Vermonters see one Dean; nation quite another

[Feanorcurufinwe]

In the early days of his campaign, Dean pumped up crowds by declaring that he represents "the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party," seemingly positioning himself on the liberal end of the party's spectrum. That has led many Vermonters to ask if this is the same man who was their governor for nearly 12 years.

Is this the Dean who preached fiscal responsibility to restive liberal legislators, insisting that state taxes be cut and holding down spending to balance the state's budget for 11 years? Is this the governor who courted out-of-state businesses to move here and fought environmentalists over development and pollution issues?

"He was to the right of many Republicans in the state," said Frank Bryan, a political science professor at the University of Vermont. "The Howard Dean that people are getting to know nationally is not the Howard Dean that we knew here."

Political observers, allies and foes recall the physician-turned-politician as a careful centrist in line with the "New Democrat" approach of the Democratic Leadership Council and former President Bill Clinton, both of whom Dean has criticized during his campaign.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0401220296jan22,1,479385.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed

[MercutioATC]

1. Nice attempt at being the one to land the "death blow", but it's not

going to happen....

I don't care how many opinion pieces are run in the next week...anybody with half a brain sees them for what they are - opinion pieces.

I do find the practice of reposting these pieces from 6-12 months ago to be an interesting statement about the Dean opposition, though...

[bicentennial_baby]

3. Um...it's from today

It says January 22, 2004

[MercutioATC]

9. My mistake. It's exactly like one run in Vermont about a year ago

(that got posted here by quite a few of the traditional anti-Dean people).

Seems it's the Trib that's using old news this time..

[Feanorcurufinwe]

10. I guess the folks in Vermont haven't changed their minds, lol.

The nerve of this newspaper publishing an article about how the people Dean governed feel about him! How unfair!

[MercutioATC]

13. Didn't say it was unfair...just said it wasn't hard news, just an op/ed.

And hardly an original one. I'll bet you I can find a group of people that are dissatisfied with any person you can name. Pay for the ticket, and I'll even interview them and write a nice article.

Doesn't change the fact that Vermont voters liked him enough to elect him five times as Governor (and as a legislator and Lieutenant Governor).

This is a semi-well-written article describing the opinions of a few people. It's hardly damning and it's not a serious enough piece to rate "fair" or "unfair in my book.

[maddezmom]

2. Dean is a centrist

don't know why anyone labels him liberal.

[Ripley]

5. Show me a Dean supporter who says he is liberal Dem.

Other than his opposition to the Iraq invasion and his civil unions signing, we know he balanced budgets. What's wrong with that?

Yeah, he was more republican than republicans...how many repukes have signed civil union bills while wearing bullet-proof vests? Thought so.

[mitchum]

11. I can, but it's against DU rules to call out other posters...

or mock them for their stunning ignorance

[HFishbine]

16. Will a liberal independent do?

Me.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

6. I, on the other hand, am a leftist

and no one has ever been confused about it, lol.

[LuminousX]

4. Well, if this is true, you don't need to spend any more time worrying

about Dean and you can go ahead, promote your guy and rip into Bush, instead.

adieu

[Rich Hunt]

7. Vermont GOP

Funny, the Vermont GOP doesn't like him very much.

http://www.vermontgop.org

[Rose Siding]

8. Of course he's a centrist

He's said so repeatedly and I can't think of anyone that doesn't realize that.

The distinction is that now, because the govt is entirely controlled by right wing ideologues, a Dem has to be ready to take them on. Dean recognized that and entered the fight with that attitude. That's what the left responded to, along with his never shying from loud criticism of bush even as many other Dems took a politically safer route.

[dumpster_baby]

12. I think Dean is pretty far from liberal. He is not a centrist, either

Someone posted this webpage that seems to show that Dean is more conservative than liberal, at least that is how I read it:
www.mylinuxisp.com/~cryofan/dean.html

[mzmolly]

14. Tell it to the DLC and Vermonters for Dean.

:hi:

[Ramsey]

15. The assumption is a fallacy

The statement by the reporter, "seemingly positioning himself on the liberal end of the party's spectrum", is a fallacious assumption by the reporter. Dean has never said he was the most liberal candidate and his phrase "the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party" is not meant to imply that.

Dean means that he is for the average American rather than the privileged special interests. That is the crux of the phrase. He has never said that only traditionally liberal policies can accomplish his goals.

In fact, he has said quite the opposite. Dean has said that he looks at each issue or problem scientifically, determines the best solution and applies it, without regard to the solution's position on the political ideological spectrum. He has talked a lot about taking traditionally moderate positions like fiscal responsibility because they were what made the most sense.

You can write an entire hack-job based on a straw man argument, but that doesn't make it compelling.