[Seattle-editorial] Proposal: Dr. Dean comes to town

Thu Aug 28 15:58:46 PDT 2003

approve

typist at speakeasy.net wrote:
> That works for me -- the two paragraphs, but I wasn't suggesting putting the whole article on front page just my summary with link to whole article, but the two paragraphs sound fine too.  Thanks for correcting my spelling.
> 
> Gentry, are you out there?  Who does the tech work of up loading?  
> 
> Judy
> 
> 
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Jeremy G Kahn [mailto:jgk at fifthhorseman.net]
>>Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2003 09:00 PM
>>To: typist at speakeasy.net
>>Cc: 'Mark Taylor-Canfield', seattle-editorial at indymedia.org
>>Subject: Re: [Seattle-editorial] Proposal:  Dr. Dean comes to town
>>
>>Mark's article is good, but the whole thing is too much text for the 
>>front page.
>>
>>I suggest that the text for the front page be cut way short so the other 
>>articles on the front page have some room. How about this?
>>
>>Enter former Vermont governor and current presidential
>>candidate Howard Dean, the great white hope of
>>grassroots activists in the Democratic party. ?Meet
>>Ups? are sprouting up all over the country and
>>especially in the Northwest. ... Dean has been able to create an amazing
>>amount of national hype and he has been able to raise
>>more money than any of the other Democratic party
>>candidates. He is the only Democratic candidate who
>>did not support the war in Iraq.
>>
>>He obviously does not see himself in the
>>way that he has been portrayed by the conservative
>>Democratic Leadership Conference ? as a radical
>>?lefty? who is out of touch with the majority of
>>Americans. At the recent events in Seattle, Howard Dean did not
>>come across as a radical. In fact, his smooth
>>professional politician?s smile and swaggering
>>attitude reminds this journalist that electoral
>>politics are largely a game of perception. 
>>
>><summary, this text is also the link-to-article> Writer Mark Taylor-Canfield takes a meditative look at Howard Dean's presidential campaign and gives a minute to minute account of Dean's visit to Seattle, August 24, 2004.</summary>
>>
>>
>>
>>Oh, and I think you meant "meditative" not "mediative" -- right?
>>
>>--jeremy
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>typist at speakeasy.net wrote:
>>
>>
>>>In keeping to the suggestion that we not bother editing articles and that we just put a summary of the article and link to the whole thing "warts and all", I'd like to propose the following article by Mark Taylor-Canfield (not that I found it warty).  I would add just one editorial detail, the summary:
>>>
>>>
>>><summary> Writer Mark Taylor-Canfield takes a mediative look at Howard Dean's presidential campaign and gives a minute to minute account of Dean's visit to Seattle, August 24, 2004.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> 
>>>
>>>
>>>><title>Dr. Dean Comes To Town 
>>>><subtitle>15,000 Gather In Seattle To Welcome Presidential
>>>>Candidate Howard Dean
>>>>
>>>>Enter former Vermont governor and current presidential
>>>>candidate Howard Dean, the great white hope of
>>>>grassroots activists in the Democratic party. ?Meet
>>>>Ups? are sprouting up all over the country and
>>>>especially in the Northwest. These pro-Dean gatherings
>>>>are held mainly in private homes and on the internet.
>>>>His campaign is widely regarded as the most effective
>>>>internet organizing effort in the history of US
>>>>politics. Through mostly small donations from ?average
>>>>citizens?, Dean has been able to create an amazing
>>>>amount of national hype and he has been able to raise
>>>>more money than any of the other Democratic party
>>>>candidates. He is the only Democratic candidate who
>>>>did not support the war in Iraq. The backlash against
>>>>George W. Bush has fed Dean?s campaign with thousands
>>>>of enthusiastic volunteers who are so opposed to Bush
>>>>that they are becoming active in electoral politics
>>>>for the first time in their lives. 
>>>>
>>>>At a fundraising event at the Westin Hotel in Seattle
>>>>on August 24th, Dean told his supporters that the
>>>>?Meet Ups? were not his idea. He claims that they were
>>>>happening long before he had even heard about them. 
>>>>He also told the group of donors that had gathered,
>>>>?If I am the most liberal candidate running for
>>>>president, then American politics are in a sad state
>>>>of affairs.? He obviously does not see himself in the
>>>>way that he has been portrayed by the conservative
>>>>Democratic Leadership Conference ? as a radical
>>>>?lefty? who is out of touch with the majority of
>>>>Americans. In one statement, the DLC referred to Dean
>>>>as a ?fringe candidate? who would never be able to
>>>>garner support from the mainstream voter, and
>>>>therefore he could not win the election.
>>>>
>>>>At the recent events in Seattle, Howard Dean did not
>>>>come across as a radical. In fact, his smooth
>>>>professional politician?s smile and swaggering
>>>>attitude reminds this journalist that electoral
>>>>politics are largely a game of perception. I witnessed
>>>>a manufactured photo opportunity with Dean after his
>>>>speech at the Westin. The press handlers from his
>>>>campaign brought us out into the hotel lobby so we
>>>>could take photos of him holding a small child. She
>>>>and her mother were the only members of the general
>>>>public who were allowed to get that close to Dean
>>>>during the fundraiser. I witnessed several other
>>>>examples of the traditional photo op session. The
>>>>press conference was cut short
>>>>so that he could be seen with a couple of other
>>>>?important guests?, mostly folks with children. He is
>>>>definitely well schooled in the politics of shaking
>>>>hands and kissing babies. In this way, he comes across
>>>>as a very mainstream kind of candidate.
>>>>
>>>>Other comments during his speeches give more evidence
>>>>of his willingness to use 
>>>>US military power. He seems proud of the fact that he
>>>>supported the first Iraq war and the invasion of
>>>>Afghanistan. In the case of the Persian Gulf war he
>>>>stated that ?an ally had been invaded and we had to
>>>>protect Kuwait?.As for the Afghanistan war, Dean
>>>>invoked the 3,000 victims of the September 11th attack
>>>>on the World Trade Towers and claimed, ?It was
>>>>self-defense.? These statements should worry pacifists
>>>>and non-interventionists who support him. He told
>>>>those gathered at the rally that he ?would not
>>>>hesitate? to send troops to a foreign country. The
>>>>only difference between Dean and Bush on this issue is
>>>>that Howard Dean promises, ?I will not lie about the
>>>>real reasons for the war.? Are we to assume that the
>>>>Democratic candidate would therefore have no problem
>>>>with invading sovereign nations to secure oil or to
>>>>destabilize unfriendly governments?
>>>>
>>>>As for the environment, Howard Dean had little to say
>>>>to the people of the Northwest. 
>>>>He did not commit to the idea of removing dams in
>>>>order to save the salmon. Nor did he have any real
>>>>proposals as to how to solve what Bush calls our
>>>>?energy problem?, except for an off-handed remark
>>>>about renewable energy sources (no specifics). The
>>>>Dean campaign website contains no more details on
>>>>environmental policies as far as I can tell. 
>>>>Here?s a quote: 
>>>>
>>>>??One hundred years from now, long after my
>>>>governorship has ended, Vermonters will continue to
>>>>hike, camp, fish, and farm lands that will be forever
>>>>pristine.
>>>>Vermont?s population may triple in that time, yet our
>>>>essential character as a state will remain unchanged.
>>>>As President, I would bring my commitment to our
>>>>environment to the White House.?
>>>>
>>>>Since the website contains no information on the
>>>>context of those comments, I?m not sure when he made
>>>>that statement, and I?m still left with no facts
>>>>regarding any specific proposals he may or may not
>>>>have in mind. Dean says he opposes drilling for oil in
>>>>the Alaskan Wildlife Refuge. Other than that, it
>>>>sounds like he thinks of the natural environment only
>>>>as a place for recreation and farming. And how can he
>>>>assure anyone that Vermont will be as beautiful and
>>>>endearing after a hundred years? I guess he won?t be
>>>>around to be held accountable for his prediction a
>>>>century from now, so it doesn?t 
>>>>Really matter.
>>>>
>>>>After a fundraiser at the Westin Hotel where donors
>>>>were reputably served peanut butter and jelly
>>>>sandwiches, Dean made his way to Westake Center to
>>>>address a huge crowd of enthusiastic supporters. I
>>>>heard the same chant that reverberated through the
>>>>Westin, 
>>>>?We Want Dean!?  It became obvious to me then that
>>>>this guy is a veritable rock star. 
>>>>His cult of personality has come at a time when the US
>>>>sorely needs a courageous challenger to the status quo
>>>>which is now controlled by corporate raiders and
>>>>religious extremists.  But it always makes me nervous
>>>>when I see this kind of phenomena.
>>>>Mindless chanting and hero worship do not necessarily
>>>>translate into good government. Political rallies
>>>>often have the feel of an old-time religious revival
>>>>meeting. Passionate individuals testify to their
>>>>commitment to the candidate and that is supposed to
>>>>encourage others to do likewise. By the time the
>>>>candidate shows up the crowd is in a total
>>>>frenzy, which has been carefully orchestrated by
>>>>members of the campaign staff. 
>>>>
>>>>When Dean entered the room it became so loud and
>>>>uproarious that members of the electronic media were
>>>>forced to remove their headphones or turn the volume
>>>>down to avoid severe aural pain. The sound meters were
>>>>peaking and Seattle City Council President Peter
>>>>Steinbrueck was so pumped up that he nearly swallowed
>>>>the microphone. His shouting came out sounding
>>>>distorted and unintelligible. All one could tell was
>>>>that he was very excited. Former Washington State
>>>>Governor Booth Gardener was also there at the podium
>>>>to welcome Dean and promote his candidacy.  
>>>>
>>>>Later, at the Westlake Park rally, Dean supporters
>>>>began to shout down some of the remaining speakers by
>>>>chanting again ? ?We Want Dean!? again. The crowd was
>>>>literally rebelling against the organizers and the
>>>>speakers. They wanted Dean and they wanted him now!
>>>>The campaign staff was flustered but before the crowd
>>>>could become too raucous, the man of the hour arrived
>>>>to ecstatic cheers. People seemed to be extremely
>>>>happy to see him, as if they were afraid that he might
>>>>be just another figment of the liberal imagination and
>>>>not a real challenger to Bush.  
>>>>
>>>>The crowd seemed satisfied that Dean is the ?real
>>>>thing? with the right stuff. He received the greatest
>>>>response every time he mentioned Bush or his
>>>>administration by name. He is undoubtedly capitalizing
>>>>on the growing anti - Bush sentiment which has been
>>>>growing quickly since revelations about the lack of
>>>>weapons of mass destruction in Iraq became public.
>>>>He?s riding a tide of dissatisfaction which was
>>>>apparent in the rest of the world before the Iraq war
>>>>started but was lacking in the US at that time.
>>>>
>>>>The question is: Is Howard Dean a visionary or just
>>>>another liberal opportunist? I was unable to find
>>>>anyone who could give me some honest answers about
>>>>Dean?s record as governor of Vermont, a very small
>>>>state with a tiny economy. 
>>>>
>>>>The most encouraging statement I heard from Dean
>>>>regarded his push for ?universal? healthcare. He
>>>>bragged that 99% of all Vermont residents under the
>>>>age of 18 have health insurance.  He listed countries
>>>>that provide state-funded healthcare for its citizens
>>>>? Canada, UK, France, Italy, Germany, Spain,
>>>>Scandinavian nations, and ?even Costa Rica?. This
>>>>brought loud cheers from the audience that had
>>>>gathered at Westlake Park. Dean is an MD and has used
>>>>those credentials ceaselessly to promote healthcare
>>>>issues. The old saying goes, ?If you can?t trust your
>>>>doctor, who can you trust?? His position in the
>>>>medical field has given him a voice of authority on
>>>>this issue. Let?s hope that if he 
>>>>is elected he can do better than the last Democratic
>>>>administration at providing US residents with
>>>>healthcare. 
>>>>
>>>>The way in which the rally was organized led to
>>>>several difficulties. First of all, most of those in
>>>>attendance could not see Dean speaking on the stage
>>>>because the platform for the media cameras blocked
>>>>their line of sight completely. Perhaps they didn?t
>>>>expect such a
>>>>l
>>>>arge turn out, but I am forced to conclude that the
>>>>rally was staged primarily for the media, not those in
>>>>attendance. Also, security was a bit lacking.  Dean?s
>>>>handlers often seemed confused about where to take the
>>>>candidate to avoid the crush of the huge crowd of
>>>>passionate Dean lovers.  The local media was handled
>>>>by overworked and sleep deprived staff members.
>>>>Although we got to tag along with the national press
>>>>core 
>>>>that had been following his campaign across the
>>>>country, we were also caught up
>>>>in the crowd of supporters at the press conference
>>>>after the rally and many of us from the local media
>>>>were not able to ask Dean any questions at all.  
>>>>
>>>>It is impossible to avoid comparisons, however,
>>>>between Bush?s visit a few days ago and Dean?s own
>>>>political circus. The local media was allowed no
>>>>access to Bush at all. Security was so intense that
>>>>the city felt as if an invading force had occupied it.
>>>>Dean caused his own disruptions but his spinners will
>>>>see that in a very positive light. His rally in
>>>>Seattle drew the largest crowd on the campaign so far.
>>>>We were all shocked when media sources the next day
>>>>reported that 15,000 people had attended the event in
>>>>downtown. That is truly impressive for a guy who
>>>>compares himself and his campaign to Seabiscuit, the
>>>>unlikely race horse who made it big in the 1930?s
>>>>during a very rough time for the US. Yet He has
>>>>captured the imaginations of millions of people who
>>>>agree on one thing: ?Anybody But Bush?, or as I call
>>>>it, ?A.B.B.?  
>>>>
>>>>Howard Dean fits the bill for the moment. He may not
>>>>be the best candidate, but he might
>>>>actually have a chance of winning and replacing the
>>>>Bush legacy which so many in Seattle seem to
>>>>vehemently despise. The underlying message of the
>>>>events which took place in Seattle August 22- 24th has
>>>>been interpreted by the local 
>>>>media as a clash between the elite wealthy and the
>>>>common citizens. To liberals and progressives, the
>>>>Bush administration represents nothing but the rich
>>>>getting richer on the backs of working folks. When
>>>>Bush ignored the people of Seattle and went directly
>>>>to a millionaire?s mansion, it was amazingly symbolic
>>>>of the reasons that the opposition is so eager to
>>>>replace Bush with an A.B.B. candidate. They see him as
>>>>a liar and a corrupt rich frat boy whose domestic and
>>>>foreign policies threaten the very existence of our
>>>>nation. Howard Dean, on the other hand, is much more
>>>>accessible to the people because most of his support
>>>>comes from the grassroots. He needs them to succeed. 
>>>>
>>>>A couple of side notes here, including a question that
>>>>was never answered:
>>>>When I was standing outside the Westin Hotel with the
>>>>rest of the local media during Dean?s fundraiser, we
>>>>noticed that vans were being driven up to the hotel by
>>>>men in military uniforms with berets. I don?t even
>>>>know which branch of the armed forces they
>>>>represented. I don?t think it had anything to do with
>>>>the Dean campaign but it seemed strange. When an
>>>>independent photographer from the University of
>>>>Washington asked the driver why military personnel
>>>>were taking people in vans to the hotel, the man in
>>>>uniform replied, ?I have no idea.?  
>>>>
>>>>I must mention that there was one lonely anti-Dean
>>>>protester at the rally who confronted his entourage as
>>>>they approached the rented van that was to take Dean
>>>>to the airport. The man shouted something through a
>>>>bullhorn about Dean being a ?Wall Street crook?. I
>>>>tried to interview the man but he left immediately and
>>>>disappeared into the crowd. 
>>>>Maybe someone should look into Dean?s stock holdings.
>>>>
>>>>Sooner or later Howard Dean will have to face his
>>>>critics as well. I get the distinct feeling that he
>>>>will be much more willing to engage in the necessary
>>>>political debates to come.
>>>>Meanwhile George W. will probably be busy relaxing on
>>>>his ranch in Crawford, Texas, surrounded by Secret
>>>>Service and trying very hard to avoid the media.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>>
>>>>   
>>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>>
>>
>>
>>
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