Blog For Arizona

Salon.com News | Is Dean too hot?

Salon.com News | Is Dean too hot?

An interesting analysis of what the campaign to unseat Bush may look like. Talking points are already circulating in GOP circles labelling Democrats as the party of hate speech for attacking Bush. Is it time for Dean to pull in his horns and play nice-nice with Bush? Or will voters see the GOP's gambit as a whiney double-standard considering their own heavy-handed rhetoric of the recent past?

I think Dean will continue to make his case that Bush is not only wrong, but a mendacious liar who doesn't care about America. Increasingly he may use proxies in this assault, but Dean's message has been in part responsible for opening the media to more criticism of Bush and ultimately for Bush's slide in the polls. To let up now is to treat this election as business as usual and play right into the GOP hands. It's not, and we musn't.

The GOP wants us to soften our rhetoric because it is hurting them for one powerful reason; the attacks are based on truth not just rhetoric. It's hard to refute the truth without digging yourself into a deeper hole. That's why the GOP are desperate that we stop: we're right and they're wrong, they can't effectively fight us. If they could, thier gambit would be to refute us and make us look foolish. Instead, all they can do is to try to make us look mean for attacking their precious President. Anyone who advocates softening the assault doesn't recognize a desperate gambit when they see one. The GOP is using the rediculous tack of crying "hate-speech" because they are flummoxed as to what else to try. Pour on the criticism, I say, it's working. The article is right in one thing- every criticism should be accompanied by a solution which brings hope of a better way.

This election will be framed as a struggle for the soul of America and the preservation of the Democratic system and limited government we hold dear. As a struggle to rid the body politic of a poison named Bush-Cheney. Dean isn't just running for President, he's pushing a plebescite on how America wants to be governed, by a bunch of corrupt corporate fat-cats doling out big bucks to those who will serve them, or by citizens, financing democracy themselves, participating, volunteering, and supporting those who share their goals and values. I don't think he is going to let go of that; I don't think the people will let him.

posted by Michael Bryan @ 11/14/2003 04:04:00 PM