~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: Dean's Surge in Fund-Raising Forces Rivals to Reassess Him
July 3, 2003
By ADAM NAGOURNEY and MICHAEL JANOFSKY
WASHINGTON, July 2 - Howard Dean, the former Vermont governor making his first bid for national office, raised substantially more money
this quarter than all his more established opponents in the Democratic presidential contest, according to figures released today.
The result forced Dr. Dean's rivals to reconsider how to deal with an opponent they had until now viewed as little more than an irritant..... "
"...many Democratic leaders said they continued to view his candidacy as something of a long shot...."
Jude's comment: What "Democratic leaders"?
"....Dr. Dean's showing was unexpected - even by some supporters - and reflects some of the different approaches he has brought to
campaigning, starting with his clearly effective reliance on the Internet to raise money. His rivals seemed uncertain just what to make
of this turn of events..."
In several campaigns today, there was debate about whether - or, in some cases, when - to begin attacking Dr. Dean directly,
and how to do it without alienating the new voters he has drawn into the political process.
Jude's comment: Attacking Howard Dean? That's no way for the other Dem candidates to score confidence points...
Democrats want to hear a plan for America...not an attack on a fellow party-member.
"..I think most Democrats would prefer not to have Howard Dean as the nominee," Mr. Gephardt's campaign manager,
Steve Murphy, said. "I'll leave it at that....."
Jude's comment: What the hell is that supposed to mean?!
"....An aide to Mr. Lieberman said: "Everyone wants a race against Dean. Everyone has looked at the research, and he
looks easiest to bring down. He's positioned himself as a liberal, and liberals don't win here..."
Jude's comment: Famous last words of a loser. I'm terribly disappointed in Lieberman.
"...What the Democrats want more than anything else in the nominee is someone who can beat Bush - Democrats just want to win,"
this Lieberman aide said....."
Jude's comment: LIKE---HELLO?!?
Copyright 2003 The New York Times Company
Internet muse.
Daring, bold, never sold.
My daily weblog of politics, humor, philosophy...and a constant and nagging reminder of the existence of universal love....
Thursday, July 03, 2003
Re-Lighting the Torches of America's Soul
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Re-Lighting the Torches of America's Soul
By Bernard Weiner
Co-Editor, The Crisis Papers
HOPE ON THE HORIZON
In short, the building blocks are almost in place for serious impeachment moves and a possible electoral victory in 2004. The keys to these hopeful developments lie in:
1. MAINTAINING THE PRESSURE. Bush&Co. cannot be permitted to select a scapegoat and thus avoid personal responsibility for the lies told that put American men and women into harm's way in Iraq, and that continue to get many of them killed. (Clinton harmed himself and just a few others as a result of his lying about sex; when Bush lies, people die and our treasury is depleted. Many religiously-oriented folks were deeply upset at Clinton's "immorality"; the connection needs to be emphasized to them that "immoral" behavior can involve something other than sexual liaisons.)
______________________
2. WORKING TO ENSURE A FAIR ELECTION. Demand of your local and state election officials that no computer voting be authorized unless and until it comes with iron-clad ways of checking the ballots, a verifiable paper-trail to ensure that nobody can tamper with the vote and get away with it. Ensure that, unlike Florida in 2000, tens of thousands of voters cannot be purged from the voting rolls by deliberate fiat of supporters of one party or the other. Double-check to make sure that the vote-counting of military personnel abroad is on the up-and-up, with a verifiable paper trail.
_______________________
2. TALKING UP A STORM. Contact your neighbors and associates and friends about what is happening in this country; write letters to the editor, call talk-show hosts, compose articles and blogs for the internet, participate in meetings and political actions, go out and register new voters, etc. etc. -- all these help add to the critical mass necessary for regime change at home. In short, organize, organize, organize!
_____________________
3. CONNECTING WITH THE FAITHFUL. Work with your church or synagogue or mosque to re-fire the moral indignation, to connect one's religiosity to the soul-work of right action in society.
_______________________
4. REVERSING THE SUCTION. Engage in positive, spiritually uplifting actions as often as you can, so that you can escape the immoral suction forces pulling one down into the negativity and fright that pass for policy in the Bush world. Volunteer, aid a soup kitchen, donate money to good causes, become a mentor to at-risk kids, choose a candidate and work for the campaign, immerse yourself in an art project, help oppositional websites and magazines, etc. etc. In other words, see the light guiding one forward, rather than the shadows nipping at your heels. Turn your head away from the propaganda and lies, and towards the sunshine of hope. Let love rule your actions; as your heart opens, so do doors of possibility and courage.
_______________________
5. JOINING THE POLITICAL PROCESS. Elect Greens or whomever on local levels, but once the Democrats select their presidential standard-bearer, do not dwell on the candidate's shortfalls or where you might disagree with him or her on a particular issue or two. Remember that the ONLY point in 2004 is to defeat the Bush juggernaut, so as to move our country away from extremist politics and back toward civil compromise and more centrist (and, we can hope, maybe even some progressive) policies.
________________________
Re-Lighting the Torches of America's Soul
By Bernard Weiner
Co-Editor, The Crisis Papers
HOPE ON THE HORIZON
In short, the building blocks are almost in place for serious impeachment moves and a possible electoral victory in 2004. The keys to these hopeful developments lie in:
1. MAINTAINING THE PRESSURE. Bush&Co. cannot be permitted to select a scapegoat and thus avoid personal responsibility for the lies told that put American men and women into harm's way in Iraq, and that continue to get many of them killed. (Clinton harmed himself and just a few others as a result of his lying about sex; when Bush lies, people die and our treasury is depleted. Many religiously-oriented folks were deeply upset at Clinton's "immorality"; the connection needs to be emphasized to them that "immoral" behavior can involve something other than sexual liaisons.)
______________________
2. WORKING TO ENSURE A FAIR ELECTION. Demand of your local and state election officials that no computer voting be authorized unless and until it comes with iron-clad ways of checking the ballots, a verifiable paper-trail to ensure that nobody can tamper with the vote and get away with it. Ensure that, unlike Florida in 2000, tens of thousands of voters cannot be purged from the voting rolls by deliberate fiat of supporters of one party or the other. Double-check to make sure that the vote-counting of military personnel abroad is on the up-and-up, with a verifiable paper trail.
_______________________
2. TALKING UP A STORM. Contact your neighbors and associates and friends about what is happening in this country; write letters to the editor, call talk-show hosts, compose articles and blogs for the internet, participate in meetings and political actions, go out and register new voters, etc. etc. -- all these help add to the critical mass necessary for regime change at home. In short, organize, organize, organize!
_____________________
3. CONNECTING WITH THE FAITHFUL. Work with your church or synagogue or mosque to re-fire the moral indignation, to connect one's religiosity to the soul-work of right action in society.
_______________________
4. REVERSING THE SUCTION. Engage in positive, spiritually uplifting actions as often as you can, so that you can escape the immoral suction forces pulling one down into the negativity and fright that pass for policy in the Bush world. Volunteer, aid a soup kitchen, donate money to good causes, become a mentor to at-risk kids, choose a candidate and work for the campaign, immerse yourself in an art project, help oppositional websites and magazines, etc. etc. In other words, see the light guiding one forward, rather than the shadows nipping at your heels. Turn your head away from the propaganda and lies, and towards the sunshine of hope. Let love rule your actions; as your heart opens, so do doors of possibility and courage.
_______________________
5. JOINING THE POLITICAL PROCESS. Elect Greens or whomever on local levels, but once the Democrats select their presidential standard-bearer, do not dwell on the candidate's shortfalls or where you might disagree with him or her on a particular issue or two. Remember that the ONLY point in 2004 is to defeat the Bush juggernaut, so as to move our country away from extremist politics and back toward civil compromise and more centrist (and, we can hope, maybe even some progressive) policies.
________________________
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