Howard Dean's urban legend

[MORTARDUDE]

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/r...20031211.shtml

Dean's urban legend
Robert Novak


December 11, 2003


WASHINGTON -- It was bad enough when Howard Dean, interviewed on National Public Radio Dec. 1, spread a conspiracy theory that George W. Bush ignored Saudi Arabian warnings of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It was worse Dec. 7 on "Fox News Sunday," when the Democratic presidential front-runner neither apologized nor repudiated himself for passing along this urban legend.

None of Dean's frantic opponents for the nomination immediately took him to task, not wanting to defend the hated Republican president. A week later, however, they contemplated whether the doctor posed too easy a general election target for President Bush. Al Gore's surprise endorsement boosts Dean among Democrats but surely does not make him more electable.

A half-hour after Dean alarmed party regulars over television Sunday, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton on NBC titillated worried Democrats by hesitating at closing the door for 2004. Although her prospects of being nominated for president remain minimal, normally sober Democrats are looking toward Mrs. Clinton in 2004 because of apprehension about what Dean could do to the party.

Unlike George McGovern in 1972, Dean's core problem is not ideological. It is loose lips: fabricating the story of a patient impregnated by her father, seeking support from pickup truck drivers with Confederate flags, and seemingly exulting in his draft deferment for a bad back. Nothing so worries old-style Democratic politicians, however, as proclaiming the apocryphal warning from Saudi Arabia.

In his Dec. 1 interview on NPR's "The Diane Rehm Show," Dean was asked about allegations that President Bush is suppressing information that he was warned about the 9/11 terrorist attacks. "The most interesting theory that I have heard so far . . . ," Dean responded, "is that he was warned ahead of time by the Saudis." This received scant media attention (except for Washington Post columnist Charles Krauthammer), but Democratic politicians shuddered.

Dean was given a chance to back off six days later by Chris Wallace, debuting as "Fox News Sunday's" moderator. "I don't believe that," the candidate said, then added: "But we don't know, and it'd be a nice thing to know." He concluded: "Because the president won't give information to the Kean Commission, we really don't know what the explanation is." After playing to Bush-haters who listen to National Public Radio, Dean repeated the same canard to Fox's Sunday morning mainstream viewers.

None of Dean's opponents raised the issue during Tuesday night's debate in Durham, N.H., but moderator Scott Spradling of WMUR TV did. Dean still defended publicizing what he now called a "crazy" theory.

Where did Dean pick it up? A Dean spokesman told this column it was "out there." A rival Democratic candidate's campaign suspected it came from "some blog." The Russian newspaper Pravda published reports that Jordan's and Morocco's intelligence -- not Saudi Arabia's -- gave the CIA advance knowledge. The World Socialists circulated a story that the Saudi royal family knew of the attack in advance. Somehow, the urban legend penetrated Dean's mind.

"It's McCarthyism in reverse," one 35-year Democratic political veteran told me. "Dean doesn't understand that he's accusing Bush of something worse than an impeachable offense. It's treason." He and several other Democrats that I contacted all expressed the fear that Bush's political operatives will shred an opposing presidential candidate that undisciplined.

As worries about Dean's nomination rise inside the Democratic establishment, hopes of stopping him diminish -- particularly after the Gore endorsement. To slow Dean even temporarily, Rep. Dick Gephardt must stop him in the Iowa caucuses Jan. 19. That's why these worried Democrats were stirred by Hillary Clinton Sunday on "Meet the Press."

After an impressive performance answering Tim Russert's policy questions, the former first lady would not flatly promise to turn down a presidential draft. "The nomination -- it's not going to be offered to me," she insisted. "But if it did happen?" asked Russert. "You know, I have, I am -- ," she stammered. "I think the door is opening a bit, Senator," Russert concluded. "Oh, no, it's not," Clinton shot back. Finally, when pressed to say she would "never" accept the 2004 nomination, she said, "I am not accepting the nomination."

That was ambivalent enough to intrigue Democratic worriers. It's a slender reed, but still reason for them to think that Hillary Clinton might be there if Howard Dean self-immolates by next summer. They are thinking such thoughts because their prospective nominee is spinning wild conspiracy theories.

[Keith_Hixson]

Gore lends support to Dean.
Most believe that Dean is too far out of the main stream to win.

Hillary Happy! Dean will lose! Open the way for her nomination in 4 yrs.

Gore still friends with Clintons (inspite of published tiff).

Lieberman feels betrayed, but he's too much of a moderate for the liberals.

Everyone is happy but Lieberman! You gotta feel sorry for the fellow, seems like a nice guy.

All worked out behind closed doors.

Just thinking and not tooooo clearly?

Keith

[SuperScout]

Obviously, you're overdosing on logic pills again, much like our dear friend, Sir Scamp, who occasionally sits too close to his incense burner!

Consider this: Gore endorses Dean, finally exposing himself (Gawd, that's a scary concept!) for what he has been all along, a liberal at heart, but of faint heart, but adding to an ephemeal head of steam wrought by the Internet. In an attempt to play the game of "I'm as Liberal as You Are," the other candidates play follow the leader, right off the cliff of political realism.

Of course Liebermann feels betrayed; his good ol' buddy Gore didn't even have the chutzpah to call ahead of time. But then, envisioning Gore with chutzpah is akin to linking him with an original thought. Folks across the political spectrum have been able to see this back-stabbing, and the ill-will that it generated will more than erase any postive benefits of this endorsement. Sorta like the old saw, with friends like this,.....

Gore shows up in Harlem to make his endorsement, right down the street from Der Schlickmeister's sometime office, and probably Gore's first visit to the area. He failed to read the Operating Instructions of the DNC Manual that the Clintons still control the $$ of the DNC, and neither Gore nor Dean has access to it. Both should be very careful, as lesser offenses have caused some folks to sleep with the fish in Arkansas.

[Seascamp]

For whatever it is worth, Dean is being taken about half seriously by the US and international business communities, storm-warning pennants are rigged to the halyards but haven?t been run up the mast as yet. As he lets his rhetoric and wild, irresponsible monolog run amuck he would be well advised to figure out who is listening and what their vested interest in the US economy is.

Thus far Dean postures as contemptuous toward commerce, business, industry and free enterprise. Saying nothing or having no apparent policy isn?t going down well with the risk takers and venture capitalists, especially foreign investors. So between his hate Bush diatribes Dean will be well served do something besides sneer at the golden egg laying geese. Even the most ardent, committed and loyal Liberal understands that if a shovel handle is pitched through the spokes of the economy, all the well meaning plans in the world are just so much meaningless paper. Ya can?t have a train without an engine but thus far it doesn?t appear that Dean understands that.

?The whole world is watching? seems to be the thing now and this Dean deal is migrating from a curiosity issue to an international issue. I truly hope the US voter really understands who owns what here and what the true cost of alienating the global economy will be. Scary, scary for sure. But maybe he will be tamed by reality, who knows.

Scamp

[SuperScout]

Not only have you added great insight to the topic at hand, I think that you have touched on an item that so far has been overlooked, ignored, or over the heads of the average reporter or reporterette. Dean's bombastic delivery are frightening enough, but coupled with his anti-capitalist, anti-military attitude, and he becomes downright scary. And what you have observed only lends more credence to my earlier contention that he will be virtually untamed by the DNC, assuming he gets the nomination, and will serve as the Chief Lemming next November. There is already some grumblings out in the hustings about how his candidacy will doom some local Democrats.

And now for the original topic, his 15 minutes of lunacy was almost unnoticed by the press, but only points out all the more how truly out of touch with reality he is. First call for lemmings to start lining up for their march to the cliffs!!

[skeeter]

Here goes.

Clinton is still well liked in this country by both democrats and maybe some republicians.. One of the nine that is applying for the democrat party is a favorite of Clinton.. Guess Who!.. Clark..
Some time after the Iowa and New Hamphire votes, Clinton will endorse Clark. Clark will end up with the party nomation, and guess who will be his running mate? Hilary..

Scribe that is stone.

[Keith_Hixson]

I blew it last night. I was at a Christmas party for the place were my wife works. The subject of Howard Dean came up. I knew the hostess was originally from Vermont but I told some folks I wouldn't vote Dean because it is my belief he was a draft dodger and if I served he could also allowed himself to be drafted.

She looked at me and said, "Dr. Dean was my personal physcian when I was growing up, he's a family friend and I'll be voting for him."

I kept the peace and didn't say any more.

Sounds like he was a good doctor.

Keith

[Seascamp]

Unfortunately reality strikes and in terms of pending new global projects with significant US content, well, people are getting a bit skittery and asking for renegotiation and iron clad guarantees. This situation is the norm for technical performance issues, common as pig tracks actually. But highly unusual to say the least in terms of commercial and financial issues that tend to be cut and dried, especially if the project is wholly or partially funded by international banking institutions. So it?s not hard to read between the lines and have the absolute certainty that when the US economy has an itch, the world scratches and they are thinking about where to scratch right now. The colossus we got going isn?t for screwing with by ideologist and idiots with far fetched notions and the world knows that and people are thinking about bunkering in. The premium, loud and ever redundant hate George Bush agenda is one thing but cutting off our nose to spit our face is quite another.

Our Neighbor Canada just made a surprising move and forced the resignation of their long standing PM. The new PM is supposedly more open to dialog with our current administration and is offering up an olive branch of sorts, maybe. Canada has a sweetheart deal with the US in terms of trade and enjoys a $400 million trade surplus per year. My guess is that as the Dean rhetoric heats up and battle lines are drawn, Canada does not want to be perceived as being on the adversarial side of the coming battle, and for good reason for crying out loud. The previous PM couldn?t make that concept stick as the hard feelings are very deep, wide and intense. But maybe the new PM can. He?s a financial Guy and is highly skilled at knowing the realities of financial Canada and making it all come together.

So sure Col. there are literally a world of things going on beyond who hates Bush the most and what a supposed rotten hound he is. And of course, no self respecting reporter is going to take the time to go a level down, follow the connects and consequences, especially if there is no derogatory Bush content. If ya can?t bad mouth Bush its sack cloth, ashes and the leper colony for sure.

Scamp

[Seascamp]

Oh my, I suggest you carve your script in wet clay but don?t fire it in the kiln just yet. This Dean thing is starting to look like the wild ride of Mr. Toad and almost anything can happen and probably will.
The DNC and the Democratic Party aren?t off the bench yet and that is a plenty powerful pair for sure. The Clintons are very influential but not the ballgame for sure. It could be that Dean gets tamed; Col. Scout reckons this to be non-sense, or it could be that Dean is being played out as a straw man and all of a sudden a somebody will come thundering out of the sunset to save the day and clean up the inevitable Dean mess and be the Party Champion.
Regardless, Dean is certainly a handful of ball bearings in the gear box and it is going to be an interesting political season.

Scamp

[SuperScout]

Just as a casual observer, one could easily see how Hillary as a veep candidate would not bode well for her boss. Her gargantuan ego would either (1) make his life so miserable he'd resign, or (2) she'd find a way to add him to the crabs' diet off Chesapeke Bay.

Keith, your embarrassing moment (?) hopefully has passed for now, and while Dean may have been a good physician, like Jimmy Carter, he should have stayed with his original calling. History has amply demonstarted that peanut farmers don't make very good Presidents.

Perhaps it was the original intent of the plotters and planners for Wesley Clark, aka Hillbilly Lite, to serve as Sir Scamp has posited, being the Black Knight on the White Charger. (Before any of you call for either the PC Police or the Wearers of White Coats, you are cordially reminded that the West Pointers are frequently referred to as the Black Knights on the Hudson, and since Clark is a Ring Knocker of academic repute, the name is apropos.) Only problem with Clark is that, like a forgetful drunk, he can't remember which lie he told the night before, or to whom. His followers, few though they be, are not drawn from the military or former military ranks, as the Eisenhower campaign did, but to the contrary, he has alienated most of the military voting crowd by his empiral style.

Right now, I'll wager that the DNC has a sever case of knotted panties, seeing the internecine bloodletting, the profuse waste of contributor dollars, no viable candidate, and a voting populace turned off by the politics of hate. Come to think of it, even with my profoundly gifted imagination, I couldn't have scripted a better scenario!!