Straight up: If you're the 'Anti-Dean' candidate you might get my vote...

[Patriot_Spear]

...against Bush, but that's about it.

My time campaigning, the letters I've written, the rally's I've attended, the groups I've helped organize- all for Howard Dean -why would I want to give that effort to the man who says he's the Anti-Howard Dean?

The one person I consider the true 'Anti-Dean' is the 'Anti-Christ' George Bush*.

I think 'Anti-Dean' is as about as devisive a phrase as you can get- and I'm really disappointed that this attitude is indulged by the Admin and the Moderators. Really, 'anti-Dean' has the de-motivational value of a narcotic.

This is my opinion, feel free to disagree, but please have the American decency to allow me the right to have it.

[edzontar]

1. I concur on all counts.

Candidates should run as "themselves"--not as the "Anti" anyone but BUSH.

[BootinUp]

2. I have never used it, think it started with

the news coverage and pundits. In the spirit, if not the letter, of the rules it should not be used.

[bobbieinok]

3. maybe stuff like this is some people's way to relive kindergarten

it really has no place here

[Padraig18]

4. I find it incredibly offensive.

:puke::grr:

[Tom Rinaldo]

5. Like I said at greater length elsewhere

I fully agree with you, and I will cooperate however I can to retire the phrase here. Having said that, I also take it with a grain of salt. The "anti-someone" is an engrained part of American political vocabulary.

[LuminousX]

6. I'll campaign, in Dean's name.

"Hello, I'm a Dean supporter and I would like to talk to you about Candidate X, our Democratic nominee."

[Tom Rinaldo]

7. P.S.

My last post was meant to reply to your's Patriot.

[Patriot_Spear]

8. No problem Tom, I've always enjoyed our discussions. n/t

[dsewell]

9. Right, leave "anti-Dean" to the media fools

Speaking as a Clark supporter, I agree. I wasn't thrilled with Gore's endorsement, but he got one thing absolutely right: Howard Dean's campaign has changed the nature of Democratic politics, and any candidate who doesn't acknowledge that and work with it, not against it, is spitting into the wind of history. (So when I hear Joe Lieberman say "I want to take us forward, not backwards like Dean," it requires intravenous Dramamine to keep from dashing into the bathroom...)

Do Democrats remember what happened when Hubert Humphrey ran as the anti-McCarthy in '68? Is that a history they want to repeat?

[frylock]

10. if dean gets the nod..

and he somehow loses the GE as bushco uses the same attacks against him that we see here every day, it will be fun to watch all the haters scramble to lay the blame on Nader.

[Patriot_Spear]

11. Where's Meatwad?

Good AV.

[paulk]

12. the "anti - Dean" thing

is a media creation. Get used to it. It's how they're setting up to cover the primaries - first you establish a leader - than you establish the anti-leader.

[edzontar]

13. It is MORE than a Media creation...as we have seen here..

With the infamous, inflammatory (and fraudulent) "Stop Dean Movement" recruitment threads.

[Tom Rinaldo]

14. To keep it in context though

Check out the Straight up would you vote for Dean if he is the nominee thread. The answers have been overwhelmingly yes. And I guarentee you it is not only Dean supporters who are replying:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=18303&mesg_id=18303

Virtually no Dean supporters responded to my open letter, but we are going to unify around a candidate if people don't get their ego's bruised too badly.

[aquart]

15. Leading to the question

Are those threads started by Democrats or Republican operatives?

When I hear Tom Delay say how much he wants Dean to get the nomination, how the Republicans are hoping to run against Dean, I know Dean is the one they're scared of.

Why aren't they afraid of Clark?

[RetroLounge]

16. Are those threads started by Democrats or Republican operatives?

I've forgotten how to tell the difference around here...

[edzontar]

17. The "Stop Dean Movement" was fronted by a Clark supporter

At GW University named Marcus....

It was quite the incident...