Howard Dean stops by Seattle again with campaign speech

By MARK BRYANT
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

SEATTLE -- Presidential contender Dr. Howard Dean stopped by Seattle Saturday evening to offer his prescription for America's well-being, which includes jobs, universal health care, a balanced budget and a foreign policy that relies on cooperation, not confrontation.

Dean, one of 10 vying for the Democratic presidential nomination, provided blunt criticisms of President George Bush and offered his alternatives to what he viewed as failed policies.

His comments drew repeated bursts of applause from the crowd of about 1,000 gathered at the University of Washington for the Warren G. Magnuson Awards ceremony, the largest Washington State Democratic function of the year. Dean also had a scheduled visit afterward at the Fourth Annual Seattle Human Rights Campaign Dinner and Auction.

Dean talked about jobs, saying 3 million have been lost under the current administration. He also noted the need for balancing the nation's budget, saying, "We are the party of fiscal responsibility."

Dean also blasted President Bush's tax cuts of 2001 and 2003, saying they went to the wealthiest citizens.

"Middle class people never got the tax cut," he said.

That money should instead be invested in jobs, transportation - including mass transit, broadband communications, schools and renewable energy, such as wind power.
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http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/aplocal_story.asp?category=6420&slug=WA%20Dean%20Seattle

Jobs issue alone will sink Bush alone, but all the other issues will bury him.

I'm sorry, but I believe the Democratic candidate we select to replace W next year should be more of a Democrat than Dean's past record shows. Why isn't he taking a more vigorous stand on gun safety issues for example?

I think a true Democrat must stand on principles, and I don't think there is a more principled candidate out there than Dennis Kucinich. Mosely-Braun is right up there with him, and my dream ticket would be Kucinich for president with Mosely-Braun as VP.

Health care for about 94%, civil unions, and VT was rated 'Healthiest State' for the third year in a row, up from 15th when Dean became gov. Schools improved, child abuse stats were cut in half- attributed by many to a number of Dean's early childhood programs.

http://www.morganquitno.com/hcrank03.htm

Dean is pretty cool.

Truly.

Your dream ticket is unlikely.
Howard Dean feels (correctly, I might add) that gun issues should be dealt with on a state level. Vermont has no gun laws. Vermont has very little gun crime. NH is next - and we, too have very little gun crime. Guns are part of our culture, in some respects. He understands that what works here isn't neccessarily right in California. He's also smart enough to know that banning everyone's guns isn't going to work.

In 2000, I was teaching a DUI class, to a bunch of rednecks. They knew Al Gore wanted to take their guns away. They didn't actually know squat (or care, I might add) about the election - but they knew Al Gore was gonna take their guns. These morans went out and voted for Bush because of that kernel of "knowlege."

Say what you will - this country isn't going to elect a big liberal right now. The fear propaganda has been too successful. A lot of people look to Wesley Clark because he makes them feel safe, I guess.I don't think he'd be popular if he were just some businessman. His appeal (to his supporters) is that military thing. I have issues with that - I don't support a member of the military industrial complex in the White House, and I confess I am suspicious of Clark, and his suddden appearence and rise in popularity. I am a bleeding heart liberal - and I can agree with Howard Dean on most issues.

I'm not going to find my perfect candidate, and neither are you.

Dean isn't as liberal as I'd like, but that makes him electable. I probably fit more with Kucinich ideally, but, I think he is too liberal too be elected.

Are you setting NH up for a Dean win? Tell those hunters they get to keep their guns.