Wednesday, January 21, 2004
Readers comments on Dean
Two perspectives from two readers. The first:
I think Dean has been used to firing up crowds with emotional speeches, and after their disappointing show at the polls yesterday he was trying to fire them up and be positive about his chances. Unfortunately, he forgot he wasn't just playing to the audience in the room. I didn't think he looked as strange as all of the commentators were saying, but who knows how it played in people's living rooms.The second:
The truth is, Dean was damaged a lot by all of the attacks on him. I also think there was another factor at work and that is that he is still a relative unknown who may not be the best shot to beat Bush. Democrats REALLY want to beat Bush and, while they like Dean and his message, there's a much more practical element to their decision making this year. When push came to shove, they picked the guy who they thought looked more presidential and had the credentials (read: war hero) to take on Bush.
My feeling is that Dean will not be the nominee. However, if that's true, we will all owe him an enormous debt because he's the one who's lit a fire under the rest of the Dems and gotten them to go after Bush a lot more aggressively. He's gotten a lot of people into the political process who weren't in there before, people who REALLY want to see Bush defeated. Whoever the Democratic nominee is will benefit from what Dean's accomplished.
After some time to reflect about this.....
I realize that the president is supposed to be presidential. But after seeing the Dean list-all-the-states-clip a million times yesterday, it suddenly hit me that he's getting blasted for committing political suicide for what?...showing some passion! Let's compare:
Al Gore: too wooden...is he a robot?
John Kerry: too wooden...too aloof.
John Edwards: ah, gee....what a swell guy.
now, Howard Dean: raging lunatic....because he shows human emotion.
Yet again, we see a media leading us thru a debate of, not issues, no, that's too tough, but an easily defined image, of whether the guy is too emotional or not emotional enough. I just heard someone on NPR say, "I don't know, I was for Howard Dean, but after the other night, I don't know about him anymore." That's super. It's like we're voting for Mr. Potato Head. I want wavy hair, small nose, distinguished chin, and just the right amount of attitude. I guess that's how we end up with a president who doesn't read and brags about how his advisors do his homework for him.
