Democratic leaders back Dean, don't want 'wimp'

[Gloria]

(sorry if this has been posted already)

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=584&e=2&u=/nm...
Democratic leaders back Dean, don't want 'wimp'

By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent Sat Jun 11, 2:56 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Democratic National Committee leaders embraced feisty party boss Howard Dean on Saturday and urged him to keep fighting despite a flap over his blunt comments on Republicans.


After a meeting of the DNC's 40-member executive committee at a downtown hotel, members said Dean was doing exactly what they elected him to do -- build the party in all states and aggressively challenge Republicans.

"I hope Governor Dean will remember that he didn't get elected to be a wimp," said DNC member Gilda Cobb-Hunter, a South Carolina state representative. "We have been waiting a long time for someone to stand up for Democrats."

SNIP

BUILDING THE BASE

Karen Marchioro, a DNC member from Washington state, said she was stunned to see so many congressional Democrats back away from Dean.

"We always defend them, why won't they defend us? And they want us to support them for president?" she asked. "I have no desire to lose, I just think this is the way you win -- you let people know where you stand and you fight."

Cobb-Hunter said Dean "should consider the source -- congressional Democrats. What's their track record? He's doing what a lot of us wanted him to do and expected him to do."

MORE

[rwenos]

1. When Pubs Say they are "Laughing". . .

. . . it's a sure sign Dean is drawing blood.

Pub's ridicule what they fear. But the fear is real.

Go get 'em, Dr. Dean!

[bridgit]

2. they had damn well better...

dean has a mind & he is not afraid to express it. someone has to mix it up with republicans, if the Dem's do not they'll be playing catch-up forever while rove slips seedy, sordid flyer's under the entire world's windshield wipers in the dark

let dean be dean

[katsy]

3. I've been feeling so gun shy...

over every utterance by the Dems it's like living the life of a battered wife every time I tune in and watch these idiots on msm falling over themselves seeing who could escalate controversy first. The congressional Dems (except Reid) did not stand by Dr. Dean.

Well... it's great to see our leadership on the state level fighting for the party, America, and Dr. Dean.

These people give me hope. I'm tired of flinching every time a Dem speaks up fearing a counterattack. All the while... Rome burns.

[Jane Austin]

4. Dean is giving the Congressional Dems a gift.

As long as he is being "Bad Cop" they can as collegial as they want to be.

[katsy]

6. I can understand good cop/bad cop

I just don't like it when it's OUR god cop giving our bad cop a hard time.

[Jane Austin]

7. Right . . .

The Congressional Dems don't seem to realize he's giving them room to be collegial.

[DeepModem Mom]

5. No more Dem wimps -- go get 'em, Howard! nt

[Tom Rinaldo]

8. Good stuff. Very good stuff n/t

[johnaries]

9. For those of you who haven't signed the petition to Dems in

Congress that Dean speaks for me!, please check out this thread for a link.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[lies and propaganda]

10. its about damn time.

He needed a public show of support from his peers.

You would think half of them would even prefer McAuliffe.

[Edgewater_Joe]

11. Oh, Heavens! The Pink Tutu Senators Are All In A Dither Now!!!!

Whatever will they do?!?

Hopefully, SHUT THE F**K UP AND START DOING WHAT THEIR CHAIR IS DOING.

[sasquatch]

14. I take it you read Bartcop too

[wryter2000]

23. Oh, my goodness gracious, mercy me.

My viniagrette! I may swoon!

[Dangerously Amused]

12. GO IT, HOWARD! YOUR TIME IS NOW! BRING IT HOME, BABY!

Love that man!

[wryter2000]

24. Welcome to DU

I never took my Dean for America sign out of my window. I kept thinking I ought to, but now it's staying put.

[mandyky]

13. Even the DLC's Ed Kilgore stuck up for Dean

<quote>

My basic take on Howard Dean's DNC chairmanship is simple. After the 2004 elections, Dean had a choice. It would have been the easiest thing in the world for him to have assumed leadership of an abrasive and divisive faction of the Democratic party, as a proto-candidate for the 2008 presidential nomination. But instead, he chose to pursue the difficult and often thankless job of party chairman, building on the aspects of his 2004 candidacy that virtually all Democats appreciated: small-dollar fundraising, and grass-roots efforts to expand the ranks of party activists. For all my differences of opinion with Dean's 2004 campaign, his self-sacrificing choice afterwards earned my respect, and my loyalty.
Dean's work as party chairman has focused expanding the Democratic base in red states, and that, too, is exactly what I hoped he would do.

Every party chair spends a lot of time speaking to Democratic activists, and inevitably serves up a lot of red meat. Dean's recent "controversial" remarks would have been completely unobjectionable, and probably unnoticed, if they had been uttered by his predecessor.

So I think the media treatment of his remarks is unfair, and moreover, misses the legitimate thrust of his basic argument: the GOP leadership does indeed favor wealth over work, and is indeed divisive and exclusive on issues of culture, ethnicity and religion. Sound-bites aside, Dean is right, and you can count me out of any campaign to get him to resign for saying the right thing in a way that is being wilfully misrepresented.

</quote>

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/6/11/234014/341

This should be any and all Democrats response to the media.

[Writer]

17. What? Oh my god!

It can't BE!

[lojasmo]

15. Right on. Thanks! EOM

[okieinpain]

16. I love this quote

"I hope Governor Dean will remember that he didn't get elected to be a wimp," said DNC member Gilda Cobb-Hunter, a South Carolina state representative. "We have been waiting a long time for someone to stand up for Democrats."

[CanOfWhoopAss]

18. She opened up a can didn't she?!! eom

[Paradise]

19. we must let him know, we've got his back!

you know... the one with the spine!

[Seabiscuit]

20. I think it's ironic that the wimps beat up on Dean during the primaries,

but Dean came out on top as the DNC chairman. The wimps are back in Congress in their pink tutus, playing the same spineless game they played before the election.

Having the outspoken Dean as DNC Chair is the next best thing to winning the Presidency.

[janx]

21. Nah--

For now, it's even BETTER!

[wryter2000]

22. I love this one.

Cobb-Hunter said Dean "should consider the source -- congressional Democrats. What's their track record?

THWACK!

[truth_is_extreme]

25. I was with you Dr Dean in 2004

and I'm with you now. You were 1,000 light years better than the candidate we, regrettably, ended up with last time.

And until you don't directly call Bush an ELECTION THIEF, MASS MURDERER and WAR PROFITEER, you will not have gone far enough for me.

GO DOCTOR

[Rainscents]

26. Dean is our Chair... He is doing what he was elect to do!

Building the base and standing up for us!!! I love Howard Dean!!!