Dr. Dean to let out invisible wife

[ringmastery]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/01/08/wdean08.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/01/08/ixworld.html

Dean promises to lift the veil on his private wife
By Alec Russell in Washington
(Filed: 08/01/2004)

Howard Dean, frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination, has promised to lift the veil on his wife, who is shaping up as the most invisible would-be First Lady in history.

But he vowed not to force her to become a "prop on the campaign trail" a pledge which may yet backfire in a nation that has traditionally gone for "stand-by-your man" political spouses.

Judy Dean, 50, has attended only one event in her husband's soaraway campaign, his official launch last June.

A doctor in the Deans' home town, Burlington, Vermont, she is regularly compared to Abigail Bartlet, the spiky doctor wife of the president in the hit political soap-opera The West Wing. Mrs Dean insists that she will move her medical practice to Washington and abstain from many traditional First Lady duties if her husband wins in November.

[Scott Lee]

1. A NON Stepford President's wife....what a concept!

[LuminousX]

2. If Dean loses because of his support of his wife

then I will really question if this is a society I can even bother to care about.

[OKNancy]

4. His wife is one of the best things about him

He won't lose because of his wife.

[formernaderite]

45. Here, here

From the few pics I've seen, she looks like a lady I'd like to have a beer with. Not all coifed and fake looking.


Hey, I drove down to DC today, and noticed there are lot's of Dean signs all over town. Very cool. Kucinich's supporters have hung quite a few for him too, which is nice because if Dean weren't in the race I'd be with Dennis.

[ringmastery]

3. this quote is strange

Wouldn't she at least be somewhat interested in what her husband is doing? They are partners in life. That means you follow what your partner is doing.


--

"I don't watch the debates because we don't have cable TV. I don't follow the campaign on the Web . . . and I don't give advice."

[LuminousX]

8. She is busy with a practice and raising kids

Why would she follow the campaign on the web? She isn't a politician, she wouldn't offer advice about things she doesn't know anything about. She has watched some of the debates because when he called her after one, she told him he didn't win.

She is interested in what her husband is doing and he is interested in what she is doing (which is why he hardly stays overnight out of town.) The commitment goes both ways.

[KaraokeKarlton]

15. What does being interested have to do with being involved?

The woman is a doctor and has a busy career and patients to tend to. She even does house calls, by the way. Of course she's interested in what and how he's doing. That doesn't mean she has time to run all over the country as he's doing. Their son is still in public school and the family doesn't use servants and such to run their home. They do it all themselves.

[diamondsoul]

16. Why??

Seriously, My husband is an OTR Trucker. I'm lucky to even share a bed with him once an month, and about 98% of the time I couldn't even tell you where he is. Sometimes I can't even tell you which COUNTRY he's in! LOL

Honestly, if I were married to a candidate, I think I'd do the exact same thing. For one thing if she doesn't follow politics, she's got no advice to offer, and speaking as a married woman of nearly 16 years, I'd be afraid I'd want to slap him silly for something he said in a debate or something!

[Jerseycoa]

34. I agree

I give her credit for her independence. The whole idea is archaic.

[readmylips]

18. Are you saying Mrs. Dr. Dean belongs in the kitchen??

Dr. Dean is seeking a job. Mrs. Dr. Dean has her own demanding job. Mrs. Dr. Dean was First Lady before, of Vermont, and she was not a Laura Boosh.

Next time you go for a job interview, take your partner in life with you. She/he should follow you like a poppy.

My partner in life loves daredevil climbing, hiking, whitewater rafting, etc. I support what he does and together we enjoy lots of other nature events. I'm there for all his social daredevil events. Never in HELL am I going to follow him and go whitewater rafting, etc.

[WillyT]

25. So Ring, You Tend To Favor 'Traditional Values' ???

Hmmm...

:shrug:

[Jerseycoa]

33. Oh, this is really

none of our business.

[Fleshdancer]

48. I would rather chew glass than spend a day with my husband at his office

My husband's career does not interest me to the point where I need to sit in on his meetings, go with him on business trips, or listen in on his conference calls.

Politics doesn't interest everyone and if Judith Steinberg-Dean doesn't want to stop everything in her career to campaign or if she doesn't want to watch a boring two hour political debate, then that's her business.

[diamondsoul]

5. You know-

No offense to anyone, but I really think it's just...well goofy to be worried about a candidates personal relationships.

So Mrs./Dr. Dean (and wth AM I supposed to call her anyway, Dr. or Mrs.?! LOL)wants to keep out of the spotlight as much as possible. Big deal! I'll give Dean a few brownie points for appearing to respect and honor that. It honestly doesn't occur to me to be nosy about their personal lives with one notable exception, and that was just curiosity after reading Kucinich has a daughter. That particular rvelation led me to wonder what happened to her mother, and after a while I read in other articles, he's divorced.

I guess I just don't get the fascination with their personal relationships, married or not.:shrug:

[LuminousX]

11. You call her Dr.

[diamondsoul]

19. In face to face conversation,

I'd take that as a given. I was asking because I often call the candidate Dr. Dean and that could get pretty confusing. I guess I need to take to calling him Governor and her Dr. if I take part in threads where both are being discussed.

[patricia92243]

28. You should call him President Dean and his wife Dr. dean!

[DemBones DemBones]

35. Does she ever use his name? I think she uses

her maiden name Dr. Steinberg, and is never "Mrs. Dean."

People shouldn't care about candidates' families, looks, etc., but they DO, they really do. There are people who will really, really dislike her for being Dr. S. instead of Mrs. D. :eyes:

[LuminousX]

56. You are correct, Dr. Steinberg, my mistake

[Melinda]

6. Could that article be anymore code worded? It's misogynistic and sexist!

"Dr. Dean to let out invisible wife" - "lift the veil on his wife" - "vowed not to force her."

Crap like this makes me :puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke:

[KissMyAsscroft]

7. I picked that up too...

Pretty obviously not a women who wrote it.

[Cha]

17. "Dr. Dean to let out invisible wife" - "lift the veil on his wife"

I agree! First thing I noticed!

[readmylips]

21. Article Sounds Midevil...

maybe the Dean daughter wears a chastity bell. heee..heeee That's quite an insult to such a role model like Mrs. Dr. Dean, and to all the female doctors of the world.

[Cha]

24. You read that right!

Can you imagine?...21st Century?!

[patricia92243]

9. I wonder if Gov. Dean's will use his VP's wife as hostess for a lot of....

social functions, state dinners, etc.

[Cannikin]

12. The big secret...his Dr. wife....IS DR LAURA!

AAAAaahhhh!

[diamondsoul]

53. "use his VP's wife as hostess"

What in blue blazes is with the choice of phrase on this thread? Use his VP's wife???

1) He hasn't won the nomination yet
2) You don't know he'll choose a man or even a married running-mate if he does get the nomination
3) How about "I wonder of Gov. Dean will ask his VP's wife to stand in as a hostess for State events?" Refer to people as people, not items to be passed around and "used".

[Bombtrack]

10. I guess he's saying the others wives are props

no Dean, they're a helpful part of the campaign team, who the other candidates don't think people will be afraid of.

[LuminousX]

13. Sometimes, Dean isn't talking about other campaigns

[readmylips]

22. Only None Prop Wife - Hillary Rodman Clinton....

The repigs needed to teardown Hillary, so that we could look at laura boosh in a positive light. The idiot that she is.

[incapsulated]

26. Uh...

Ever heard of Elenor Roosevelt?

[readmylips]

29. Eleanor #1 Role Model ....

She was before my time. Hillary is #1 Role Model First Lady of my time. Besides, laura boosh murdered her boyfriend while driving drunk.

[diamondsoul]

54. Uh, no she didn't, and

as much as I despise the Bush family that's a lousy thing to say. If I weren't busy with work for my candidate, I'd go hunt up the results of the investigation into that crash. Laura wasn't drunk and she was horribly traumatized by it for many years.

[formernaderite]

47. nah....

Nah, I hate to say this but Hillary rubs lot's of people the wrong way. I'm one of those that thinks there are plenty of women our party should run for office, and Hillary is not one of my favorites. She's far too centrist and DLC...or maybe it's because she's a political opportunist.
I guess that's why I'm mad about Judy...she's the real deal.

[Scott Lee]

42. Or in Kerry's case, a Sugar Mama.

The Duchess of Heinz has a lot of moolah to soothe John's soon coming election abandonment woes.

[deminflorida]

14. She does not have to be the traditional West Wing Wife of the

President to get my respect, she will be the "First Lady" if Dean wins period. That article is horrible...

[Bombtrack]

20. and that might matter if Dean wasn't the perfect storm for defeat

Maybe Dean just doesn't have any confidence in his wife.

[incapsulated]

23. I've said it before

and I'll say it again. If Dean wins the Presidency, Dr. Dean cannot continue her practice in DC. She would be the wife of the President of the United States. She could have people suing her for malpratice just to cause him trouble. Could you imagine the security nightmare of her running a private practice? She will be surrounded by Secret Service all day long. It's a pipe-dream.

That said, what better person to be an official spokeswoman for Dean's healthcare plan? There are alternatives to being a "traditional" First Lady, you know!

[readmylips]

27. Mrs. Dr. Dean has lots in common with Hillary...

she graduated top of her class and is very smart. If Mrs Dr Dean gives a public speech, she might be branded another Hillary. laura boosh, she is not. Repigs are so afraid of smart and independent women. Is this the 21st Century yet? It seems that the repigs invented the borka.

[ozone_man]

31. Could be Dean's secret weapon.

Reveal his intelligent and personable doctor wife. I would think that with two doctors in the White House, health care will get some visibility.

[Bucky]

30. She would make a great First Lady...

I'm still voting for Gert, but Judy Dean is a hell of a role model. Good for her and good for her hubby for not just respecting, but championing her decision to do her very important job. I wonder if she'd be interested in being Clark's surgeon general.

[arewethereyet]

32. he better let her try and stop the bleeding on his campaign

this latest double backflip on taxes will leave him lying flat and looking at the pretty light down that long hallway...

[BobbyJay]

37. First he tries to copy Clark's tax plan, now he's showing his wife?

ok







www.clark04.com

[arewethereyet]

39. I think he's considering new suits with big shoulder pads

and he's practicing not blinking too.

jeez, it it that obvious ? Oh yeah IT IS.

[maxanne]

36. your thread title is offensive

ringmastery, and so are your thoughts on this subject. Yours, too, Bombtrack.

Hard to imagine, isn't it - that a man would respect a woman so much that he wouldn't force her to ditch her job and stand around looking at him adoringly. Dean has so much respect for women that this is a nonissue for him. One of the biggest reasons I support him is his attitude about my gender and equality.

It's a shame the time you spend here tearing down Dean's family for crying out loud. Why aren't you doing something meaningful for another campaign? Why just hang around spreading vituperation?

[funky_bug]

38. Enough Bashing (from a Clark Supporter)

Look, fellow Clark supporters, this bashing shit needs to stop NOW! It's one thing to defend attacks on our candidate, it's entirely another to attack other candidates. I often wondered why we never see Dean's wife, but it doesn't negate his ability to lead this country if he becomes our next president. I adore Gert, and I would love to call her First Lady, but if Dean's wife has a career outside of "standing by her man" then she has a right to continue pursuing HER goals.

But enough on that. My original reaction stands. Stop the bashing. I've seen too much bashing from the Dean and Lieberman camp, and part of my distaste for those candidates comes from their supporters' attitudes. I do NOT want to see our general go down in flames on this board because a few of us think ourselves witty. The cutting knife cuts both ways.

[maxanne]

40. while I greatly enjoy

being told what to do :eyes: please understand that I am NOT a Clark supporter.

[funky_bug]

43. Sorry

Sorry Maxine! I didn't mean that to be a direct reply to you... just a comment in general. Far be it from me (a reformed basher) to put on a preacher's collar.

[diamondsoul]

52. Unfortunately,

the thread title is a condensed version of quotes from the article. Personally it's more offensive to me that a supposed news source would speak of an independant woman like Governor Dean's wife (sorry brain cramp in forgetting her last name)that way than that someone here at DU would care to repeat the comments.

I'll agree with you about some of the other comments that have appeared in this thread. It's discouraging to see supposedly liberal/progressive-minded people talking like that.

[adamrsilva]

41. It'd be great to have a working woman first lady

Women would love it, and the hard right would hate it!

[molly]

44. How will this happen?

"she will move her medical practice to Washington and abstain from many traditional First Lady duties if her husband wins in November."

The secret service does not give a hoot about doctor/patient privilege. This is obviously an illogical fantasy of hers.

[Fleshdancer]

49. why do you care how it will happen????

Is this a preview for the next thread: "Dean can't win because wife wants to continue her day job"???

If she finds a way to make it work, fine. If she doesn't, fine. Why do you care?

[molly]

51. Logically - it cannot work!

[diamondsoul]

55. Nonsense!

So she'll have a Secret Service detail, what's that got to do with whether she carries out traditional First Lady "duties"?? (funny, I didn't know the First Lady was elected to serve me in any way shape or form, and I certainly never thought she had to serve her spouse!)

She moves her practice to DC, has her secret service detail guarding her office door while she treats her patients and when she's in the White House simply declines to attend State functions and spends her evening quietly in her private quarters. What's so impossible about any of the things I just described?

[Hep]

46. A lot of women really appreciate

her right to choose to live her own life and keep her small practice. She makes housecalls and has patients who would never regain the kind of trust for a new doctor. A whole lot of women admire her for making that choice and admire Dean for respecting it.

It's downright MESSED UP that ANYONE would try to make political hay out of this.

[killbotfactory]

50. Alternate Title: "Dean lifts Burka of obscurity from wife"

Jesus Christ.

Heaven forbid he respects his wife's career and individuality.

[adamrsilva]

57. Exactly. What is Dean hiding?

Perhaps he is secretly married to a man? I swear, these people might as well be Republicans.