Dean takes jabs at GOP, Frist over Schiavo case

[madfloridian]

http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/state/article/0,1406,KNS_348_3640176,00.html

SNIP..."- Howard Dean, who today makes his first trip to Tennessee as the Democratic National Committee chief, criticized Republicans in general Monday - and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist in particular - for grandstanding on the Terri Schiavo case.

"This is a deeply personal matter and ought to be left up to physicians," Dean said in a telephone conference call with Tennessee reporters.

For Sen. Frist to say he could make a diagnosis based on a videotape is certainly not medically sound," said Dean, who, like Frist, is a physician-politician. "I wouldn't want my doctor making any diagnosis of me on videotape."

Asked how he deals in Tennessee with the perception that he is a "liberal Yankee elitist," Dean replied, "I actually don't believe there is a perception like that.

"It's Republican propaganda," said Dean, adding that he was consistently given an "A" rating by the National Rifle Association as Vermont governor and that he shares Vice President Dick Cheney's views on gay marriage and civil unions.

"If I'm liberal, so is he," said Dean."

[Zuni]

1. I love Howard Dean

The only thing is Rush is going to get on the radio tommorow and tell everyone this is the sign of an implosion, that Dean is nuts, that Howard Dean is a loose cannon and soon the national media, led by FOX will be saying that Dean's comments are bad politics, sign of instability---etc.

But I love Dean because he slams them hard every chance he gets. he is a fighter.

[Triana]

5. That's exactly why I like him...

..he doesn't let their crap stop him, either. He just keeps telling where the bu$hit in the buckwheat and rubbing the GOP's collective nose in it.

I LOVE it!

[aquart]

14. So?

Rush lies. Always did. Always will.

And it would be ridiculous for us to conduct ourselves on the assumption that anything we could do would make him truthful.

[iconoclastNYC]

32. They did this to DASCHLE

Bullies will allways find a way to ridicule and abuse you. It isn't until you stand up for yourself that they back down.

I love Howard Dean. I hope more of the Democratic emulates him.

[calimary]

35. Sigh... I love him, too!

I LOVE HOWARD DEAN!!!

[napi21]

2. I'm very pleased that Dean is Chair of the DNC!

I think his response about Frist was a very good one, and the perception being Pub propaganda was very true. Betcha Cheney will be thrilled to hear that Dean called him a liberal!!!

[calimary]

38. Wicked, isn't it?

And Howard has Frist by the balls because Howard's a doctor TOO. One who clearly would not attempt to diagnose a patient by looking at a videotape. Evidently (I do NOT know this for a fact) Frist saw only portions of the videotape, too. Perhaps only the little edited bits that we've all been furnished on the news, all cleverly patchworked together to make it appear as though Terri Schiavo is still a sentient being. Judge after judge, and expert after expert have all stated that, if you watch all four hours of the video from which the excerpts are taken, it shows pretty undeniably that her "reactions" were completely random and inconsistent. Perhaps the "good" Dr. Frist hasn't seen the whole thing. He certainly hasn't examined the patient. And by the way, that video is about five years old.

And yes, I, too, am pleased that the Democrats chose him as our party chair. Proof that they are actually NOT in a permanent vegetative state. Thank GOD!

I. LOVE. HOWARD. DEAN. I find that I'm loving him MORE every day.

[janx]

3. Finally! I remembered his earlier comments on this case and was

surprised he didn't chime in earlier, especially about Frist. Thanks for posting this!

[Tippy]

24. I think Howard Dean was correct not jumping on the band wagon to soon

He knew if you give them enough rope they will hang themselves and it sure looks like they did...Way to go Dr. Dean!

[CottonBear]

39. When the enemy's drowning, throw them an anvil.

I think Carville said something like that.

Howard Dean is amazing. He's really speaking truth to power!

[Polemonium]

4. Another example of why I support Dean

Check your BS at the door, it's very refreshing.

[jojo54]

6. Atta boy, Howie

Been waiting for him to say something about this video tape thing, beings he's also a physician. Frist making a diagnosis based on the tape "not medically sound", hey??? Sounds like a court matter to me-how can we get his license revoked??

[madfloridian]

7. Since registration takes a little while.....

Here is a little more. There was an ad being aired by the GOP, and they have been trying to divide by saying Bredesen would not want to meet with Dean. I don't know the whole story, but this looks ok.

SNIP...'Asked about speculation that Gov. Phil Bredesen might someday become a presidential candidate, Dean said Bredesen was "a terrific governor" and "if he decided to do that, he would be an outstanding candidate."

Dean said he and Bredesen have met several times and he considers the governor "a good friend." The two men will not see each other during the current trip, with Dean explaining the governor would be "in Memphis."

Bredesen's schedule shows him in Milan this afternoon though returning for Wednesday morning speeches in Smyrna and Nashville. Bredesen said last week that he would be willing to meet with Dean if requested and if his schedule permitted......"

[Gothmog]

8. I am proud of Gov. Dean

We need to point out that Frist is not a very good doctor. Frist was on the record that tears and sweat could transmit AIDS.

[madfloridian]

23. George Stephanopoulos grilled Frist on that.

Someone replayed that last night on TV. Was it Daily Show? Can't remember. He was so totally inadequate in that interview.

[jdj]

9. to that "liberal yankee elitist" question , he should have

said something like "you mean like our founding fathers?" or "I thought journalists weren't supposed to express their personal opinions while working."

he really could have countered that a whole lot better.

[madfloridian]

11. He made his point....Cheney and he agree...read it again.

It was an excellent way to handle it.

He was making points, not trying to counter. It was a veiled bash.

[Dr Fate]

20. I disagree- comparing his position to Cheney exposes hypocrisy.

DEMS say the wrong things most of the time, granted- but this was not one of those times.

[tsuki]

10. I know three Republicans that said they would have voted for him

for president. They are unaffected by the GOP BS. They like Dean. (And pissed as Hell when I told them how the cWhoreporate media had sunk him with the tape.)

[Rose Siding]

12. This is spooky

In an OMG-I-could-kiss-him-to-death kind of way. Again.

Just today I wrote him (after reading Mehlman's slam on Corzine) and asked about some media pot shots at repubs. I know he's tearing it up with herculean organizational efforts and I wrote anyway. Not that it's connected to this but

The man hasn't disappointed me yet

[madfloridian]

15. He gives only local interviews, just before he goes to a city.

AND, you are right. He does listen. Interesting his comment was made to a local Knoxville paper instead of national media.

I had heard he was organizing staff, and getting a press release ready....but nothing yet. I heard Tom McMahon as exec director. May just be gossip.

[slay]

13. Dean truly impresses me

I can't say enough good things about him. :)

[applegrove]

16. Punching through to the truth DEAN!!

:yourock:

[Straight Shooter]

17. I was absolutely disgusted by Frist's "diagnosis" by videotape.

But I guess that's par for the course when it comes to the Republican "bedside manner," eh?

Thanks, Dr. Dean, for keeping the focus where it belongs: "This is a deeply personal matter and ought to be left up to physicians."

[Athame]

21. But where are all those Republican physicians on this?

in their hidey holes right about now, I imagine.

:kick: for Dr. Dean :kick:

[knitter4democracy]

30. Go, Doctor Dean!!!

He slammed Frist because, well, he's a real doctor. He's not some scalpel jockey who rushes in to "save the day" without actually knowing the patient as a person.

Okay, that sounded offensive to all the surgeons out there, and I'll apologize as soon as they stop calling my husband, Dr. Dean, and all the other internists out there who send them patients "fleas." :evilgrin:

[KeepItReal]

18. Howard Dean is my Homeboy!

Okay, I can't back that up... But way to put it to 'em Dr. Dean.

[Dr Fate]

19. Now THATS what I'm talking about. Throw the SHIT back in their faces.

Go Mean Dean!!!!

[lowreed]

26. I like that... Mean Dean

[Andromeda]

22. We can always count on Dean...

to come up with TRUTH instead of BS.

No wonder Frist went into politics --- he's a lousy doctor, that's why!

[0007]

25. .....and smack that stupid fucking Rush Limbaugh while your at it

Mr. Dean. Better yet let him make a fool out of himself like all the rest of the yahoos.

Rove will be telling all the GOP dimwits to shut up real soon. He wants to move on.

[PassingFair]

27. Thanks, Mad!

A quotation a day from THIS good doctor, keeps the loonies away!

[fromBrooklyn]

28. boy would I kill to have a copy of that memo.

[janx]

29. What memo?

The one the Repugs were passing around about how good it would be for them politically to go after the Schiavo case?

[Debi]

31. You mean this memo?

GOP talking points on Schiavo revealed
3/21/2005 @ 2:36 pm EST


GOP Schiavo ‘talking points’ leaked in full

An insider liberal Capitol Hill blog has printed the alleged Republican Party talking points on Terri Schiavo referenced by ABC News, RAW STORY has learned.

The blog, D.C. Inside Scoop, has been at the forefront of revealing details about the Republican congressional caucus, and has been referenced in the Capitol Hill daily, Roll Call.

#
S. 529., The Incapacitated Person’s Legal Protection Act

Teri Schiavo is subject to an order that her feeding tubes will be disconnected on March 18, 2005 at 1p.m.

The Senate needs to act this week before the Budget Act is pending business, or Teri’s family will not have a remedy in federal court.

This is an important moral issue and the pro-life base will be excited that the Senate is debating this important issue.

This is a great political issue, because Senator Nelson of Florida - has already refused to become a cosponsor and this is a tough issue for Democrats.




http://rawstory.com/news/2005/index.php?p=201

[madfloridian]

33. These comments of Dean to NH doctors are very appropriate today.

That was a special speech, and we watched it on C-Span in 2003, December. His comments are so down to earth about the changes in medical care. It is almost sad how it has changed and is still changing.

SNIP..."So if somebody who was in the older generation who was quite far along got really sick, and things weren’t going well, I could go to the family and say, “Look, things aren’t going well. I can put tubes in there, machines on there, and turn all this stuff on, but I don’t think we’re going to have a great outcome with this one, tell me what you want me to do.” What they would do is they’d go back to their family, they’d bring people in from all over the country, because that’s where families are these days, and they would have a big family conference. If the patient was able to participate in his or her care, they’d be included.

And they’d come to me in a couple of days and say one of two things. Sometimes they’d say, “Well, you know, my dad was a real fighter right to the end, and we want you to do the works.” And we would do the works. And sometimes it worked, and a lot of times it didn’t. Or, they’d more often say, “You know, my dad never wanted to be kept alive with machines, and at his age, I think we ought to just let nature take its course.” And we would.

You can’t do that today. You can do it in rural New Hampshire, but you can’t do it in too many places because what happens is, when someone gets sick, they get wheeled into the emergency room; they see a doctor they never saw before; maybe their on-call physician’s there or not. Then they get sent upstairs to another set of specialists they’ve never seen before. The set of specialists they’ve never seen before is not going to come and say “I think we’ve done everything we can,” because they don’t know the patients, they don’t know the context, and they’re worried about the lawyer looking around the other side of the curtain. It is really a problem..."END SNIP

I had these problems with my father in the mid 80s, my mother in the mid 90s. There was a huge difference in approach just in those 10 years. Luckily our doctor was still the same practical, kind one.
She has retired now, and we are seeing the huge change in going to a new doctor in a large group here. Tests, more tests, appts, more appts. Very frustrating.

[AngryAmish]

34. Crush them, Dr. Dean, crush them!

We will drive our enemies before us and they will be on their knees begging.

[Fleshdancer]

36. We shouldn't be too hard on Frist...

After all, we diagnose Bush's vegetative state from the view on our television sets all the time. :P

Actually, Dean brought up a very good point by personalizing the sham of Frist's video "diagnosis". I don't know anyone who would accept being diagnosed that way. Such a simple and to the point way of criticizing what Frist did...I'm going to use that one.

[Jacobin]

37. Go Howard!!!

Tell it!!

:hug:

[Swamp Rat]

40. Why the Hell do we give a rat's ass about an NRA rating?

I give Dean an 'A' rating, all by myself, and I don't need some mafioso organization telling me what to think... I don't give a shit what those Stalinist red commie NRA bastards think.

[seventythree]

41. Left up to the docs???

I'm not pleased with this at all -- docs AND next of kin -- not docs alone -- that's what is in the crappy Texas law -- to hell with the family.

[madfloridian]

43. He meant the "diagnosis" should be left to doctors, not congress.

He was talking about diagnosis, not decision. Read my post about his talk to the NH doctors.

[seventythree]

47. confused here

"This is a deeply personal matter and ought to be left up to physicians," Dean said in a telephone conference call with Tennessee reporters. This was your original post -- which other one are you talking about? This says nothing about prognosis/diagnosis, and I couldn't use your link without registering.

[cthrumatrix]

42. Dean smacks down the RW thugs.... like nobody else

[unkachuck]

44. now pay attention...

....to the Good Doctor Dean, DLC members and other Corporate Democrats....this is how you 'do it'....takes notes, practices with each other and maybe someday, you too, will be able take on the Republicans and win....

[unhappycamper]

45. Howard! they can rope-adope for only so long before they fall

on their ass. POUND 'EM!

[artv28]

46. Good editorial on this topic

in today's NY Daily News

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/col/story/292143p-250136c.html

[Rose Siding]

48. That is good: Video shows state of Frist, too

snip>
Terri Schiavo's husband said she would not want to live the way she does now - and that she even said so. But she was only 26 when tragedy struck, probably too young to give serious thought to these matters. Besides, what she once wanted is not the point. That person is gone - or so say the experts and so say the courts who have heard from the experts. What remains is a legal case that no longer is about Schiavo. Instead, it's about the politics of abortion - right to life - and political opportunism. Terri Schiavo lives so that others, notably Frist, can run for higher office. I know that by watching the tape.
..................

Welcome to DU artv28 :hi:

[Rex]

49. Go Dean!

:yourock:

[saskatoon]

50. Howard Dean

I'm in love, I'm in love, I'm in love with a wonderful Guy. Grace

[complain jane]

51. Yay! I like Dean.

[ozone_man]

52. John Stewart took a jab at Frist about this too.

Hilarious. I love both Howard Dean and John Stewart. They make my day.

[RCPJAP]

Democratic National Committee chief, criticized Republicans in general Monday - and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist in particular - for grandstanding on the Terri Schiavo case.

"For Sen. Frist to say he could make a diagnosis based on a videotape is
certainly not medically sound," said Dean, who, like Frist, is a
physician-politician. "I wouldn't want my doctor making any diagnosis of me on videotape."

Nick Smith, spokesman for Frist, said the Tennessee senator "in no way made a diagnosis.

In a speech Thursday to the Senate, Frist questioned Florida physicians' diagnosis that Schiavo is in "a persistent vegetative state."

"I question it based on a review of the video footage which I spent an hour or so looking at last night in my office," said Frist, going on to quote medical texts and standards.


Asked how he deals in Tennessee with the perception that he is a "liberal
Yankee elitist," Dean replied, "I actually don't believe there is a perception
like that.

"It's Republican propaganda," said Dean, adding that he was consistently
given an "A" rating by the National Rifle Association as Vermont governor and that
he shares Vice President Dick Cheney's views on gay marriage and civil
unions.

"If I'm liberal, so is he," said Dean.


http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/state/article/0,1406,KNS_348_3640176,00.html

53. Cheney's a liberal?????!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The guys in my office are all wondering why I'm grinning so much as "work." Fortunately, I own and run the place or I might be in a straight jacket by now, thought come to think of it i doubt if Nepal can afford such luxuries...

[Andromeda]

54. I love that man...

Give 'em hell Dean!

[JohnnyRingo]

55. Howard Dean hit the repubs over the back with a metal chair

It made a horrific *smack*, but any crying from their side is all drama.

[gtar100]

56. Swoooshhh!!!

Sliced that comment right up!! Way to go Dean!!

What a dorky question. Must be from someone in the American press.

[moondust]

57. Doesn't matter if he made a diagnosis.

Simply challenging the diagnosis/prognosis of the doctors on the case--some of whom may have been on the case for years and conducted endless tests and examinations in person--based solely on a home video is quackery.

[nadinbrzezinski]

58. and agans the rules of the AMA

by the way, Dean hit them nicely

[d_b]

59. "Liberal yankee elitist."

I needed a laugh.