Dean: I Won't 'Vigorously' Back Obama Re-election Bid

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Dean: I Won't 'Vigorously' Back Obama Re-election Bid

By Mark Finkelstein (Bio | Archive)
Thu, 12/17/2009 - 09:11 ET

Pour some more butter on the popcorn . . .

Yesterday, Obama press secretary Robert Gibbs took shots at Howard Dean and his opposition to ObamaCare, suggesting the good doctor didn't know what he was talking about.

It was payback time this morning, as Dean announced that he would "not vigorously" back Pres. Obama's re-election bid.

The former DNC Chairman expressed his tepid support for Obama, Part Deux on today's Morning Joe in response to new poll data indicating Pres. Obama's popularity, and public support for ObamaCare, have fallen to all-time lows.

Joe Scarborough suggested that Dean would be accused of dragging down his party and helping Republicans.

HOWARD DEAN: Look, here's the thing: every politician says this and I hesitate to do it because they all say it, but sometimes the country's more important than either party.

JOE SCARBOROUGH: Amen.

DEAN: I'm going to support President Obama when he runs for re-election. Not vigorously. I'm going to vote for him.

Scarborough can be heard bursting into laughter off-camera.

DEAN: I am, I am.

SCARBOROUGH: "Not vigorously." Boy, I can almost feel the confetti [presumably from GOP victory celebrations] falling on my head here!

My two cents: the MSM has largely been portraying Dean as a principled progressive opponent of ObamaCare. I say that good old personal spite might also be motivating Doc Dean. Remember that it was the very same Robert Gibbs who, during the 2003 Dem presidential primary campaign, was behind a TV ad showing OBL and suggesting Dean was incapable of protecting American's national security. PBO has also hurt Dean's feelings, snubbing him for the HHS Secretary post which many Dems felt was his due.

—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters Senior Contributor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.

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GOP at War

Thu, 12/17/2009 - 09:17 ET by allanf

So the GOP is at war according to the MSM. Yet Democratic radicals are willing to bail on Obama, while John McCain received the respect and begrugding support of Republicans.

I have always seen Dean as mentally retarded......!

Thu, 12/17/2009 - 12:04 ET by Patriot II

But this just goes to show, even the mentally retarded can recognize what a lowlife obama and his plans and cohorts are!!!!

mentally retarded

Thu, 12/17/2009 - 12:43 ET by 88Cid

Even a blind hog finds an acorn now and then.

Gotta love Howard Dean...

Thu, 12/17/2009 - 12:04 ET by unkeeaf

Not usually, but I love him right now. Keep it up Howie!

Great Obama propaganda poster:

http://bit.ly/8N5KTg

Welcome to 1977.

Thu, 12/17/2009 - 09:18 ET by JWF

Get out your collection of WIN (whip inflation now) buttons, sweaters, and oars to beat off the death bunnies.

I am off to see this new science fiction movie, Star Battles, or something like that, sounds good.

Sincerely,

a Veteran of a 1000 psychic wars.

Mixing?

Thu, 12/17/2009 - 09:33 ET by Indiana Joe

I think WIN buttons were a Gerald Ford gimmick, while "death bunnies" were Jimmy Carter's millstone.

Just sayin'... could be wrong...

"Four legs good... two legs better!" - George Orwell

Oh you. you. you.

Thu, 12/17/2009 - 09:41 ET by JWF

I know, it is a nice image. You with the WIN button on your sweater holding that oar.

The movie was also called Star Wars. How come you did not hit me on that ya big bully.

WIN (Whip Inflation Now)

Thu, 12/17/2009 - 12:40 ET by gopsteve

WIN (Whip Inflation Now) Pins were a Ford Administration brainstorm, but the point was well taken.

Lunch with Lieberman

Thu, 12/17/2009 - 09:26 ET by SickofLibs

Today.

"CO2 is a dangerous gas, if you don't believe go sit in your running vehicle in the garage for a couple of hours." – Poindexter Q. Enak, PhD, 12-16-09

Of course CO2 or carbon

Thu, 12/17/2009 - 09:33 ET by jdhawk

Of course CO2 or carbon dioxide is actually harmless and all mammals express during respiration while CO or carbon monoxide is a product of combustion that will kill you.

That's not what Professor Enak teaches in his classes

Thu, 12/17/2009 - 09:46 ET by SickofLibs

He's on record, too.

"CO2 is a dangerous gas, if you don't believe go sit in your running vehicle in the garage for a couple of hours." – Poindexter Q. Enak, PhD, 12-16-09

Holy deaf cat sitting on a bag of crickets moaning pitifully

Thu, 12/17/2009 - 09:54 ET by JWF

The good Professor strikes again. No, I believe a good example of carbon dioxide poisoning would be holding a plastic bag over your head for, let me check the quote, a couple of hours.

I believe the professor should experiment with that on himself and see if I am indeed correct.

I'd love to be there

Thu, 12/17/2009 - 12:46 ET by CobraMan

I'd love to be sitting in that man's class when he said that. I would immediately point out that nitrogen is an inert gas because if you breath 100 percent nitrogen, the main component of our atmosphere, that's just what you'll become: INERT!

The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States.
The US Constitution

Unless you're a fetus.
The US Supreme Court

Oh! Oh! Oh! Yeah, for our

Thu, 12/17/2009 - 09:27 ET by jdhawk

Oh! Oh! Oh! Yeah, for our side - NOT!

These machinations are lining us up for an end run on the part of the Senate to put obamacare into reconciliation with Reid's plan fully intact and mirrowing the House plan that has already been passed.

This faux rumbling between dims is meant to throw us off. There is no dissension on fundamentals and that includes the so-called hero of the hour - Lieberman.

Don't be fooled into thinking that health care plan won't pass and be signed into law. These people are zealots. They will even sacrifice their office to get this passed. Workers Unite as the socialist banner exhorts.

COLUMBIA — Jarvis Tyner, executive vice chairman of the Communist Party USA, spoke at MU on Thursday and said the election of President Barack Obama opens the door for the left wing, which he feels has allowed itself to be pushed to the sidelines and overcome with progress-impeding cynicism, to mobilize.

"He's only the beginning," Tyner said. "I think he's a transitional president. I think somebody else is going to come in and take it even further." The Communist Party USA

Well, how seriously can you take a Commie?

Thu, 12/17/2009 - 09:43 ET by Indiana Joe

Even if this is all smoke and mirrors, and Obamacare gets passed in it's purest form, it will be a year for our side. The Dems are going to lose big-time come November. As you say, they are willing to sacrifice Congressional seats in their zeal to pass it. If true, it will "open the door" for a massive reversal in Congress.

Commies' reach has historically always exceeded their grasp. Even the Soviet Union lasted less than 80 years.

"Four legs good... two legs better!" - George Orwell

OK

Thu, 12/17/2009 - 09:33 ET by DontFeedTheTrolls

Hmmmm, I have just had a vision, Olberman will pick as his worst person in the world . . . . Howard Dean.

Write your Congress and Senate and tell them what YOU think!

Keep the ILLEGALS out, join NumbersUSA to send free faxes to your reps.

The Howard Dean fan

Thu, 12/17/2009 - 09:56 ET by optimist

The Howard Dean fan dance! How pathetic.

Part of me wants ObamaCare to pass so that the Democrats can get "credit" for everything healthcare related from here until it is finally repealed. Of course the non-cynical, pro-country part of me says to fight this POS to the end.

Watching Democrats squirm for a decade is not worth the damage that the plan will cost.

There is a bit

Thu, 12/17/2009 - 10:03 ET by PeskyDane

There is a bit of Schadenfreude here as we watch the wheels come off the bus.

Dahyum

Thu, 12/17/2009 - 11:10 ET by SharonMcP

I was on Huff 'n Puff last night reading a couple of the comment threads.

Between the watering down of the senate bill and the Dems voting down the re-importation of drugs from Canada, they are calling for Obama and Reid's head on a silver platter.

And now this little announcement from Dean.

Forget more butter for the popcorn, I'm going to buy stock in Orville Redenbacher.

========================================================
On those days I feel like giving up and waving a white flag, I look at the picture of my 10 yr. old grandson in a Young Marines Color Guard, and I remember what's worth fighting for.

As the democrats prove

Thu, 12/17/2009 - 11:12 ET by MidAmerica

As the democrats prove themselves unable to govern the ones that can are beginning to scramble for the exits. Soon poor obama will be the only one left on stage ducking tossed tomatoes coming from both sides of the aisle.

The Most Important Question

Thu, 12/17/2009 - 11:39 ET by bradbenj5952

The really important question is whether the liberal pollsters will conduct a poll asking if the left should/would divide into two parties like they did the Republican Party/Tea Party? The lefties would just love to see the GOP split. Perhaps we'll see the DNC split?

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Romans 10:9

bradbenj5952, the Dem voters are calling for a split

Thu, 12/17/2009 - 11:57 ET by SharonMcP

A large majority of the comments I read last night are calling for a party split, mostly the progressives.

Actually, other than the vile name-calling and some of the unbelievable stupidity by some of the commenters, it resembled a few republican forums in regards to their anger and disatisfaction toward Obama and government in general.

Surprisingly, a few of them were even praising the tea-party movement for their organizational skills and ability to get their voices heard.

=======================================================
On those days I feel like giving up and waving a white flag, I look at the picture of my 10 yr. old grandson in a Young Marines Color Guard, and I remember what's worth fighting for.

I quote the great Jennifer

Thu, 12/17/2009 - 11:46 ET by pipandbaby

I quote the great Jennifer Rubin from Contentions this morning:

"One observer remarked:

In Washington, when major bills near final passage, an inside-the-Beltway mentality takes hold. Any bill becomes a victory. Clear thinking is thrown out the window for political calculus. In the heat of battle, decisions are being made that set an irreversible course for how future health reform is done. The result is legislation that has been crafted to get votes, not to reform health care.

Bill Kristol or Sen. Mitch McConnell? No, Howard Dean. And when he has become the voice of sanity and decorum, you know how badly off track we’ve gotten."

Hey, for once Dean proves

Thu, 12/17/2009 - 12:11 ET by bigtimer

Hey, for once Dean proves he is a 'useful idiot' after-all.

You hang in there fella...we're rootin' for ya.

'Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea'~Breitbart

It's History

Thu, 12/17/2009 - 12:11 ET by slickwillie2001

There's bad blood between Rahm and Howard, lest we forget:

Dean, Emanuel Bury the Hatchet: http://thehill.com

That's what's behind this, and the continued stiffing of Doctor Dean by the Bamster's team, likely at Rahm's direction, over the healthcare debate.

incredible to watch

Thu, 12/17/2009 - 13:12 ET by egutopia44

as a moderate i watch fox and msnbc for info although i give the edge to fox. the funny thing and sad thing was watching landau a moderate democrat and dean go head on on chris mathews show.the shocker is dean was right. the bill stinks! i do not think he will vote for obama.