A pair of Dean related things: first, Senator Joseph Lieberman derides picking Howard Dean as the Democratic nominee would be “a ticket to nowhere.” From the New York Times:
Staking out the political center, Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut warned today that nominating Howard Dean, the former governor of Vermont, as the Democrat to face President Bush in 2004 would be “a ticket to nowhere.”
During an appearance here at the National Press Club, Mr. Lieberman was asked about the increased attention in the news to Dr. Dean. Mr. Lieberman said: “A candidate who was opposed to the war against Saddam, who has called for the repeal of all of the Bush tax cuts which would result in an increase in taxes on the middle class I believe will not offer the kind of leadership America needs to meet the challenges that we face today.”
Joe Lieberman, who has rolled over like a dog wanting his tummy scratched for the worst abuses of the Bush administration, thinks Dean is not the right kind of guy. Jesus Christ, Dean couldn’t pay for a better endorsement! If I were Joe Trippi, I’d use that quote on my webpage and my campaign literature. “Dean isn’t like the complacent Democrats you are used to, happily shoveling coal for Bush and Co while they drive us on a fast train to Hell. That’s why you should vote for him.”
In a related story, Doc Searls talks about how Dean picking a fight with Bush is great strategy. The other thing about Lieberman denouncing Dean is that it is an admission that Dean is rapidly becoming the man to beat. I don’t think Dean will be denouncing Lieberman, merely watching him recede in his rear view mirror.
In the Doc story, he quotes a conservative blogger who says this:
The Dean campaign made the point that it received donations averaging about $50 – as compared to the $2,000 tab to attend the Vice President’s lunch…
The Dean campaign, in effect, had to stop everything else it was doing to make this goal. It was a short term effort – a successful effort – but short term.
The Bush/Cheney campaign can, and will, do $300,000 events on a regular basis from now until it doesn’t need any more money.
As I understand it (and I should, since I am one of the folks who gave that money), there was very little resource consumed from Team Dean to meet this goal. They put some graphics on the web page, sent a few e-mails and blogged about it. Where exactly does the notion that this required full effort from the campaign come from? They got a website that takes money, and folks are coming to it and giving. If conservatives think they can laugh this off, I say laugh. Laugh, laugh, laugh, right up until the point where they realize what is happening, then they can cry. I think Dean has played this very well, and I think they should continue to use being underestimated as they greatest strength.
