Howard Dean

excerpts from the Iowa Daily Report

November 1-15, 2003

Dean does it again

Dean continues to prove that his mouth continues to be his weapon of self destruction. The comments regarding pickup trucks and confederate flags he made in the Des Moines Register on  Saturday have drawn flak from his closest opponents in Iowa and New Hampshire. Here is the Register quote:

"I still want to be the candidate for guys with Confederate flags in their pickup trucks," the former Vermont governor was quoted as saying in Saturday's Des Moines Register. "We can't beat George Bush unless we appeal to a broad cross-section of Democrats."

Gephardt’s response in an Associated Press story is: "I don't want to be the candidate for guys with Confederate flags in their pickup trucks," Gephardt said in a statement. "I will win the Democratic nomination because I will be the candidate for guys with American flags in their pickup trucks."

Kerry’s response stayed on his line of pushing the difference between Dean and himself on gun control: "I would rather be the candidate of the NAACP than the NRA," Kerry said in a statement. (11/01/2003)

Dean blames Congress & Bush

Dean responded to a story in the Wall Street Journal which inferred that the Bush administration's Federal Emergency Agency feels America may not be much better prepared to deal with a big terrorist attack than it was before 9/11. He leveled equal blame on Congress for the reported lack of preparedness. "Making America safer means focusing resources on stabilizing Iraq, getting our troops home safely, and shoring up our security here at home. It is the duty of the Bush administration and Congress to make sure that the money they're spending on security is actually making America safer. Right now, Washington politicians are failing the American public."(11/01/2003)

Dean staffing for Unions

Dean for America today announced that Mike Ford will be joining the campaign as a senior advisor to Governor Dean. Ford has held pivotal roles in numerous presidential campaigns going as far back as 1972, and has also worked as an organizer for AFSCME. (11/01/2003)

It’s about the props

Sen. John Kerry looked like a presidential candidate complete with just the right props in his press conference Friday. He used the occasion of Iowa’s pheasant season to criticize Howard Dean’s gun record and past support of Dean by the National Riffle Association. Local and national press carried the story. Here is the Associated Press’s account of the scene as Kerry made his statements: "Kerry made his remarks on a farm about an hour northeast of Des Moines, where he planned an afternoon of pheasant hunting. Dressed in blue jeans, a flannel shirt and rubber boots, he spoke against a backdrop of stacked hay bales, lit by a row of television lights. Kerry’s attack on Dean’s gun control positions will be seen by some Democrats as pandering to the left. Democrats are trying to re-craft their approach to gun control. Several Democrat policy groups have developed to deal with assisting Democrat candidates to moderate their position on gun control due to election failures in what is known as red states (those carried by George W. Bush)."

Dean’s response to the Kerry/NRA attack:

"I come from a rural state with a very low homicide rate," Dean told reporters in New Hampshire. "We had five homicides one year. It's a state where hunting is a part of our life. I understand that's not the traditional Democratic position."

Kerry’s rebuttal:

"You cannot favor federal gun control and allow the states to do it their own way. That's a complete contradiction… "I believe we must put the safety of our children and families ahead of special interests like the NRA. I will never pander to the extremist NRA for personal or political expediency." (11/01/2003)

Affirmative action

The Associated Press has a story about Howard Dean, Joe Lieberman and John Kerry regarding their changing positions on Affirmative Action. The three have not always been stalwarts of the policy. Here are past statements by the three:

John Kerry: "There exists a reality of reverse discrimination that actually engenders racism.” Later, he added, "We cannot hope to make further racial progress when the plurality of whites believe, as they do today according to recent data, that it is they, not others, who suffer most from discrimination."

Joe Lieberman: "Most Americans who do support equal opportunity and are not biased don't think it is fair to discriminate against some Americans as a way to make up for historic discrimination against others.”

Howard Dean: "You know, I think we ought to look at affirmative action programs based not on race, but on class and opportunities to participate.”

Like the Medicare issue Dick Gephardt is sure to use these past statements, oh, say when we get to South Carolina. (11/01/2003)

More calls for it to stop

The Des Moines Register is giving a thistle in its Thistle and Rose column to Dean and Gephardt over their blasting away at each other. The gay bashing incident is mentioned as well. (11/02/2003)

Are tax hikes bad for Dean & Gephardt?

An editorial by Waterloo Courier’s Charlotte Eby, the papers political reporter, covers the issue of Dean’s and Gephardt’s tax hikes and Kerry’s attempt to point out that their tax increases are harder on Americans than his opponents want to admit. (11/02/2003)

Dean’s flag flak

Howard Dean with rapid response has brought out Jesse Jackson Jr. to defend him on the Confederate flag controversy. Dean’s press link on his website is releasing a statement by Jackson praising Dean for bringing an economic agenda to the South:

"Democrats were not competitive in the South in 2000, and we have struggled to thrive, and in some instances survive, since Richard Nixon and the Republican Party began using their race-based 'southern strategy' in 1968. The use of race, cultural and social issues have served to distract voters by keeping the focus off of economic issues has been the basic strategy of Bush and the Republicans in the South. That's why they make wedge issues out of prayer in school, the Ten Commandments on public buildings, civil unions, the false allegation that Democrats will take away hunter's gun rights, choice for women, the controversy of having the words 'under God' in the Pledge of Allegiance, and the Confederate Flag. Lest we forget, the Confederate Flag is the Democratic Party's historic contribution to the South, and current Democratic candidates have not been able to figure out how to come to grips with their own historic symbol.

"Normally, rather than directly confronting poor and working class white southerners with a strong economic agenda, Democrats have tried to imitate Republicans on many of these social issues. It is good that we have a candidate offering hope to the South with an economic agenda. It is Dr. Dean who is reminding us that the combination of poor and working class blacks and whites, north and south, united in coalition around a common economic agenda of jobs, health care, education and housing will constitute a winning strategy in 2004," concluded Cong. Jackson.  (11/02/2003)

Dean Internet wizardry

The NY Times has an article regarding the new interest in the Internet as a tool of politics. It also chronicles some of Dean’s methods of success: Successful Internet solicitation means more than just starting a Web page, as most politicians did years ago. Rather, it is a tactic intended to keep Internet supporters engaged. Fund-raising challenges are blended with the candidates' positions and information on relevant issues, a calibration that requires the campaign to listen closely. Dr. Dean seems to understand the give-and-take with backers. "They would never support you if you just sent e-mail and told them what the daily message is," he said. His campaign treats Internet supporters as an extended staff, able to raise money and organize with little external direction. At his headquarters in Burlington, Vt., a cluster of technicians and staffers a few feet away from the campaign manager sends out a constant stream of electronic updates — including challenges to raise money — that are personal and informal. By meeting and beating a series of these challenges, Dr. Dean's online supporters became the backbone of an outfit that raised more than $25 million through September. (11/02/2003)

Dean’s foreign policy expert

The Boston Globe covers Dean’s foreign policy advisor Danny Sebright, a defense specialist who spent more than a decade as an intelligence and policy official at the Pentagon. The story profiles how Sebright and Dean had differences over Bush disclosing secrets leading up to the War in Iraq. Here is some of the profile of Sebright’s credentials:

As a special assistant for the war on terrorism, Sebright had a front-row seat as Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz and Doug Feith, undersecretary of defense for policy, made the case for attacking Saddam Hussein "up close and personal, 24 hours a day, seven days a week," giving him an unusual perspective now as he advises Dean on the same subject. One of his functions has been to expose him to some of the leading luminaries in foreign policy according to the Globe: “Although he works as a volunteer, outside his full-time job, Sebright has tried to help Dean get up to speed on the complexities of international affairs through a series of policy dinners with luminaries from previous administrations, such as former secretary of state Madeleine K. Albright and former national security adviser Sandy Berger.” (11/02/2003)

Three against one

The campaigns of John Edwards, Dick Gephardt and John Kerry have all joined forces, according to an Associated Press story, to block Howard Dean’s endorsement by the 1.6 million member Service Employees International Union (SEIU). The union is the largest member of the AFL-CIO and consequently important in blocking or gaining the AFL-CIO endorsement. The story reports that the three campaigns held a conference call and shared intelligence about the possibility of blocking the Dean endorsement. They then all agreed to call whoever they could to stop the endorsement. The call was the result of an Oct. 30 announcement by SEIU spokeswoman Sarah Howard that the union would either endorse Dean or no one at all at its Nov.6 board meeting. The Dean campaign has expressed concern about coordinated attacks against their front running campaign in the past. They recently suggested it regarding Dean’s Confederate flag missteps when all the campaigns piled on Dean. If Dean wins the endorsement, it will be the first time that Dean makes significant gains into the traditional Democrat wing of the party. Dean’s Internet driven campaign has put him at odds with the traditional levers of power for the Democrat Presidential nomination. The Associated Press article points out:

“SEIU is among the most racially and ethnically diverse labor unions, representing janitors, health care workers and other service employees. With health care a priority of the SEIU political machine, an endorsement also would help shield Dean from criticism that he has not always supported Medicare.” (11/04/2003)

Dean as Popeil

Howard Dean continues to break the mold. Now he is entering into the world of such legends as Ron Popeil and the pocket fisherman. In a day when everyone says to keep statements to sound bites Dean is going for 30-minute infomercials. Dean is spending 70,000 and starting to air his infomercials in Iowa today. Dean is not the first to go to infomercials. Both Steve Forbes and Ross Perot used lengthy commercials to get over complex subjects. Dean’s commercial comes from the taping in Sioux City that IPW reported earlier. (11/04/2003)

Speaking of the unconventional

Howard Dean is holding it next meet-up Internet meeting Wednesday and their website announces that 133,000 Americans are coming to the meeting. Here is what is on the website:

“Meetup is the heart and soul of our campaign. This Wednesday, November 5 at 7 pm, more than 133,000 Americans are signed up to Meetup for our campaign in hundreds of locations across the country. Those who attend will play a direct role in helping us to win in Iowa and New Hampshire—and to defeat President Bush and the special interests that fund him in 2004.” (11/04/2003)

The Doctor’s prescription for nurses

The only doctor running for president, Howard Dean, took on the nursing shortage issue in Des Moines Iowa yesterday. Iowa has one of the largest percentages of elderly in the nation. In calling for his plan, Dean cited that the current nursing shortage will grow from 6% in 2000 to 12% in 2010, resulting in a shortage of approximately one million nurses. The key points of his plan are:

1. Ban “mandatory overtime.”

2. Improve Working Conditions and Compensation for Nurses.

3. Open the Door to Nursing.

4. Give Nurses the Help They Need To Do Their Jobs.

5. Expand the Role of and Compensation for Independent Nurse Practitioners. (11/04/2003)

He’s so critical

Howard Dean is not content to issue two releases a day -- he has to go for three. His most recent release on his website continues the drumbeat against Bush on the economy and Iraq. The 7.2 percent quarterly growth figures have the Democrats spooked and they want to remind the nation that this is the worst economy since Herbert Hoover and the Great Depression. However, another reason is that Dean can’t help going into rapid response to Bush’s statements on the economy yesterday:

"It seems only a small group of people have benefited from President Bush’s economic and Iraq policies – his campaign contributors, a wealthy elite who have received unfair tax cuts and this Administration’s large corporate friends who have received billions in no-bid contracts,” Dean is quoted as saying. (11/04/2003)

No truck

Dean was in Florida, the state he promised not to participate in the Straw Poll, campaigning. He got off his MD line concerning the controversial right to die case in Florida according to the Miami Herald:

''I'm tired of people in the Legislature thinking that they have an MD when what they really have is a BS,'' Dean, a physician and former Vermont governor, said to thunderous applause from about 200 lunching at the Capital Tiger Bay Club, a bipartisan group of Tallahassee movers and shakers.

Dean also hit the President’s brother -- Florida Gov. Jeb Bush -- on gays and lesbians:

Dean also lambasted Florida's Republican governor for his refusal to end the state's ban on gay adoptions. Earlier in the day, Bush unveiled a program aimed at finding homes for thousands of foster children -- but reaffirmed the ban on gay adoption while endorsing adoptions by single parents.

Dean took the issue of the flag and pickup trucks head on:

''We want people who drive pickup trucks in the South to vote Democratic because their kids don't have health insurance either,'' Dean said Tuesday. ``We have got to stop having our elections in the South based on race, guns, God and gays and start having them on jobs and health insurance and foreign policy.''

The hosts presented Dean some country music CDs, a photo of NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Jr. and a Florida State Seminoles cap -- but there were no flags or model pickup trucks…. By the way, while he was in Florida, Dean said Florida Senator (and former presidential candidate) Bob Graham was on the short list for V.P. (11/05/2003)

Rock the Vote

Democrat Presidential candidates went on CNN’s Rock the Vote and here are some of the clips:

·        Edwards, Dean and Sen. John Kerry said they had used marijuana in the past. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, Wesley Clark and Al Sharpton said they had not. Sen. Joe Lieberman said he had, although he apologized for it. Former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun declined to answer.

·        Kerry of Massachusetts drew the Red Sox question and was asked whether he would have removed Boston’s starting pitcher at the critical point in last month’s Game 7 of a playoff series with the New York Yankees. He said he would have — that he was “throwing things at the television set” urging the manager to do so.

·        Clark, asked about gay and lesbian rights, said he would give homosexuals “the opportunity to serve in the U.S. armed forces.”

·        "I understand the legacy of racism in this country, and I understand the legacy of bigotry in this country," Dean said. "We need to bring folks together in this race, just like Martin Luther King tried to do before he was killed. He was right. And I make no apologies for reaching out to poor white people."

·        "When Bill Clinton was found to be a member of a white-only country club, he apologized. You are not a bigot, but you appear to be too arrogant to say `I'm wrong' and go on," said the Rev. Al Sharpton, the New York civil rights leader and presidential contender.

·        “Teresa Heinz Kerry is right: nine podiums on a well-lit stage do not make a substantive debate, not any more than nine candidates in frantic motion make a serious primary campaign” -- Eileen McNamara, Globe columnist. (11/05/2003)

Show me the money

Dean calls for vote: Dean continued to demonstrate his unconventional campaign by asking his supporters to vote Thursday and Friday by e-mail, Internet, telephone or U.S. mail on whether he should abide by campaign limits and take the federal contributions. His website headlines read; Your Country, Your Campaign, Your Decision. Ballots are being sent to 600,000 supporters by e-mail today. Supporters can vote by e-mail. Balloting runs from Thursday through Friday at midnight. The results of the balloting are to be announced Saturday. Dean’s on-line appeal is clearly one sided in its argument to his supporters to vote to not abide by spending limits.

Federal campaign spending limits also prevent a candidate from spending more than a certain amount per state. If he rejects the spending limitations, he will be the first candidate in Democratic Party history to reject federal campaign money. He will also be able to spend more than his opponents in key states.

Dean’s primary opponents will be limited to $45 million in spending if they opt for the campaign financing. Those who opt for the financing are eligible to receive $18 million in contributions from the Federal Election Commission who matches candidate’s contributions of $250 or less with the $45 million cap. Dean has already raised an estimated $30 million to date which means he has raised all he can to maximize the $18 million contribution.

John Kerry and possibly Wesley Clark are the only two Democrat opponents who have the possibility of not taking matching federal funds. Gephardt is the candidate who has the most to lose if Dean goes outside the limits. Dean could flood cash into buying television and direct mail in Iowa above the limits Gephardt would have to abide by.

Dean claims the election system is broke as a reason for not opting for the limits:

“I have always been committed to public financing. But the federal matching funds law, though it was meant to provide an incentive for ordinary Americans to participate in the funding of our elections, is doing the opposite of what it intended. It could end up punishing a movement that has raised more from ordinary Americans than any campaign in history, while rewarding the campaign that has blatantly abused both the spirit and intent of campaign finance, selling off piece after piece of our country.”

Dean saves his best shots for President Bush claiming the President sells out to special interest:

“Oil corporations write energy laws in the Vice-President’s office. The pharmaceutical industry drafts our Medicare laws. Billions of dollars worth of contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan are awarded to Bush contributors. For the Republican primary election, even though he has no opponent, George Bush is raising $200 million from large corporate interests…. The Bush campaign is selling our democracy so they can crush their Democratic opponent.”

Much of Dean’s justification for rejecting federal spending limits is the fact the Bush campaign has rejected the spending limits. Bush strategy has been to reject the spending limits so that it can counter other organizations’ independent expenditures, such as the unions and organizations like MoveOn.org.

Dean calls for additional $200 million

Deans’ appeal to his supporters is in part a way to garner their support and commitment to funding his campaign. When it comes to commitment, Dean wants it in a big way:

 “We do have the option to go toe-to-toe with the big corporate donors of George Bush by getting 2 million Americans to give a hundred dollars each. By declining matching funds, we free ourselves to raise the money needed to defend ourselves during the crucial months from March through August against the attacks of George Bush and his special interest backers.”

In an attempt to have it both ways and deflect fellow Democrat candidates’ criticism, Dean has a pledge of his commitment to reduce special interest role in campaigns. His points are:

·        Provide qualified candidates with the public funding necessary to wage meaningful and competitive campaigns without having to rely on wealthy contributors.

·        Allow candidates to focus more time on communicating with voters by providing qualified candidates with public financing much earlier in the election season.

·        Supply additional public funds to match excessive spending by non-participating candidates.

·        Promote full participation by presidential candidates in the public financing system by appreciably increasing funding for an expanded program.

·        Require a candidate at the outset either to opt in or out of the entire public financing system for both the primary and general elections. (11/05/2003)

Campaign Financing Debate

Howard Dean’s putting to a vote on whether to accept federal campaign financing is causing a debate about the program. The Associated Press has a story on the subject:

Wertheimer is among those who believe a decision by two or more major-party candidates to skip public funding could spur Congress to address the program's flaws. If they do not, "we face the prospects of losing it in the future and putting the presidency on the permanent special-interest auction block," he said. Fred Wertheimer is a campaign finance watchdog who fought for the program's creation. (11/6/2003)

Winning the prize

The Associated Press is running a story that Dean will receive the Service Employees International Union’s endorsement. This is a severe blow to Dick Gephardt’s campaign, and a big boost to Dean’s. SEIU is the largest union in the federation of the AFL-CIO. The union spokeswoman Sara Howard in the AP article implies that the deal may not be done:

"Tomorrow, the local leaders who comprise SEIU's executive board will come together to decide whether the union should endorse," she said. "Until they vote on that question, any speculation as to the result of that vote is just that — speculation."

The AP is also reporting that the endorsement is setting off further possible endorsement by the influential American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union. The story indicates that only Wesley Clark, John Kerry and Dean are under consideration. AFSCME is the 800-pound guerrilla of union endorsement because of the large amount of money it spends on elections. The union also has 1.5 million members. The SEIU is planning an aggressive campaign in 2004 according to AP:

SEIU has mapped an aggressive, intensive voter mobilization effort for 2004 that includes making 7 million phone calls, distributing 6 million fliers, visiting 10 million homes and running six mobile action centers in converted tractor-trailers. Union officials also plan for 500,000 members to donate to the effort, totaling $20 million.(11/6/2003)

How do we know?

Howard Dean made an apology for his flag comments at New York's Cooper Union. The reason we know it was an apology is that he said it was, according to the Associated Press:

"That was an apology," Dean told The Associated Press. "You heard it from me. It was a remark that inflicted a lot of pain on people for whom the flag of the Confederacy is a painful symbol of racism and slavery."

Dean’s apology during the speech took the following form:

"Many people in the African-American community have supported what I said in the past few days because they understand what this is about," the former Vermont governor said. "But some have not, and to those I deeply regret the pain that I may have caused."

However, being Dean he went on to say that he would not back off from discussions on race and that feelings would be hurt. If this ambiguity was not enough, in his affirming that the statement was an apology to the AP he equivocated again:

Even as he apologized, Dean said he stood by his broader point that Democrats must court Southern whites who have voted for Republicans and received nothing in return. "My remarks were misunderstood, of course, with the help of my colleagues" in the race, he told the AP.

While Dean does not seem to know how to put this flag flap away, his opponents seem to know how to keep it going. The larger question is how will Dean do in the South after the New Hampshire Primary. The first check for Dean will be South Carolina on Feb 3. (11/6/2003)

New approaches

Front runner Howard Dean is being attacked by his opponents at a more fundamental level that tries to emphasize his personal traits as basic flaws. Sen. John Kerry is pushing the image of Dean pandering. The response came from Dean campaign spokeswoman Tricia Enright according to the Associated Press story:

Enright said "To quote John Kerry's favorite philosopher, Yogi Berra, I guess when John Kerry came to the fork in the low road, he took it."

Kerry is rolling several attacks on; gun policy; social security, Medicare, trade, public financing of elections and the flag flap into a general theme that Dean panders to the group of the moment. "It's not enough just to switch your positions in the presidential race," Kerry said. "These are issues of principle." John Edwards who became Mr. Prosecutor in a debate with Dean over the flag is pushing the attack line that Dean doesn’t have the temperament to be President. Dean’s stubborn refusal to apologize is one such trait being emphasized. Dean himself is quoted as acknowledging the trait in the AP story:

"You know how I am, if somebody comes at me, my tendency is to go right back at them and worry about it later," he told reporters. (11/7/2003)

Sarah slaps Dean

The Manchester Union Leader story shows Dean’s propensity to have his mouth be his weapon of self-destruction:

Sarah Brady, chairman of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, slapped Democratic Presidential candidate Howard Dean last night for what she said was his false contention that the shipment of guns across state lines is no longer a crime problem. But Dean campaign spokesman Matthew Gardner said Brady misinterpreted a statement Dean made about cross-border gun trafficking on a Web chat yesterday sponsored by The Washington Post and the Concord Monitor.

Dean’s statement was:

“The cross-border issue has been resolved in the one case I know of where it became a big issue. Virginia now limits the availability of gun purchases because so many Virginia guns were turning up in New York City illegally.” (11/7/2003)

Tectonic shift

Howard Dean’s endorsement by Service Employees International Union and the probable joint announcement with American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees is a giant shift on several fronts. First, it demonstrates the decline of industrial and building and trades within the AFL-CIO. This is the second time the service unions have moved to shape the outcome of the Democrat presidential nominee. AFSCME President Gerald McEntee was crucial in Bill Clinton’s 1992 campaign by providing early support when other unions were backing Iowa’s Sen. Tom Harkin. In a symbol of the two unions’ newfound cooperation -- the two unions compete to organize workers among health care and public employees -- Dean met with McEntee before meeting with SEIU board of directors. AFSCME is holding an early meeting of its board to consider a presidential endorsement. Consideration is being given to a joint endorsement appearance by the two unions.(11/7/2003)

Sioux City heard from

The Sioux City Journal’s Political Reporter Bret Hayworth has an editorial that is worth reading here is a teaser:

I thought Dean's discussion of economic policies at the convention center stop was intriguing. But I'm not sure I want to see it ad nauseam like those elliptical workout machines infomercials. If people don't like 30-second ads, why would they want 30 minutes of it? But at least we can watch it for the mental exercise of trying to pick out friends among the 150 in the crowd that day. (11/7/2003)

New Hampshire poll

American Research Group, Thursday, released a poll showing Howard Dean leading with 38 percent to John Kerry’s 24 percent with 21 percent undecided. The important third place is up for grabs. The rest of the fields’ numbers are: Joe Lieberman-4; John Edwards-4; Wesley Clark-4; Dick Gephardt-3; and Dennis Kucinich, Carol Moseley Braun and Al Sharpton had 1 percent or less. (11/7/2003)

Dean: No limits!

IPW Special Report: Howard Dean foregoes Spending Limits

It was no surprise to anyone when Howard Dean announced that his campaign had voted to forego campaign finance. The former Vermont governor said 85 percent of those who weighed in with approximately 105,000 voters, according to campaign officials urging him to opt out.

It’s a revolution

The Dean webpage took the theme of the “Declaration of Revolution” in keeping with his angry revolt theme of his campaign. At the conclusion of the mimicking of the American revolutionary statement, the campaign invites viewers to add their name to the declaration in the continuing grass roots efforts of the campaign.

Dean becomes the first candidate in Democratic Party history to take such a step. The news is not good for Dick Gephardt who will most probably stay with the campaign finance system and will probably be the most critical of fellow democrats opting out of the system developed after Watergate to bring fairness, openness and honesty to America’s political fund-raising. The problem for Gephardt is that a candidate that opts out of the finance system does not have to live with spending limits set for individual states. The Gephardt campaign already took precautions before today’s Dean opt-out decision -- trimming its overhead by asking campaign staff to take pay cuts.

No limits

Dean could overpower candidates in Iowa, New Hampshire and S. Carolina with direct mail and television advertising. Overwhelming victory in those states that show key regional support would leave Dean as the lone candidate for the nomination. It would be one of the most sweeping early victories of such a large field of contenders in Democrat Presidential history.

Kucinich

Dean’s decision to forego public finance is causing consternation among the good government types. Dennis Kucinich expressed their feelings in response to Dean’s decision:

“His attempt to kill public financing will take back America -- for special interests," However, some like the N.Y. Times recognize the need to forego the public finance system.”

NY Times asks Dean to show restraint:

“While his retreat is understandable, Dr. Dean should show his commitment to principle by pledging right now that he will voluntarily spend no more than the $45 million limit in campaigning against other Democrats, and save the rest of his private funds for challenging Mr. Bush. We have never had a political candidate in recent times who coupled the ability to raise large sums with a willingness to show restraint to support the concept of public financing. Dr. Dean could and should be that man.”

Others

Other candidates who may opt out of the finance system are Sen. John Kerry and Wesley Clark. Kerry is the only candidate who might be able to match Dean with his wife’s Republican money from the Heinz fortune. That assumes she would be willing to part with $10s of millions of her own money.

Here is a copy of Dean’s campaign declaration:

WHEN IN THE Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one People to dissolve the Political Bands which have connected them with another, a decent Respect to the Opinions of Mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the Separation.

Two centuries ago, our founders brought into this world a new republic. This republic brought to the world a new era of self-government. It ensured the rights of the citizenry and gave them the vote to elect representatives.

Throughout this nation’s history, the American people have struggled to keep their rights and make their government work for them. We have seen the populists, progressives, women, labor, and civil rights movements.

Today our government has become overrun by special interests. Working with President George Bush, they have turned our government into a system that works for the profit of the few not the benefit of the many.

They have in the last two elections flooded our politics with over 5.1 billion dollars in contributions.

They have walked into the Vice-president’s office and written energy legislation that keeps us shackled to fossil fuels.

They have written health care legislation denying access and affordability, and keeping prescriptions away from seniors.

They have purposely misled this nation into an unnecessary war.

WE, therefore, the architects and builders of Dean for America, appealing to the Wise Judgment of the American people on our Intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these United States, solemnly Publish and Declare, the People of these United States are, and of Right ought to be, FREE AND INDEPENDENT OF SPECIAL INTERESTS and that as FREE AND INDEPENDENT CITIZENS, they have full Power to participate, deliberate, pursue the common good, protect their own interest from corruption, and to do all other Acts and Things which INDEPENDENT CITIZENS may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, we mutually pledge to each other to write letters, knock on doors, organize our neighbors, self- fund this effort, and vote.

Signed,

Gov. Howard Dean, M.D.

Here are some of the comments
from Dean’s blog in response:

Woo hoo!

Where's my wallet?

Wahoo! The Tea is in the Harbor! Dump King George!

I think we have our theme for the general election, don't we?

Very cool, the declaration.

This year, it ain't the economy, stupid. It's about getting the government to work more for us and less (much less, I hope) for the fat-cats!   (11/8/2003)

War images

Howard Dean is expecting the heroic image of Bush landing on the Aircraft Carrier Lincoln will evoke images of Dukakis in a tank and continue to erode the President’s popularity. In a quote in today’s Boston Globe Dean shows his true feelings about his proposed ad that he will soon be running:

"We're going to put up the aircraft carrier ad and show what his real defense is," Dean said in an interview on Thursday. "We're going to use this footage of him landing on the aircraft carrier . . . to show that he's all talk and no action. And the action he's got us into has cost us 400 lives and thousands of wounded people who will never get their limbs back."

Dean used his opposition to the war to propel his candidacy to the front of the pack of nine candidates. So, he is going back to the theme that brought him his front runner success as he navigates the current critical moments where he seems to be breaking out from the pack even further.

But not everyone is as certain of the wisdom of the ad as Dean is, according to the Globe article:

"It's a double-edged sword," said Stephen Ansolabehere, a professor of political science at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "It's giving air time to George Bush, his good images -- in a flight suit, flying onto an aircraft carrier. My guess is that Dean will get some leverage out of this issue -- not as much as if he presented it another way." (11/8/2003)

Down in the Mud

The Washington Post is carrying a story about the exchange between Sen. John Kerry and Howard Dean. Kerry continues to attack Dean on a range of articles aiming to package Dean as a flimflam artist:

“… Kerry sharply attacked Dean, saying Thursday that he has changed positions on guns, federal entitlements, trade and campaign finance to further his presidential aspirations and that Dean had misrepresented the controversy over a comment he made involving the Confederate flag. Kerry called on Dean to "back off the flimflam artistry of politics as usual."

The Post reports that Dean is now trying to paint Kerry into the corner of a dirty campaigner:

Dean responded Friday that Kerry had gotten "down in the mud" with an assertion that "doesn't hold water." He said the campaign should not be about the past but about the future and defeating President Bush. But when asked why it was legitimate for him to attack Kerry and other rivals for their votes on Iraq, as he has done for months, Dean responded, "All I'm willing to do is tell you what my positions are." (11/8/2003)

Don’t get it

For those who do not get what is happening with the Dean campaign, you must read ABC’ s The Note’s “18 points on Dean.” Here is a teaser from the column:

17. All of the other five major candidates think they can and should be in the end the Dean Alternative, and each has enough hold on key state and national support that they have no incentive or desire to get out of the race and consolidate beyond one of the others. The pro-war candidates in particular are splitting a piece of the pie that is large, but it is still a SPLIT piece. (11/8/2003)

Dean not electable

The National Journal’s Democratic Insiders Poll shows that the insiders don’t think that Howard Dean is electable. The winner in being able to prevale against Bush is …Dick Gephardt, with 16 votes. The rest of the field received: Wesley Clark-9; John Kerry-5. Dean tied with John Edwards and Joe Lieberman, all with 4 votes. (11/8/2003)

The reason for the opinion of Dean? … As one Insider explained about Dean, "The qualities that make him the front-runner in the primary – unequivocal opposition to the war and anger at the status quo – would be his downfall in a general election." Besides, as another Insider writes of Gephardt, "Working-class white guys do not dislike Gephardt the way they would inevitably dislike Dean, regardless of how much he talks about the NRA." (11/8/2003)

Trippi the organizer

The New Republic Online has a good profile of Dean’s campaign manager, Joe Trippi:

…Trippi is first and foremost an organizer--a man who has spent much of his career making sure the right number of bodies turn up on Election Day. "That's the way [organizers] think," says Beckel. "They think about moving votes. In his case, where do you find [the votes]? Who are they? Where do they stand? If they're with us, get them; if they're not with us, forget about them. If they're undecided, badger the hell out of them." And for good reason: In the Democratic primaries, where turnout is extremely low, the better-organized campaign almost always wins. (11/8/2003)

NY Times sizes up Dean

The NY Times has a story that analyzes Dean’s candidacy and whether it will hold till the convention in Boston. Not all of it is positive:

“Given the size of the field, Dr. Dean's lack of experience in national politics and his tendency for intemperate remarks, his success at navigating the very early months of the Democratic nomination battle hardly means he is assured of being nominated in Boston next July. Dr. Dean, a former governor of Vermont, faces particularly tough going once the race turns South, given his views, like his support for domestic partnership for gays and his opposition to the war in Iraq.” (11/9/2003)

Veterans Day bashing

The Manchester Union Leader surveyed the Presidential candidates, including President Bush, as to what their policy towards veterans was. The Democrats all said Bush was not doing enough. Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean summed it up for the Democratic field:

“President Bush has broken promises, cut funding, and turned his back on the same veterans he claims to support. He has even ignored the bipartisan recommendations of his own veteran’s health care task force, which urged full funding for veterans’ health care. It’s time to end the broken promises, and to do right by America’s veterans.”

Here are two of the points Wesley Clark proposes:

*  Says veterans service organizations estimate that President Bush’s proposed budget is $2 billion less than what is necessary to give veterans proper care and promises to provide needed health care and timely access to preventive and diagnostic care, and basic services such as physical examinations.

* Pledges to allow National Guard and Reserve members to buy into Tricare, the military’s health insurance program.

To see all of the proposals go to the Union Leader. (11/9/2003)

The money factor

The shake out from Howard Dean’s decision to forego public financing continues with numerous articles, and the waiting for John Kerry’s decision about what he will do now. It is reported by Dean’s campaign aides that their campaign has drawn in a record $5 million in the two days following Dean’s decision. The Washington Post explores the question of what it will mean in the future for candidates seeking the Presidency. Consensus is that the extreme left of the Democrats and the extreme right of the Republicans will have the best access to the big money. The other key in the future will be star power like Hillary Clinton and Arnold Schwarzenegger. USA Today is running a story that campaign financing could collapse. (11/10/2003)

Straw poll

Florida is not the only one holding up Democrat Presidential candidates. Harrison County, Iowa Democrats thumbed their noses at national and state party rules forbidding straw polls. In their straw poll Kerry received 37 percent of the vote, and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean was second with 29 percent. Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina had 19 percent, while Rep. Dick Gephardt of Missouri garnered 10 percent. The rest are not worth mentioning. The Harrison County Democrats shook down campaign supporters for a $10 ticket--  far less than Florida’s scheme. (11/10/2003)

Slave holders

Todd Dorman, Lee Enterprise Iowa political reporter, weighs in on the Howard Dean flag flap in several of Lee Enterprise-owned Iowa newspapers (Link).

“Does Dean deserve the labels being affixed to his bumper? Probably not. Dean may end up being the next George McGovern, but he's not George Wallace… Dean is guilty, however, of exercising remarkably bad political judgment. And when folks set out to pick the next president, judgment counts.”

Dorman makes the point that Saturday the Iowa Democrats are holding their Jefferson/Jackson day dinner. Hillary Clinton will be gracing the event along with Democrat Presidential candidates.

“For example, several Democratic presidential candidates will be speaking at the Iowa Democratic Party's Jefferson-Jackson Day dinner Saturday night. The event is named for Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson, two slave owners… It could be argued that the failure of Jefferson and his revolutionary contemporaries to tackle the issue of slavery allowed the institution to persist. Battle flags followed 70 years later.” (11/10/2003)

Milking Iowa

The Des Moines Register reports Iowans are not only sought after for their votes, but their money as well. Candidates are required to file quarterly reports with the Federal Election Commission. Those reports require candidates to report the names of contributors giving $200 or more and pertinent information about the contributors such as occupation. The surprise in the story is that records show that trailing candidate Dennis Kucinich has 46 contributions from Iowa totaling more than $20,000 -- more than he's collected in such states as New Jersey, Michigan and Pennsylvania. Dean has collected 107 reportable contributions in Iowa through Sept. 30, bringing in $35,000. Dean's campaign is famous for its groundbreaking fund-raising by Internet. He has collected 55 percent of all contributions from non-reportable contributions according to the Campaign Finance Institute.Rep. Dick Gephardt has received 40 large contributions in the state of Iowa -- totaling $23,550. Bush has picked up 220 large contributions in Iowa totaling more than $228,000. (11/10/2003)

Dean’s campaign reform

Howard Dean, after destroying the current campaign finance system, stated that his campaign is real reform and that his election will be about ordinary citizens gaining control of the political system. Both Democrat and Republicans did not agree. Dean’s Democrat opponents accused him of flip-flopping, and the Republicans accused him of taking special interest money.

"We'll have real campaign finance reform if I become president," Dean said. Reform, Dean contends, includes a revised system of public financing that places "real" spending limits on candidates. "The table is going to be equal," he said. (11/11/2003)

Dean takes side in lawsuit

Howard Dean reacted to a New York Times story that administration lawyers have argued that Iraqi assets frozen in bank accounts in the United States are needed for Iraqi reconstruction. They also argue that a judgment won by the former American prisoners should be overturned, according to his press release:

"On the eve of Veteran's Day, we have learned that President Bush is blocking troops tortured in the first Gulf War from recovering due compensation for their horrible suffering. As we prepare to commemorate the heroism of the patriotic Americans who have served and sacrificed for our country, I am stunned by the hypocrisy of the Bush Administration and their betrayal of our troops," Governor Dean said.

"Instead of blocking the compensation rightfully owed to these war heroes, the President should freeze the profits of Halliburton and his other cronies who are benefiting most from the $87 billion to rebuild Iraq. I call on Congress to ask: if the recent $87 billion allocation does not provide for our veterans who fought in Iraq--where is this money going?" he added.

Governor Dean is in Iowa today. On Wednesday, SEIU and AFSCME are scheduled to make a joint announcement in D.C. about an endorsement for Dean. He campaigns in New Hampshire on Thursday and then back in Iowa for the weekend. (11/11/2003)

Was Dean Smart?

The Washington Times has a story that portrays Dean as perceptive about the Democrats’ Southern problems:

"I was surprised Mr. Dean was that perceptive, but he wasn't in the way he said it," said Marty Wiseman, director of the John C. Stennis Institute for Government at Mississippi State University. (11/11/2003)

Dean for D.C. statehood?

As it stands right now, Howard Dean is joining Dennis Kucinich, Carol Moseley Braun and Al Sharpton -- all are expected to compete in Washington, D.C. Jan. 13 primary. (If any has a change of heart, the deadline to withdraw is Nov. 15.) One of the prerequisites for participating in the primary is support for D.C.’s statehood. (11/11/2003)

The other gang

Dean is scheduled today to receive the joint endorsement of the two large AFL-CIO service workers unions Service Employees International Union and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. In a Des Moines Register story that explores what the endorsement will mean in Iowa Caucuses street fight, it is referred to as a leg up.

"The challenge will be to get the organizers out in these counties to organize their members and get them to turn out on caucus night," said JoDee Winterhoff, a longtime Iowa Democratic organizer with close ties to organized labor. "It's a leg up for Dean, but it's not a gigantic advantage." (11/12/2003)

How the war started

The Washington Post has in-depth coverage of how two new rival service unions came to endorse Howard Dean and set up the classic civil war within the AFL-CIO.

It was a radical idea, one that would put the AFL-CIO's two largest -- and among the most politically potent -- unions behind Dean's candidacy, a move Stern later described as McEntee's "big-bang theory" of how the SEIU and AFSCME together could vault Dean above the rest of the Democratic pack in a way that each acting alone might not. (11/12/2003)

War profiteering

Howard Dean, using the inflammatory words of war profiteering, accused the Bush administration of blocking investigations into cozy relationships of corporations who are war profiteers:

"In 1940, Senator Harry Truman set off in his old Dodge to investigate accusations of war profiteering in the construction of Fort Leonard Wood in south-central Missouri. What he found appalled him -- millions of dollars being wasted due to mismanagement or funneled into the hands of a small number of large corporations at taxpayers' expense. Soon thereafter, Congress established what became known as the Truman Commission to root out war profiteering and establish oversight of defense contracts.

"But similar attempts at oversight in Iraq have been thwarted by the Bush Administration. When Congress voted to give this President an additional $87 billion for his war in Iraq, both the House and Senate agreed to attach a provision that would require the General Accounting Office to conduct ongoing audits of how our taxpayer money is being spent. Instead, the White House and Tom Delay strong-armed Senate Republicans into killing the provision,” said Dean. (11/12/2003)

Dean’s temper

The USA Today checks out Dean’s temperament:

“Howard Dean's temper is no secret here in his home state. He has called political opponents "boneheads" and said they're "in la-la land." He's told lawmakers that he would like to see them lose their jobs. One longtime adversary wonders whether he's up to tasks that require tact, such as international diplomacy.” (11/12/2003)

Victory Days

Dean’s website, Of the People, By the People and For the People, is touting Victory Days:

“Two nights a month over the next three months, Dean supporters will be meeting around the country to write letters to voters in Iowa and New Hampshire. Many of you have been writing letters at Meetups -- and you asked for help organizing your local groups to meet more often to focus exclusively on writing letters. Now Victory Days.” (11/12/2003)

Speaking of victories

Having already introduced the governor to supporters on a conference call in September, Melissa Ethridge will officially endorse Dean just before the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner in Des Moines this coming weekend. As a bonus, she will toss in a performance for supporters and appear with the governor at a pre-dinner rally. (11/12/2003)

Bush hates environment

Howard Dean counter punches Kerry by issuing his own release that President Bush is destroying the environment.

"With a stroke of his pen this week, President Bush continued to burnish his legacy as a friend of the special interests and a foe of natural resource protection. Instead of protecting our scenic and historic places, there is a flood of money washing toward those same old big business interests: oil and gas developers," said Dean.

Dean failed to mention anything about stopping forest fires. (11/13/2003)

Want $10,000?

According to the Manchester Union Leader Dean offered College students $10,000 a year each in federal financial assistance. His plan outbids John Kerry’s $3.2 billion community service plan for high school students that would qualify for them for the equivalent of their state's four-year public college tuition with Dean’s $7.1 billion program:

The former Vermont governor would guarantee that Americans would not have to pay more than 10 percent of their income toward loans after graduation. He would hold the debt obligation to 7 percent for students entering what he dubbed the "Public Service Corps," such as nursing, teaching, social work, law enforcement, fire-fighting and emergency medical care.

To qualify, students in eighth-grade would have to commit to attending college and their families would be provided advance calculations of the federal aid for which they could qualify. (11/13/2003)

They did it

Dean clasped the hands of union leaders wearing a green AFSCME T-shirt and purple SEIU jacket. The symbolism portrayed the fact that the two competing unions endorsements were making history in American politics. Dean pronounced that the two endorsements “change America because it's going to put working people back in the driver's seat of this country."

Clearly healthcare for Americans was one of the issues that the two unions looked at before endorsing Dean. The SEIU represents hospital workers and made sure that they emphasized their Iowa connection in their release:

"Health care isn't just some issue to me, it's something I deal with every day in my job," said Pauline Taylor, an operating room nurse at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, adding: "I know that's something Howard Dean really understands, because he was a doctor long before he ever became a governor. So when he talks about health care, he's not just thinking about the policy; he's also thinking about the people who are affected."

With the endorsement, thousands of members from early primary states like Pauline will now begin working to help Howard Dean win the Democratic nomination, making thousands of phone calls, knocking on thousands of doors, and distributing thousands of flyers at worksites to help spread the word about Dean among other members.

Dean’s acceptance of the endorsement spoke more to the union’s belief that Dean is the one who can win. Dean reinforced that the unions would become a part of his “people campaign”:

"My campaign is about people coming together and participating in politics for common purpose to improve the lives of ordinary Americans. This is what SEIU and AFSCME do every day; their three million members represent two of the greatest grassroots organizations in the country—fighting everyday to protect workers and help them achieve job security, livable and fair wages, and affordable health care for everyone. United together, we can take back the White House and take our country back." (11/13/2003)

Confederate flag

A group of about nine students, whom fellow students and Dean campaign staffers identified as conservative activists, showed the Confederate flag at Dean’s Dartmouth College campaign visit. (11/14/2003)

Dean field director

Dean for America today announced that Tamara Pogue has been named the campaign’s national field director. Pogue, who joined the campaign in February, has been serving as interim field director. Pogue will oversee the day-to-day operations of the campaign’s field staff across the country.

"As we continue to build a 50-state campaign, Tamara has proven herself an able leader of our field operations, and we’re proud to have her help in building the greatest grassroots campaign presidential politics has ever seen," campaign manager Joe Trippi said.

Pogue, a graduate of Bates College, served most recently as campaign manager for John Baldacci’s successful gubernatorial bid in Maine.

“…Kucinich is the progressive in Congress, a leader of the antiwar effort, foe of the PATRIOT Act, friend of labor, a no-apologies lefty … Yet Dean, not he, has been scoring with Democrats yearning for a kick-ass candidate." -From ABC’s The Note. (11/14/2003)

New! New Hampshire poll

Dean has expanded his lead in New Hampshire. The latest percentages are as follows: Dean – 38; Kerry – 16; Wesley Clark – 5; John Edwards - 5;, Joe Lieberman – 4; Dick Gephardt – 3; Dennis Kucinich –1; and Al Sharpton and Carol Moseley Braun had the support of less than 1 percent. The poll also showed that 27 percent were undecided. (11/15/2003)

Insider poll

This week's Democratic Insiders poll in the National Journal with 50 possible votes by the chosen few gives Dean 39; Gephardt 8. Twenty-nine of the 50 gave John Kerry bad marks -- one even said, "He's managed to combine the duplicity of the Gore campaign with the arrogance of the Dukakis campaign." Joe Lieberman also received 9 votes in the low-expectations category. (11/15/2003)

Dean’s response

Howard Dean campaign is reported as responding to John Kerry’s challenge to hold to the $45 million limits for the contest between fellow Democrats as being premature according to the Boston Globe article:

"We just gave up $18 million dollars, we are a long way away from $45 million," Dean said. "We'll make a decision when we get to the point of having to worry about having $45 million." Dean spokeswoman Tricia Enright rejected Kerry's challenge as a gimmick.

"The fact of the matter is, we've had 233,000 Americans giving us $77 apiece, and we're now asking 2 million Americans for $100," Enright said, referring to Dean's strategy of using small donations from grass-roots supporters to raise $200 million without the appearance of a special-interest taint. "Obviously they're looking at a strategy of asking one guy to give them give them $10 million." (11/15/2003)

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