Howard Dean:"Where the hell is the Democratic party?‘You Cannot Win if You Are Afraid’ video

[cal04]

(snip)

“Where the hell is the Democratic party?" Howard Dean asked during an appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press." "You got to stand for something if you want to win."

While he acknowledged Democrats faced a tough year, he said the party’s lack of message was the key reason for last week’s blistering defeat.

“The Republican’s message was, ‘We’re not Obama.’ What was the Democrat’s message? ‘Oh well, we really aren’t either,’” the former Vermont governor said.

Dean also said while he supports Hillary Clinton in 2016, he said it would be “a good thing” to see challengers from all shades of the party, including progressives.

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/223458-howard-dean-where-the-hell-is-the-democratic-party


Howard Dean Rips Democrats: ‘You Cannot Win if You Are Afraid’


Former DNC chair Howard Dean criticized the Democrats (including but not limited to the DNC) on Meet the Press Sunday morning for not staying on message, or even crafting a message, in the run-up to last week’s severe midterm loss.

“The biggest problem was message,” Dean said. “Sure it was an off-year and we can make all these excuses. But even through the days of the fifty-state strategy and taking over the House, the Senate, and the White House in four years, I could never get the Washington Democrats to stay on message.”

“The Republican message was ‘We’re not Obama,’ no substance whatsoever,” he continued. “What was the Democrats’ message? ‘Oh, we’re not either.’ You cannot win if you are afraid! Where was the Democratic party? You gotta stand for something if you’re gonna win!”

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/howard-dean-rips-democrats-you-cannot-win-if-you-are-afraid/

[bravenak]

1. "Including Progressives"

For some reason that made me laugh.

[TDale313]

2. Howard Dean is right. Again.

[Cleita]

3. Yep wondering the same myself.

We need him back as head of the DNC

[KingCharlemagne]

4. Prophets are never welcome in their own country. 2004 Deaniac here. I prefer

Dean outside the formal Dem power structure where he can really speak his mind without having to be diplomatic. That said, he'd be great as DNC chair and would rally the dispirited from our despair.

[Skidmore]

12. We shoul demand it of the party.

I want him back and I wanted him to be President too. I caucused for him. He is a good man.

[caber09]

5. Why did Obama want Dean removed as head of DNC after 2008?

Immediately after 2008 election Obama wanted Tim Kaine, Obama needs to get Dean back in charge and go back to the 50 state strategy...that doesn't include running very liberal candidates in deep red areas...you have to match the candidate to the population, otherwise you get smoked again...we need Dean back and need him badly....its up to Obama he can effect the head of DNC position.

[TDale313]

8. TPTB in Washington hated the 50 State Strategy

The 50 State Strategy and the way Dean ran his 2004 campaign were all about running things from the Grassroots up rather than a top-down, one size fits all model. It took a lot of the money out of the insiders hands to allow building up local Dem infrastructure in places that had been written off as unwinable.

[NewJeffCT]

13. Dean should be DNC head

However, I understood why he was replaced after Obama won - the president wanted his own person in there instead of Dean. It would have been the same if Hillary had gotten the nomination and went on to win. Dean would have been gone and replaced with somebody on the same page as her.

That said, after they got trounced in 2010, they should have realized that they needed him back.

I also don't think a lot of leading Democrats realized that Dean was such a huge factor in 2006, though? After Democrats seized Congress, some Democrats and many in the media gave credit to Rahm Emanuel, if I recall? I actually recall a few Republicans giving Dean credit, but not many Democrats.

[Old Nick]

6. REC!!!!!

x100!!!

[MisterP]

7. "but we get the same amount of money whether we win or not, and if we lose we can blame

our own voters and refuse to even shake up the leadership!"

[BlancheSplanchnik]

9. "we're not, either"....

This isxwhat happens when the propaganda machine owns almost all channels of communication.

[SoapBox]

10. Welllllll.....maybe we need a "Tea Party" of our own!

No Third Way but back to what the Democrats SHOULD be standing for.

Dr. Dean? Care to help?!?

[L0oniX]

11. FDR spine desperately needed.

[freshwest]

14. REC

[JI7]

15. i guess Hillary is the one Dean had in mind that can win