"The Electability Factor" , re Howard Dean, from today's Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A61281-2003Dec12.html

By Ruth Marcus
Sunday, December 14, 2003; Page B07


DURHAM, N.H. -- Susan Roman cast her first vote in 1972, for George McGovern. She'd rather not go down that road again. And so, while she likes "a lot of what he has to say," she's worried about former Vermont governor Howard Dean's "electability factor," which is what's brought her to a post-debate party at Scorpion's Bar & Grill here to check out Wesley Clark.

The kind of New Hampshire voter who's generally made up her mind by now -- ordinarily she'd be stuffing envelopes and making phone calls for her candidate of choice -- Roman is "still struggling" this time around. Some days she's inclined toward Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry; others she's intrigued by the retired general as she imagines him taking on President Bush.

"Instead of feeling passion for a candidate this time, what I'm really feeling is passion to get George Bush out of the White House," she says. "Because I feel so passionate about that, I want to make sure I make the right decision."

Talk to Democratic voters here and you hear a fervor to defeat President Bush that often trumps any individual issue: "It's the president, stupid" could be this year's campaign mantra. Indeed, Dean's success in vaulting to the top of the Democratic heap reflects his ability to harness that anti-Bush animus and argue that he's best positioned to take back the White House. But among other voters for whom ousting Bush is the overriding goal, there is an accompanying anxiety about Dean -- not because they disagree with him or dislike him but because they fear a general election disaster.

...more...

___________

Dean has indeed, caught the wave of passion that we Dems have to get Bush out of the White House, but as John Kerry says, "Don't just send them a message, send them a President."

complete the PNAC agenda.

Let the mudslinging and memeing begin

There are legions of us Democrats out here who are deeply concerned about the Dean electability factor and the possibility of a Dean candidacy dragging down those Democrats on the ticket with him.

ONLY when it comes to Dean?

I find that amazing.

Supporters of ALL the other candidates think their candidates are better to lead the party against AWOL. It's not just Kerry supporters. It's Clark, Edwards - all of them.

invaded by freepers ...all for shrub

Because Sen Kerry IS electable. He has experience, credentials, and he doesn't alienate people the way Dean does. There are no significant skeletons in Kerry's closet.

I think Gen Clark is even more electable (call me "starry-eyed", but we could be talkin' landslide), but Sen Kerry could at least give Bush a run for his money.

Dean "energizes the base." Well fine, but the "base" is called that for a reason. It's not big enuf to win a general election. He turns everybody else off, when he doesn't plain flat scare 'em away. It amazes me that Deaniacs can't see that.

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

Tuesday, December 9, 2003; Page A27
…
Thus, on domestic policy, Dean will characterize Bush as the deficit-expanding, Social Security-threatening, Constitution-amending (on marriage) radical, while positioning himself as a hard-headed, budget-balancing, federalism-respecting compassionate moderate. And on foreign and defense policy, look for Dean to say that he was and remains anti-Iraq war (as, he will point out, were lots of traditional centrist foreign policy types). But Dean will emphasize that he has never ruled out the use of force (including unilaterally). Indeed, he will say, he believes in military strength so strongly that he thinks we should increase the size of the Army by a division or two. It's Bush, Dean will point out, who's trying to deal with the new, post-Sept. 11 world with a pre-Sept. 11 military.
…
The writer is editor of the Weekly Standard.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A47806-2003Dec8
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=103&topic_id=24883

TO: Moore Information Clients & Friends

FROM: Hans Kaiser & Bob Moore

RE: Election 2004: Why Dean Can Win, September 2003

A recent article by David Brooks left readers with the distinct impression that Republican pollsters are all of the opinion that Howard Dean cannot possibly beat George Bush. We regret that he didn’t check with us first, as it is our belief that Dean has the potential to be a formidable candidate who could give the President a very difficult race.

The conventional wisdom that has some Republicans giddy about a potential Dean candidacy is not only misguided, it is counterproductive. Writing off a candidate like Dean by selectively sorting statistical gobble-de-gook and mixing it into a broth of “empirical” sociological evidence ignores the political realities of our time.
…
The difference between Howard Dean and the rest of the Democrat candidates is that Dean comes across as a true believer to the base but he will not appear threatening to folks in the middle. More than any other candidate in the field, he will be able to present himself as one who cares about people (doctor), who balances budgets (governor), and who appears well grounded while looking presidential. To be sure, he doesn’t look that way to the GOP base, but that has no bearing on the election, because they will never vote for him anyway. He can appeal to the middle and Republicans can ignore his candidacy at our peril. We are whistling past the graveyard if we think Howard Dean will be a pushover.

Howard Dean’s appeal is closer to Ronald Reagan’s than any other Democrat running today. Granted, that’s not saying much with this field, but there are similarities here. The Democrat party used to chuckle about Reagan and his gaffes which they believed would marginalize him to the far right dustbin of history. But when his opponents tried to attack him for some of his more outlandish statements, the folks in the middle simply ignored them. Voters in the middle looked to the bigger picture where they saw a man of conviction who cared about them and had solutions for their problems. Howard Dean has the potential to offer a similar type candidacy.
…
http://www.moore-info.com/Poll_Updates/2004%20Election%20%20Why%20Dean%20can%20win%20Sept%2003.htm
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/david_reinhard/index.ssf?/base/editorial/106829671744920.xml
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=709103

journalists. Krugman also went once, and got something like 25K, but Krugman, unlike Kristol, continued to write nasty things about Enron.

Now, Kristol did do favors for Enron by lying about them in the press. Interestingly, Dean did a favor for Enron too, by creating a huge tax break for their captive insurance company. And now Kristol does a favor for Dean. And this is the second time someone from the Weekly Standard has notably praised Dean.

... "How Dean Would Lose" by the VRWC.

They are evil geniuses.

The candidate I want to support is someone who can make me feel like getting out and doing more to get them elected than just voting for them. Someone who I feel is a leader. I don't feel that way about Dean. I didn't feel that way about Gore. I wished there was a more likeable candidate for the Dems in 2000 but we ended up with Gore and I supported him and if we end up with Dean I will support him. But how I wish I could have a candidate that I feel good about.

lt is about time we elect another Senator from Massachusetts as President of the United States. I feel strongly about John Kerry's credentials to be the best President in my lifetime. Kerry has spent a lifetime fighting for the best interestsof the people, not the special interests.

John Kerry will fight for what is best for the people of this great country, which needs to live up to our founding principles--we need to renew the promise of our democracy.

As Kerry says, indeed, "Don't just send them a message. Send them a President."

he needs to demonstrate a minimal level of competence in running his own campaign. he hasn't even demonstrated the orgazational skills needed to run a 7-11 store.

the man has a wonderful resume, but fails to connect with actual human beings.

I feel like he really has something at stake. I think a problem with politicians like Gore and many of the others running right now is that I don't really understand their motivations. I don't see that they understand what others have at stake and they don't have anything meaningful at stake themselves in the outcome of elections.

I feel like Edwards does. I think he knows people personally have have things at stake, and I feel like he really cares about the world that his children and grandchildren will grow up in.

I totally admit that this is a matter of perception and based largely (but not entirely) on emotion. However, it is a perception I definitely didn't get with Gore, and I don't get with most of the other candidates (other than Kucinich and Sharpton).

to vote for him. I've voted for plenty of Dems who didn't excite me about their candidacy -- Mondale, Dukakis, even Carter & Clinton -- and remember how annoying Hubert Humphrey could be, good liberal that he was? McGovern was the only Dem I ever really supported in a general election. This year I feel really good about Kucinich, might be able to feel good about a couple of others, but not Dean. I know now that I don't trust him.

This is the end, beautiful friends.

Clark, Edwards, Kerry. Much better chance at getting elected.

Inside the Beltway. Only on DU. Now in New Hampshire. This is because ABB is the point and the only question that can follow from there is a candidate's electability. Dean catches it because he is leading, is in the media's focus, and has the Gore bounce. I don't agree with those who think this is a dishonest issue. In this election, ABB, it is unavoidable and inevitable.

:dem:

:kick: