't matter to his listeners that Dean is not a smooth politician. It barely mattered that he is little-known and a long shot to win the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination, let alone to unseat President Bush.
What mattered most is that Dean, a former governor of Vermont running full-time for president, is a fresh and passionate voice in a party searching for direction and a candidate to oppose Bush next year.
"What we need is a clear statement of where we stand," said Dick Slater, a woodworker in Lisbon, a farm town in eastern Iowa. "He doesn't tiptoe around things."
Dean is a stalwart liberal. He opposed giving Bush power to wage war against Iraq. He favors universal health care. He wants to rescind Bush's tax cuts. He signed the country's only law allowing civil unions for gays and lesbians. He was the most forceful candidate condemning Bush's legal challenge to affirmative action at the University of Michigan and in defending the right to abortion, including the late-term procedure often called "partial-birth" abortion.
That might be too liberal to win a general election against Bush, which is likely to be decided by independent-minded centrist suburbanites. But to many Democrats in early primary states such as Iowa and New Hampshire, who will cast the party's first votes next January, Dean's uncompromising liberalism is striking sparks.
"I represent a different kind of candidate in this race," Dean said as Iowa Democrats sipped hot coffee in Gwen's Restaurant.
"I think people have made a mistake in my party by thinking that George Bush's policies are popular. They're not," he said. "The President is popular because he speaks from the heart, he knows who he is, and he communicates his message directly. We need a candidate who speaks from the heart, who knows who he is, and communicates a different message directly."
Message is the thing for Dean, 54, a physician-turned-politico. He recently retired after 11 years as governor of the state that gave the country both Ben & Jerry's ice cream and Bernie Sanders, the only self-identified socialist in the U.S. House.
Dean also brings a record from his days in Vermont. As governor from 1991 until last month, he expanded health care to cover uninsured children, helped senior citizens pay for prescription drugs, closed landfills and boosted recycling, and toughened penalties for hate crimes. He also cut taxes three times, balanced a budget that had been in deficit, and cut the state's debt.
He also brings a strong agenda that was anti-Bush back before that became fashionable again. Many Democrats spent the year after Sept. 11, 2001, supporting Bush on war and refusing to offer alternatives on touchy subjects, such as tax cuts.
"In our party, in Congress, too many people have supported the President on things where the President is wrong," Dean said.
He opposed authorizing war against Iraq and criticized his four chief rivals for the nomination - Rep. Richard Gephardt of Missouri and Sens. John Edwards of North Carolina, John Kerry of Massachusetts, and Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut - for supporting it.
On taxes, Dean noted that he called for repealing the 2001 Bush tax cut before any of his rivals did.
He also stakes out a different approach on some issues based on his experience as governor.
Without using the term "states' rights" - it conjures images of segregationists railing against the federal government - Dean can sound almost Bush-like in his defense of local power.
He lambasted his rivals, for example, for supporting Bush's proposal to impose tougher standards on school districts, a law that he said is wreaking havoc on local school boards. He refused to back extending his state's support of gay unions to the rest of the country, saying that should be left to individual states. And he declined to say South Carolina should stop flying a Confederate flag, again saying that is a state decision.
After campaigning for months - his most recent visit to Iowa was his 18th - Dean is making slow but steady progress, enough to suggest that his message is resonating with the party. In New Hampshire, a recent poll of likely primary voters showed him in second place behind Kerry. In Iowa, his speeches drew enthusiastic applause.
"I like what I heard," said Monica Kurth, a college teacher from Davenport. "I'm frustrated with the Washington people. I'm concerned
Awsome piece! Again though, the media just can't stand it when they see someone who isn't easy to label - so they take the lazy way out and see what they want to see and label him a "liberal". When was the last time we saw a rising "Liberal" national political fiqure that was a deficit hawk, has record of tax cutting when its necessary, is a protector of state govenment juristiction, and has a 100% NRA rating?! We have to combat this "ultra-liberal" mystique their painting him with...above all else this guy's a PRAGMATIST!!! Remind them of the above at every turn!!!
Letters to the editor of the Inquirer go to mailto:inquirer.letters@phillynews.com
Get cracking!
Just don't say that he's "demonstrating genuine leadership" 
Thanks for posting that article, Teddy--it's great.
It is somewhat frustrating that he keeps getting the Liberal label--it's technically accurate (sorta) but not very informative. At least they go on the lay out some of his positions, even if they do so with less precision than one might hope. He's a political duck-billed platypus--very hard to sort according to species and genus--but then again, aren't most Americans?
The Parris Island segment of RTWH was a little awkward, but I think that the awkwardness grew more from the fact that the kids had no clue as to who he was or why he was there. It reminded me of a time when I was in high school and a distinguished alum came to visit. We were told to be nice to him and show him around, but none of us had any idea of who this guy was.
Dean also was reluctant to talk politics (in fact he said as much at the lunch) and was more interested in meeting the soldiers and putting a human face on the military. That is laudable enough, but made for some strained small talk. I don't think that the "you're not from Vermont" line was a true gaffe, but it certainly could get played that way.
new poll from the Nashua Telegraph, puts Dean at 16% in NH, 8% in Iowa. I'd say that's encouraging at this stage of the game (especially the former...almost tied with 2nd place, Lieberman!)
link: http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/
m...ArticleID=73096
Hi All,
Great column in Slate today showing that even Bush's budget folks concede (probably by accident) that the tax cut is killing the economy and exacerbating the deficit. Check it:
http://slate.msn.com/id/2078115/
Good news for a candidate like Dean with a balanced budget message!
I wrote this letter to the Philly Inquirer today:
To the Editor:
Re: A fresh Democratic voice for 2004
Howard Dean may be too liberal to get a nomination, but people are paying attention.
Part one of your headline in this Sunday's Inquirer is accurate. Part two is not. Howard Dean is tested executive, a prudent budget manager, a conservationist, a civil rights advocate in the style of a Humphrey Democrat, and a pragmatist. As governor, Dr. Dean demonstrated that he is not an idealogue. Dean supported civil unions for gays and lesbians as a skillful compromise to fulfill a mandate from the Supreme Court of Vermont. But if such acts earn him the label of "liberal," then explain, as you did not in your story, his "A" rating from the National Rifle Association. Dean believes that "hunting" states like Vermont should have the right to decide the issue beyond basic national standards.
More research by your reporter might have uncovered these facts. Relying on labels and hackneyed terms does not inform the public.
DB
New York, NY
Thanks to everyone for posting today. You really cheered me up and energized me for my first MeetUp tomorrow night. I cringed a little while watching the Parris Island segment, but everyone's comments and the great (albeit lazy) piece from the Philadelphia Inquirer fired me up again about Dean.
this just really reinforces how important it is for dean supporters to keeep their eye on the media. it truly is up to us to be the watchdogs, because the lazy media is NOT going to do their jobs unless we force them to. every time we see a mischaracterisation, we must speak up. believe me people, if enough of us write letters it will make a difference.
I thought Dean looked very Presidential in his showcase on C-SPAN Sunday evening. He didn't shy away from his progressive viewpoints concerning education, health care, and abortion. And did a good job in linking those views with his support for 2nd Amendment issues.
I truly appreciate his willingness to talk to the troops. It demonstrated his willingness to get to know the young soliders who will fall under his command. As he told the officer in charge, his son is close to draft age. It never hurts to do good research.
I generally consider myself a pacifist, but I have two very good friends who are Air Force officers. Watching Howard Dean made me feel like he would have to do some deep soul searching before sending troops into harms way. Not unlike the current occupant of the White House who seems bent on waging war for oil.
Thanks for the email addy, I fired away (borrowing liberally from MG above 
Re: "A fresh Democratic voice for 2004 Howard Dean may be too liberal to get a nomination, but people are paying attention."
What's with the meme of calling Gov Dean a "liberal"? When was the last time we saw a rising "Liberal" national political fiqure that was a deficit hawk; has record of tax cutting when its necessary; is a protector of state govenment juristiction; and has a 100% NRA rating?! None of those things which are mentioned in the article, why? Because it would show that the author had a misleading header... above all else this guy's a PRAGMATIST!!!
btw, I do think that the best way to confront this "liberal" meme is with the "Pragmatist" nomenclature for Dean.
As much as I might disagree with Dean's stance on guns, I think MG & DB's point about his NRA rating is a very clever one. All you have to do is say, "If Dean is a liberal, then how come he has an "A" rating from the NRA?" It's a very good, "Stick that in your pipe and smoke it!" comeback that doesn't really leave much wriggle-room for the person who tagged Dean a liberal in the first place. (I mean, what are they gonna say? "He's a liberal the NRA loves?")
Blah, Blah, Blah....
Anybody called the Dean#?
Zero excuse for nobody answering the silly phone.
I've called the Dean number twice for questions on fund raising, and not only did I get an answer both times, I also got a call back with answers to my questions. Don't expect the number to be up 24/7, as Dean does not have that large of a staff or that much money yet. If you want to help the guy out, volunteer in Iowa or New Hampshire on a weekend, or see if you could go up to Vermont for a couple of days and help man the phones. Can't travel? Give a little money. Every dollar you give now goes towards the day of a 24/7 operation where the phone is always answered.
Everytime I've called the Dean HQ in Burlington, I've always received a polite response.
Some Dean articles from Yahoo News service.
AP Story
Candidate Dean Knocks Bush's Policies
Wed Feb 5, 6:57 PM ET
By NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - President Bush's fight against terrorism is failing because his energy policy doesn't reduce dependence on foreign oil, former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean told an environmental group on Wednesday.
Dean, one of six declared Democratic presidential candidates, said Americans are indirectly funding terrorism by buying oil from Saudi Arabia, which in turn supports Hamas and other terrorist groups who "teach children to hate Americans, Christians and Jews."
"That is our money that is funding that, and if we have no oil policy we cannot conduct the war on terrorism the way it ought to be conducted," Dean said in a luncheon speech to about 65 people at the Environmental Grantwriters Association.
Dean said Bush's environmental record "is the weakest and the worst of all the things he has done as president."
He said he feels sorry for Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christine Todd Whitman. He worked with Whitman when she was governor of New Jersey, Dean said, and she truly cares about the environment and clean air.
"It must be exceptionally painful for her to have to carry out the policies of this administration, which I can assure you are not being written by the EPA administration," he said.
He called on the president to increase conservation and touted the environmental policies he pushed for as governor of Vermont, including requiring the sale of electric vehicles and forcing utilities to get more energy from renewable sources.
New York Post
EVEN DEMS SAY IT WAS ‘COMPELLING'
Thu Feb 6, 4:28 AM ET By DEBORAH ORIN
Democratic critics began falling in line behind President Bush and the magic word was "compelling."
Powell had promised he'd make a "compelling" case and even Bush's toughest critics agreed he'd done it.
"Compelling," said everyone from previously skeptical Democratic presidential contender Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) to Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), not to mention Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.), who didn't need further convincing.
Even an antiwar 2004 Democratic candidate, ex-Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, said Powell made a "compelling" case, though not enough for "going to war unilaterally."
AP Story
Most Democratic presidential hopefuls say Powell made compelling case against Iraq
Wed Feb 5, 5:22 PM ET
By NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - The Democrats hoping to challenge President Bush (news - web sites) for the White House in 2004 largely applauded the case made Wednesday by Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) that Iraq is hiding weapons of mass destruction in violation of the U.N. Security Council.
A dissenting view came from Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, who said the Bush administration had yet to make clear the need for immediate, unilateral military action. "Terrorism around the globe is a far greater danger to the United States than Iraq. We are pursuing the wrong war," Dean said.
blah blah blah...
I'm really glad you talked to somebody!
I remember a candidate who had an answering machine...his name was Paul PSongas.
If you are a serious candidate, you pay the 5 bucks a month to get call forwarding.
j