LA TIMES: DEAN -"liberals hope, is a Vermont centrist"

[Capn Sunshine]

Like all journalists , the mainstream press is having a hard time parsing the Howard Dean phenomena into something easy and catchphrase. Dean represents a lot of things to a lot of people, and the wide range of democrats attracted to him is evidence of this.

Now I'm not sure what effect our "inside-the-DLC agitation" against Al From and FOR Howard Dean is having, but I'd say that we are making headway.

Reading between the lines, the authors of this front page article seem frustrated that Dean isn't easier to pigeonhole.

ps you have to register to read this:

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-dean12jul12,1,6655901.story?coll=la-home-leftrail

[soupkitchen]

1. Dean, the Man that Norman Rockwell would vote for.

Somebody started a thread earlier this week that Dean being a Vermonter, like Norman Rockwell, should wrap himself in the flag of Norman Rockwell's America. Like most thought-provoking threads on DU it disappeared much too quickly. (By the time you're done thinking about the post the thread is gone.) Anyway, another chance to examine the idea.

[Cha]

2. Dean is like liquid silver!!

DEAN FOR PRESIDENT '04 :dem:

[Cha]

3. Please indulge me....I'm trying something out!

DEAN FOR PREZ'04 :kick:

[jonnyblitz]

4. we "fringies" now he is centrist already! we sure arent voting BUSH

oh well, keep em wondering, i say...

[jpgray]

5. He'll have to dispel that illusion after the primaries

It will be less an asset than a liability in a general election to e branded a "liberal" considering the state of our media. So far, however, he has played things very smart--I can't think of a single prominent Dean gaffe. Now that the spotlight is on him more, maybe that will change, but I don't think so.

[Eloriel]

6. Authenticity

That's the one-word explanation of Howard Dean's appeal and popularity (in addition to his spine, of course, so absent among other Dems).

I never feel like I'm being lied or pandered to, or smooth-talked when I hear him speak.

Eloriel