Under pressure, Dean retools

[Karmadillo]

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2004/01/17/under_pressure_dean_retools/

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa -- For months, Howard Dean has been the outspoken maverick, bashing the "Washington Democrats" he believes have let the party down while shrugging off the counterpunches of his rivals in the presidential race.

If he has gotten rattled -- as he did last fall after criticism over his comments about courting Southern voters who display the Confederate flag -- he has recovered.

But in recent days, a sustained series of attacks by other Democrats appears to have thrown Dean off his equilibrium.

The candidate famous for straight talk has cloistered himself inside a private bus and cut his stump speech in half, ending his long practice of taking audience questions and limiting his conversations with voters to a chance encounter afterward.

His leads in Iowa and New Hampshire opinion polls have eroded over the past two weeks. The thunderous crowds that had been a hallmark of his campaign have been replaced by muted audiences sitting in rooms that have been downsized to make them appear full.

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[wyldwolf]

1. "downsized to make them appear full"

Funny!

[robbedvoter]

2. Good point here:

""This is a race to lock up the nomination before Howard's flaws emerge, before there are cracks in the facade. Well, guess what? They've come into full view,"

I guess the "I'll have a tax plan sometime soon" was part of that strategy. Like "I'll open my records when the judge makes me"

[quinnox]

3. I wonder if Dean was kind of like

an internet fad last year, a trendy candidate, but once the nitty gritty of the real campaign started then people started looking at more serious candidates.

[Jim Sagle]

4. Nice spin.

[frank frankly]

5. As someone who likes Howard Dean very much

everyone please remember that Dean's anti-Bush rhetoric changed the entire 2004 election. please remember that he gave many of the anti iraq war people a voice. try not to be jerks about it now that he is fading a bit, or maybe a lot.

don't be jerks about someone who helped the anti-iraq fight as much as anyone, probably more than anyone.

if your candidate is surging, be happy, but don't be a smug prick about it.

i don't like this forum, but i need the info sometimes...

if i dont vote for dean its because my loyality to beating the bush thugs transcends any politician.

does that make sense?

[creativelcro]

7. absolutely

Without Dean, all the candidates would still be using "PC" language and arguments against Bush.

[shance]

11. Love ya Frank*** :)

Thanks for saying that.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

6. Dean has been hit hardest

of all the candidates, as he has been the apparent front runner for so long. That he might have been rattled shows he's human and has feelings (which are two qualities I don't think Shrub has). I think what will be telling in the days and weeks to come is who comes out on top in the various primaries and caucuses. If another candidate becomes the front runner, I expect the same level of attacks to be brought against him. And whoever wins the nomination should brace themselves for an onslaught of lies, spin, and misinformation from Karl Rove, who, after all, learned his trade during the Nixon years.

[NewHampster]

9. Karl Rove must be working here

I almost puked. When so-called loyal dems can't see how the wrong wing press and pollsters are doing Rove's work right here, in Iowa and in New Hampshire.

They can't have a strong, in your face candidate that NH republicans wish they could vote for face King George so instead they'll divide and conquer hoping that one of the Bush Lites comes out on top. Yes, We know many reps that want Bush out and truly love Deans shoot from the hip honesty.

What the repukes don't know is that the Deaners are real and the committed voters are real, real enough to give Dean both wins. The issue is by how much he wins. It needs to be large enough to together a massive majority rather than a splintered party that the Roves would love.

Please don't fall for their whispered lies!

[Democrats unite]

8. It's amazing how when you realize you actually need the party...

behind you to win, how your attitude changes. I am happy to say it's to late for Dean serves him right!

[dfong63]

10. at least Dean has been a member of the party for more than a few months

... unlike Clark.