Reply #42: I remember Begala's apology for the "nose-picker" comment....just insulted more.

[madfloridian]

Today he calls Howard Dean an "a**hole from Vermont." As far as any of us can tell Dean was simply enjoying the ceremonies today like the rest of us were.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/1/4/184510/4843

A few months ago on CNN he said Howard Dean was wasting money hiring people to stand around and pick their noses in Nevada and Utah.

Not sure if he intended the apology for that statement at Huffington Post to sound that way, or if the poor fellow just can't help it. But parts of it sounded rude as well.

Bringing a knife to a gunfight

I am deeply frustrated with a party establishment that does everything except tell people what we stand for. They spend millions on voter files, field work, phone banks, staff, consultants, etc...and yet people don't know what we stand for. I am not opposed to hiring organizers. I'm opposed to pretending that hiring organizers is in any way a substitute for having a message.

Yeh, Paul, guess what...Dean had that message. You know, the one that said we would not win being Republican lite? That one? That we needed to oppose Bush, and not be afraid to be different.

I've lived almost my entire life in red states -- not Berkeley, not Burlington -- but Texas and Virginia. I know better than most how vicious these Republicans can be. And I can't bear the thought that we're going to leave these brave, ballsy challengers naked and vulnerable to the tender mercies of Mr. Rove. Ideally you'd like to make sure they have both the message and the organizers they need to win.

Well, Paul, there is nothing wrong about being from Berkeley or Burlington. And Dean is putting staff in those Red States you speak of so they can win by having the message their area needs. Oh, isn't that what you were just saying? Dean is doing just what you want done in those areas.

And Paul, remember this wonderful letter written to you by the Utah state chairman, Wayne Holland?

"Win for today" as a long-term strategy has left many areas of the
country without a healthy dialogue. The April 29 canvass where we put
the DNC message on 15,000 registered Democrats doorsteps was a first
for Utahns. They have never heard from the DNC. When Clinton was in
the White House, he never made a public address to the people of Utah.
Democrats have become outsiders who do things to us, not insiders who
do things for us. The 50 state strategy is one way to turn it around.

Even in Utah, there are thoughtful Democrats elected to office like
Congressman Matheson, Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson, and Salt
Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon. The DNC's investment here will make
sure that they retain their seats. I expect it will help Mayor Corroon
get a majority of Democrats to support his policies on the Salt Lake
County Council. That will show Utahns for the first time in a decade
that we have the ability to govern.

I wish I had more time today to be thoughtful. But this fight is
disheartening, and not productive. Chairman Dean is not going to
change what he has started. Too many DNC members appreciate it. (And,
they are Dean's electorate.) I encourage you and Congressman Rahm
Emmanuel to move on, and find a way to make it work for the DCCC.

Wayne Holland, Jr.
Chair
Utah Democratic Party

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

And one more thing. You and your buddy James Carville are going to be working for Hillary's campaign in one capacity or the other. Does she know you guys are doing this stuff?

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/...