Proof that Dean leads in Iowa.

[BJ]

At least to my own satisfaction.

Last night on the same local newscast there appeared TeeVee commercials attacking Howard Dean from the left and the right.

The left leaning spot castigated Dean for his "A" rating by the NRA while he was governor of Vermont. This ad was sponsored by...well I'm not really sure for the contact Website listed is www.progressivevalues.org which leads to an organization calledEngage America and I couldn't find anything there about Howard Dean. Yet. So on this one I'm a little confused.

The right wing commercial by the virulent anti-tax group Club For Growth. No confusion here. C-For-G touts its anti-Dean commercial at the top of its homepage.

Add to that the buffeting Dean's been receiving from fellow Democrats and I'm led to the conclusion the former Vermont governor's in the catbird seat for next month's Iowa Caucuses.

That being the case, however, I'm still throwing my support behind Dennis Kucinich.

[La_Serpiente]

1. Yeah, I saw that website

progressive values. Who the hell is the guy that runs it?

[slinkerwink]

2. that guy used to work for senator harkin

and he might be linked to either Kerry or Gephardt. Actually if they run that ad in the south, attacking Dean from the left, it might attract more moderates and Republicans to us ;-)

[blm]

4. Yeah, to complement the rest of the Repub money going to Dean

from places like...oh, let's say....energy execs who he dealt with on the sale of Vermont Yankee to Entergy/Koch Industries....and whose paperwork has been sealed even though they were under request from environmental law groups.

[slinkerwink]

5. *rolls eyes*

So Republicans donating to Clark just don't matter to you? :shrug:

[Padraig18]

8. Proof, citations, links and evidence, please.

Or is this another content-free smear? :eyes:

[Hep]

10. Need you ask!

n/t

[Padraig18]

12. I just did. n/t

[BJ]

16. If you need info on Clark's contributors...

Open Secrets.org is a good place to start.

[Melinda]

38. Nice comparative charts - Kerry receives far more PAC funds than Dean

Kerry's "Citizen Soldier Fund":

http://www.opensecrets.org/presidential/leadpac_ind.asp?id=N00000245&cycle=2002

Dean's "Fund for a Healthy America":

http://www.opensecrets.org/presidential/leadpac_ind.asp?

*edited to add:

http://www.opensecrets.org/presidential/donordems.asp

Look at the numbers - 56% of Dean contributions are $200 or less; Kucinich 65%, Clark 35%, Kerry 12%

[wtmusic]

13. Guaranteed: always 100% content-free opinion

No messy references to get in the way!!

:silly:

[blm]

17. Untrue assertion. They were posted yesterday. Sorry you missed it.

They're reposted now.

[blm]

15. Here ya go...they were in the thread yesterday

about Dean's sealed papers, but since you missed it I'll repost. Cheney-lite, indeed.

CLF seeks details of Dean administration’s talks with utilities
March 11, 2002
(from the State section)
By SUSAN SMALLHEER Southern Vermont Bureau

MONTPELIER — The Conservation Law Foundation will file a freedom of information request with the Dean administration today to find out how many contacts it has had with Vermont utility executives over the pending sale of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant.

Mark Sinclair, senior attorney with the environmental group, said Monday that recent news reports about the financial contributions made by Vermont utility executives or board members to Gov. Howard Dean’s presidential campaign political action committee were “too much of a coincidence.”

Sinclair said the new offer from Entergy Nuclear of Jackson, Miss., last week wasn’t substantially better than the original bid, and doesn’t really address the serious concerns raised by the state earlier this winter about local control and other economic issues.

“The department didn’t get anything,” he said.
Sinclair compared it to the negotiations with Vice President Dick Cheney by energy companies that are now subject to an investigation by the General Accounting Office.

The Public Service Department last week came out in favor of the sale of Vermont Yankee to Entergy, saying that the energy giant had changed its deal to answer the state’s concerns.
>>>>>>
.
http://rutlandherald.nybor.com/Archive/Articles/Article/43924



Entergy linemen Chris Madison (left) and Freddie Chambers install a switch over a transformer Wednesday morning along Watkins Drive in north Jackson. Entergy Corp, parent company of Entergy Mississippi, recently won a number of prestigious electrical utility awards.
Reaching the pinnacle of success among electrical utilities has not been an easy achievement for Entergy Corp...

Entergy Corp, with annual revenues of nearly $10 billion, either owns, manages or invests in power plants generating more than 30,000 megawatts of electricity. It is the fastest growing nuclear operator in the country, and the second largest with a total of 10 reactors.

It recently purchased the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant for $180 million, and is legally postured to take advantage of future nuclear opportunities...
It could be said that when opportunity knocks — like when Entergy, in 2000, joined with privately held Koch Industries Inc. to form Entergy-Koch LP, which markets and trades power, natural gas and other energy commodities in North America and Europe — the accountants will be anxious to study the potential.
>>>>>
http://www.clarionledger.com/news/0301/09/b01.html

Dean raises money from energy sources
February 27, 2002
By David Gram
ASSOCIATED PRESS
MONTPELIER — When Gov. Howard Dean wanted to raise money for a possible presidential bid, he followed the example of a former governor of Texas and called on his friends in the energy industry.

Nearly a fifth of the roughly $111,000 collected in its first months by Dean’s presidential political action committee, the Fund for a Healthy America, came from people with ties to Vermont’s electric utilities, according to a recent Federal Elections Commission filing.

It should be no surprise. Dean and utility executives have had a long and friendly relationship.

One donor who gave Dean’s PAC the maximum amount allowed — $5,000 — said he did so because he and his wife “agree with many of the things the fund is talking about — fiscal conservatism, education, health care.”
That donor is Robert Young of Proctor, who also is a top official at two utility companies that have had a lot of important business before state government during Dean’s nearly 11 years in office. Young is chief executive at Central Vermont Public Service Corp. and chairman of Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp.
>>>>>>>
http://timesargus.nybor.com/Legislature/Story/43125.html

The history of the purchase of Vermont Yankee can be found at the following location but key dates for filing of purchase agreements are:
Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station Purchase and Sale Agreement by and Between Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation, as Seller, Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee, LLC, as Buyer and Entergy Corporation, as Guarantor, dated: August 15, 2001

Memorandum of Understanding among Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee, Llc, Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation, Central Vermont Public Service Corporation, Green Mountain Power Corporation, and the Vermont Department of Public Service re: Proposed sale of Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station and related transactions. March 11, 2002
>>>>>>>>
http://www.state.vt.us/psd/6545.htm#MOU

Entergy as in Koch Industries as in Koch brothers as in BFEE. They set McCain up when he ran, then ran ads against him and for Bush.

[blm]

20. I hope you don't miss this.

You should be proud of the fact that this is the man you're shoving down throats of all Democrats. Especially those who recognize the real Dean.

THIS is what the storyline will be for 2004. Dems everywhere stuck defending Dean's lies, secret dealings, sealed records, draft record and inconsistencies in his positions instead of Bushes as we planned.

[virtualobserver]

24. "Nearly a fifth of the roughly $111,000 "

What is that, nearly $22,000?

In Feb, 2002?

"One donor who gave Dean’s PAC the maximum amount allowed — $5,000 — said he did so because he and his wife “agree with many of the things the fund is talking about — fiscal conservatism, education, health care.”

My God, Dean must be some sort of a monster.

[Hep]

26. He took that money and used it

to buy sulfuric acid, which he poured on the heads of invalid nuns.

[virtualobserver]

28. I heard about that incident.....

I probably would have dropped Dean as my candidate, but a few brainwashing sessions brought me back.

[Hep]

29. I'm the chair of Nunhaters for Dean.

so I was all about it.

[blm]

34. substantive reply....as usual.

.

[Hep]

36. Give me something substantive to reply to.

..

[ozone_man]

27. Really, does blm think that he has something?

Let him look into what Dean's contributions have been, and I think he'll find that he has precious few PAC or corporate contributions, expecially compared to others, like Kerry or Clark.

As governor, you have to be able to negociate power contracts. It's part of the job and anyone who can't, fails. Vermont did not go down during that blackout this year.

All in all, Dean has done well with power management and has seen hydro power as the lesser of evils, compared to nuclear and fossil fuel, but he has pushed energy efficiency (mandated by the PSB also) as the first choice, and has started an energy efficiency utility. He has pushed for renewable energy in Vermont as well. This is just stuff that I know and remember, in my own words.

I have to assume that blm is trying to convey that Dean is, in some way, bought by or beholden to special utility interests or something to that effect, but I think that's pretty silly. :eyes:

[virtualobserver]

30. I can understand it........

it is no fun supporting a candidate that is dead in the water.

I've been there, and you just keep trying to make a case.

I was a Tsongas supporter in 1992, and I really hated Clinton.

But he grew on me.

[blm]

35. Kerry never accepted corporate pac money in any of his Senate races.

So...please enlighten us how Kerry is a corporatist while Dean is not. Also explain how Kerry was doing the bidding of large corporations while he put forth environmental legislation they fought, the Kyoto Accord he helped craft, or the legislation he pushed that favored small businesses over large corporations.

While pushing for public financing of campaigns since 85 and continued with Wellstone.

[ozone_man]

39. What is Kerry's average donation?

Care to match against Dean's?

[blm]

33. What do Bush's donors say? The same thing.

BTW...If there is northing there, why wouldn't Dean allow the papers released?

They aren't personal matters about medical problems with the Entergy folks are there?

[Hep]

37. There's that argument again

"Sir if you have nothing to hide, why not let me search your car?"

BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE TO LET YOU.

[Scott Lee]

32. Who needs proof when you have hate?

I spent enough years throwing punches at proof-less righties to learn that one.

[BJ]

6. My thoughts exactly on the NRA thing.

Even though I'm for Kucinich I think gun control is a loser issue in the long run. I know quite a few Democrats who are gun owners and hunters.

[blm]

18. And which Democratic candidate is going to ban guns?

Dean's gun control stance is no longer much different than any of the others since he changed his AWB position to match the other Dems. Why are Deanies spreading the GOP meme that the other Dems are the extremists on gun control?

[BJ]

19. First off, I'm not a "Deanie"

Don't hang that tag on me. If you'd read my orginal post that started this thread I clearly stated that I am a Kucinich supporter!

That being said, however, I stand by my opinion that "gun control", as well as "civil unions" or "gay marriage", is a loser issue. And if you study most recent gun control legislation it doesn't control much of anything. I only came to this conclusion on gun control after many discussions with a freind of mine who is heavily involved with the county Democratic Party organization and is currently working for the Gephardt campaign. He is a gun collector and hunter and hates the NRA.

Gun control's one of those "issues" that some of the more "ideologically pure" in the Democratic Party are so shrill about that it drives blue collar Dems right into the arms of the Repugs.

[blm]

22. I didn't call you a Deanie...

I said that Deanies have been spreading that GOP meme, but not you specifically, as you are a DK supporter and I didn't think you'd attach yourself to that question.

The fact is that Dean's gun control stance has been altered slightly and is now closer to the other Dems so for Deanies to spread the GOP meme is disingenuous. I'd like to hear them explain why they use it.

[BJ]

31. You replied to my previous post.

No hard feelings. I misunderstood your post.

[Hep]

3. As Dean says:

"i will be called all kinds of things in this campaign and the more i am, the better i'm doing."

[patricia92243]

7. Dean makes me smile

I find myself grinning at my television ever time that Gov. Dean is on. He seems bring out the best in people, and this is a personality trait that cannot be taught - it's either there or not there.

Tim Russart on talking about hate of Bush in Europe said "It's like a blast furnace". Bush is a divider, and Gov. Dean is a uniter.

[Hep]

9. You're half right!

Dean brings out the best in well intentioned people. He brings out the worst in jerks. We're seeing that here at DU daily!

[wtmusic]

14. Some people just don't like extremely popular candidates

It's a kneejerk, and it's always been that way.

[slinkerwink]

11. awww, welcome to DU!!!!

:hi:

[newyawker99]

25. Hi patricia92243!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[blm]

21. bump

.

[Capn Sunshine]

23. Production almost complete on the counter Ad

Something new for a democratic candidate I know, but since we can afford it we are placing ads that counter those ridiculous positions as opposed to what was democratic party tradition in the past: nothing .