Will Dean's employment at Planned Parenthood cause problems?

[reknewcomer]

How many middle road voters will take pause with this information? I did not even know he worked there until tonight's report on VPR.

[La_Serpiente]

1. It seems like the freepers are going to exploit it

no doubt about it. Even though he actually did not do abortions, he did support Planned Parenthood. I don't know how it will play out though.

[PaDUer]

3. Let them use it...

because it's the freepers who are keeping the clinics operating. :-)

[realFedUp]

2. Will work well with my pals

and actually family planning crosses partisan lines.

[slinkerwink]

4. stupid RW talking point that will backfire

Dean never performed abortions when he was on Planned Parenthood board......that's just a dumb RW talking point.

[Eloriel]

5. He was onthe board -- an unpaid position

If someone has credible other info, opls. post it.

And I don't care who "exploits" it. For those for whom that's a problem, they wouldn't be voting for us anyway. AND we have NO BUSINESS apologizing for it. And Dean won't, which is just one reason I support him.

Why are you pandering to the right with such shit question?

[Mattforclark]

7. I don't think the OP

is 'pandering to the right.' Know thy enemy. Be prepared for thy enemy. Defeat thy enemy.

[reknewcomer]

18. pandering to the right with such shit question?

Are you in denial that Dean worked for Planned Parenthood or just scolding me for asking for input about that fact.

[Mattforclark]

6. Oh dear

That is bad. I didn't know he worked there. Do you have a link, maybe?

[RevolutionStartsNow]

8. Oh please, how is it "bad"?

It's not something Dean has ever hidden, and it's not "bad."

Yes Bush/Rove will try to say he was an "abortion doctor" or some such, but Dean has confirmed that he never performed abortions. It's a non-starter.

[Mattforclark]

12. Well

it is bad precisely because Rove will call him an abortion doctor. He might not do so directly, of course, but all he has to do is say 'planned parenthood' and people will make a connection.

Sadly, Politics is not about truth, it is about perception. That is why I am concerned.

[Eloriel]

32. EVEN IF HE DID, IT'S LEGAL

Jesus, people, look at yourselves. You've allowed the right to frame the debate on this issue. AS IF THERE WOULD BE ANYTHING IMMORAL OR WRONG OR SCANDALOUS IF HE HAD PERFORMED ABORTIONS.

UNBELIEVABLE.

[dajabr]

9. Why is it bad? (nt)

[maggrwaggr]

15. it's bad because some nut case could take a shot at him

these fundie american taliban types are psycho enough that he could be in danger

[Q]

10. Why is it 'bad'? And why are we discussing RWing talking points...

...like they actually mean something?

- I'm not suggesting this ISN'T a sincere question...but why would any Democrat have a problem with someone working for planned parenthood?

- We shouldn't allow the Right to frame the debate like this.

[Mattforclark]

13. It is not 'bad'

I personally don't have any problem with it.

It is how it will be used.

[Mattforclark]

14. sorry for any misperceptions n/t

[Eloriel]

34. Matt, here's a clue for you

If they don't Have something on our candidate, they will freakin' make stff up. Relax. The only way to deal with it is to face it down. So worrying about the abortionist "perception" only helps them (as opposed to YOUR candidate, for example).

[slinkerwink]

17. Clark wants abortions to be allowed on military bases

that's just as bad for the Repub fodder.

[Mattforclark]

20. While that can be used against him,

that is a policy question. Unfortunately, people see supporting a policy and implementing it differently. If Rove portrays Dean as an 'abortion doctor' that has a larger impact than supporting choice on military bases or any other circumstance. 'Abortion doctor' and Dean will be associated, and many people will get the misperception that Dean performed abortions, whether or not it is true.

It is a sad fact of politics.

[Corgigal]

21. They were when I served

as a woman in the military. Damn they would fly a woman out for the D/C performed at Wright Patterson in Ohio. However I served under Ronnie Reagan the Republican Saint of the religious right.

Please.

[janx]

27. The RW is out in full force from tonight onward, Slink.

Watch carefully.

[slinkerwink]

35. I am.....those low count posters are very suspicious.

;-)

[reknewcomer]

19. See the VRP archives for the 7:00 PM show about Dean

http://www.vpr.org

[Mattforclark]

22. It is this kind of thing that I am afraid of

http://www.mattmargolis.com/blog/index.php?p=178

"Former Vermont Governor, and Democratic candidate for President, Howard Dean has said he would veto any parental notification law as President.

Howard Dean, once involved with Planned Parenthood, would rather lead this country down a path where little girls can get abortions – a serious procedure no matter how you feel about the issue – and leave their parents, the people legally and morally responsible for their child, in the dark."

That gives the impression that Dean performed abortions. It is not true, but it creates that impression anyway. That kind of evil trick will be exploited.

Know thy enemy.

[DoNotRefill]

11. Nope...most pro-lifers....

would never vote for a Democrat under any circumstances...

[GreenPartyVoter]

16. I agree

Not shocking news that a Dem is pro-choice.

[dobak]

23. we're not talking pro-lifers

many moderates would be unhappy if they thought that Dean performed abortions

Dean didn't, but I bet $$$ that Rove can make people think he did

[Mattforclark]

24. Yes

repost:

This is the kind of thing that alienates the moderates, who are neither pro-choice nor pro-life absolutists:

http://www.mattmargolis.com/blog/index.php?p=178

"Former Vermont Governor, and Democratic candidate for President, Howard Dean has said he would veto any parental notification law as President.

Howard Dean, once involved with Planned Parenthood, would rather lead this country down a path where little girls can get abortions – a serious procedure no matter how you feel about the issue – and leave their parents, the people legally and morally responsible for their child, in the dark."

That gives the impression that Dean performed abortions. It is not true, but it creates that impression anyway. That kind of evil trick will be exploited.

Know thy enemy.

[depakid]

25. That's why it's such a non-issue

when are we going to learn to STOP PANDERING to the far right and stop giving a shit about offending their extremist beliefs? If there's one thing that the Dean campaign has demonstrated over the past year it's an impressive ability to counterpunch- quickly, before false accusations get cemented into reasonable people's minds (certain partisan DU'rs notwithstanding).

[Mattforclark]

26. No false accusations in my mind

I am concerned entirely about the possible political effects, I am well aware that it isn't true.

I will of course support Dean if he wins the nomination. If he does, I sincerely hope that he is every bit as capable of counterpunching as you say, because he will need to be.

[Mattforclark]

28. btw, most people are not reasonable

n/t

[depakid]

29. I think most people are reasonable, we just get a bad sample

mainly because it's the unreasonable and the outrageous that get highlighted by the mass media. The problem is more that most people are woefully uninformed or worse- misinformed. Countering that misinformation is critical, which is where the internet plays a vital role. It used to be that campaigns could circulate deceptions and equivocations and they would fester for a while, giving more people a chance to internalize them. Now, with so many people connected, rumors and innuendo get picked up quickly- and it's much easier to formulate and disseminate an official response.

If Dean does win the nomination (which, despite all the hoopla here at DU and among the puditocracy, is still very much an open question) the campaign will need to be more innovative and wiley than ever to counter Rove- that's for certain. It's unknown territory, this dynamic... this movement. In the event it happens, hopefully we'll have Clark supporters along with us to cover our backs.

[TexasSissy]

30. Most centrists are not pro-life, as far as I can tell.

[TexasSissy]

31. Or should I have said they're not "anti-abortion"?

It's getting confusing to know the correct terms to use!

[Yupster]

37. Most centrists are centrist

there are many people (like me) who are pro-choice, but are in favor of reasonable restrictions on abortion.

Parental notification seems a no-brainer to me. Of course you notify the parent before doing any medical procedure on a minor. I can'r even understand who would be against that? It seems sompletely obvious.

For the abuse fears, there's alays some kind of bypass to a judge if there's a fear that a girl would be abused if she tells her parents.

[KaraokeKarlton]

33. It was part of his medical training

Don't all doctors have to do a basic reproductive health rotation? This is a non issue. I'm sure Frist had to do this as well. This really is a very silly thing to be talking about when there are so many important and more pressing issues.

[opstachuck]

36. only if he keeps showing everyone his bloody hanger n/t