Helen Thomas about Dean: "Party Can Now Believe In Lincoln's Ideals"

[madfloridian]

This is a great compliment from this great lady, Helen Thomas.

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/helenthomas/4205276/detail.html

The Democratic National Committee did the right thing by putting Howard Dean at the helm. Now the Democrats will be enabled to become what they were before -- people who believe, as Lincoln did, that government should do for people what they cannot do for themselves.

In other words, to protect the social safety net programs for the disadvantaged, including Head Start and vocational programs, which President George W. Bush has severely slashed in the next budget.

SNIP..."When asked about Iraq at a news conference Saturday, Dean said his views are well known and he stands by them. But he added that most of the party's "policy pronouncements are going to be coming from the leadership of the Congress." In other words, he knows the limitations of his power. He will be a team player who's glad to be in the game again."

SNIP..."If you told me one year ago that I'd be standing here today, as your choice for chairman of the Democratic National Committee, I wouldn't have believed you," he told the delegates. "And neither would have a lot of other people."

His appointment may be a blow to timid Democrats who believe that they can only win back voters by emulating conservative Republicans. But feisty Dean seems to be brimming with the enthusiasm and self-confidence that could lead the Democrats out of the wilderness -- and help them to restore their caring image."

[wryter2000]

1. Well, whadduya know

I haven't been crazy all this time. Helen Thomas believes the same things do!

[Cha]

2. We know Helen isn't "timid"...the

Dems ..she is talking about should take lessons from her.

I was hoping Kerry would win so badly for one reason..so Helen could get back in the front row!

[damntexdem]

3. How ironic: we have to get an advocate of the Dem wing ...

of the Dem Party ... to get back to the ideals of the first Republican president.

[Zinfandel]

4. I guess todays Democrats must enbrace republican "Ideals" (Lincoln) before

the spinless democrats can come up with any of their own and before (if ever) they can enbrace the real and liberal ideals of FDR!!

[Hamlette]

5. Thanks for the post, very timely for me.

we had a HUGE screaming match at bridge last night over Dean. We are all liberal dems but I was the only one defending Dean.

The objection of the rest of them: The media/GOP has already done a number on him so he is tarnished.

My answer: The media is going to do that to every dem.

Them: No way. It was dean not the GOP/media.

Me: Name me ONE Democrat the GOP hasn't destroyed.

Them: I'm sure they are out there.

Me: I am too but the reason you can't name them is as soon as they "get" a name the GOP attack dogs destroy them. NAME ME ONE! I said. (Harry Reid was as close as they could come and I said by the time Harry comes up for reelection you too will be convinced he eats babies.)

Went on for a long time. As they were leaving I said: "One hting I can guarantee you is that Rove and his people don't spend their evenings talking about what a horrid choice a Republican was for some position. They spend their evening thinking how to sell the lemon to America. We need to take a page from his play book."

Sent them all this Helen Thomas article just now.