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| Howard Dean Scares the Hell Out of Me and Tom Harkin |
| 01.19.04 (10:09 pm) [edit] |
It's Iowa Caucus night, and I have just fielded six phone calls in the last hour, all saying something along the lines of "Holy Mother of God, Howard Dean just came out of TV like that thing in 'The Ring' and damn near strangled me." Holy Hellfire! I know it's really difficult for Northeasterners to understand, but Howard Dean just frightens us Midwesterners. And that is why Howard Dean simply cannot be the Democratic nominee if we expect to beat President Bush. This election will be decided (and where the Democrats have to pick up votes) in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Missouri, Tennessee, West Virginia, possibly Florida, and the desert Southwest. The Midwest is 53-47 country in most polling, but Bush's approval and re-election numbers consistently hover around 60-65--meaning that there's a good 10-15 percent of the Midwestern middle-ground that's in play. Dean's problem is that his arrogant, abrasive, "Let me tell the President a little about foreign policy" lecturing grates on the Midwestern sensibility. Howard Dean's vein-bursting speechifying scares the hell out of people here. He's not electable where he needs to be electable.
On Iowa Caucus night in a span of fifteen minutes, John Edwards came out, arms raised, big smile, working the room while he composed himself. He gave an eloquent, sunshiny, deeply felt speech that speaks closer to the issues that the party should be caring about. In fact, his speech was so much more graceful and articulate than Kerry's that he may well become the story. Edwards really boosted his standing in a lot of people's eyes. He suddenly seemed like a viable vice-presidential candidate.
And then somewhere else in Iowa, Dean marched out with Tom Harkin, the most powerful politician in Iowa, whose endorsement was supposed to deliver the state to him. Dean raised his arms with Harkin. Then Dean ripped off his sport coat; he rolled up the shirt sleeves. Dean's faced puffed up and turned red. He started stomping around the stage as if he's looking for something to smash, like Bruce Banner morphing into The Incredible Hulk. Dean took the mike and whipped himself into a frenzy. He reassured the crowd that they were going to march through the Super Tuesday states. In the back, Harkin was still eating it up, as if to say, "That's the sort of red-meat candidate we need."
And then somebody in the crowd distracted him. I didn't hear what was said, but Dean paused. He looked around. The fact that Dean was so fired up is not what makes him scary. If you watch closely, you'll see at this moment Dean trying to compose himself. He knows he's going a little far, but he could have calmed down. But he lost his composure; he reacted to his audience--which is the most sticking criticism of his campaign to begin with. He fed their anger without self-restraint. This single moment embodies the Dean campaign. When Dean lost control, he re-worked himself into a frenzy. Dean nearly pulled an Ozzy Osbourne and bit the head off the microphone. "WE'RE GOING TO WIN IN MASSACHUSETTS! WE'RE GOING TO WIN IN NORTH CAROLINA! WE'RE GOING TO WIN IN ARKANSAS! AND MISSOURI!" Dean called out the home states of all his opponents. Loudly. Did you see that crazy look in his eyes when his face turned red, that vein bulged out of his neck, and he started pointing and swinging his arms around the room? There was a look in his eyes that crossed over from enthusiasm into something close to zealotry. Howard Dean came off like the Pat Buchanan of the Democratic Party, and thus compromised his chance at the White House.
I'm not going to bury Howard Dean, or say that this loss matters a lick as far as the nomination goes. But if you want to see why Howard Dean has no chance of winning those Midwestern states he needs to defeat Bush, check out the replay of his "concession" speech. Do you see how uncomfortable Tom Harkin looks in the background over Dean's right shoulder? Do you see him duck for cover when Dean started yelling the names of his Democratic opponents' home states? That's why Midwestern Democrats have cold feet about Howard Dean. Hell, Dean said, "We're supposed to do some polite stuff," as if "being polite" were some chore for chumps. We're a friendly, laid back people, and especially to Midwestern moderates, we're wary of zealots--be they Jerry Falwell or Howard Dean. The media did not create that crazy look in Dean's eye. He came out of my TV and into my living room to personally scare the hell out of me tonight. And Tom Harkin, apparently.
---shimes
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posted by: wickedlame (reply)
post date: 01.19.04 (10:38 pm)
I know it's really difficult for Northeasterners to understand, but Howard Dean just frightens us Midwesterners.
Wow, that's really fascinating. I'm a northeasterner (Boston) and I can think of a lot of adjectives to describe Dean, but scary is not one of them. I've felt all along that his arrogance would undo him, but this scariness thing is news to me. Interesting...
posted by: question (reply)
post date: 01.19.04 (10:50 pm)
Perception is 9/10 of the game.
Yep Dean is abrasive to some.
I see him as if the back of his neck is ruffled, you know like when two fighting animals are facing off?
He reminds me of the guy that stands up to the neighborhood bully.(I did that a few times).
He also doesnt walk the OLD democratic party line, the one that caters to the special interests.
I like Edwards, but I was completely disappointed in his voting to go to war against Iraq.
He has not represented NC very well for at least a year, not voting in at least 25% of the time.
Edwards is VERY intelligent, VERY wellspoken, VERY Much for the people, very calm. When interviewers are rude or obnoxious or incorrect in their facts, Edwards again presents the information with great ease and in a clear fashion.
He might be a good leader, except for the fact that he was for going to war on Iraq.
I think he voted for the war to save his political skin, though. And I do not admire that. 500 of our soldiers and tens of thousands of Iraqi Men, Women and Children have died over that vote.
Actually, there are way more than 500 deaths related to the War on Iraq. They just didnt happen immediately. How can you vote for a war based on lies? And people died, and keep dying. All for Halliburton and Bechtel and Dick Cheney. Will we get fair elections in 2004?
posted by: question (reply)
post date: 01.19.04 (10:52 pm)
He probably needs to sip some old fashioned mint julips or something.
And drink lots of iced tea, southerners love that.
posted by: mattypatt (reply)
post date: 01.20.04 (6:07 pm)
I'm suprised Dean didn't break into German and tell us he was going to invade Poland. That indeed was one of the most disturbing things I've seen.
Even one of his Congressional supporters, Rep Gutierrez, said w/o knowing press were around, this guy looks more hysterical than presidential.
posted by: mixedreviews (reply)
post date: 01.23.04 (11:36 am)
If that's the scariest thing you've ever seen, you need to get out more.
Dick Cheney talking about how he's certain that we'll find WMD in Iraq, even in the face of ABSOLUTELY NO EVIDENCE, is even scarier.
And remember....people voted for Whistle-Ass because they thought CHENEY would really run things.
Now THAT'S scary.
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