Why do so many of you dislike Howard Dean?

[FerrisBueller86]

Am I the only Howard Dean fan here?  Even the Democrats on this forum pan him for the "scream" speech and his alleged extreme leftism.

Howard Dean is honest, inspiring, gutsy, charismatic, smart, and a reformer.  My first impression of him was seeing him on a Sunday talk show eloquently explaining why he opposed parental notification restrictions on abortion.  He said that he always wanted to notify the parents of pregnant teen patients, but the patient said, "But they'll kill me!"  This was usually figurative, but there were a few cases in which the patient really meant that statement.

I liked Dean's record as the governor of Vermont.  He began civil unions for gays, offered great health care programs, balanced the budget, and even cut taxes.  Liberals, moderates, and even the small-government conservatives should like his record.  Liberals should like the fact that Vermont is a progressive and liberal state.  Moderates should like his charisma, his ability to bring people together, and the fact that his appeal in Vermont extends to both parties and a wide part of the political spectrum.  Conservatives should like his record in cutting spending and taxes.  Gun nuts should like his A rating from the NRA.

I was going to vote for Howard Dean.  Although I'm for gun control and went to the Million Mom March, Dean's high NRA rating didn't faze me that much.  (Vermont is a rural state with little crime.)  That should be a sign of charisma - ability to get support from those who disagree on some issues.  I knew that NOW was endorsing Carol Mosely Braun, but I still liked Howard Dean better (even though I lived in Illinois for most of my life and voted for her in 1992, the first year I was old enough to vote).

The "Dean Scream" was overhyped.  He had to shout in order to be heard by the screaming crowd, and events like this are SUPPOSED to be loud.

The only reason I didn't vote for Howard Dean in the Virginia primary is the fact that he was fading and I didn't want to throw my vote away.  I voted for Kerry because I thought he was the best qualified of the remaining candidates and because my mother was running to be a delegate.

I can't believe so many of you dislike Howard Dean.  He's different from the usual inside-the-Beltway crowd.

[Moooooo]

I like him and from what I have read he was a GREAT governor.   I also think he has the potential to be a great DNC chair.   He will either help the Dem's greatly as DNC chair or we will fall deeper into the minority.  Thats the only thing that scares me with him as DNC chair.  He doesnt seem like a middle of the road type of guy.  He wants big things for the party right now.

[Alcon]

Am I the only Howard Dean fan here?  Even the Democrats on this forum pan him for the "scream" speech and his alleged extreme leftism.

Howard Dean is honest, inspiring, gutsy, charismatic, smart, and a reformer.  My first impression of him was seeing him on a Sunday talk show eloquently explaining why he opposed parental notification restrictions on abortion.  He said that he always wanted to notify the parents of pregnant teen patients, but the patient said, "But they'll kill me!"  This was usually figurative, but there were a few cases in which the patient really meant that statement.

I liked Dean's record as the governor of Vermont.  He began civil unions for gays, offered great health care programs, balanced the budget, and even cut taxes.  Liberals, moderates, and even the small-government conservatives should like his record.  Liberals should like the fact that Vermont is a progressive and liberal state.  Moderates should like his charisma, his ability to bring people together, and the fact that his appeal in Vermont extends to both parties and a wide part of the political spectrum.  Conservatives should like his record in cutting spending and taxes.  Gun nuts should like his A rating from the NRA.

I was going to vote for Howard Dean.  Although I'm for gun control and went to the Million Mom March, Dean's high NRA rating didn't faze me that much.  (Vermont is a rural state with little crime.)  That should be a sign of charisma - ability to get support from those who disagree on some issues.  I knew that NOW was endorsing Carol Mosely Braun, but I still liked Howard Dean better (even though I lived in Illinois for most of my life and voted for her in 1992, the first year I was old enough to vote).

The "Dean Scream" was overhyped.  He had to shout in order to be heard by the screaming crowd, and events like this are SUPPOSED to be loud.

The only reason I didn't vote for Howard Dean in the Virginia primary is the fact that he was fading and I didn't want to throw my vote away.  I voted for Kerry because I thought he was the best qualified of the remaining candidates and because my mother was running to be a delegate.

I can't believe so many of you dislike Howard Dean.  He's different from the usual inside-the-Beltway crowd.

PLEASE MAKE THE STUPIDITY STOP!!!!

A great way to stop the stupidity is to actually respond with posts that contain a counterargument.

[The Man From G.O.P.]

Am I the only Howard Dean fan here?  Even the Democrats on this forum pan him for the "scream" speech and his alleged extreme leftism.

Howard Dean is honest, inspiring, gutsy, charismatic, smart, and a reformer.  My first impression of him was seeing him on a Sunday talk show eloquently explaining why he opposed parental notification restrictions on abortion.  He said that he always wanted to notify the parents of pregnant teen patients, but the patient said, "But they'll kill me!"  This was usually figurative, but there were a few cases in which the patient really meant that statement.

I liked Dean's record as the governor of Vermont.  He began civil unions for gays, offered great health care programs, balanced the budget, and even cut taxes.  Liberals, moderates, and even the small-government conservatives should like his record.  Liberals should like the fact that Vermont is a progressive and liberal state.  Moderates should like his charisma, his ability to bring people together, and the fact that his appeal in Vermont extends to both parties and a wide part of the political spectrum.  Conservatives should like his record in cutting spending and taxes.  Gun nuts should like his A rating from the NRA.

I was going to vote for Howard Dean.  Although I'm for gun control and went to the Million Mom March, Dean's high NRA rating didn't faze me that much.  (Vermont is a rural state with little crime.)  That should be a sign of charisma - ability to get support from those who disagree on some issues.  I knew that NOW was endorsing Carol Mosely Braun, but I still liked Howard Dean better (even though I lived in Illinois for most of my life and voted for her in 1992, the first year I was old enough to vote).

The "Dean Scream" was overhyped.  He had to shout in order to be heard by the screaming crowd, and events like this are SUPPOSED to be loud.

The only reason I didn't vote for Howard Dean in the Virginia primary is the fact that he was fading and I didn't want to throw my vote away.  I voted for Kerry because I thought he was the best qualified of the remaining candidates and because my mother was running to be a delegate.

I can't believe so many of you dislike Howard Dean.  He's different from the usual inside-the-Beltway crowd.

PLEASE MAKE THE STUPIDITY STOP!!!!

A great way to stop the stupidity is to actually respond with posts that contain a counterargument.

Alcon please your a sensible man! do you not see the lunacy of all this?

[Akno21]

Image is everything, and his image is not one I want the party to have.

I thought he was the most honest (He was in favor of repealing ALL the Bush tax cuts to pay for health care and get a balanced budget. You couldn't do that otherwise, the other Dems on stage were vastly optimistic about money) and most entertaining to listen to. I WANT him to be in power, but I don't trust the American people to take him seriously.

[BobOMac2k2]

I actually watched his speach live and found it inspiring...

Anyways, I love the man.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

Dean's great, he's exactly what this country needs

[ian]

Am I the only Howard Dean fan here?  Even the Democrats on this forum pan him for the "scream" speech and his alleged extreme leftism.

Howard Dean is honest, inspiring, gutsy, charismatic, smart, and a reformer.  My first impression of him was seeing him on a Sunday talk show eloquently explaining why he opposed parental notification restrictions on abortion.  He said that he always wanted to notify the parents of pregnant teen patients, but the patient said, "But they'll kill me!"  This was usually figurative, but there were a few cases in which the patient really meant that statement.

I liked Dean's record as the governor of Vermont.  He began civil unions for gays, offered great health care programs, balanced the budget, and even cut taxes.  Liberals, moderates, and even the small-government conservatives should like his record.  Liberals should like the fact that Vermont is a progressive and liberal state.  Moderates should like his charisma, his ability to bring people together, and the fact that his appeal in Vermont extends to both parties and a wide part of the political spectrum.  Conservatives should like his record in cutting spending and taxes.  Gun nuts should like his A rating from the NRA.

I was going to vote for Howard Dean.  Although I'm for gun control and went to the Million Mom March, Dean's high NRA rating didn't faze me that much.  (Vermont is a rural state with little crime.)  That should be a sign of charisma - ability to get support from those who disagree on some issues.  I knew that NOW was endorsing Carol Mosely Braun, but I still liked Howard Dean better (even though I lived in Illinois for most of my life and voted for her in 1992, the first year I was old enough to vote).

The "Dean Scream" was overhyped.  He had to shout in order to be heard by the screaming crowd, and events like this are SUPPOSED to be loud.

The only reason I didn't vote for Howard Dean in the Virginia primary is the fact that he was fading and I didn't want to throw my vote away.  I voted for Kerry because I thought he was the best qualified of the remaining candidates and because my mother was running to be a delegate.

I can't believe so many of you dislike Howard Dean.  He's different from the usual inside-the-Beltway crowd.

PLEASE MAKE THE STUPIDITY STOP!!!!

A great way to stop the stupidity is to actually respond with posts that contain a counterargument.

Ouch!  Good one!

[ian]

I love Dean.  Look at my signature!

[The Vorlon]

I like Howard Dean, he is honest about what his party stands for.

If you really believe in something and want to build a movement behind actual ideas about how to govern, you need to have a thick skin and a strong mentality.

In 1964 Goldwater was a anti-government lunatic, in 1984 his views were accepted conventional wisdom.

You can't move the political center by campaigning from that center.

If you are Reagan you move the center towards you, if you are Dean you try to move the center the other way.

Dean has real ideas and offers real contrasts.  I think it would be good for the Natiion if he was DNC chair.

Democracy depends on have two or more strong sets of ideas, the Dems crowding the middle is conceeding the debate, not engaging in it.

A choice, not an echo !!

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

The media did a good job of demonizing him after he said that he wanted to regulate big media more.

[Josh]

He is intelligent, proven himself to be an excellent leader, honest, passionate, and not just some pussy who's gonna try to cater to others.  He does what he knows to be right, and I like that.  Perhaps  a bit too much to get the support he'd need to become President, but he definitely was one of my highest preferences out of the primary candidates (I also liked Kucinich, even if he was unelectable)

[minionofmidas]

Too conservative.

[skybridge]

I don't dislike him per se. I agree that he's intelligent and has a good record as governor, though I wish he were for gun control. However, there's one thing he's just not--charismatic! Does he ever brush his teeth?

[opebo]

Dean's great, he's exactly what this country needs

I couldn't agree more HockeyDude.  Though I never could understand why anyone would believe him to be left-wing.  He's a moderate.

[skybridge]

For the record: the "Dean Scream" was nothing compard to Zell Miller's RNC speech!

[RJ]

Dean's tirade is overrated. Still, I have some reservations about him.

Charismatic? I'm not convinced the guy can motivate anyone outside the extreme left of the Democratic party. He also may speak on health care reform, but he is a doctor and I have a hard time any doctor wants that. Those are two knocks I have on Dean. Although his tirade is overrated, I do have to ask about the possibility that he may say or do something foolish on an international stage which might hurt our position internationally(I know Bush does it all the time, but hey, 2 wrongs don't make a right).

I don't think it would be wise to run him in 08' simply because he's a northeasterner who probably won't flip more states in the electoral college than Kerry did. I have the feeling he won't be a great campaigner. Maybe good, but not great. I actually think Kerry did a decent job in his campaign. Anyway, I don't see him getting some of those states crucial to victory in 08 such as Ohio, Wisconsin, Colorado, or other southwestern states(I think that was one of the most overlooked battleground areas last year).

One of his strengths are that he has an acknowledged position on the war. We all know it was the same Republican party that ran in 1964 as in 1968, and look at how different the results were. Who knows. Perhaps in four years, voters will crave change due to circumstances on the horizon in a manner which doomed the Democrats in 1968 and a guy like Dean will become electable. Couldn't do much worse than this current bunch. Still, I'd rather have a Warner or even a Reid as a politician.

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

Dean is honest about what a certain minority in his party stands for.  As much as I would love to cast all Democrats into the realm of extremist far-left whackos, I owe them more respect than that.

You are making the error of presuming that those of us who are moderates are somehow unprincipled and lack "real ideas".  Nothing could be further from the truth.  The neo-conservatism of President Bush is, in itself, a moderate ideological point of view.  President Bush is clearly a man who has a strong vision and no shortage of ideas or the political skill to put those ideas into effect.

Your strategy seems to be working well for the party that you identify with.   I hope your "principled" stands continue to win you prized seats on the "Central Contra Costa Sanitary District Board of Directors" and "Santiago County Water District Board"  Does that high executive office of "Lake County Agricultural Commissioner and Sealer of Weights and Measures" come with nuclear launch codes? 

I like Howard Dean, he is honest about what his party stands for.

If you really believe in something and want to build a movement behind actual ideas about how to govern, you need to have a thick skin and a strong mentality.

In 1964 Goldwater was a anti-government lunatic, in 1984 his views were accepted conventional wisdom.

You can't move the political center by campaigning from that center.

If you are Reagan you move the center towards you, if you are Dean you try to move the center the other way.

Dean has real ideas and offers real contrasts.  I think it would be good for the Natiion if he was DNC chair.

Democracy depends on have two or more strong sets of ideas, the Dems crowding the middle is conceeding the debate, not engaging in it.

A choice, not an echo !!

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Dean's tirade is overrated. Still, I have some reservations about him.

Charismatic? I'm not convinced the guy can motivate anyone outside the extreme left of the Democratic party. He also may speak on health care reform, but he is a doctor and I have a hard time any doctor wants that. Those are two knocks I have on Dean. Although his tirade is overrated, I do have to ask about the possibility that he may say or do something foolish on an international stage which might hurt our position internationally(I know Bush does it all the time, but hey, 2 wrongs don't make a right).

I don't think it would be wise to run him in 08' simply because he's a northeasterner who probably won't flip more states in the electoral college than Kerry did. I have the feeling he won't be a great campaigner. Maybe good, but not great. I actually think Kerry did a decent job in his campaign. Anyway, I don't see him getting some of those states crucial to victory in 08 such as Ohio, Wisconsin, Colorado, or other southwestern states(I think that was one of the most overlooked battleground areas last year).

One of his strengths are that he has an acknowledged position on the war. We all know it was the same Republican party that ran in 1964 as in 1968, and look at how different the results were. Who knows. Perhaps in four years, voters will crave change due to circumstances on the horizon in a manner which doomed the Democrats in 1968 and a guy like Dean will become electable. Couldn't do much worse than this current bunch. Still, I'd rather have a Warner or even a Reid as a politician.

He was a small time practicer, he doesn't own a ton of health care companies like Senator Frist does.

He can't run in '08 as DNC chair.

[RJ]

He was a small time practicer, he doesn't own a ton of health care companies like Senator Frist does.
 

He may be a small time practicer, but I still have to wonder. Didn't say he's hateful, just that I think people have reservations about him and the ones I listed are the ones I have. I suppose I'm just being a devil's advocate. I wouldn't have too many problems with him being president or in a high office since I've already seen the alternative and it just ain't pretty.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Dean is damaged goods.  The media will never let us forget about that scream.  I appalud his views on the war, but most of America will use that to just dismiss him.  His other views are too far Left for the average Democrat voter, but the Democratic leadership probably think he's too moderate. 

Getting back to the topic of this thread, I don't really dislike Dean as much as I disagree with him on a number of issues that are important to me.  If he were to be come the DNC Chairman it would mean to me that the Democrats continue to have the wrong vision for America (I'm not saying the Republicans have the right vision, they are equally wrong on a whole host of other important issues).

The scream was a smear job by the right-wing media.  If the best the media can up with is that he sounded angry on a direct feed from him in a noisy hall with a few thousand people where he could barely hear himself, then he's looking pretty good.

[J. J.]

Dean is damaged goods.  The media will never let us forget about that scream.  I appalud his views on the war, but most of America will use that to just dismiss him.  His other views are too far Left for the average Democrat voter, but the Democratic leadership probably think he's too moderate. 

Getting back to the topic of this thread, I don't really dislike Dean as much as I disagree with him on a number of issues that are important to me.  If he were to be come the DNC Chairman it would mean to me that the Democrats continue to have the wrong vision for America (I'm not saying the Republicans have the right vision, they are equally wrong on a whole host of other important issues).

The scream was a smear job by the right-wing media.  If the best the media can up with is that he sounded angry on a direct feed from him in a noisy hall with a few thousand people where he could barely hear himself, then he's looking pretty good.

More like bloggers who posted it on numerous websites.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Dean is damaged goods.  The media will never let us forget about that scream.  I appalud his views on the war, but most of America will use that to just dismiss him.  His other views are too far Left for the average Democrat voter, but the Democratic leadership probably think he's too moderate. 

Getting back to the topic of this thread, I don't really dislike Dean as much as I disagree with him on a number of issues that are important to me.  If he were to be come the DNC Chairman it would mean to me that the Democrats continue to have the wrong vision for America (I'm not saying the Republicans have the right vision, they are equally wrong on a whole host of other important issues).

The scream was a smear job by the right-wing media.  If the best the media can up with is that he sounded angry on a direct feed from him in a noisy hall with a few thousand people where he could barely hear himself, then he's looking pretty good.

More like bloggers who posted it on numerous websites.

It was the mainstream media, J LOOSE-WITH-THE-FACTS

[George W. Bush]

I dont hate him at all, I like him. I wouldent want him to run the country tho.

[Democratic Hawk]

There seems to be two sides to Dean:

1) The competent and able ex-governor of Vermont
2) The anti-war presidential hopeful of 2008

The first is favourable, while the second is less so

I think as Chair of the DNC, he should stick to fundraising and shaking up the party organisation. Best leave policy to Harry Reid and other ranking Democrats

Dave