Dean Defines Democratic Party's Direction and Soul
Whoever Is Chosen, Democrats Spoil for a Fight By ROBIN TONER, New York Times, January 30, 2004

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29 - The struggle for the Democratic presidential nomination is not just about personalities and programs, but also about the direction - maybe even the soul - of the party. While still very much a work in progress, the Democratic Party emerging from Iowa and New Hampshire is different from the careful centrism of the Clinton era.

Howard Dean may not have won a primary or caucus yet, a circumstance that led to a major shake-up of his campaign on Wednesday, but his mark on the party is unmistakable. His defeats are less a victory for the Democratic establishment than a sign of the other leading candidates' ability to adjust, and harness the energy originally tapped by Dr. Dean's insurgent campaign: the anger at President Bush, the opposition to the war with Iraq, the demand for a different direction in domestic policy.

This is a Democratic Party spoiling for a fight. Dr. Dean's rallying cry was, and is, "It's time to take our country back!" Senator John Kerry throws Mr. Bush a defiant challenge that becomes an empowering group chant: "Bring it on!" Senator John Edwards cites his long legal career fighting big corporate lawyers and declares, "I am so ready for this fight!"

At Thursday night's debate in South Carolina, Dr. Dean brushed aside the talk of turmoil in his campaign and declared: "Everybody on this stage, or a lot of people on this stage, have now embraced my message. They all talk about change. They all talk about bringing people into the party. The truth is I stood up for that message when nobody else would." [Complete Article]

 

Where Were They When It Counted?

Mary MacElveen writes: As we focus on the New Hampshire primary, after Senator Kerry took a victory bounce from Iowa, we should remember. There was another primary which did not get any attention from the mass media. That primary was the unbinding voter's rights primary in Washington DC, where Governor Howard Dean won handily.

I applaud Governor Dean, Cong. Kucinich, the Reverend Al Sharpton and Ambassador Carol Mosley Braun for taking part in this primary which brings into focus that those citizens in DC do not have the voting rights as many living across this country. What astonishes me is that Senator Kerry, Senator Lieberman, Senator Edwards, Congressman Gephardt and General Clark did not even bother participating in that primary, even if it was non-binding. Does this send a message that some voters matter where others do not? If that is the case, shame on all of them. [Complete Article].

 

Is There a Doctor in the House?

Becky Burgwin writes: I'm only asking because I think the citizens of our country need to have their collective heads examined. People are actually buying the fact that an excited, rousing speech by Howard Dean to a roomful of 3500 young people who came from ALL OVER THE WORLD, has ruined the run of the candidate who has broken all the records on fund-raising and grass roots organizing held by any democrat in this country's history. Forget about the fact that he was smiling the whole time and that the unedited version shows you can barely hear him over the screams of the crowd. The press has decided Dean's angry and, by-gum, that's just the way it is. [Complete Article].