Shot In The Dark: On Dean

February 02, 2005

On Dean

The editors of NRO have a fantastic editorial about the ascent of Mad How:

The appeal of Howard Dean is simply this: He has stood up at regional meetings of (generally left-wing) DNC members and delivered versions of his usual rants, prompting members to applaud and feel good about themselves as they bask in the old-time religion. That's it. As Dean said at the New York meeting, "I hate the Republicans and everything they stand for," in a typically crude statement. The spectacle of his candidacy steaming toward the chairmanship makes a mockery of New Republic editor Peter Beinart's call for a return to the moral seriousness and maturity of the Democrats circa 1948. The DNC is looking as though it can't even muster the moral seriousness and maturity of the Democrats circa January 2004, when they relegated Dean to a devastating third-place finish in Iowa.

So what does the lefty blogosphere think about Mad How?

They seem, so far, to be as quiet as they were...after the Iraqi elections.

Posted by Mitch at February 2, 2005 07:40 AM | TrackBack

Comments

Quiet??? The lefty blogosphere has been talking about it for quite a long long time now Mitch. The race does not begin and end today because the NY Times writes an editorial. Did you just scan a few lefty blogs today before making that statement? The campaign for the chair has been going on for a while now, and I can't think of a major lefty blog that hasn't discussed the issue.

Some lefty blogs do support him and some don't. Josh Marshall gave his endorsement to Rosenberg. John Aravosis of AmericaBlog is tipping his hat to Dean. Atrios seems to be fine with either Rosenberg or Dean (as long as it wasn't Frost or Roemer). Trippi is supporting Rosenberg.

Those who support Dean are loud and proud about it, and I think it is rather silly to imply Dems are ashamed to support him.

And just about every liberal blogger could care less about what Bienart has to say.

Posted by: Carson at February 2, 2005 11:23 AM

I read awhile back that Karl Rove had a huge arsenal of dirt on Dean that he planned to use back before Dean "yearghed" his way to infamy. I wonder if some of that will make an appearance now?

Seriously, do the Democrats really want to be led by someone who openly states that he "hates Republicans and everything they stand for?" I mean, you can disagree with people, but to say you hate them all and everything they stand for? Yikes. The hate message didn't work for the Repubs in '96 or '98, if I remember correctly. I wish the Dems good luck with Dean and all, but he's not the PR man I'd want working for me. And if I had a company, I certainly wouldn't want him to be the face of it.

Posted by: Ryan at February 2, 2005 11:37 AM

Carson,

My impression was formed over the past week, and admittedly is off-the-cuff; I scanned the big five, and saw either the usual wonkery (Yglesias and Josh "ua Micah" Marshall) or variations on trite snarkiness (most of the rest). I've been a lot more interested in the leftyblogs' reaction to Iraq (generally nonexistant) than to their party's internal machinations.

Ryan,

Honestly, as a former Democrat and child of Democrats, I'd HOPE that the opposition would not be led by someone who is indeed choked with hate. But in another way, I suppose it's honest; too much of the left DOES genuinely hate the right. Maybe it's good to have it out in the open.

No, I dont' really think so either. It's depressing.

Posted by: mitch at February 2, 2005 12:06 PM

The Right thinks the Left is wrong.

The Left thinks the Right is Evil.

You can agree to disagree with someone you think is wrong, but you can't tolerate someone you think is Evil.

(There are exceptions and some on the Left don't "hate" some on the Right, but the generalization holds in most cases.)

Until the Left gets over the idea that the Right is dominated by the spawn of Satan (or by Gaia murdering industrialists in their value system), there will be a lack of political discourse and a surplus of vitriol.

Posted by: nerdbert at February 2, 2005 02:24 PM