Mean Dean

I apologize again (I know that's about all I've done lately) for not blogging much. I've had a hard time readjusting to life in the fast lane after our vacation, and blogging is the first thing to go out the window when I get overwhelmed. I think I'm starting to return to some kind of normalcy, though. Now if I can just squeeze out some blog entries, maybe I can get back into the groove...

I've been kind of fascinated in the past few days to hear all of the controversy that Howard Dean has stirred up with his "off-the-cuff" comments about Republicans. Anyone who would be surprised that Dean would let loose with some jaw-droppers obviously didn't pay much attention to the last presidential campaign.

Maybe he's not setting the right tone for the party, but I have to say, I'm kind of happy to see someone stirring things up a bit and being aggressive for a change. Sure, he may have offended some people, but it's hard to argue that he was wrong when he said, "they (Republicans) are not very friendly to different kinds of people, they are a pretty monolithic party ... it's pretty much a white, Christian party."

Ken Mehlman, the Republican party chairman, replied that plenty of people who attended his Bar Mitzvah would be surprised that he heads a Christian party. OK, fine. Perhaps Dean should've said that it's "pretty much a white, Judeo-Christian party" instead of limiting it to just the Christians. But the point is the same. The Republican party is the party of conservative intolerance. It's definitely not friendly to different kinds of people outside of whatever it is they have defined as that very narrow slice of "normal" America.

Not so surprisingly, our ever-so lovable VP, Dick Cheney, joined the whine-fest over Dean's comments: "I've never been able to understand his appeal. Maybe his mother loved him, but I've never met anybody who does. He's never won anything, as best I can tell."

OK, Dick. But, I don't think there are a whole lotta folks out there who really love you either, at least not in the Blue states. You're constantly firing up your "base" with ridiculous rhetoric and criticism of Democrats. Maybe, just maybe, Dean's comments can have the same effect on the Democratic base.

I don't particularly like the fact that either constituency needs that kind of name calling and rhetoric to get fired up, but if that's what it takes to wake the sleeping giant Democratic base, then I say go for it.

Comments

[Scott-O-Rama]

Thank you!!

I've actually heard some other Democrats apologizing for his remarks. I say more power to him. Let's shake things up a little. Let's not be afraid to call a spade a spade.

[Scott-O-Rama]

P.S. Glad you're blogging again.