2004 political presidential cartoons about Iowa primary precinct caucus and caucuses news, reports information on 2004 Democrat and Republican candidates, campaigns issues
"All I want to do is be an honest broker"
Howard Dean political cartoon.
… Tough day for Dean: He’s not only under fire – as usual – from other wannabes, but now House Democrats give the anti-Washington hopeful a taste of real world DC politics. Letter criticizing him for Israel comments gets support from Kerry and Gephardt supporters – as well as Jewish lawmakers. Headline from this morning’s The Union Leader: “Pelosi, other Democrats knock Dean on Israel” Excerpt from AP report: “Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean drew fire from House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and several Jewish lawmakers on Wednesday over his remarks concerning Israel. ‘This is not a time to be sending mixed messages,’ Dean's critics said in a letter circulated by Rep. Howard Berman, D-Calif., and signed by Pelosi and more than two dozen other Democratic House members who are supporting other candidates. ‘On the contrary, in these difficult times we must reaffirm our unyielding commitment to Israel's survival and raise our voices against all forms of terrorism and incitement.’ Last week at a rally in Santa Fe, N.M., Dean said an ‘enormous number’ of Israeli settlements must go to make progress in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. ‘It's not our place to take sides,’ he said…New York Rep. Jerrold Nadler, a Dean supporter who is Jewish, said he was comfortable with Dean's position, although Dean initially used some language that could concern some pro-Israelis. But Nadler said Dean's clarifications since then should have cleared that up. ‘This is sent out by Gephardt supporters and it should be seen for what it is -- a political document trying to exploit his statement before he has a chance to clarify it.’ Nadler said. Pelosi spokesman Brendan Daly said she did not sign the letter because of her endorsement of Gephardt, but because she was concerned about Dean's comments on Israel. "It is unacceptable for the U.S. to be evenhanded on these fundamental issues,’ the letter said. During the debate Tuesday night, Dean defended himself by saying he and former President Bill Clinton held the same view on the issue -- that the United States must have the trust of both sides to negotiate between the two countries. He repeated that argument during an appearance Wednesday on CNN's ‘Wolf Blitzer Reports.’…’I believe the position that I take on Israel is exactly the position the United States has taken for 54 years,’ he said on the show. But he acknowledged that saying there should be an ‘evenhanded policy’ toward the Israelis and the Palestinians may have been a poor choice of words. ‘I have since learned that is a sensitive word to use in certain communities,’ he said. ‘So perhaps I could have used a different euphemism. But the fact of the matter is, at the negotiating table, we have to have the trust of both sides.’”