Dean grilled, stands ground

[Freddie Stubbs]

Questioning focuses on draft exemption

CAMBRIDGE -- Democratic presidential contender Howard Dean parried energetically last night with cable news television host Chris Matthews, defending his exemption from the Vietnam draft for back problems and showcasing his new book before a largely student audience at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government.

In the hourlong question-and-answer session broadcast on MSNBC's "Hardball," part of a series of discussions with the Democratic candidates, Dean seemed to enjoy himself as he volleyed with Matthews, getting in a few laugh lines, most at the expense of President Bush.

Asked whether Osama bin Laden or Saddam Hussein should be tried in the United States or the Hague should they be captured, Dean responded that the issue was premature for discussion because "the president can't find either one of them."

The evening's hardest line of questioning came when Matthews dug into Dean's 1970 medical deferment from the draft, one he received after showing military doctors X-rays that he says were evidence of a back condition.

more: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2003/12/02/dean_grilled_stands_ground/

[illini]

1. Tweety was doing his best to make Dean look bad.

Tweety seems to think Dean will get a lot of flak for get a medical diferment(sp?) and thus avoiding being sent to a meat grinder. On the other hand Bush has a shining military record. Yea right. Tweety the Republican shill will do anything to sabatage all the Democratic nominees. :smoke:

[rwork]

2. According to some speech he

made at a small college, he said he would vote for Dean.

[Kahuna]

3. When was he "grilled?" It was like watching Merv Griffin..

FCOL! Are you kidding me! Tweety had his orders to rehabilitate Dean's personality issues and he did just that.

[LuminousX]

4. Can I get a copy of those orders?

You can post them right here for your convenience.

[Kahuna]

6. Then don't you be a hypocrite and accuse tweety of shilling for...

the GOP, unless he's interviewing your guy. It is a well estasblished fact that GE Tweety is severe when interviewing Democrats. I didn't make it up to suit myself for this particular circumstance. That seems to be the concensus on DU. Don't take my word for it.

The fact is, he did do a very friendly interview with Dean last night. It was like watching the old Merv Griffin show instead of "Hardball." I'll take it that Merv Griffin is before your time. :eyes:

[illini]

9. You missed him later on Countdown.

nt

[Feanorcurufinwe]

5. Transcript

http://www.msnbc.com/news/1000254.asp

[sandnsea]

7. fluff interview, fluff piece

Open mouth, insert spoon, here's the yummy candidate for you kiddies.

Dean did well. But equally important parts of that interview, Dean hedging on regulation and right-to-work, that doesn't get reported at all. It sure would be nice if every candidate got treated so well. Does anybody really believe he'd be this easy on Kucinich?

[9119495]

8. How did he hedge on right-to-work?

He said, "he would sign a bill if it showed up on his desk" but would not actively pursue one. He said it was wrong for non-union workers to receive the negotiating services of the union for free. This is where I am on the issue and I don't hedge.

I don't think people should be forced to join a union but they should not get the benefits of bargaining then.

The best solution is to have it both ways. Pass "fair-share" legislation that forces non-union memebers that benefit from negotiated gains to pay for just that service.

I thought Dean did a great job and showed how he can appeal to people in the general election by playing off hope, but also the disaster that is the bush administration. He seemed presidential. So did Edwards on Hardball.

I'm beggining to fear that a Dean nomination will divide Democrats. Am I right? Will some other candidate's supporters refuse to back Dean? If so, the party gets what it deserves and so be it. If we're not smart enough to realize Dean is better than Bush (should Dean get the nomination), then screw us.