So, I got an email from this guy today, and he usually sends me emails that are worth reading. This one’s worth repeating.
Dear Other Sarah,
There’s a lot being said about the primary process right now. I wanted to reach out to you and let you know how things look from where I stand.
First, I think we’ll have a nominee before the convention. It’s still early, and there are plenty of voters who still haven’t weighed in.
I also think that we’re fortunate to have two fantastic candidates that people are excited about — we’ve consistently had record turnout across the country, and whoever wins will have the support of a healthy Party that’s ready to fight. Hillary and Barack are meeting voters in places that don’t typically get to see our candidates so closely, and that’s good for both of them come November.
They’re both campaigning hard, and it’s great to see such excitement for two great candidates — I’m excited about them, too.
But while our process continues to play out, we can’t afford to sit around and wait. We must start right now — we can’t let John McCain get a head start.
While the pundits on TV talk about what it all means, we can get to work. … Don’t be fooled, John McCain isn’t a “maverick” at all. He’s loved by the media, but he’ll be a disaster for our country.
He’s been a vocal supporter of George Bush’s strategy in Iraq, and he’s said that he wants to be there for another hundred years. He’s committed to appointing judges who will overturn Roe v. Wade and privatizing Social Security. And he’s admitted that he doesn’t understand the economy, which would leave millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet.
He’s so bad that U.S. News and World Report recently revealed that the White House is thrilled to have John McCain picking up where they’re leaving off…
What’s behind President Bush’s expansive praise for John McCain? The president has become convinced that McCain will be an effective and strong defender of the Bush legacy in the general election campaign this fall, White House advisers to U.S. News. […] In an interview broadcast yesterday on FOX News Sunday, Bush went further than he ever has in analyzing the 2008 presidential race. He came close to endorsing McCain outright, praising him more than he did McCain’s competitor in the race, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.
White House officials tell U.S. News that Bush is eager to help McCain as the party standard-bearer, mainly in three areas: helping to rally conservatives behind McCain, raising money for the Republican Party, and framing the political debate to portray the Democrats as tax-and-spend liberals who would prematurely remove U.S. troops from Iraq and endanger national security.
John McCain gives George Bush the third term he always wanted.
The guy who wrote me this email is Dr. Howard Dean, and he’s got more to say over the jump (and so do I)
Dr. Dean’s email continues:
Three years ago this week, I became chairman of the DNC. Since then, you’ve been with me every step of the way as we’ve rebuilt the Party from the ground up, in all 50 states. You contributed, knocked on doors, made phone calls, and you’ve done everything you could make our Party and our country better than it was when we started.
Today, we’re seeing record turnout in primaries across the country, and we have two historic candidates that we couldn’t be happier with. It’s because of you — and all that you’ve done since the darkest days after our loss in 2004 — that made this possible. And it’s because of you that we’re going to beat John McCain in November.
Thanks for everything you’ve done,
Howard Dean
— and then there’s what Dr. Dean has done, and it occurs to me that even in the midst of the current tumult, what Howard Dean has done for the Democratic party bears remembering. He’s turned it back into a 50-state grassroots-driven force, and he’s reinvigorated state and local races tremendously.
I may not like a thing the that’s happened since John Edwards’ campaign suspended operations, but it would be difficult to name anybody more inspiring the three men who have come to the forefront, and past the hurdle of, Democratic Presidential aspirations — going beyond, as it were, what they had hoped to achieve on behalf of a bigger constituency.
I speak of Al Gore, Howard Dean, and John Edwards.
I think they’re worth backing, and I think they’re worth listening to, and I think they’re dependable, trustworthy men. I hope they’ll continue to surpass the “success” of campaigns sabotaged by the mass media.
Front page
I agree Sarah
Without invoking the recent flame wars, I’ve begun to contribute $$ to the DNC. I didn’t in the beginning, choosing to contribute instead to a candidate who has now withdrawn. I think McCain will be a formidable opponent to whomever gets the Democratic nomination. I don’t believe McCain is a good candidate, but the media will offer him every opportunity to appear as though he is one, and will paper over his gaffes if they can.
No matter who gets the nomination, I think the campaign to the general election will be as vicious as the Republicans can make it. Dean has appealed for financial support to get a leg up, and a head start, in confronting that challenge. I think it’s a wise decision on his part. Consequently, I am all in for the DNC. I have faith that a good solid Democrat will get the nomination. I very much want to see that individual defeat McCain.
my translation of the letter:
- we won’t stand for the horror of a brokered convention, so instead we’ll do all we can (FL, MI) to make sure one of these two is the “clear winner.”
- we don’t have a good relationship with the media like mccain, and we’ll need lots of money to buy one for our candidate
- we’re planning on tying mccain to bush in the fall, as the centerpiece of the campaign message. “four more years of bush” is what you should say when you hear “maverick.”
- i’m not going to admit, in any way, that there is incredible internal turmoil right now, in the DNC itself. between the superdelagate ’controversy/ies’ and fucked up disenfranchisement of a couple of states, things are a complete mess. but we’re putting on a brave public face and hopefully will break with tradition, and clean up all the broken crap in time to have a “fair” selection for you by the time of the convention.
- looking good on teevee is all that matters.
…sorry if that sounds mean, Sarah, i was a dean supporter way before it was cool, and he’s really broken my heart. as one of the disenfranchised who has followed the story of how the DNC is dealing with “rogue” states and running the primary/caucus process in general, i am so sick and sad. it’s just been a parade of drunken clowns and moronic egomaniacs, fucking us out of even the illusion of “democracy.” and dean sits at the head of this circus.
he still writes an inspirational, Fighting kind of letter, tho. /dashes tear away/
Still the best of the lot of 'em, CD
[Recalls defense of Harry Reid. Wonders why he goes on.]
Oh, and apparently OH’s voting system is all fucked up. So that’s going to be another clusterfuck of delegitimization if Hillary wins, if we go by the long forgotten outrage about NH and NV.
[x] Any (D) in the general. [ ] Any mullah-sucking billionaire-teabagging torture-loving pus-encrusted spawn of Cthulhu, bless his (R) heart.
Dean wants cash to run stuff like this
McCain’s double talk express. Pretty damn good:
http://www.democrats.org/a/2008/02/mccai…