Rove knows an authentic challenger when he sees one - Dean

This column is such a nicely done piece of writing and analysis, I wanted to share it. In light of all the smirking, smug reborglicans who are plugged into the Rove machine and have been intoning "Resistance is futile - we WANT Dean to get the nomination - ha ha ha... Resistance is futile..." I'd just like to say, "Yeah, right."

http://www.sunspot.net/news/opinion/oped/bal-pe.dean10aug10.story

"If Dean wins the nomination - and to do that, he would have to get by a field of candidates who may not be as authentic, but who have solid support in traditional Democratic constituencies - he will still face a stiff challenge in the general election. Bush will have at least $200 million to spend, and most Americans view him as a very real, authentic guy, someone who responded as they would have in the traumatic weeks after Sept. 11, 2001.

But the president's image may be changing. Half of Americans surveyed now think Bush and his advisers exaggerated intelligence information in the run-up to the Iraq war. The straight-shootin' president has dodged a lot of questions, and held just nine news conferences during his presidency. (His father had held 61 by this point of his term.) If Americans begin to view Bush as a chickenhawk who avoided his generation's war but rushed to send this generation's youth into Iraq, and a "chickentalk" when it comes to answering tough questions in public about his decisions and policies, he may lose his aura of authenticity.

Karl Rove, Bush's political guru, has let slip that the White House believes Dean would make a weak opponent. Did Rove leak this story line to damage Dean in the primaries because Bush's team views Dean as the most formidable threat to re-election? Maybe Rove recognizes a familiar characteristic in Dean, and knows an authentic challenger when he sees one."

but it's all talk. People now know that * is void of intelligence and statesmanship. He is history.

Early in the campaign, when Howard Dean was mostly known only to Vermonters and DU'ers, if he was mentioned at all it was as a wannabe of no consequence. Tucker Carlson repeatedly said he wanted Al Sharpton or Dean to be the Democratic candidate. Why? Because in Carlson's weasely circle they were thought of as losers.

Nowadays that Joe Lieberman and the Bushistas are taking every moment to bash Dean shows that they really are afraid he might win. GO HOWARD, GO, I say.

Dean, and especially his front-page diatribe in USA Today several days ago (which was beyond infuriating), you know Dean is gaining ground and that the repukes and repuke-lites truly fear his candidacy and are becoming desperate to stop him. I would hope most people, especially Dems, would be able to see through such desperate tactics.

Karl Rove, Bush's political guru, has let slip that the White House believes Dean would make a weak opponent. Did Rove leak this story line to damage Dean in the primaries because Bush's team views Dean as the most formidable threat to re-election? Maybe Rove recognizes a familiar characteristic in Dean, and knows an authentic challenger when he sees one."

I haven't made up my mind about which candidate to support but I am very impressed by Dean's grass-roots appeal. With all the built-in advantages of incumbency Bush has, we need a candidate who absolutely energizes voters.