Has anybody switched to Dean because of his attacks on Kerry and Clark?

[MIMStigator]

All that's been in the news about Dean is his attacks on Kerry and Clark. Do they hurt Kerry and Clark or do they make Dean look desperate?

[markus]

1. You miss the point

These so-called "attacks", which are nothing more than fair criticism of Kerry (and Clark). They don't attract you to Dean; they soften support for the target.

Dean needs to mix with his own positive message, and end on a positive. Given that Dean is hedging his bets and holding onto this delegate chips looking past Tuesday, taking issue with Kerry's record for Tuesday is a smart (if risky) move.

[David Dunham]

2. Dean will be gone soon unless he wins a primary soon

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

22. Or so they say.

[Maddy McCall]

3. The latter.

[Democat]

4. Dean is making a mistake and hurting his chances

Dean should be helping Democrats beat Bush, not just doing anything he can to get attention, even if it means helping Bush by bashing those in our party who may be facing Bush in November. If Dean doesn't be careful, he's going to turn into Ralph Nader 2004.

It's like Dean decided to turn his attacks away from Bush and back on his own people since he lost the first two primaries. It's a horrible strategy and he is losing more support than he's gaining.

Someone needs to turn him back around so he can face the enemy again, instead of trying to destroy his own party and those whose support he would need if he were to get the nomination.

Dean can't win with just the people he has in his camp right now, yet he seems to be trying to piss off all other Democrats.

[Indiana_Dem]

11. Well I just made my mind up after these 2 primaries...

and it has solidified my support for him now and I will vote for him because he tells it like it is. Back in July of last year I said I wouldn't vote for him but after listening to all that he's said, I am sure to vote for him!!! He's won me over just this week. His campaign is a movement and i want to be part of that movement.

[Indiana_Dem]

14. Oh yeah, I also want to send a message to the DNC, DLC, too. n/t

[intheozone]

23. Welcome to the movement Holyroller!

Glad you are joining us, be sure to bring lots of your friends, too!!

[Indiana_Dem]

24. lol thank you!!!

I'm mighty obliged ndaozone! There are 5 for sure votes in my family now. 2 more in the family leaning Dean!

[GalleryGod]

34. Read the McGovern & McCarthy Chapters of Making of the President '68 & '72

Now THEY were "movements" within The Party,my cyber friend. This was ,apparently, a high wire credit card,on line, $43 M, televangelist scam.

Save your money. Save your time.

OR........NOT! :dunce:


G.G.:smoke:

[ScreamingMeemie]

5. I think the attacks have been pretty even from all candidates so

I guess if one were to vote against someone for attacking...they'd have to write in their vote. :shrug:

[krkaufman]

32. I'd beg to differ

Please detail a single *smear* uttered by Wes Clark or any of his surrogates towards the other Democratic candidates.

Seriously, I haven't heard one baseless or exagerrated criticism.

[Raya]

6. Dean is Really Switching People Away from Democrats. It is Embarrassing

I think the Party leadership is horrified. It is simply fanciful to imagine that a year of onslaught on the “Washington Democrats” magnified as they have been by the Media, has not resulted in the denigration of Dean’s more progressive competitors in the arena of public opinion. Dean is basically serving as as tool of the Republicans at this point.

From back in April, USA Today reported “his attacks on fellow Democrats have been so cutting that sometimes the Republican National Committee e-mails them to party members.” And “Dean has reserved his sharpest thrusts for Kerry, repeatedly accusing him of selling out Democratic principles” (April, 28). With his star rising with the Media, Dean cranked up his rhetoric on even further, saying that if he won, members of Congress were ''going to be scurrying for shelter, just like a giant flashlight on a bunch of cockroaches” (NYT, Oct. 14).

[aquart]

15. Nobody is moving TOWARD the Republicans.

Even Republicans are moving away in horror and disgust at Bush.

Dean may not be winning votes by attacking Democrats (a tactic I don't love) but I guarantee he is driving no one toward Bush.

Do you know one person who did not vote for Bush last time who IS voting for him in November? One?

The RNC can mail anything they please. What they can't get around is the Bush deficit, the Bush war, the Bush policies. They can't get around white men out of work. All those yuppies who thought they were so rich they were natural Republicans are out of work because their jobs are in India. The military have been screwed by Bush. The police and firemen have been screwed by Bush. Steelworkers have been screwed by Bush.

This administration is so ugly that Freepers are complaining.

The vote is against Bush. Whatever or whoever the Democratic candidate is will not matter. The vote is against Bush. We ALL want him gone.

[YouMustBeKiddingMe]

7. No, the negative attacks are a turn off

no matter what candidate they come from. Dean just happens to be the worst, most frequent and long standing. They aren't helping him either.

[Dr.Phool]

10. I disagree

Kerry and Clark have been attacking Dean for over 3 months solid. Now Kerry is the front runner and Dean decides to attack his record (quite justifiably), and he turns into a crybaby.

If Kerry didn't want to be attacked, he shouldn't have been attacking.

[tameszu]

13. When is the last time Clark attacked Dean?

Clark took a poke at Dean for his "re-regulation" comment like 3 months ago. That's about it--Clark didn't even really pile onto Dean for the Confed. flag thing.

[LandOLincoln]

16. Kerry yes, his constant attacks on Dean in the early debates turned

me off him bigtime, and I'm a Clark supporter. However, I'd be obliged if you'd post some examples of Clark "attacks" on Dean.

Thank you.

[emulatorloo]

19. I don't think Kerry is crying, and Dean started this junk on day one n/t

[YouMustBeKiddingMe]

21. You're changing the subject

The question was do the attacks by Dean make anyone switch their support from those he is attacking to him and I said no, it doesn't. What you are talking about is revenge, not whether the attacks are actually effective in gaining new supporters or not.

Clearly, Kerry has been gaining support and Dean has been losing support, so that tells me it's not working. It also backfired on Dean with Gephardt in Iowa, and still lingers with voters in Missouri where Gephardt is from, and is now hurting Dean in the polls in Missouri as well.

Negative attacks are a turn off, plain and simple. If they want to attack they should be attacking Bush and not each other or the Party.

[Hoppin_Mad]

8. Yes -nt-

[Raya]

9. He is switching folks to Edwards maybe. SC looks Edwards

[slinkerwink]

12. I think Dean is wrong about Clark, and RIGHT about Kerry

[LandOLincoln]

17. Thanks, Slinkerwink, nice to see you've come around. ;-) (n/t)

[still_one]

18. I don't think it matters

It will help prepare whoever wins the nomination for the attacks that will come from Rove.

In fact the longer the primary process goes for the Democrats, the longer they will be able to get their message out, instead of the republicans controlling what the media reports

[arewethereyet]

20. make Dean look desperate

and the Skull and Crossbones thing is even worse.

I'm expecting aluminum foil any day.

[desi]

25. Apparently nobody remembers Dean asking McAuliffe

to call the dogs off and Terry replying that he would remain "neutral." Then a week before Iowa a tape of Dean voicing his opinion about the caucus system suddenly appears out of nowhere to go along with other Dem generated TV attack ads. For a while there it looked like wingnuts were attacking Dean. Some of us are still undecided and wonder about the claims about Dean "whining" to Terry....is this akin to that..???

[saoirse]

26. The attacks are a serious blunder

They just give the media more fodder for their insistence that Dean is "angry."

If a candidate disagrees with another candidate, it's better to point out the disagreement than to resort to name-calling. Calling other Democratic candidates the R-word is not only ridiculous, it smacks of desperation.

There's nothing wrong with a little righteous indignation, but why not direct it at Smirk and his buddies instead of each other?

[genius]

27. I filnd the DEan attacks offensive.

And I'm not for Kerry or Clark but I'd rather vote for them than somoeone who attacks everyone.

[ecstatic]

28. Notice how the media frames the issue

They use statements like Dean is "attacking" or "criticizing" his rivals. Funny how the media never said Kerry or Clark was "attacking" Dean. When Dean was the frontrunner, the criticisms of the other candidates were reported as facts. We never knew who exactly was behind each attack.

[krkaufman]

33. Guinness record for most rapid contradiction

Funny how the media never said Kerry or Clark was "attacking" Dean. When Dean was the frontrunner, the criticisms of the other candidates were reported as facts. We never knew who exactly was behind each attack.

Well, Ok, you didn't really contradict yourself because you didn't actually *say* the Kerry and Clark were attacking Dean, you only said that the media never faulted them. Nice touch.

If you don't know who was behind the attacks, don't blame someone.

It's just as likely that the Republicans were behind the attacks in order to either (a) slow down the frontrunner, or (b) separate Dean supporters from the Democratic Party in the hopes of incubating a 3rd party candidacy that would drain Dem votes in November.

[David Dunham]

29. As Gore said of Bush I, it's time for Dean to go (back to VT)

[isbister]

30. If there is one common thread

in the Democratic Party it is that bush must leave office as soon as possible.

I believe many voters do not want to see the candidates tear each other apart because of the fear of giving bush more ammunition and/or the fear of producing a weakened candidate.

I think that is part of the message first sent from Iowa and then New Hampshire. I also believe this is part of the reason why, according to polls, the majority of Democrats are rejecting Howard Dean.

Dean's attacks do hurt Kerry and Clark somewhat and they add to Dean's already desperate appearance. If Dean were wise, he'd attack Lieberman because Joementum is catching up with him and dropping behind Joe in the polls is not going to help whatever is left of his Presidential bid.

[Rowdyboy]

31. WIN a primary, Howard...

then you can go back to calling your opponents Republicans. Can't find one you can win? So sorry. Maybe you're the one who's out of touch.

[uhhuh]

35. This is getting old

I like Gen Clark,but he hasn't won a primary yet either, and he is only polling in the lead in one state(in some polls). I think it is silly for Clark supporters to keep bashing Dean for not winning a primary when their guy hasn't even got one delegate. (Dean has.)
He also did win the (non-binding) D.C. primary, by the way.

[Rowdyboy]

36. Dean was my strong second choice until he called my candidate

a Republican, over and over and over. Now he has widened his hit list to include Senator Kerry. Are we to conclude that everyone running against Doctor Dean is a Republican? Why? Because they have the unmitigated gall to run against him and his campaign (which is rapidly falling apart if you hadn't noticed). His childish name calling is beneath the dignity of a serious candidate and I no-longer consider Gov Dean worthy of the Democratic nomination.