This Won't Hurt a Bit : Can the Body Politic Tolerate Flinty Howard Dean?

[SGrande]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17133-2003Aug3.html


With a style even his friends describe as abrasive, the Democrat could be the kind of doc the nurses complain about in the coffee room -- arrogant and disrespectful. He's called the Supreme Court justices "nine old folks" and Vermont state legislators "too big for their britches." When Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), one of Dean's opponents for the Democratic nomination, announced he was suffering from prostate cancer earlier this year, Dean issued a flinty single-sentence statement: "I have every confidence that he'll come through this well." Not exactly the kindly touch.

[huckleberry]

1. Wow! Great article - I was just going to post it!

The Doctor is really getting a lot of press. This article is in the Style section of the Post. I especially liked this paragraph because it shows Dean's sense of humor --


"He can play to his crowd. In front of the women from NOW, Dean brings up domestic abuse. "I was talking with Eve Ensler, the author of 'Vagina Monologues,' " he begins, and then pauses a beat and grins. "See, I'm a doctor. I can get that word out." The audience whoops and claps."

[SGrande]

3. =P

I just saw the monologues this past year and in fact with the fall semester out here starting up, they usually come back around now

[ChoralScholar]

2. Dean can win my vote and many others

If he will avoid excessively slamming Shrub and focus on what *He's* going to do. Too many incumbent-challengers waste time telling us about about what the incumbents did.

"Yeah... we were there... we lived it!! Now, what are YOU going to do?" Quoting myself from the last AR governor election.

[w4rma]

17. Heck no! The Bush administration has *major* problems that *must* be

debated out in the open. Folks need to know what Bush is doing. Besides, Dean HAS been talking about what he will do once elected.

Massive information dump on Gov. Howard Dean
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=43435&mesg_id=43435&page=

[ferg]

4. Press starting the "Dean is unlikable" story?

I hate these kind of "like vs nonlike" articles. They're like the "which candidate would you like to have a beer with?" stupid analysis of the Washington press corps.

The advantage, from the media's perspective, is they can criticise any (Democratic) candidate without actually needing to have any facts, or discussion of policy, or likely effect. They can turn the article into an empty, purely propaganda piece, devoid of content.

[killbotfactory]

5. How is saying he thinks Kerry will get through the surgery well..

An example of Dean being mean?

[babzilla]

6. is Dean cranky?

if the worst thing the presstitutes can come up with is Dean's crankiness (mentioned 11 times in this article by my count) I'm not too worried about their ability to smear him, everyone I know is pretty cranky right about now.

When Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), one of Dean's opponents for the Democratic nomination, announced he was suffering from prostate cancer earlier this year, Dean issued a flinty single-sentence statement: "I have every confidence that he'll come through this well." Not exactly the kindly touch.

Giving Kerry a positive prognosis? Flinty indeed.
"I have every confidence that he'll come through this well." What is unkindly about that statement? Anybody?

[DemBones DemBones]

7. A kind response would have included some expression of

empathy, sympathy, or concern about Kerry.

[killbotfactory]

8. They took it out of context, here's the full quote.

"John is in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. I have every confidence that he'll come through this well."

http://www.hannibal.net/stories/021203/new_0212030016.shtml

What a lame hatchet job that was.

[JohnKleeb]

9. thats good

[DemBones DemBones]

14. If that's what he actually said, the Post should be called on using a

partial quote. I'd still say it doesn't sound very warm -- it sounds like a carefully worded statement made about a rival -- but it's better than what was printed.

[babzilla]

10. what was Kucinich's

kindly, empathetic, sympathetic expression about Kerry again?

What about Graham? He just had heart surgery. I demand the list of people who sent flowers to Graham when he was in the hospital so I can finally make my list of who is cranky or not.

[DemBones DemBones]

12. The point is that if you make a comment, it had better sound

sympathetic unless you're asking for criticism. If Kucinich said the same thing, it would sound cold, and I wouldn't defend it. I like and support Kucinich but don't think he walks on water.

[JohnKleeb]

20. oh come on this isnt about Kucinich

and I think Dembones realizes now that Dean meant well. BTW I hear from a Dean supporter than Kucinich went over and wished them their best, that is class.

[DemBones DemBones]

11. In fact, a polite response would have included some expression of

empathy, sympathy, or concern about Kerry.

What Dean said was as warm as a clinical prognosis. He likes to make reference to the fact that he's a physician but comes across, as the article said, as one of those gruff and arrogant medics, the kind who would call patients by their first names while insisting that he be called Dr. Dean, the kind who would be impatient with patients who asked questions about what he recommended for them.

[killbotfactory]

13. "John is in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time."

That's cold and clinical? WTF are you smoking?

[DemBones DemBones]

15. No need to insult me. n/t

[killbotfactory]

16. Sorry, but I don't see how that can be considered cold...

Saying someone is in your thoughts and prayers is usually a sign of empathy.

[JohnKleeb]

19. She didnt see that

She only saw the quote that was shown originally. Give her and Kucinich a break.

[killbotfactory]

21. Her response to the full quote was:

"I'd still say it doesn't sound very warm -- it sounds like a carefully worded statement made about a rival"

I'm seriously puzzled how his statement could be taken that way.

[JohnKleeb]

22. I dont know

I personally thought it was pretty warm, Dean's response.

[Jim Sagle]

18. But there was a need to challenge your unsupportable

characterization of Dean as cold and unfeeling.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

23. Did you even read past the first 2 paragraphs?

In person, they say, the doctor is charming and charismatic, inquisitive about ordinary people and their problems, attentive to his constituents, family, staff and friends.
----------
"I tend to get brusque and tough with the press. When they push me, I push back, vigorously. But I never behave like that with ordinary Americans. They never see the side of me that aggressive reporters or aggressive editorial boards see."
----------
A first cousin to crankiness is New England flintiness, and this Howard Dean has. As with Jed Bartlet, the president from New Hampshire on NBC's "The West Wing," Dean's flintiness may derive from his sheer cognitive processing power and an impatience with those who aren't as quick. "He is extremely intelligent," says Joyce Davis, a Manhattan dermatologist who was Dean's lab partner in medical school. "I noticed that about him right away.
----------
"But I'm kind of amused by these reports of his brusqueness and temper, because that's what Vermont voters liked about him," Wolk says. "His unbridled candor can get him into trouble, but it's also one of the most endearing qualities we have come to expect."
----------
Dean can adapt, suggests Allen Gartner, a Vermont businessman and friend. "What might have gone over very well in the classic New England environment, with its independent streak, may not play as well on the national scene," he says. "But my guess is that you will see him mollify . He's a very smart guy, and he's a very quick study.
----------
I get out of the car, and I'm really shaken," says Barson, 26, who works for Planned Parenthood. Suddenly, there was the candidate. Dean had come across the crash, ordered his driver to stop and bounded into the intersection. He checked on the driver of the other car, "and then he comes over to me. Did I feel like I was bruised? Did my neck hurt? I was really okay, but he told me I might be sore for a few days, and I was, from the seat belt, he was right. He definitely sprang into doctor mode."


This is as favorable an article as you'll ever see come out of the beltway press. I don't get it.

[SGrande]

27. Yes it is, why do Deanites think everything I post is anti-dean?

Most Deanites are kind, respectful people; i found this article and posted it.

Its the looney tune fringe who always think anything a Kerry supporter posts is anti-dean.

paranoid?

Martians invading?

WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!!!!

:nuke:

(sarcasim)

[RevolutionStartsNow]

24. Great Article, thanks for posting it!

This is actually a very positive article about Dean. Nothing about policy, of course, but an interesting look at his style, and despite the commentary that the original poster added, this article puts Dean is a very positive light. It does question whether the voters are ready for an angry (or "flinty") candidate, but it also sheds a lot of light on his personality.

Great stuff, thanks.

[SGrande]

28. your welcome

and thank you, i am starting to realize for every mean, vicerol and attack piece by the looney tune fringe Deanites, there are 4-5 nice Deanites who truely love the Democratic party and Howard Dean and want to see Bush out of the Whitehouse.

[SEAburb]

25. It's just the aloofness that comes from living in a rich white elitist

society, coming out. The rich always know what is best for the rest of us and get snippy when they are challenged. Isn't it the same way Bush responds.

As for Deans comment on Kerry's cancer, Dean shows the same coldness and detachment from the suffering of others as Bush.

[Pavlovs DiOgie]

26. Thanks for posting this!

I loved this article, and had just emailed it to friends before coming to DU. I loved how he rushed to the 'rescue' of that woman who was bitten in the rear end by a dog while campaigning for Dean. It's always good to have a doctor near ya. :)

[SGrande]

29. That reminds me

I need to go see my doctor!

doh, i keep putting it off

damn you deean! damn you!
:)

[SEAburb]

30. kick it

......