Reps. Elijah Cummings, Jim Moran & David Wu endorse Dean

After dinner this evening I stopped by a fundraiser for Howard Dean in Washington, DC --- one to celebrate his 55th birthday. It wasn’t the first time I’d seen him in person. But it was the first time I’d seen him speak to a campaign rally. And the event was very impressive.

The intensity and engagement of the crowd were palpable. And I could understand the enthusiasm Dean supporters have for what they’re doing and what they're a part of when surrounded by that energy.

Union representation was very much in evidence at the rally --- intentionally so, I suspect, but effectively so as well.

There were also endorsements from Congressmen Elijah Cummings and Jim Moran, which covers a lot of territory (in every respect but geographically) in the Democratic party.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2003_11_16.html#002212


Dean turns 55, more than alive

By SCOTT SHEPARD Cox News Service

WASHINGTON -- Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean partied across the nation's capital Monday evening, celebrating his 55th birthday with the confident air of a frontrunner for the party's 2004 nomination.

Hundreds of Asian Americans attending a "town hall" meeting for the Democratic candidates serenaded the former Vermont governor with "Happy Birthday," after which Rep. David Wu of Oregon, only the third Chinese-American ever to serve in Congress, announced his endorsement of Dean.

"Birthday's are important, but this is not a birthday present," Wu declared from the stage he shared with Dean. "He shows up. He has real passion. He shoots straight from the shoulder."

Dean was, in fact, the only one of the nine Democratic presidential candidates to accept the invitation to appear at the town hall event, sponsored by the Asian American Action Fund, a political action committee created to amplify the political voice of Asian Americans.

<snip>

http://www.benningtonbanner.com/Stories/0,1413,104~8678~1774457,00.html

Great endorsement from Wu.

Only Dean actually showed. Don't remember where I read it so no link, sorry. On the blog, probably.

I don't think that that will help Dean. Moran has been accused of anti-semitism and is battling for his political life in a primary. While the Elijah Cummings and David Wu endorsments are good I don't know if I would want Moran's endorsement. Dean has already been accused of not being pro-Israel enough and Moran won't help him.

I don't get it; I was just arguing in another thread not long ago with someone who said that Dean was TOO pro-Israel. Which is it?

P.S. I don't want this to turn into another Israel/Palestinian thread; just that Dean's critics can't seem to make up their minds on how they want to label him.

Either he is giving Sharon everything or he is destroying Israel. I guess it depends on whichever position makes Dean look worse.

However, he has been accused of that after he said something about how we need to treat the Israelis and the Palestinians equally. I think that idea is fine but other candidates have attacked him for not supporting our longtime ally Israel. This isn't my opinion, just what has been said by others. That perception isn't helped when a guy that said the war in Iraq occurred because Jews wanted it to and congressmen like Martin Frost have refused to endorse for reelection is now endorsing Dean.

Sorry if it appeared that I was (I have that affect on people!) I know exactly what you are referring to; it comes from the New York debate where Dean was attacked by Lieberman for making that comment. Lieberman received loud applause when he implied Dean was not pro-Israel enough. Then another DUer and I got into it when he said that Dean was too pro-Israel because he called for unilateral negotiations with the Palestinians, while Kerry calls for parellel negotiations.

Again, it was not my intention to turn this into a P&I thread; just wanted to highlight how Dean's critics (not you!) are trying to paint him as something he's not.

Jewish kind of indicates a lack of anti-semitism.

I could be wrong.

…
“By no means did I intend or believe that members of the Jewish community are united in their support for a possible war with Iraq,” Moran said in a Friday letter to the Jewish Community Council of the Washington area that was made public this morning. “And I certainly never meant, nor do I believe, to imply that the Jewish community is responsible for or should be blamed for this war.”

Moran said he was trying to make a larger point about the views of different religious communities on a possible war. He said he answered the way he did because his questioner identified herself as Jewish, “and I regret doing that. ... I wholeheartedly apologize to anyone whom I unintentionally offended with my insensitive comments.”
…
“I know in my heart that I am anything but anti-Semitic,” Moran said, adding that his daughter, Mary Elise, is marrying a Jewish man and converting to Judaism, with her 9-year-old son. “One wishes I could learn to hold my tongue and to express myself in a much larger context so I would be able to communicate what I really want to say ... Nobody could berate me more than I do when I see my words in print compared to what I intended to say.”
…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7832-2003Mar10.html

He is serving as Chairman for the 108th Congress.

but I have to agree with the comments about Moran though

may come back to bite him on the butt

The only one of the nine Dems to accept the AAAF invitation. This makes me more inclined to vote for Dean.