September 9, 2003
PREACHING TO ONLY THE CASTRATI IN THE CHOIR:
Dean Under Attack (Dotty Lynch, Douglas Kiker, Steve Chaggaris and Clothilde Ewing, 9/09/03, CBS News)
From the reaction of at least two of his rivals, Howard Dean may have touched one of the third rails of Democratic nomination politics last week when he said the United States should not "take sides" in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.The Washington Post reports Dean told supporters five days ago that "it’s not our place to take sides" in the long-running Middle East conflict.
Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., who was the most aggressive of the nine-pack against the former Vermont governor at last week’s debate in New Mexico, took issue with Dean’s comments.
"If this is a well thought-out position, it’s a mistake and a major break from half a century of American foreign policy. If it’s not, it’s very important for Howard Dean, as a candidate for president, to think before he talks," Lieberman said in a statement.
Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., questioned Dean’s credentials to run American foreign policy. "It is either because he lacks the foreign policy experience or simply because he is wrong that Gov. Dean has proposed a radical shift in United States policy towards the Middle East. If the president were to make a remark such as this it would throw an already volatile region into even more turmoil."
Mr. Dean seems to be running an inexplicable risk. If you stake out a position that Saddam Hussein should have remained in power and that you are unable to choose who should win the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it becomes fair for your opponents to ask if you are on the side of freedom in the War on Terror and whether you can be trusted to prosecute that war.
Posted by Orrin Judd at September 9, 2003 4:16 PM
As long as the hard left, much of the popular press, and certain Republicans frustrated with GWB continue to chant that Dean is a fiscal conservative, what the other candidates say about his moonbat foreign policy statements will not affect him one bit. He is the action - they are the reaction. He can speak like this until about Mar. 1, 2004 - and then he will have to change (but wouldn't it be fun if he didn't?).
Posted by: jim hamlen at September 9, 2003 4:58 PMEvery first time candidate for the presidency (well, any elected office) messes up - whether it's a political animal with remarkable skills by Clinton, or a governor from a homegeneous small New England state like Dean. Added to this factor is Dean's arrogant bedside manner, a trait among some doctors (which he is).
He'll self destruct - the only two questions are whether it will be before he gets the nomination or afterwards and whether the press will adequately challenge him on the issue.
SMG
Posted by: SteveMG at September 9, 2003 5:34 PMSMG - hopefully after he gets the nomination.
Posted by: AWW at September 9, 2003 10:30 PM