Hilarious Dean Quote

(NPR Interview -- July 2, 2003)

BOB EDWARDS: You have changed your mind on a number of key issues. Don't you risk coming off as indecisive?

HOWARD DEAN: What key issues have I changed my mind on?

EDWARDS: Well the death penalty for one.

DEAN: Well that's one. Got any others?

***

http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/democrats2004/transcripts/dean_trans.html

...it usually isn't thought that they mean the number 1.

Great response from Dean, and his reasoning, though I may or may not agree, makes sense. People that don't change their thinking as facts become available are ideologues...

You actually thought that was a good response?

Dean impressed me in a positive manner. I still have not made up my mind, but Dean is up there.

Dean '04

I hope he keeps that attitude up with the lying press. I cannot believe Bob Edwards in the rest of that interview. You know that he is just reading questions typed up by someone else - I can imagine his tone of voice as he has to read these questions. But you know what? He should refuse to read them. Here are some quotes, and imagine this is coming from a "liberal" news outlet:

On Democrats being angry at Democrats:

EDWARDS: Well they wouldn't be Democrats otherwise, would they?

Here's a real droll comment:

EDWARDS: The Democratic wing of the Democratic Party, would that be the wing that loses national elections?

Ha Ha! Stop, Bob, you are killing me. I might ask if the Republican wing of the Republican Party is the one that steals national elections.

Seemingly in response to the implication that Democratic "winners" have principle:

EDWARDS: Well, when did they win? I mean, you wouldn't put President Clinton in that category.

Clinton doesn't have principles, of course.

After that, Edwards proceeds to "mis-interpret" Dean's positions on a number of issues. Dean corrects him, of course, but where did Edwards get all his bogusly spun positions? Why does he have to state them as fact, instead of asking Dean to explain his position on blah blah blah? Here are some examples:

EDWARDS: Why did you oppose creating the Department of Homeland Defense as a way to streamline national security.

EDWARDS: Wow. You opposed the war in Iraq...
DEAN: Yes.
EDWARDS: You said you weren't sure of the benefits of removing Saddam Hussein's regime.

Both of these quotes are incredible! Especially the mischaracterization of Dean's anti-war stance.

What a lowlife scum Bob Edwards has become. There are so many questions, important questions, that could be asked of Dean in a neutral or even positive fashion, and all he can do is read these half-freeped questions that sound like push-polling. Blah. At least Dean held his own.

Edwards asks him some tough questions, questions he will surely be asked down the road, and he suddenly becomes "lowlife scum."

what makes Edwards scum is reading questions and comments that disparage and belittle all Democrats - like the crack about losing national elections, and that Democrats fight with each other. What's up with that snarkiness?

And doing it during a Dean interview neither makes it better or worse. I don't want to see this media whore doing this to any candidate.

The more critical observation is that Edwards and others are too stodgy and careful and clumsy in crafting their presentation. I think when they are handed those sheets with scripted points and he starts becoming a court lawyer without a courtroom he should toss it and loosen up.

Generally people will sink themselves rather than fall to your argument.
Edwards should be better than this. Is he another one being "Gored" by stiff advisors?

It wouldn't hurt Dean to reflect on the power of deflection by not being uptight. He's going to need it and much more as the heat gets turned on.
So far so good. I hope everyone is learning. Luckily the public is not massively tuned in to the tuning up process.

Edwards the candidate. This is Bob Edwards, the avuncular-sounding NPR host, and he also should not read whatever is set before him.

At least he sounds like it...

Why isn't Leonard Lopate my uncle? That guy is God.

tough questions will be asked of everyone down the road. The Democratic nominee will be crucified by the press - it worked so well for them last time that they are sure to do it again. Asking poorly researched questions with malevolent implications is a trick I expect from other media whores, not NPR doing a rare interview with a presidential candidate. Someone is pulling Edwards' chain, and he is caving in, as usual, to smear the Democrat.

Dean vs. Tucker on Crossfire. I keep telling the Dean campaign that this is worth another donation from me, but sadly no response.

Bush especially, they try to sneak one past by slipping in a shady word or two. this is just one example of many that Dean can hold his own. I don't think his critics understand this about him. He is quick and sharp as a tack. He would massacre Bush in a debate!