Dana Milbank on Olbermann...WTF?

[democrattotheend]

He just said that like Howard Dean and Bill Bradley, the loser of the Democratic primary would endorse the other but not really work their ass off for them. Correct me if I am wrong, but I remember Dean working pretty hard to get his supporters to get behind Kerry, and using the organization that he had built to help support Kerry as well as down-ballot candidates (including Obama, one of the original "Dean Dozen"). I remember them saying on the news a few weeks ago that one of the mistakes the Democrats made in 2004 was that when the Swiftboaters were attacking, it was mostly just Howard Dean and MoveOn that were out there defending him. So what the hell is Milbank talking about when he says Dean didn't do a lot to help Kerry?

Kind of irrelevant to this year's primary, but I'm still a Deaniac and this makes me mad.

[melody]

1. That isn't what he said

He was speaking only in terms of Hillary "not working" etc, etc.

The reference to Dean was just in passing.

[democrattotheend]

3. I know, but what he said about Dean was wrong, and it bugs me

Unless I am not remembering things clearly...I admit I kind of tuned out between March and July because I was pretty disillusioned after the media tore down Dean.

[Hawkeye-X]

2. Fuck Dana Milbank.

I will work my ass off for the nominee.

Hawkeye-X

[NoPasaran]

4. That's how I recall 2004 as well

I was a Deaniac who worked his ass off for Kerry (it grew back).

[Ichingcarpenter]

5. Dana Milbank missed this bit of news from CNN

Dean: I need a decision 'now'

Source: CNN

(CNN)— An increasingly firm Howard Dean told CNN again Thursday that he needs superdelegates to say who they’re for – and “I need them to say who they’re for starting now.”

“We cannot give up two or three months of active campaigning and healing time,” the Democratic National Committee Chairman told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer. “We’ve got to know who our nominee is.”

After facing criticism for a mostly hands-off leadership style during much of the primary season, Dean has been steadily raising the rhetorical pressure on superdelegates. He said Thursday that roughly 65 percent of them have made their preference plain, but that more than 300 have yet to make up their minds.

Read more: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/04/17/dean-i-... /
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3272783

[depakid]

6. Not to endorse Milbank (no- really) but

The Kerry campaign didn't really want Dean -and the Gore campaign wasn't all that interested in Bradley voters, either (some of whom went to the Greens that year).

[papau]

7. Seemed that way to me too - and now Obama fans are in take no prisoners mode w/ Hillary fans

[democrattotheend]

8. I think it's important to reach out to Clinton supporters

I've been saying that for a while. I've taken heat from other Obama supporters who think I'm not genuine enough in my support for him (which is why I have been driving up to Philly just about every weekend to volunteer and am taking two days off work next week to help with GOTV).

[JoFerret]

11. Hillary will work hard to help elect Obama

believe it.

The reverse may or may not be true. But probably. He would have a career ahead of him and would need to do the right thing.

[democrattotheend]

13. Obama would definitely work hard to elect Clinton

The other way around I am not so sure. And that's not because he's more altruistic, just because he is more likely to get another chance to run. But if she destroys him he wouldn't, but she probably wouldn't want him to.

[JoFerret]

14. You base your notions on nothing

but projection and wishful thinking. More altruistic? Don't make me laugh.
However - glad to hear you think he would work for her success. Good to hear it.

Is he so weak he can be "destroyed"? What is he a pampered prince of paper?

[papau]

16. I agree - Hillary is a class act - and indeed will work hard for Obama if he's nominated

[ima_sinnic]

9. figures HRC wouldn't really work for Obama--gee, what a surprise--not

she couldn't give a rat's ass about the Democrat. In fact, she's already said McCain is the better candidate. She'll probably be phone-banking for McCain, right along with LIEberman.

[democrattotheend]

10. I have to wonder who she voted for in 2004

and who she would have voted for if she lived in a competitive state. I know she publicly backed Kerry and campaigned for him, but I don't think she really wanted him to win, because she would have had to wait until 2012 and then probably run against Edwards as an incumbent VP. I feel like if she and Bill had done everything they could to help him he would not have been so quick to endorse Obama even when Obama remained somewhat of a long shot.

[MarjorieG]

12. Milbank not fair to Dems or Kerry in 2004. Neither were the Clintons

We had three good surrogates. Dean, Wes Clark and Max Cleland. The Clintons may have asked others to stand down, not do much, as Bill on his 2004 book tour commending Bush and not mentioning Kerry. Everyone knew Hillary was 2008. If anything, we have loosened the grip Bill has on the party.

Interested if Milbank will be equally negative to Obama, as Van de Hei and Nagourney of the NYT has been. Terrible in 2004.

[StevieM]

15. Bradley did his damage in his hateful primary campaign (which Obama has mimicked with much

greater success).

Hillary will probably try to help Obama, but my guess is that every time she gets ready to do so, people like those here on DU will humiliate her with condescending remarks like "she needs redemption." So she'll just wind up sitting the election out, which is what they really wanted all along. A double victory for the hateful people associated with Obama.

Steve