Disturbing News - - "Dean's Not Sharing"

[DemBones DemBones]

is the title of this brief article, dated 9/2/03.

http://www.tnr.com/primary/index.mhtml?pid=650

"Those who are pro-Dean, or at least anti-anti-Dean, argue that the cult following he's built will benefit the Democratic Party even if Dean doesn't win the nomination. But Dean himself argues the contrary. Commenting on Wesley Clark's possible candidacy in an interview with L.A. Weekly, Dean explained:

"It's going to be very hard to start late," he says, "and think you're going to do well in Iowa and New Hampshire. It's going to be incredibly hard. I mean, we've already got 39,000 people working for us all around the country ... I really do believe--and I think about this--I want to get this nomination, and if I don't ... these kids are not transferrable. I can't just go out and say, 'Okay, so I didn't win the nomination, so go ahead and vote for the Democrats.' They're not going to suddenly just go away. That's not gonna happen."

This really stunned me. I cannot remember ever hearing a Democratic candidate say that if he lost the nomination he would not urge his supporters to vote for the Party's nominee.

Why does Dean say

" I can't just go out and say, 'Okay, so I didn't win the nomination, so go ahead and vote for the Democrats.' They're not going to suddenly just go away. That's not gonna happen" ?

What would stop him from saying that -- from urging his spporters to vote for the Democratic nominee, if he's not the nominee?

At the Harkin Steak Fry Saturday, Bill Clinton talked about a friend who told him the difference between Democrats and Republicans is that Democrats always want to fall in love with a presidential candidate but Republicans just fall in line. . . Bill went on to say that it was great to fall in love during the primary but after the nomination's decided, Democrats need to fall in line and take back the White House!

Howard Dean was standing right behind the Big Dog. I hope he was paying attention.