How good is Dean's nonstick coating?

After 2000 I realized that the one of the most important attributes of a President is the ability to shake things off, which is what permits him to govern. Reagan was the original Teflon President, Clinton was the Kevlar President, and nothing sticks to Bush. But shit stuck to Al Gore like gum on shoes. How does Dean stack up in this department?

Just 2 seconds apart :-)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=108&topic_id=13015&mesg_id=13015

They repeated the Republican talking points about Gore over and over again. Nobody can survive that kind of shit.

And somebody "can survive that kind of shit." Think Clinton. One of my criteria -- as yet unsatisfied -- is to wait and see which one of them has the ability to challenge the media head on. I think Dean can do it, but can he do it without getting nasty? Because that, too, is a characteristic of Clinton, Reagan & *. I'm not sure Dean won't seem mean and unpleasant when he does stand up to it. That's my main concern now.

I campaigned for Kathleen Kennedy Townsend when she ran against Ehrlich for governor of Maryland. I was still very angry over the 2000 election and I was delighted when she nailed Ehrlich in the debates. Unfortunately, a lot of people thought she was harsh and he was nice (which of course he isn't).

I also remember how Reagan dismissed Carter with "There you go again."

And Bush dismissed Gore with "fuzzy math."

Unfortunately, people don't want to hear the facts. They want to hear a slogan that justifies their picking the "likeable" guy.

If People are mad at what is happening to our Country give them another year! :kick:

Gore got shit from the 1992 election through the 2000 election. It's pretty hard to avoid all that shit.

Not that Gore didn't fight it (and won the election), but I think the rank and file are much more aware of the right wing's tactics. it gives me reason to hope - and to write some letters and make some calls.

respond.

Clinton had the War Room. Very, very, effective.

Dean has DDF, and a very effective blog and internet presence.

The way to keep the shit from sticking is wipe it off before it dries....

He survived Meet the Press, even though some people were writing him off just a few minutes afterwards. He ended up with a whole bunch of cash that day :D.

He survived the war on Iraq. He survived "Dean can't raise any money".

I has a nice teflon coating. :D

He has a toughness and energy to him that could keep him from getting pulled down the way Gore did...

work, too!

Just like I was wishing Al Gore would have done back in the day!

I don't know who was in charge of Gore's campaign ( yes I do it was Bill Daily of Chicago) but it seemed like they did a lot of things wrong and they still won.

Course now, bushwa has a few more tricks (9/11) up their collective sleeves...but I still believe the People are going to carry this thing! :kick:

is a good offense, as they say, and this is a major strength for Dean.

I don't think with Dean it has anything to do with teflon or kevlar -- there's authenticity, scrappiness, and a rock-solid core.

He is a man who WON a difficult gubernatorial race (his last one, when having signed the civil unions bill when he was at 35% approval ratings was such a controversial issue), and he won on the pure strength of his convictions. He defended civil unions to the max. And he won. I suspect that that taught him something that will never leave him: Stand up for what you believe. Not everyone will agree, but most people will admire or respect the sincerity of your convictions, the strength of your character, and some will even be swayed to your point of view.

I also suspect (hope!) that he found that experience so satisfying, ultimately -- to have won a difficult race by doing the right thing and doing it fervently -- that he'll never be tempted to go any other route.

Teflon and kevlar will then be unnecessary.

I think Truman was similar in that regard.

Eloriel

I have not yet seen indications that Dean is letting himself be manipulated by the "image makers" and campaign managers, whose goal seems to be the molding of a candidate into a two dimensional cartoon of what they "believe" the average voter will get warm fuzzies over.

I agree wholeheartedly: Dean's strongest asset is himself.

Edit: spelling.