Democratic group warns Bush-bashing may backfire

[chiburb]

Hard to tell your friends from your enemies, as this FRONT PAGE Chicago Tribune story explains...

Snip:

PHILADELPHIA -- The Democratic Party's challenge of winning the White House next year is complicated by a now-familiar skirmish between liberal and moderate factions that some leaders fear could undermine the party's ability to present itself as a mainstream alternative to President Bush.

"The Democratic Party has an important choice to make," said Sen. Evan Bayh, the Indiana lawmaker who is chairman of the Democratic Leadership Council. "Do we want to vent or do we want to govern?"

Snip:

The Democratic Leadership Council, the moderate group that helped propel Bill Clinton to the White House, is so displeased by the messages on tax cuts, the war and national security issues of some leading campaigns that no presidential contenders were invited to the two-day convention. Instead, seven Democratic governors were showcased as the party's promising, fresh stars.

"We cannot allow our party to be hijacked by those who are so blinded by their hatred of George Bush that they cannot see the path to a Democratic victory," said Al From, the group's founder.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0307290302jul29,1,6366103.story?coll=chi-news-hed

[Pale Blue Dot]

1. Maybe I'm blinded by hatred, but

fuck the DLC!

[truebrit71]

16. I couldn't agree more...

Fuck the concept of "We'll take the high road..." It didn't work last time and it won't this time...

The time to 'play nice' is OVER...there is too much at stake here, people are dying because an imposter was allowed to inherit the White House..It is time to get our hands dirty and engage the enemy...

Let me be clear about this, we need to throw this bum out and uncover every slimy little detail of the four years he spent in Al's house so that there won't be the chance of a Bush or a republican to get NEAR the Presidency for thirty years...

We simply cannot afford to lose...

TB

[dArKeR]

27. Telling; seeking the truth is Bush bashing?

A slug who sends professional troops to kill innocent men, women and children for profit?

A slug starting a Terrorist Futures Market. This is certifiably INSANE.

A slug who profited from his own Harken insider trading.

A slug who's left the American people to economic garbage for 3 years.

A slug who through inept management allowed 9/11 to happen.

A slug who through inept management has allow Afghanistan to sip backward 1000 steps from where the Taliban had it.

A slug who through inept management had no plan to manage Iraq.

A slug who is by far the most hated President in the world since modern times.

I'm tired, someone else continue.

http://darkerxdarker.tripod.com/

[TheIdiot]

97. OK, I'll try...

Maybe these first three posts are what the DLC means by:

"We cannot allow our party to be hijacked by those who are so blinded by their hatred of George Bush that they cannot see the path to a Democratic victory."

But, don't take me too seriously... I'm just

[jamesinca]

108. A post in here a month or so ago put it well, here is the text

If this is Bush bashing then it needs to be done. He is tearing this country apart. It needs to be stopped. In any case here is the post from some time back. Who ever originally posted it in the GD hope you don't mind me putting it back up here. Take this as a compliment, I felt the work was worth saving. I definately feel it is worth reposting. LET THE BASH BEGIN!!!!

here's what Mr. Bush has done to our nation:

Spent the surplus and bankrupted the treasury.
Shattered record for biggest annual deficit in history.
Set economic record for most private bankruptcies filed in any 12 month period.
Set all-time record for biggest drop in the history of the stock market.
First president in decades to execute a federal prisoner.
First president in US history to enter office with a criminal record.
First year in office set the all-time record for most days on vacation by any president in US history.
After taking the entire month of August off for vacation, presided over the worst security failure in US history.
Set the record for most campaign fund-raising trips than any other president in US history.
In his first two years in office over 2 million (3 million now) Americans lost their job.
Cut unemployment benefits for more out of work Americans than any president in US history.
Set the all-time record for most foreclosures in a 12 month period.
Appointed more convicted criminals to administration positions than any president in US history.
Set the record for the least amount of press conferences than any president since the advent of television.
Signed more laws and executive orders amending the Constitution than any president in US history.
Presided over the biggest energy crises in US history and refused to intervene when corruption was revealed. (I wonder why considering Ken Lay, Chairman of Enron, was his biggest lifetime contributor.)
Presided over the highest gasoline prices in US history and refused to use the national reserves as past presidents have.
Cut healthcare benefits for war veterans.
Set the all-time record for most people worldwide to simultaneously take to the streets to protest me (15 million people), shattering the record for protest against any person in the history of mankind. (1. http://www.hyperreal.org/~dana/marches/)
Dissolved more international treaties than any president in US history.
His presidency is the most secretive and un-accountable of any in US history.
Members of my cabinet are the richest of any administration in US history. (the 'poorest' multi-millionaire, Condoleeza Rice has an Chevron oil tanker named after her).
First president in US history to have all 50 states of the Union simultaneously go bankrupt.
Presided over the biggest corporate stock market fraud of any market in any country in the history of the world.
First president in US history to order a US attack and military occupation of a sovereign nation.
Created the largest government department bureaucracy in the history of the United States.
Set the all-time record for biggest annual budget spending increases, more than any president in US history.
First president in US history to have the United Nations remove the US from the human rights commission.
First president in US history to have the United Nations remove the US from the elections monitoring board.
Removed more checks and balances, and have the least amount of congressional oversight than any presidential administration in US history.
Rendered the entire United Nations irrelevant.
Withdrew from the World Court of Law.
Refused to allow inspectors access to US prisoners of war and by default no longer abide by the Geneva Conventions.
First president in US history to refuse United Nations election inspectors (during the 2002 US elections).
All-time US (and world) record holder for most corporate campaign donations.
My biggest life-time campaign contributor presided over one of the largest corporate bankruptcy frauds in world history (Kenneth Lay, former CEO of Enron Corporation).
Spent more money on polls and focus groups than any president in US history.
First president in US history to unilaterally attack a sovereign nation against the will of the United Nations and the world community.
First president to run and hide when the US came under attack (and then lied saying the enemy had the code to Air Force 1)
First US president to establish a secret shadow government.
Took the biggest world sympathy for the US after 911, and in less than a year made the US the most resented country in the world (possibly the biggest diplomatic failure in US and world history).
With a policy of 'dis-engagement' created the most hostile Israeli-Palestine relations in at least 30 years.
First US president in history to have a majority of the people of Europe (71%) view my presidency as the biggest threat to world peace and stability.
First US president in history to have the people of South Korea more threatened by the US than their immediate neighbor, North Korea.
Changed US policy to allow convicted criminals to be awarded government contracts.
Set all-time record for number of administration appointees who violated US law by not selling huge investments in corporations bidding for government contracts.
Failed to fulfill my pledge to get Osama Bin Laden 'dead or alive'.
Failed to capture the anthrax killer who tried to murder the leaders of our country at the United States Capitol building as well as select media locations around the country. After 18 months he has no leads and zero suspects.
In the 18 months following the 911 attacks he has successfully prevented any public investigation into the biggest security failure in the history of the United States.
Removed more freedoms and civil liberties for Americans than any other president in US history.
In a little over two years created the most divided country in decades, possibly the most divided the US has ever been since the civil war.
Entered office with the strongest economy in US history and in less than two years turned every single economic category heading straight down.

[Cha]

50. Yeah! I hate Lyin', Murdererin', Thievin', Arrogant, Assholes, too!

So sue me!:kick:

[Zero Gravitas]

58. Fuck Bush*

and fuck the Republican Lite Dems too.

[Skittles]

2. well

repug bashing of Clinton did backfire in the aspect that people really got sick of it. However, it was effective in a sense that to this day, people really do think Clinton was "surrounded by scandals" even though 99% of them were made up by the repugs and in their witch hunt fever.

[dragonquest8]

36. it only temporarily backfired in 98

but it was just because Repukes overkilled by impeaching popular president. bashing Clinton worked perfectly for them in the end.

[Cha]

51. But Clinton was unfairly eviscervated for the most part...

there is a freakin' vast difference!

We're tellin' the truth about bush...Like Truman said.. "they just think it's Hell!"

[whirlygigspin]

3. Holy crap!

Al's gone off the deep end!

[UpInArms]

24. he hasn't gone off the "deep end"

he lives there -

he heads up the group "Democrats Loving Corporations"

(on edit - gosh I love the new edit the subject line feature!)

[GoBlue]

81. actually

Its the shallow end.

[bushh8ter]

4. We also cannot allow the Democratic party to use the

same old losing strategy of trying to be like republicans.

"We cannot allow our party to be hijacked by those who are so blinded by their hatred of George Bush that they cannot see the path to a Democratic victory," said Al From, the group's founder.


Replace hatred with "love" and "George Bush" with "money" and what have you got -- the current state of the Democratic party.

[baby_bear]

29. Perfect, Bushh8ter

Send that line to the DLC, pronto!

Evan Baye's father would be ashamed of his son.

s_m

[CBHagman]

63. Yes, tell the DLC not to alienate actual DEMOCRATS

If they start running off Democrats of various persuasions, plus many natural allies (i.e., the environmentally conscious, regardless of party; union members, regardless of party; et al), they're doomed from the start.

I noticed today's Washington Post article on the DLC mentioned a poll they'd commissioned that turned up the fact that white men were more likely to identify themselves as Republicans. The same Post had an article mentioning that Bush got a whopping 9 percent of the black vote and had continued to alienate African-American groups (i.e., the NAACP, the Congressional Black Caucus) for years. When is the DLC going to learn to stop thinking of the country as 75 percent white and male and remember the rest of us? :mad:

[TheIdiot]

100. The DLC will pay attention...

to "the rest" of the Democrat base when "the rest" start thinking for themselves instead of marching lockstep to the voting booths and pulling blindly for the Big D, no matter what.

The exact same circumstance existed in 1998 for far-right Republican conservatives just before Clinton's re-election -- the party's response to their bleating was: "And where the Hell else are they going to go?"

You know where they went? They went NOWHERE, and they went nowhere in droves on Election Day. Four years later the party finally listened.

But, that's just the opinion of

[Tinoire]

85. AMEN! Very well put! n/t

[Jivenwail]

5. This is outrageous

So then it's OK for the repukes to bash the dems that they hate? Like that ass DeLay making fun of Ted Kennedy is OK? I guess Holy Joe must be their candidate, after his remarks on Iraq being a "just war". I think Dean has proven the fact that the message makes the candidate and it instills the need for change and invigorates the masses. The DLC is out of step with reality - and that is being too kind.

[Liberal Veteran]

6. Oh fuck them....

These wishy washy people who are so damned afraid of jumping the gun or offending a few neocons get on my nerves.

I've seen the same thing from some of our fellow DU'ers.

"We should be careful not to jump to conclusions on the State of the Union lie....it could backfire"

"Maybe we should wait a little longer to press the issue of WMD not being found....they might still find them"

"Be careful not to criticize to much, you might alienate the swing voters"

One of the biggest criticisms I hear about the democratic party is from people who think we are too damned milquetoast about everything.

[JNelson6563]

7. I was going to reply

but damn if you didn't say everything I wanted to.

Julie

[StandWatie]

83. I think..

all that "they are gonna show up" crap is stealth freepers or democrats who bought into a massive propaganda fear campaign and when the evidence is laid before them they would rather throw out the evidence and retain the perception rather than admit they were taken in.

[Pocho]

8. HERE'S TO THE DLC

[aquart]

33. Please. They'd enjoy that.

They're so used to bending over for Bush.

[Zephyrbird]

35. My thoughts exactly!!!!!

Thanks Pocho! I couldn't have "said" it better!

:grr:

These buttheads in the DLC are not paying ANY ATTENTION AT ALL to the angry grassroots that make up the TRUE democratic party.

You yahoos in the DLC better pay attention to Dean's campaign. Just about 75% of the party membership where I'm at favors Dean because of his stance and his criticism of Bush. I'm 47 years old, and most of the folks that feel the same way are my age or OLDER. We are NOT some "fringe" of the party.

[Tinoire]

38. Couldn't have said it better. Thanks!

[study_war_no_more]

64. DLC your days are numbered

Vicheys line up.

[David Zephyr]

84. Perfectly Put, Pocho!

As always. :hi:

[liberalmuse]

9. The DLC is wrong

We need an effective opposition to the Bush administration. If we just run another Republican, that isn't going to get the left out to the polls, and the moderates will just vote for Bush, because, what's the point?

BTW, I despise Bush only because I so CLEARLY see what his administrations policy's are doing to America and the world. It is our children and grandchildren who will suffer the consequences of us letting this rot stay in the White House.

I'm so disappointed in the pansy's in the DLC. They are just a bunch of upper middle-class white men without a clue.

[leesa]

10. It IS governing to point out treason against your country

Those of us who thought the DLC was a Republican front group are right. No doubt now. Trying to imply that it is blind hatred rather than Bush's lies that produced this result...disgusting! This is EXACTLY what the crazy Republicans are saying.

[bigluckyfeet]

37. My Congressman is a Member

of the DLC,I wrote him a while back asking why,and have not heard back from him yet.

[chiburb]

11. From a thread in GD:

IkeWarnedUs (975 posts) Tue Jul-29-03 01:09 AM
Response to Original message

9. once more - for those who haven't heard


The DLC is the Trojan Horse for neo-cons and PNAC'ers to infiltrate the Democratic party.

Will Marshall, the president and founder of the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) and former Policy Director for the DLC is a signer on PNAC's two statements on Iraq. PPI was created to set policy for the DLC and is very closely connected to the DLC. In fact, the DLC website shows joint contact info for both organizations and the same person answers the phone for both (202-547-0001 PPI, 202-546-0007 DLC).

Tod Lindberg, published by The Blueprint (DLC magazine) also signed both PNAC Iraq statements, as did James Steinberg, Deputy National Security Advisor to President Clinton.

Marshall Wittman, another Blueprint author, is a Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute (Richard Perle, trustee) and former aid to Ralph Reed.

Those are just the direct links . . .

In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial

[aquart]

34. Not a bit surprised.

This party needs a nice purge.

[qb]

12. By "bashing" I assume he means Rush-style vitriolic cold-blooded

dishonest character assasination. I agree that adopting Rush's style may backfire, but I haven't heard of any prominent democrats doing this.

Everyone should take this as a green light to continue with the relentless, honest criticism of the failed and immoral policies of this corrupt administration.

[glitch]

41. hear hear! nt

[punpirate]

13. Al From is saying this now...

... because his candidates aren't making headway--no clear leader, even though the DLC has four candidates in this race. From truly does want to win, but only on his terms. If the Democrats are seen to be bashers of Bush, the four ranking DLC'ers might lose corporate campaign funds simply by party association.

Cheers.

[whirlygigspin]

14. is the Chicago Tribune

the paper that recently dropped boondocks for being too black?

[chiburb]

19. Don't know, I never buy it...

I see the headlines on the train platform, then go online to read what I'm interested in. Fwiw, you may be right though. The Sun-Times is the choice for Afican-Americans (broad generalization, I know) even though it's a right-wing rag owned by Hollinger. I buy the Sun-Times for the sports section...
On edit, here is your answer:
Snip:
But Brown also is an editor, and on Monday and Thursday of last week he elected to substitute two old panels of the McGruder strip for two new ones that he and Schaffner considered out of bounds, beneath Tribune standards.

One of the offending strips poked fun at President Bush's "bring 'em on" taunt to Iraqi bitter-enders who have been killing American troops at the rate of about one a day. Lampooning Bush is legitimate, but the strip also seemed to make light of the deaths of American service members, which is not.

The other strip used the death of singer Barry White to take a shot at one of McGruder's favorite targets, Black Entertainment Television. Except that the premise--that BET learned late of White's long illness and death--was incorrect.

The substitutions prompted e-mails and phone calls to Brown from readers who, taking advantage of the capability created by the Internet, had gotten access to the rejected strips from other sources.

Read more here:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-0307240236jul24,1,3058231.column?coll=chi-news-col

[Walt Starr]

15. I had sworn to vote for whatever Dem gets put up

The DLC keeps pushing me out, though.

Greener pastures are always an option for me, DLC. The DLC bullshit is what will cost us the White House.

[Dhalgren]

46. I agree.

The DLC is deliberately trying to damage the Democratic party. This is the time for every Democrat - of whatever stripe - to stand up and disavow the DLC and do so publically! If the DLC want to drive out the progressives and the liberals from the party, then they want to lose to Bush in '04. This is so transparent that it is difficult to believe anyone doesn't see it.

[Jaybird]

68. exactly walt!

i feel the same as you my brother!

if a DLCer gets the nomination, I am most likely going green.

These guys are starting to make my skin crawl almost as much as

chimp and company.

[Monte Carlo]

17. Not blind hatred, Mr. From; it is learned anger.

I don't know if he's been paying attention, but while he's worried about offending a few old swing voters, the base of the Democratic party is disappearing. Bush is not good for this country; Al From better start teaching the nation that, because they're not going to learn it magically by themselves.

NO ONE knows what the Democrats stand for any more. I don't think they realize that. We have entire generations who have no memory of Democrats other than Bill Clinton, who was in every sense of the word a politician. Candidates like Dean are finally starting to address this problem, while pol-crazy people like the DLC think that Dean's pointing out of the problem is creating it.

[mjb4]

18. as per John Stewart: The people

who are giving you advice don't like you!

[leQ]

20. maybe if we concentrated on bush's actions, rather than the man(sic)

the 'mainstream' sheeple would understand our anger better. so instead of being anti-bush, lets try anti-bush-policy as a focal point. like we say around iowa, i dont hate you. i hate the things you do.

[haymaker]

47. What the hell

do you think that we have been doing? Every goddamned thing he has done since stealing his way into the White House has been an affront to civilized, well-meaning Americans. He is a fucking disaster.

Please, don't try to give us advice regarding tactics.

[Snellius]

21. In the secrecy of the voting booth, how will they vote?

What worries me about some like From or Bayh or Lieberman is that they keep telling us to "project a strong image" without themselves being strong, to "act tough" but themselves come off spinless and compromising. Why do they think someone like Dean is "far left" unless they themselves aren't pretty "far right". What do THEY stand for? Why not just vote Republican and get the perks. They're the ones who have no alternative -- not the "far left."

[libtexan]

22. Look, people

The DLC has a point! Whenever I see the bumper sticker, "Bush is a Punk Ass Chump," while I agree wholeheartedly
I also think it is a double-edged sword that we may eventually fall on. Clinton was elected twice because he stayed focused
on what matters to most people: Their pocketbook.

Steps into asbestos suit.

[xJlM]

57. I've never seen that sticker!

I'd put it on my vehicle, though.

The DLC has a point, but maybe if they wear a hat folks won't notice (the point is on top of their heads). I think Democrats need to get the message to them that if they want to be relegated to the shit can of history, they need to keep on their current course.

[drool_n_yank]

105. and who do you work for

DLC COP , know one has bumber stickers that say that ,if they did they would be lynched by the poor working slobs who think Bush is good. The small amount of voices that are heard on a mass media scale just ask for answers to Bush Co crimes . Is that bashing ? No , heck no , its just asking for answers . There needs to be bashing but whats been going on is hardly bashing , it is absurd to ask Dems to be quiet right now. Who pays you guys to invade webs sites and pretend to be a friendlys with a different view. Or are u just a settlers. Ssssh , quiet , whisper , dont say anything about the troops dying in Iraq you bad Bush basher . All of this DLC stuff has a distinctive middle Eastern spin .

[Malva Zebrina]

23. Interesting

damned if you do, damned if you don't. If one can stand aside and take note, it may be easier to understand how people like Hitler gained power. Suddenly the urge to right things, to be honorable, to follow the conscience and the knowlege of the "right thing to do" is frowned upon. This is as sick a notion as Bush's lies to go to war--which, BTW, seems to have perfectly acceptable to all on both sides of the aisle--and you better not say different or we will lose the next election--NOT.

Say different--point out the evil man who stole the presidency and how he has taken this country down, down down--point out how the stupid opposition party is mesmerized by his tactics also--I cannot believe what has happened here--I just cannot believe it. Incredible in it's scope of ass kissing, sanctioning an evil cabal, trembling in their sacred congressional seats and ignoring the American people. ON ALL SIDES--except for a couple of them. I honor Senator Robert Byrd.

[libtexan]

26. also

I have a question: Do you trust Bill Richardson, the N.M. governor who, yesterday evening, welcomed the killer D's
from Texas with open arms? He is a biggy within the DLC.

I don't think it will serve us well to behave as the ME publicans behaved during the Clinton years.
Gore didn't win by a landslide because he was not aggressive enough on real issues. During the debates
not ONCE did I hear him be-bop and scat all over His Hindend's record as TX gov. He could
have made hay of him on that alone, dammit!

Be patient on Iraq. It will catch up with smush. Maybe as that scandal unfolds one of our really good guys (whom
the DLC don't endorse now) will surge ahead and smush smush.

I need some breakfast.

[Jack Rabbit]

25. Why don't they just urge Democrats to nominate Bush?

EDITED to add a few fine points

Let's imagine Al From and Bruce Reed writing a piece on New Democrats Online:

The Democrats need to run the strongest possible candidate. Polls consistantly show that, although not as high as just after 9/11, President Bush has high approval ratings and that he runs 12% ahead of a generic Democratic challenger. This does not bode well for even an electable New Democrat, to say nothing of Howard Dean or Dennis Kucinich, the darlings of the base of Democratic Party, who are a bunch of tree-hugging McGovernite New Deal socialist elitists caught in the sixties who failed to learn the true lessons of the Vietnam War, namely that we could have defeated the Vietnamese nationalists and imposed our chosen gang of kleptocrats on the Vietnamese people if everybody had gotten behind President Johnson's wise policies istead of whining about a little credibility gap.

The parallels between Iraq and Vietnam are remarkable. We should not repeat the same miskes now. Why should we concern oursleves with little matters like the Niger document beign a fraud, when there is so much evidence to support the claims that Saddam had 500 tons of weapons of mass destruction in Baghdad and Tikrit, just like the administration said. And we haven't even began to speak of the obvious connections between Saddam and the al Qaida network.

All Americans, including Democrats, need to unite behind President Bush. Those who don't are a bunch of unpatriotic hippie union-organizing anti-globalization anarchists who brought nothing but electoral defeat with candidates such as Mondale and Dukakis and Carter in 1980 but not 1976, when he was a moderate as we can tell because he won that year and modertes win while wild-eyed liberals like Carter in 1980 lose. It's a proven fact born out in election after election, poll after poll and focus group after focus group.

There is, of course, no reason to listen to these losers. They will be investigated by Homeland Security, another way in which President Bush has protected our national security interests from internal threats posed by these civil libertarian Commie pinko anti-war demostrating bleeding heart liberals. They will disappear to the dog cages of Guantanamo, about which surveys consistantly show that Americans, most of whom are independent and centrist, know or care nothing, so its the will of the people, as we it. That's what these eleitist activist get for not getting with the times. They problably still support national health care and oppose privatization of social securtiy. Democrats need to face the hard realities of the times. New Democrats lead the way by acting and thinking like Republicans.

The rality is that there is no more Democratic Party, ideologically speaking. The old guard of the Democratic Party are really not Democrats but a bunch of Green Naderite socialists who wish nothing better than to defeat our candidates or make us run liberal idelaists who can't win like Al Gore, who lost even though he got more votes than President Bush and would have carried Florida if that hadn't been fixed (but we should grow up and not complain about the hard realities of crooked politics) and probably voted for Nader himself just because he had Lieberman on the ticket.

New Democrats, on the other hand, are really Republicans at heart. Thus, we should welcome President Bush into the Democratic Party and noiminate him as our standard bearer in 2004. It would infuse much needed new like into the Democratic Party. By nominating President Bush, the Democrats would assure that their candidate wins, since he would have no opposition.

Some will say that it is undemocratic not to offer the voters of choice. These people are living in the past. The principles of Jeffersonian democracy may have been good for your grandfather, but America's future lays in unity. One nation, one party, one leader.

So, all Democrats should get in line and vote for our new New Democrat, President Bush.

We can always call those who don't agree names.

[ulysses]

90. back in your closet, you wrong kind of leftist you!

;-)

but a deeply funny wrong kind of leftist...

[gratuitous]

28. Bush bashing or legitimate criticism

Al From appears to have spun so much he can't distinguish the difference anymore. Take your pink tutu and dance off, Al. The Pros from Dover will take over for a while, and we'll hand the Democrats the victory in 2004 that your 2002 tactics fumbled away. I was patient last year, counting on the DLC "strategy" to hold George Bush and his corrupt administration accountable for its misdeeds, and I was sorely disappointed to watch Daschle, Gephardt and the rest snatch defeat from the jaws of victory over and over again.

Well Mr. From, I do want to win, and your tactics and strategy had their chance in 2002. For 2004, we're going to try something different: Define the message, frame the issues to our liking, register voters and make sure they get to the polls, and quit reacting to the Republican lead, but set the day's agenda ourselves.

[fizzana]

30. Grover Norquist would call this date-rape

n/t

[Sushi_lover]

31. spine vs. no spine

voters like spine.

[aquart]

32. They're "displeased"??

I'm pretty fucking pissed they lost Congress, myself.

Now they want to cripple the presidential primaries when the nation is BEGGING for a leader with a spine and poll numbers soar for anyone who speaks out against the monstrous entity in the White House?

Who are the members of the DLC? Because I want nothing to do with them.

[Tinoire]

40. They're all listed here: http://www.ndol.org/new_dem_dir.cfm

Leave name, state, etc blank selecting only "New Dem Organization" if you want a list of the names.

Peace

[schultzee]

73. You can find them online using a search engine and Senator

Evan Bahyr(sp?) and Al From and others are members. The Senator is accessable by phone.
I used to have the address in my favorites but dumped it. They are all paid off by the republicans or are republicans in Democrats clothing. Spies! Moles! Trogan horses!

[nolabels]

39. Please consider the source of the article

http://www.cjr.org/owners/tribune.asp
http://www.chicagotribune.com

Maybe check this story out for a little background (snip closer to bottom).

http://atlanta.creativeloafing.com/2003-05-21/fishwrapper.html
Stuffing our minds with garbage
Cox censors news it doesn't want you to get
BY JOHN SUGG

(snip)
Paraphrasing Florida Broadcasters Association President Patrick Roberts, the Post reported in January that "the Tribune Co. and Cox Enterprises have been two major proponents of loosening the FCC's grip." Damn, never read that in the AJC. (I hope the Post reporter kept her job for such audacious truth-telling.) "As soon as it happens, within 30 days a mammoth number of deals will be announced," Roberts told the Post.

Don't you think people in the Coxopoly's home plantation might be interested to know that their media overseer was about to be one of those involved in a "mammoth number of deals"? By deleting the single sentence from the Times story on the FCC, the AJC reduced the very major role of the newspaper industry in the seismic media changes to a passing, hardly noticeable reference in the story's second to the last paragraph.

The word "Cox" was never mentioned (even though the AJC typically "localizes" similar wire stories when they might affect other local companies), and nowhere can the reader find the slightest whiff that the company has an interest in the outcome of the FCC decision. Nor, scouring months of past AJCs, will a reader ever be enlightened as to Cox's very real and very big stake in media deregulation. By comparison, more ethical companies, such as the Tribune Co., which owns The Chicago Tribune, The Los Angeles Times and other papers, aggressively reported their self-interest in the FCC rule change proposals.

What the Cox folks are aggressive at is circling their computer terminals to ward off criticism. Cox Newspaper CEO Jay Smith, and the AJC's editor, Julia Wallace, and managing editor, Hank Klibanoff, were provided detailed questions on issues in this column. They didn't respond, something politicians and others might want to remember the next time they're pushed for response by an AJC reporter. (snip)

[chiburb]

43. I see your point, but...

The WaPo and NY Times have the story too. And, as I read the story, the source is the DLC (not the Trib).
Yep, increasing media ownership to 50% from 35% is a bad thing. However, in this case, the DLC is the bad guy...

[nolabels]

60. The point is they are just trying to throw sand on the Dems altogether

The after the fact, they missed the boat analogy is where most see these larger birdcage liners at. The reporters are not going to come up with anything good, they could loose their job that way. Went to link to read this entire piece of tripe I had to endure this little piece to get to it

Some advertisers may prefer to contact you directly. Please check this box if you do not wish to be contacted directly by a non-affiliated advertiser. If you have checked this box, we will not share personally identifiable information provided on this form with non-affiliated advertisers for such purposes. However, we will continue to include you in our e-mail announcements, as explained above. Information is used as described in our Privacy Policy.

And the author is
By Jeff Zeleny
Tribune national correspondent
Published July 29, 2003

Another part of the article has this
(snip)
"If we don't have a battle over the definition of our party this year, if we try to say the real differences in our party should just be shoved aside or swept under the rug, those differences will come out next year on general election day," he added.

The man in the eye of the criticism is Howard Dean, the former governor of Vermont who has become a surprise sensation in the presidential field.

With an intense dislike for Bush policies and savvy use of Internet fundraising that attracted more than 9,000 donors last weekend alone and quickly raised nearly $500,000, Dean has become a wild card of the campaign, inspiring thousands of Democratic activists. But he also worries moderate leaders who are concerned about a 2004 version of George McGovern or Walter Mondale, both of whom were adored by liberals and lost 49 states in their respective presidential elections.

To defeat Bush, the moderate Democrats believe, the party must select a nominee who appeals to middle-class swing voters and holds strong credentials on national security.
(snip)

This is just more of telling people on how they need to paint the picture in thier head as they would want you to see it. Frankly I think that larger corporations are afraid of grass root movements like Howard’s. It is a place where they cannot control the message. The blogs that have sprouted up like weeds from all across the net from all over the world puts these people in a pickle.

I might be wrong on this, but is what you are surmising is that if Dems don’t go for the people that large multinational corporations deem mainstream, they will loose, is that correct?

[Gman]

42. I will not get involved in this pissing match today

thank you very much.

[Warren Stuart]

44. What do you call an opposition party that not opposed to anything?

A bunch of fucking toadies.

[monobrau]

48. Bought and paid for?

Seriously, it's time to clean house.

[bvar22]

45. Following the DLC strategy for winning elections,

In the last 10 years, the DLC has lost the White House, the Senate, and the House of Represenatives. Why should I beleive ANYTHING the DLC says about wining elections?????

OTOH, the Corporatization of the World has progressed beyond expectations, cheap labor is abundant, White Collar mega-criminals live in luxury without fear of REAL prosecution and prison, AND....the Democratic Party is RAKING in more money than EVER from their Corporate sponsors. The Party set records for collecting the cash in 2002. And some people think the Democrats lost in 2002.

[SGrande]

94. umm, they have?

last time i checked it was Democrats who voted and elected candidates not the DLC, who is just a policy group after all.

The New Democrat Network is the real culprit

And the DLC won Kansas, Arizona, Michigan, New Mexico Governorships?

Hrm, the liberals lost Georgia?

great record!

[tomp]

49. vent vs govern?

bullshit dichotomy. we can actually do both. bayh sucks. this is bush apologism.

[Jersey Devil]

52. Unfortunately, I think this may be the start of the Hillary 2008 campaign

Sink the Dem nominee for 2004 thereby preserving the nomination for Hillary in 2008. Bill Clinton's backslapping pro-Bush comments of last week on Larry King fit right in with that.

They may win, but we are not going to take this lying down. We are going to fight for our party. Screw the DLC which has never won anything, lost Congress, most of the statehouses and the last election. Sure Bill Clinton won with the DLC, but that was due to Bill's political genius, not the DLC. :grr:

[qb]

86. Nader method?

Could they be evil enough to want 4 more years of Bush so people will be screaming for Hillary to save us from the polluted feudal police state Bush has created?

It's sad that this even makes sense as a possibility.

[gasperc]

53. our own worst enemy

why doesn't the DLC just die already?

[GOPFighter]

54. It's kind of frightening when...

...your own party calls you names and tries to demonize you. All the enrgy in the Democratic Party is coming from the left. The Dems have a choice, work with us and use our energy, or marginalize us and lose. As usual, the DLC would rather lose. How much do From and his merry band of geniuses get paid btw?

[Patriot_Spear]

55. Since when is the DLC a Democratic organization?

They're DINO's- pure and simple.

[LuminousX]

56. DLC = Vichy Democrats

nt

[truebrit71]

78. You know, that is the PERFECT analogy..

Fuck 'em...

You have to stand up and say, "Here's what pResident Bunnypants has done...and here's how it SHOULD have been done.."

The bottom line here is that when Smirky McWarHardOn runs in '04 his own record will crucify him. THIS time he can't play the 'fuzzy math' card, THIS time he can't play the 'compassionate conservative' card, THIS time he can't appeal to the 'middle ground'...It will be obvious to all but the blind that this man can't be trusted anytime he opens his mouth.

It is up to the Democrats to scream at the top of their lungs about what a foul-up this guy is...there is no margin for error here, there is no room to 'play nice', there are only two options: win or we're fucked..I say we play to win...

TB

[On the Road]

59. Clinton Knows How to Criticize Effectively

Al From is clueless.

Yes, there is an point to all this. It IS possible to do too much criticism in the wrong way. Candidates who become attack dogs hurt themselves -- that's why the VP candidate is usually the hatchet man.

If you listen to Bill Clinton, ever since the beginning of his 1992 campaign he was very critical of Republicans. But because his criticisms tended to be contrasted with positive proposals or observations, it did not come off the same.

It's a tightrope. It takes some skill. From has a point, but he obviously has no idea how to implement it.

[RedSock]

61. Similar story in New York Times

Centrist Democrats Warn Party Not to Present Itself as 'Far Left'
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/29/politics/campaigns/29DEMS.html

The moderate Democratic group that helped elect Bill Clinton to the White House in 1992 warned today that Democrats were headed for defeat if they presented themselves as an angry "far left" party fighting tax cuts and opposing the war in Iraq.

The warning, by the Democratic Leadership Council, an organization of moderate Democrats that helped move the party to the center 10 years ago, was largely a response to the popularity enjoyed in early presidential primary states by Howard Dean, the former governor of Vermont.

"It is our belief that the Democratic Party has an important choice to make: Do we want to vent or do we want to govern?" said Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana, chairman of the organization. "The administration is being run by the far right. The Democratic Party is in danger of being taken over by the far left."

....

********

Unbelievable. Mind-boggling. And utterly clueless and moranic.

Here is my letter to the Times (which also will be sent to the DLC):

"Has the political landscape in the United States shifted so far to the right that the Democratic Leadership Council believes opposing the Bush administration tax cuts and the invasion of Iraq are "far left" positions the party should not support? Apparently so. And the DLC wonders why its membership is at "a postwar historic low"! The answer is blindingly obvious. Millions of Americans like myself are disgusted with Democrats who are indistinguishable from Republicans and scared to voice even a whisper of a dissenting view. Until the DLC remembers that its role is to provide an alternative to conservatism -- rather than joining conservatism's ranks -- it will continue to lose members to either third party candidates or voter apathy."


F You DLC!

[schultzee]

74. Clinton supported Bush's 16 little words! Effective! I think not at

least in what he is doing now. Anyway Clinton was the best Republican president that we ever had. Remember Nafta and taking the poor off welfare without a safty net. The good old boy stuck it to the middle class with NAFTA. I voted Greed when he went with NAFTA.

[Randomthought]

62. DLC

The Democratic Leadership Council is neither democratic nor leaders and I don't want or need their council!

[study_war_no_more]

66. Vicheys same old same old

I suggest Iraq may be in use of your services you are finito here.

[Eloriel]

91. Or their counsel, either!

:evilgrin:

Welcome to DU!

Eloriel

[mumon]

65. follow the money.

We cannot allow the distribution of income and wealth to be continually be skewed away from those who create it.

[dfong63]

67. yeah, bayh the sellout

... who voted for the bush* tax cuts.

the guy who broke solidarity with 47 other senate democrats (with only one other turncoat), and sided with the republicans on this signature issue.

yeah, he's exactly the right guy to be giving other democrats advice on how to behave.

STFU, EVAN.

[TacticalPeek]

69. From the invaluable resource, Atrios' blog:

Hmmm....
Posted by Lambert

Quote #1:

... exploiting a "visceral hatred" of George W. Bush among those on the far left which the nation does not share.

Quote #2:

Their single organizing philosophy is an irrational, all-encompassing, broiling hatred of George W. Bush.


The source for #1: The DLC.

The source for #2: Tom DéLay.


link atrios.blogspot.com

[ibegurpard]

77. Very nice!

Kind of interesting to see those side by side, isn't it?

[Dr_Strangelove]

70. Backfire in a campaign

Remember - these are the people that brought us the oh-so-successful 2002 election campaign... If Democrats stand up for Democratic values, then they get more votes. Besides, 'Bush-Bashing' in their view is looking at a problem with the current regeime and pointing out that it would have been better if things were handled differently.

[loudsue]

71. Casting lots for who gets programmed into the voting machines

They must think the more repuke ass they kiss, the more likely they'll get a victory or two out of the voting machines. Money and power are taking care of their own in this country these days, and fuck the rest of us.

The voting machine issue is the key to everything that's going on. If we really did get to choose our leaders, we could vote this whole self-serving bunch out of office before they trash what's left of our country and our freedoms.


:kick:

[schultzee]

72. The DLC is really a Repuiblican Mole! Write them a letter telling

them how you feel about them.

[RedSock]

75. but but but there's a HUGE difference between the D and R

the nader-haters told me so.

[cboy4]

76. Hello, earth to DLC....

The last time I checked, we got the most votes in 2000. So certainly, a majority of the nation is opposed to the interloper in the White House. And considering what's going on with that insane bunch of christian fundamentalist extremists, who want people to be allowed to wager when the next terrorist attack happens, we have every right to vent and be outraged! :mad:

[PurityOfEssence]

79. Pathetic snivelling naive sub-moron trainee

If the man himself is not labeled as a selfish, lying, greedy, inconsiderate kleptocrat, any policy can be dismissed as a mistake or bad advice or something else. The core issue of this man's personality HAS to be an, if not the, issue. The Republican Party itself has to be painted as self-interested and only for the wealthy. As long as they can claim some moral highground and not be instantly challenged, all weaklings who look up to power will kiss their signet ring.

[Eloriel]

80. Ohhh, that absolutely settles it

We cannot allow our party to be hijacked by those who are so blinded by their hatred of George Bush that they cannot see the path to a Democratic victory," said Al From, the group's founder.


THAT is an RNC talking point.

It reminds me of this quote: It's no measure of health to be well-adjusted to a profoundly sick society. -- Krishnamurti

It's no measure of political viabiity OR SANITY to refuse to identify, name and thoroughly denounce political opponents who are out to destroy an entire nation and its people, whether that destruction is intentional or not (and I personally think it is).

The people who support George Bush will NEVER wake up if there's no one telling them the truth. That is what is so profoundly, desperately needed in our nation today: the truth.

And why do we hate George Bush&Co. anyway? Just because? Or because he's in the White House and our guy isn't? Hell no. Our contempt was born of daily atrocities leveled against the nation, its institutions, laws and people AND the world itself. Our hatred is exactly equivalent to NOT being "well-adjusted" to a profoundly sick administration.

Eloriel

[David Zephyr]

82. Ha! The DLC's Ass Kissing of GW Bush is What Has "Backfired"

The DLC is besides themselves in utter confusion and frustration with:

1.) the surging popularity of Governor Howard Dean in poll after poll nationally and in state by state preference samplings;

2.) the steadfastness of the polling numbers favorable to Governor Dean when juxtaposed against the sinking numbers of the DLC's favorites: Lieberman, Edwards, Kerry and Gephardt;

3.) the depth and measure of the sentiment and sheer enthusiasm on part of Governor Dean' supporters and their willingness to work for him;

4.) Dean's ability to raise millions of dollars in small donations from what is now nearing 100,000 supporters around the nation.

What is now very obvious is that the DLC is clearly NOT COMFORTABLE with questioning or attacking the Bush Administration, isn't it? And why is that? Because the DLC and it's upper eschelon have cheerleaded for a great many of Bush's most unsavory policies from waging a war without justification to the dangerous restricting of civil liberties not only in the so-called "Patriot Act", but also in the so-called "Homeland Security" Bill.

When Democrats attack Bush and Cheney on their actions and policies over the last 2-1/2 years, they also, at the same time, spotlight the willing collusion by the DLC with the White House---thus bringing into question their "leadership".

What has "backfired" (to use the DLC's curious choice of language) is the DLC's ass-kissing of Bush and Cheney along with their compromising relationships with some of the world's most corrupt corporations. Yes, "backfire" is the choice word indeed.

In the DLC's public begging of Democrats to not attack George W. Bush, they have only exposed just how pathetic, weak and irrelevant they have become. They are toothless.

And isnt' ironic that an organization that refers to itself with grand self-rightousness as "Leadership" is now attacking the leading candidate for the titular head of their Party---Howard Dean.

Ha!

[nolabels]

88. ''''''''''''Go Howard'''''''''''''''''' Yea ! ! ! That's the ticket

:toast:

[rhino91063]

87. Yeah Clinton/Gore bashing didn't help bush steal the WH!

Gore must have got a chuckle as he read this from the confort of his chair in the oval office.

[StandWatie]

89. Al From is a joke

He's a mean, greedy, little prick who is terrified that his cash crop is going to dry up.

[Bob3]

92. Does the timing of this bother anybody?

here we have * vunerable for the very first time since 9-11, even on terroism his one trump card. His underlings are getting hammered in the press, pundits are scrabling overthemselves to pretend that they never trusted * anyway, the rising toll in Iraq is making his top gun stunt look more and more like the actions of vain and foolish man, they are worried enough about the economy that they are sending out dog and pony shows to assure the mob that things will get better. His admistration is suffering the death of a thousand cuts on the niger yellowcake and the 9-11 report and NOW the DLC comes out with "play nice with the chimp" and Holy Joe says the Democratic party doesn't understand the idea of a just war? Shit people whose side are you on?

This is not the time to let up, this is the time to point out, in a loud and clear voice that * lies about every god damn thing. That we are in more danger now than before we invaded Iraq. That the economy is being looted by the well connected, that there was never any danger from Iraq that required the invasion of Iraq and the death of 244 Americans, god knows how many thousand Iraqi men women and children, (each and every god damn one a finer and more precious human being that this smirking shithead) that the occupation of Iraq means simply more killing, not to mention the billions of dollars we do not have being given to dodgy well conencted companies.

This is not left wing ideology. this is just the god damn truth. The gop (and their enablers in the DLC) just think it's hell.

[SGrande]

93. Al From will save the Party AGAIN

Until the crazies finally just go green

[Gingersnap]

95. I think it's safe to say more hate Bush than support DLC

I think more people hate and mistrust Bush (and this is starting to not only be a Dem issue, some moderate Bush voters are now no longer interested in reselecting him) than support the namby-pamby way the DLC wants the party to act. In a word: Lieberman.

[drool_n_yank]

96. DLC , obviously not controled by Dems

They are completely a Repuke front , they automatically attack anything that is going good for Dems, has anyone looked into the DLC to see who is pushing it , Is the DLC controled by AIPAC ? Something is definitely up . Suicide to take advice from DLC . I'm fairly certain Lieberman is their boy on the record.

[fizzana]

98. The DLC wants to relive the glory days of the

Lieberman - Cheney debate.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

102. You owe me a keyboard

Thanks for the unexpected laugh. :)

[fizzana]

99. What I find amazing is that the right has been able to frame

the debate so that ideas that have long been considered part of the American mainstream are now considered to be those of the "far-left".

There is no guarantee that "Bush bashing" will win the election in 2004 but I will guarantee you that anything else will guarantee Bush's re-election.

[Terwilliger]

101. me to DLC: PLEASE shutup and stop the Democratic party bleed

or marginalize the Democratic party into the history books.

[swinney]

103. NO BASHIE IN 2000 COST GORE THE ELECTION(HE WON)

WE NEED TO DO SOME BIG TIME BUTT STOMPING AND GET BULL DOG MEAN.

REPUGS STOMP, VILIFY, CURSE, CALL US EVERY NAME IMAGINABLE AND WE JUST SMILE AND SAY LOOKIE HOW NICE.

BLARNEY BULL. WE GET MEAN. WE ATTACK ALL REPUGS. ALL.

LOOK AT THE WORDS LIST NEWT PUBLISHED TO SMEAR DEMOCRATS!

I WANT TO FIGHT. I WANT TO KICK BUTT. I WANT TO SMEAR. I WANT TO WIN FOR THE GOOD OF THIS NATION.

DEMOCRATS HAVE DONE MOST OF THE GOOD CONSTRUCTIVE THINGS IN HISTORY AND REPUGS FIGHT PROGRESS AND WANT TO SPIN THE WHEELS AND STAND STILL.

TELL THE PEOPLE HOW EVIL ARE REPUGS.

$$$$$$$$$ IN DISCRETIONARY BUDGET
DD-------------------------------------------------------
EDU.---
PP---
RR-- WHAT IS OUR PRIORITY?
RJ--
R--
A--
B-- THE LETTERS MEAN NOTHING.$$ FOR EDUCATION-LAW ENFORCMEENT- ROAD UPKEEP-VETS PENSIONS ETC
L--
M-
THIS IS WHAT OUR DISCRETIONARY SPENDING LOOKS LIKE.
THIS IS WHAT IT TAKES TO RUN OUR GOVERNMENT.

THE TOP LINE IS THE PRICE OF OUR WMD. ALL THE REST DOES NOT EQUAL THE TOP LINE.
[email protected]

[Samantha]

104. A failure to CONFRONT Bush* is what has BACKFIRED

starting around election 2000 time. So where was Al From and the DLC during the election debacle? Setting deadlines for Al Gore to settle the dispute instead of jumping in with both feet to support the man who won? Is this the same organization that made a deal with Republicans for a power-sharing arrangement behind the scenes, a deal which the Republicans have obviously reneged upon.

This is NOT the message from the left -- it's the message from the right playing the left.

That aside this article gives the DLC too much credit. Bill Clinton had decided to run for president long before he ever heard of the DLC. He based his campaign as a centrist on Al Gore's theory. David Mariness reported this, and remarked how Gore must have felt in 1992, seeing Clinton run on his theory that governing from the middle stood the best chance of alienating the least amount of people who were being governed. The DLC was estatic that Clinton won, yet it was appalled at Clinton's populist campaign. So let's not give credit to the DLC for the Clinton win when it is undeserved.

And let's not forget the infamous bragging this organization did. When asked about supporting Gore during 2004, it's arrogant spokesman said while the DLC does not select who the Democratic party runs, it has a lot of influence over who that candidate will be. I have felt from Day 1 of Gore's withdrawal from the campaign that it was the DLC's message that it would not support him that influenced his decision. IGNORE (censored) them. I am just as thrilled as having the Democratic party elite select my president as I was when Renquist did it. Whatever happened to government of the people, for the people and by the people -- are these just empty words.

The DLC screwed the Democratic party when it offset the frontrunner (Gore, who was polling 49 percent in the party) for candidates who had no where near that number. And yet it has the audacity to accuse us of not seeing the winning finishing line .... Give me a break. And what happened to their winning finish line during the 2002 elections -- you know the one where the base didn't come out and vote because it was apathetic to the Dems' message?

Al Gore remarked that in order for Dems to win elections, we must differeniate ourselves from the Republicans. He made this remark as a commentary on our 2002 losses. Evidently, there is a tremendous split among the Democratic party -- and that split boils down to a simple power play. Gore's advice was ignored, the DLC's strategy has been adopted. AND WE CONTINUE DOWN THIS PATH OUR REWARD WILL BE FOUR MORE YEARS OF BUSH FOLLOWED BY EIGHT YEARS OF BUSH-LITE. Same policies (think PNAC) with just a different face on it.

I am voting for the person I think most represents my interests, and in that regard the DLC has nothing to offer me. The Democratic goal line I think is to take back our party, take back our presidency and ultimately take back our government. It belongs to us -- not the elite of this country.

[are_we_united_yet]

106. Better blinded by hatred

Than blinded by Bull Shit

[Democat]

107. Being nice to Bush worked in 2002, why change now?

The DLC is not always on our side, that is becoming more obvious by the day.

[PretzelzRule]

109. Message to DLC founder, Al From

FUCK YOU!!!!!!!!

Hijack this!! :fuckyou:

[farmboxer]

110. Democrats Need To Tell The Truth!

Hell, that's the problem now! Democrats need to go after Bush with the truth! The truth to Bush is like a cross to a vampire!

Quit kissing Bush's _____! See what it did to Toney Blair?!