Reply #18: Still with Dean

[fabius]

Actually I started supporting Kucinich and thinking I might support Kerry, until about July. The difference for me has been watching the website, the blog, the number of registered supporters and the grassroots fundraising.

This is really a different campaign. I've an active Democrat since 1980 and have been continually frustrated with the disconnect between our street activists like me and the leadership. "Thanks for all your help, now we're going to talk to the big money boys."

The most important thing right now REGARDLESS OF EXACT STANDS ON ISSUES is for the PEOPLE to reclaim the electoral process. If you think any of our candidates is going to be able to push his/her entire agenda with Congress the way it is, you're delusional. The best we can hope for is to slam the brakes on the "Great Unraveling" (with credit to Krugman) and start mobilizing the people in resistance. The "Bully Pulpit" may be the most powerful weapon any Democratic President would have. With this in mind, we need a candidate that is capable of and can can really BULLY Tom DeLay and the rest of the fascists. Imagine Howard Dean's weekly press conferences and frequent speeches.

Remember, even if we win, the "war on fascism" goes on.

To carry this dumb "war" analogy further, if you're going for the jugular, do you want Patton or Monty? Dean is domonstrably a political Patton, he's stolen several marches on everybody, and clearly outflanked Kerry. And goes right for the jugular.

Kerry is more plodding and methodical. That doesn't mean he isn't effective, but he inspires more admiration than passion.

Clark is, well, more like Eisenhower without the broad base of support (yet). We'll see how he develops.

To flog our "war" analogy even further, after a lightning advance, the organization needs to regroup and bring up additional resources for the next push. That's where Dean is. Be patient.

Don't go by these "debates". These are just sound bite exercises, there are still too many candidates to really get substance out of them. Dean is defending the counterattacks handily and readying the next offensive.