Blumenthal Explains Dean Phenomenon: Dems Crave Spine Back in the Party.

[BurtWorm]

http://www.salon.com/opinion/blumenthal/2003/12/11/gore/print.html

A rising sense of injustice
Al Gore's endorsement of Howard Dean gives voice to Democratic voters' outrage over the 2000 election -- and the spineless conduct of their party since then.

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By Sidney Blumenthal


Dec. 11, 2003 | Since the trauma of the 2000 election the Democrats have endured a history of loss and defeat, not only of office and program but identity, self-confidence and self-respect. As a congressional party that lost its majority in 2002, it has seemed to be in a nightmare from which it is incapable of escaping. Republican bullying has been met almost inevitably by Democratic cowering, the ruthless will to power by timid retreat. Before this spectacle, Democratic voters have felt themselves unrepresented and voiceless. But until the presidential candidacy of Howard Dean their burning sentiments lacked expression. Now, Al Gore's early endorsement of Dean dramatically amplifies them and partly explains them.

Above all, Democrats are consumed with a rising sense of injustice. They believe that democracy was undermined when the votes were not counted in Florida and the Supreme Court made George W. Bush president; that the social contract since the New Deal is being shredded; that the internationalist alliances since World War II are being shattered; that the president systematically and knowingly lied about the reasons for war; that the Bush administration acts with authoritarian impunity (refusing, for example, to make public even the members of Vice President Cheney's energy policy panel); that rules and precedents in the Congress are being wantonly broken for partisan advantage by the Republicans; that the news media is being overwhelmed by the din of a right-wing echo chamber that masks itself as journalism.

In the face of constant provocation, Democrats see their own party as hesitant, compromised (if not complicit) and cowardly. "You're either with us or the terrorists," Bush has repeated many times. Yet, virtually unanimously, the Democrats supported the war in Afghanistan. The vast majority of Democrats in the House and Senate backed the war resolution on Iraq. None of this prevents Bush and the Republicans from challenging their patriotism. As recently as last week, after Sen. Hillary Clinton, who voted for the Iraq war, returned from an inspection tour of Afghanistan and Iraq as a member of the Armed Services Committee, a Republican Party flunky and longtime Bush family retainer named Scott Reed was trotted out to smear the former first lady as "un-American" when she called for more troops and international support.

The Democrats' feelings toward their congressional party are inextricably linked to their feelings toward Bush. They watched Democratic legislators voting for the regressive Bush tax cuts on the notion that it would insulate them from Republican assaults in the 2002 midterm elections, only to see enough of those Democratic senators lose their seats to tip the Senate. Time and again, even liberal lions like Sen. Edward Kennedy have been bamboozled on education and Medicare, only to see their good faith turned against them and the Bush administration use the programs to undermine public education and the public health system. Somehow, the congressional Democrats have been in denial about Bush's conservative radicalism. They preferred to believe that fundamental comity still existed even when it was being smashed. They gathered no clue about the simmering among Democratic voters from the phenomenon of Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia, a silver-maned irrelevance, given to florid orations on the Roman Empire, suddenly being elevated as a cult hero for his opposition to Bush on the Iraq war.....

[wtmusic]

1. All the analysis of the 'Dean phenomenon' is similar

and it usually involves trying to boil it down to one source: 'anger', 'empowerment', 'spine'.

None of the reasons offered would make a candidate in and of itself. Don't really understand this need to tie it up with a little bow.

[hedda_foil]

2. I met Sid's mother at a Dean birthday party of all things!

She told me that he'd put her on to Dean because he was a winner. She also said that not only was Sidney for Dean but that many of his friends from the administration were too.

And frankly, I'll take Sid Blumenthal over both John Podesta and Begala any day of the week. The other two are just Washington wise guys. And Podesta's stupid think tank is a waste of good money. They don't have a clue what we need to do to take back America. They really are just anti-Bush.

[Vadem]

3. Damn, Hedda! You just said the same t hings I have been...

thinking. I'm so sick of Dem apologists, and that includes Begala, Panetta, etcetera. We sure as hell need some spine in our party!

[madfloridian]

7. Begala has NOT been nice about it.

:eyes:

[slinkerwink]

15. he's a total apologist for the DLC

:eyes:

[slinkerwink]

5. that's great about Blumenthal!

[Arugula Latte]

4. Even if you're not a Dean supporter

I think you'd have to admit that if nothing else Dean's ascension has demonstrated to this fucking lily-livered pink tutu-wearing cowering excuses for Democrats that they need to stand up to bullying and fight back.

[OKNancy]

24. I agree and this was a great article

I think. I don't support Dean at this time, but reading this sure makes me feel better and that when, and if, he is the nominee, my outrage is justified. Dean was the first and I applaud him for that.

Now if I could just get over the other things that bother me......

[populistmom]

6. I agree

If Dean wasn't who he was and generated so much support doing it, I don't you would hear candidates like Gephardt and Kerry using terms like miserable failure in their descriptions of *. He made the rest of them (with exceptions to Kucinich of course) start fighting harder and stronger.

[Guaranteed]

12. Yes, he did.

:)

[Vadem]

8. My letter to the editor regarding Blumenthal's article:

Dear Editor:

I must say that Sid Blumenthal nails it in his article titled "A Rising sense of injustice", dated 12/11/03. We Democrats are soooooo sick of the weak, spineless,and inept Democrats in the Congress, who have let so many horrible bills get passed by the Republicans. If they would only fillibuster, or EVEN not vote for these horrible bills. Thank Goodness Zell Miller is retiring. I think he should have been kicked out of the Democratic Party a long time ago. Baucus, Nelson and Breaux should join the Republican party, since they haven't been faithful to their own party. I think it is time to turn the majority of them out of office!!! We'll keep Bob Byrd, Dick Durbin, Barbara Boxer, Chuck Shumer, Harry Reid, Sander Levin, and his brother Carl Levin, Pat Leahey, Ted Kennedy, Barbara mcCulsky, Paul Sarbanes, Bernie Sanders, Barney Frank, McDermott, Menendez, Frost, Blodgett, Rangell, Waters, Hastings, Lee, and several other courageous Dems I'm sure I've forgotten in the House and Senate. The courageous ones, and they know who they are, should be aware that we C-Span junkies are watching and cheering them on. Hopefully they will be able to convince their spineless colleagues to do the right thing and vote for the people's interest. Congress should be very aware that a large cadre of us are watching and judging their votes and actions.

[BurtWorm]

14. Excellent letter.

Except Bernie Sanders is officially an Independent. Actually he's a Socialist. But he definitely has more spine than a lot of the "leaders" of the party.

[Vadem]

25. You're right, Burtworm. I love Bernie Sanders....

Mayhap, I'm a socialist, too???? Certainly, our Dems could take lessons from Bernie on all issues!

[slinkerwink]

9. :kick:

[Scott Lee]

10. My God NOTHING gets by Blumenthal, does it!!

I need a drink...

[slinkerwink]

16. I'd like to hear an official endorsement from Blumenthal

that'd also send a message to the Washington establishment.

[Guaranteed]

11. Dean IS a winner...

...like Clinton.

Don't let anyone tell you different. They just don't know him- Republicans have become ignorant as hell, and they're gonna be in shock when this guy comes out swinging and beats the crap out of Bush.

This guy has got "it."

[slinkerwink]

13. it's going to be a total repeat of 1992 when a gov from a rural state

beats Bush ;-)

[LuminousX]

17. This time, I'm banking on a landslide...

at the very least, a very decisive victory for Dean.

[eissa]

22. Hey, where's the chart?!

Are you updating your lights?

Say what you will about the "rage" factor, but that, along with Dean's courage (spine) to call bush out on his wacko policies WAS and IS the reason I so strongly support him.

[Skwmom]

18. I want a tough candidate not a

mean spirited bully. That makes us no better than the Bush administration.

[Skwmom]

19. I want a tough candidate not a

mean spirited bully. That makes us no better than the Bush administration.

[LeftCoast]

20. Since you're repeating the Rovian "mean" meme let me ask you a question

Are you not outraged at the spinelessness and complicity of our supposed Democratic representatives in government? Were you not livid when many (though thankfully not all) supported GWB's push for war with Iraq? Were you not seething with anger when Tom Dashle lambasted the Mass SJC's gay marriage ruling? The list goes on, and if doesn't anger you then maybe you should cut down on your Paxil Rx.

On the other hand, if you are angry then wouldn't you want a candidate that shares your passion? Democratic voters are crying out all over this country for their representatives in government to actually represent them.

Clearly a candidate needs more than anger to win the Presidency, but without passion and a sense that this country is in dire straits and heading 100% in the wrong direction, then Democrats will not win. I have had it with pink-tutu democrats and so have millions of other voters.

[slinkerwink]

23. same here too, and we should be angry!

[calimary]

28. Same here, as well. He's been saying what I've been thinking,

virtually nonstop. And I'm mad enough to spit. Blumenthal's correct. Dean is correct. We are mad and we're sick of the spinelessness. I want strong people representing me and standing up to the bullying tactics, not a bunch of invertebrates!

[slinkerwink]

29. away with the invertebrates!

;-)

[ieoeja]

21. Why I voted Clinton in '92.

He was not my initial choice. Then when Clinton stood firm in the face of the Gennifer Flowers episode, I switched my support. I will never forget my astonishment with Gary Hart when he withdrew because he was caught allowing a pretty woman to be photographed sitting in his lap. Clinton, conversely, was caught banging some ugly chick and went right on campaigning.

Only a political theorist would think the wrong person sitting in your lap would make a difference to the voting public. This is, of course, the reason Clinton was so hated by the political punditry, both Left and Right. According to their theories Clinton simply was not supposed to get elected. And how dare he disprove their cherished theories.

Actually, I think that is a secondary reason for their hatred. When you look at the way they spoke of the Clintons you could hear a barely veiled note of bigotry. They removed the veils big time during the feeding frenzy over "stealing the silverware" upon the Clintons departure. Do you remember "finally, the hillbillies are gone"? The only theory Clinton proved true was the one theory they wished would remain a theory only: in the United States, anyone, even a poor boy from Arkansas, can become President. Reagan was hated for much the same reason (though he was smart enough to at least ACT like a Washington blue-blood; better a pretender than someone behaving as though blue blood were unimportant).

[Myra]

26. Here's the beauty part: both Dean and Clark have spine.

Big time.

[BurtWorm]

27. I agree.

I wish they'd run together.

[loyalsister]

30. He nails it

The cliche holds- If you're not angry, you're not paying attention!
Congress did not fight for US when Bush shoved his agenda down our throats, and I am ready to have a candidate stand tall with the gloves off. The BETTER news is he's also got a "spineful" army backing him up. That storm in Iowa is how the GE will be won. Imagine it!! Thousands of people going door to door in EVERY must win state!