The wry observer, Seattle’s Howard Martin, who delivers his daily political news with a pithy punch, sent these three pearls today:
“They think if you have [former Secretary of State Colin] Powell or [Secretary of State Condoleezza] Rice, this means equal rights,” Dean said, “but the Democratic Party knows equal rights is about hiring power, and we know it’s important that people who make decisions should also be people of color. Imagine trying to convince black ministers that cutting Social Security is a good idea,” he said. “On the other hand, I think it’s a good for the Republicans to reach out because it makes us work harder. We have the most diverse senior staff in the history of Democratic National Committee, and that’s important because the Republicans are 30 years behind,”
From the post on BlackAmericaWeb.com
Two more below, including Dean’s ideas on how to win in Tennessee, and combo comments from two of our Democratic physicians, Dean and Jim McDermott:
”Democrats must work in state to win it, Dean says”
“If the Democrats want to win in Tennessee, the first thing they have to do is campaign here, Howard Dean told a packed house at Vanderbilt University last night. Dean, national chairman of the Democratic Party, was greeted with a standing ovation from the largely student audience. He said that as the party moves forward it needs to show those who live south of the Mason-Dixon Line that it respects them and the values they hold. ”I don’t believe in blue states or red states,” the former 2004 presidential candidate said. ”I believe in purple states — and some are more purple than others. During a question-and-answer session with the media before his speech, Dean said he had not heard a state GOP radio commercial airing during his visit that pegged him as a ”Northeastern liberal.” It also labeled Dean and Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen as ”peas in a pod.” ”I’ve been called worse things than a liberal,” Dean said. ”The reason the Republicans call names is because they have nothing to say about balancing the budget, creating jobs or doing anything about health care or education.”
From the story in today’s Tennessean.
Dr. Dean and Dr. Jim Question GOP Medical Meddling
“The result has been fierce criticism of these Republican doctor-lawmakers by some medical ethicists who say they have blurred the line between medicine and politics, and by Democratic doctor-politicians who say their colleagues have gone too far. Howard Dean, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee and an internist, told reporters that Dr. Frist’s remarks were not “medically sound.” Another Democrat, Representative Jim McDermott, a psychiatrist from Washington, accused his colleagues on Tuesday of committing “legislative malpractice.” “This poor woman and this poor family are being used as a political football, and these guys will do anything to push the point that they think is so important, that they will invade this family’s privacy,” he said in an interview. He singled out Dr. Weldon, saying, “This is a guy who’s lost track of who he is.”
From the story in today’s NY Times, “Legislators With Medical Degrees Offer Opinions on Schiavo Case.”
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Check out Howard Martin’s blog. I’ve formally invited him to visit BoomanTribune.
And this is as good a place to ask it as any: why did you add the B to your name? It was a perfectly good name, and now I don’t know how to pronounce it.
The Artist Formerly Known as SusanHu…lol…
Thanks for asking :):) The day I got my wonderful invitation from Booman, I had just learned some terrible news about a close family member — metastatic melanoma — and I wanted to be sure to sign up here, but was too distracted to decide what to do with my username. Hence the bhu, a weak version of boo. Someday when my senses return, I’ll change it.
Thanks for answering. Sorry to hear about your tragedy. Take heart.
Democrats stand a small chance in ‘red’ states if they can’t be bothered to visit them, learn about them, and campaign in them.
At the moment, I can’t think of one Democratic candidate besides those who live here who actively campaign in Texas.
Dean gets it.
He’s got the idea, as long “campaigning” starts with the existing network of progressive orgs, and at street level. That may mean bypassing the existing channels of power in some states [Pennsylvania comes to mind]. “Support your local org” works better than “just send money”.
As someone who was initially lukewarm to a Dean chairmanship I have done a complete conversion. Every time I hear quotes from him I’m more and more impressed.
Dr. Dean has impressed me every time he speaks. I hope to hear more from him in my neighborhood. BTW – he says that he has been called worse things than a liberal. My wish is to make liberal a great word again. The right hijacked the meaning.
The right is courting the black vote, touting being the party of Lincoln. Our message of REAL values definately needs to get out in the south.
I agree with you on his making Liberal sound like a dirty word. I know he was being flip but the right wingers have made it sound like serial murderee when they say liberal.
Dr. Dean is so dead on. He just may be our future gang. May he get the others without spine to speak the truth too.
It may have something to do with the fact that Dean isn’t a liberal – he’s quite centrist. Perhaps each time he’s labelled as a liberal, he has his own private chuckle.
Dean was so trod upon over the “scream” from the Pugs, and the MSM, that everyone began to question the man, because of a moment of enthusiasm. How sad, that even our people turned on him, for had he debated Dub, the Dub would have been duped for sure.
Dean may have a lil’ adrenalin rush now and then, but it’s pure energy, and that is for the real American spirit, never doubt that.
I am a firm believer that he is the best choice for a new chance.
Regaurdless of who is going to be running in 08, there are so many roadblocks, mainly because of the monetary control of the MSM.
Dean is not afraid of the hurdles we have, and I believe, he will clear them for us.