15 Dec 2003 | S.A. Miller said...

Some more Dems respond.

15 Dec 2003 | Jonny Roader said...

Now this is a win-win for Bush, JF!

15 Dec 2003 | Ben Langhinrichs said...

I agree completely. While I am a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat, this is clearly a great thing for both the Iraquis, who have a chance to make a nation without the fear that Saddam will re-emerge, and the Americans, who can now hope that this will help settle down the chaos and bring the situation in Iraq closer to peace. I would hope that any candidate could look beyond the political in-fighting and cheer this development, whether or not he or she is for or against the war (I am and have been strongly against). Dean has done the right thing.

15 Dec 2003 | Woody said...

I agree Dean said the right thing, but where else could he go? As Joe Liberman said a hundred times yesterday, "If Dean had his way, Saddam would still be in power." By the way ... did you ever notice Dean he doesn't have a neck?

15 Dec 2003 | realpicky said...

Dean's eye's are set too closely together - giving him a real meathead kind of look. And that thing his mouth does when he talks...

15 Dec 2003 | steve said...

Kerry aside, if anyone sounds like a bitter and negative politician, it's Lieberman, the only candidate who directly attacked Dean in his statement. Sounds like someone's still upset that he's no longer the apple of Al Gore's eye:

"On the question that we're celebrating today, Howard Dean throughout this campaign has said he wasn't sure that Saddam really represented a threat to us. At one point he said, "I suppose the Iraqis are better off with Saddam Hussein gone." I would say this, and this is a choice the voters have to make in the primaries. If Howard Dean had his way, Saddam Hussein would be in power today, not in prison."

15 Dec 2003 | Darrel said...

While Kerry cant put politics aside

Umm...this war *is* politics.

Dean sounds like a rational leader and a proud American.

He sounds like a flag-waving, 'I like patriotism because it's cool', panderer.

Are people seriously going to vote for a president based on how much 'I love America' buttons they're wearing? (I probably don't want to know the answer to that...)

I think these quotes embody why Dean, the unknown outsider, is leading the well-known insider

Well, I can't argue that. People like to hear over-simplified, transparent patriotism and prefer not to think too hard about politics in general.

It's great that they found the guy...but Kerry does have a point and there's nothing wrong with him making that point. I applaud him for that. I hope the next time we invade a country to oust a leader that it doesn't take us an entire year to do so.

Now, where is that Osama guy?

15 Dec 2003 | pb said...

Jeepers, Darrell, I guess you're not a Dean supporter.

15 Dec 2003 | Darrel said...

Jeepers, Darrell, I guess you're not a Dean supporter.

I'm not sure who to support, yet. I just fear that Dean will end up like Gore...Too much of a nice, almost robot-like 'be everything to everyone' candidate only to loose, then find out they had some truly original and strong stances on issues (like Gore's environmental opinions).

15 Dec 2003 | One of several Steves said...

Wow, I don't get that impression out of Dean's quote at all, Darrell. Who could not be happy about Saddam's capture? I don't view it as warmed-over patriotism.

I'm not as critical of Kerry's comment as JF. The only thing really to argue with is that "might" is a slippery word; if we'd done any number of things, things might have been different, they might have been the same, etc. - in other words, might makes it too easy to indulge in any possible outcome that best suits one's own needs. But, it is a valid point. Less so related to Saddam, I think, but to the larger problems in Iraq that many people are hoping Saddam's capture will address but which probably won't.

15 Dec 2003 | Darrel said...

I don't view it as warmed-over patriotism.

You may be right. I concede that may very well not be Dean's intentions. That's just how it sounded to me on first-read.

15 Dec 2003 | pb said...

Sure glad markets rose on the news!

16 Dec 2003 | aaron wall said...

I think its a smart idea not to always be on the attack. Giving a person a day prevents stupid comments that might later be regretful.

Though I sent money to help fund the Dean campaign I am not certain as to how much robot he has.

I want to hold myself to a resolution: If Bush gets elected again, I move to a different country.

20 Dec 2003 | Eric said...

yes Aaron, let us know if you actually move if Bush gets re-elected. If you don't, I guess you have a future in politics. Promises, promises...