Let Howard Make It Uncomfortable For Them

by Steve

While the mainstream corporate media did its best to ignore the Downing Street Memo today and focus instead on Howard Dean, to his credit Dean showed no signs of pulling back and in fact threw a couple more jabs today, both on the mark.

Howard Dean sparred with reporters and drew laughs from the audience, even while he is earning criticism from "some" in his own party for doing something increasingly uncommon in politics... shooting from the hip.

"The chairman of the Republican Party has made a big deal out of attracting African-American voters. This is a litmus test. If you don't support the extension of the Voting Rights Act, you don't have the right to walk into a black church and show your face," Dean said.

And while Fox, AOL, and other GOP tools in the media reported on Lyin’ Dick Cheney’s blast at Dean today, Dean had the appropriate comeback, which is in essence, ignore Fox News and treat it for what it really is:

Dean energized "this" audience of union workers and Rainbow-Push activists with his "ideas" and "inclination" to say it like he sees it.

"My view is FOX News is a propaganda outlet for the Republican Party and I don't comment on FOX News," Dean said. That was in response to vice president Dick Cheney calling Howard Dean "over the top" on Fox News on Sunday.

Exactly. Ignore Fox.

Dean knows something that others do not. As he has said, voters want the Democrats to fight for control. He also knows what pollster Scott Rasmussen knows, which is that in 2008, a liberal Democrat can win if the GOP does the expected and nominates a conservative who can be portrayed as out of touch with the concerns of everyday voters. Nancy Pelosi knows that it is important for Democrats to “brand” Republicans for being right wing extremists. Note that in every case Rasmussen polled on, the only time a Democrat lost in 2008 was when a liberal Democrat ran against a moderate Republican.

Now how likely do you think it is that the GOP will run a moderate in 2008, without there being a major, damaging battle in the GOP if a Kool-Aid drinking conservative doesn’t get the nomination?