Democrats anxious as Dean visit nears----South Carolina
Even the democrats In S.C. are afraid of what Dean might say. This article was taken directly from thestate.com . He wouldn't dare come to Horry County. ( the brightest of the red countys)
John Oliver Benton III
From The State Newspaper, June 19 2005
Democrats anxious as Dean visit nears
By LEE BANDY
Columnist
South Carolina Democrats will be holding their breath next week when their embattled national chairman arrives in town to have a few beers with the grass-roots and raise money for the state party.
Please, Howard Dean, don’t say anything that will embarrass us or subject us to ridicule, the party faithful pray.
Dean still is smarting from his remark that Republicans are “pretty much a white Christian party.” Several congressional Democrats have called him on the carpet and ordered him to halt his divisive comments.
A handful of S.C. Democratic leaders tried to downplay a series of controversial remarks made by Dean since he wrapped up the race for party chairman earlier this year.
State Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg, a member of the Democratic National Committee, wishes Dean would temper his comments a bit. But she doesn’t want to put a muzzle on him.
“We’ve got too many tired old wimps in the party,” she says. “Dean is doing a great job. I have not seen one comment he has made that is not true.”
Including the one about the “white, Christian” GOP?
“I associate myself 100 percent with his comments,” Cobb-Hunter says.
Dean has provoked controversy with a myriad of comments:
• “Republicans are not very friendly to different kinds of people. They are pretty much a monolithic party.”
• “I hate the Republicans and everything they stand for.”
• “Do you think the Republican National Committee could get this many people of color in a single room? Only if they had the hotel staff in here.”
• “Republicans are mean. They’re not nice people.”
Political analysts aren’t sure what good the state party — already playing from behind in a conservative-leaning state — will reap from a visit from Dean, who comes off as a Northeastern liberal after you get past all the incendiary remarks.
When the former Vermont governor and 2004 Democratic presidential candidate took the helm of the DNC, Dean declared he would make the party competitive in all 50 states — including the South.
South Carolina is one of the last states on his agenda. He will huddle with party activists at Jillian’s the evening of June 29 — without the media. That’s very un-Dean-like, but maybe after a few beers he’ll hold an impromptu press conference.
Political experts are somewhat puzzled by the timing of Dean’s visit.
“It’s the kiss of death,” says Atlanta-based political consultant Claibourne Darden. “There seems to be a suicidal streak in the South Carolina Democratic Party.”
With the most recent controversy still fresh in the minds of folks, Dean couldn’t be coming to South Carolina at a worse time, says Larry Sabato, a political scientist at the University of Virginia.
“If I were in South Carolina, I’d have him visit under the cover of night,” he says.
Merle Black, an Emory University professor, says, only a bit facetiously, “This is just what they need. This is a red-letter day for the South Carolina Democratic Party.”
Don’t expect Democratic bigwigs like State Superintendent of Education Inez Tenenbaum, or gubernatorial challengers Tommy Moore and Frank Willis, to show up and have their pictures taken with Dean.
“They will send in their regrets, saying they have increasingly pressing business overseas,” jokes Winthrop University analyst Scott Huffmon.
Still, Dean likely will attract a large crowd.
He’s entertainment.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
© 2005 The State and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.thestate.com
John Oliver Benton III
From The State Newspaper, June 19 2005
Democrats anxious as Dean visit nears
By LEE BANDY
Columnist
South Carolina Democrats will be holding their breath next week when their embattled national chairman arrives in town to have a few beers with the grass-roots and raise money for the state party.
Please, Howard Dean, don’t say anything that will embarrass us or subject us to ridicule, the party faithful pray.
Dean still is smarting from his remark that Republicans are “pretty much a white Christian party.” Several congressional Democrats have called him on the carpet and ordered him to halt his divisive comments.
A handful of S.C. Democratic leaders tried to downplay a series of controversial remarks made by Dean since he wrapped up the race for party chairman earlier this year.
State Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg, a member of the Democratic National Committee, wishes Dean would temper his comments a bit. But she doesn’t want to put a muzzle on him.
“We’ve got too many tired old wimps in the party,” she says. “Dean is doing a great job. I have not seen one comment he has made that is not true.”
Including the one about the “white, Christian” GOP?
“I associate myself 100 percent with his comments,” Cobb-Hunter says.
Dean has provoked controversy with a myriad of comments:
• “Republicans are not very friendly to different kinds of people. They are pretty much a monolithic party.”
• “I hate the Republicans and everything they stand for.”
• “Do you think the Republican National Committee could get this many people of color in a single room? Only if they had the hotel staff in here.”
• “Republicans are mean. They’re not nice people.”
Political analysts aren’t sure what good the state party — already playing from behind in a conservative-leaning state — will reap from a visit from Dean, who comes off as a Northeastern liberal after you get past all the incendiary remarks.
When the former Vermont governor and 2004 Democratic presidential candidate took the helm of the DNC, Dean declared he would make the party competitive in all 50 states — including the South.
South Carolina is one of the last states on his agenda. He will huddle with party activists at Jillian’s the evening of June 29 — without the media. That’s very un-Dean-like, but maybe after a few beers he’ll hold an impromptu press conference.
Political experts are somewhat puzzled by the timing of Dean’s visit.
“It’s the kiss of death,” says Atlanta-based political consultant Claibourne Darden. “There seems to be a suicidal streak in the South Carolina Democratic Party.”
With the most recent controversy still fresh in the minds of folks, Dean couldn’t be coming to South Carolina at a worse time, says Larry Sabato, a political scientist at the University of Virginia.
“If I were in South Carolina, I’d have him visit under the cover of night,” he says.
Merle Black, an Emory University professor, says, only a bit facetiously, “This is just what they need. This is a red-letter day for the South Carolina Democratic Party.”
Don’t expect Democratic bigwigs like State Superintendent of Education Inez Tenenbaum, or gubernatorial challengers Tommy Moore and Frank Willis, to show up and have their pictures taken with Dean.
“They will send in their regrets, saying they have increasingly pressing business overseas,” jokes Winthrop University analyst Scott Huffmon.
Still, Dean likely will attract a large crowd.
He’s entertainment.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
© 2005 The State and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.thestate.com
posted by The Liberal Lie The Conservative Truth | 4:13 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home