
HOT OFF THE GRIDDLE: UPDATED SEPTEMBER
18, 4:30PM
Governor Howard Dean has positioned himself as the "straight-shooting" candidate in the '04 Democratic Presidential race. While we don't really have a preference (yet), it's pretty clear from watching the debates and reading about the candidates that Dean is just a typical politician -- adjusting his positions to find something politically popular.
We find it particularly abhorrent that Dean has essentially made his political fortune in the issue of opposing the Iraq war, while he supported it as recently as last October, while the famed vote in Congress was happening. As committed progressives, the only thing we can stand less than a Republican is a "finger to the wind", flip-flopping Democrat.
Have a taste of Dr. Dean's waffles for yourself.
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Flip
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HOT OFF THE GRIDDLE: |
"I concur with most of the president's [Bush] policy on North Korea...." |
"North Korea has become the biggest threat to peace in East Asia in half a century...U.S. policy has been incoherent, inconsistent and dangerously disengaged." |
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YESTERDAY'S SPECIAL: |
"We have to stop terrorism before peace negotiations" |
Dean, speaking about the Middle East, said he didn't "believe stopping the terror has to be a prerequisite for talking." |
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Iraq
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""It's conceivable we would have to act unilaterally [in Iraq]...." "I believe that Iraq does have chemical and biological weapons...." |
"What I want to know is why the Democratic Party leadership is supporting the president's unilateral war against Iraq?" |
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Campaign Finance
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Dean said he has already raised the $100,000
from a sampling of states needed to qualify for the public money. The
former Vermont governor promised to make it an issue in the Democratic
primaries if any of his rivals decide to skip public financing.
``I think most Democrats believe in campaign finance reform,'' he said." |
Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean
backed away from his pledge to adhere to spending limits, saying some
advisors want to explore opting out of the Watergate-era public financing
system because of his sudden fundraising success. -AP, 8/16/03 |
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Death Penalty
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"I don't support the death penalty for two reasons. One, you might have the wrong guy, and, two, the state is like a parent. Parents who smoke cigarettes can't really tell their children not to smoke and be taken seriously. If a state tells you not to murder people, a state shouldn't be in the business of taking people's lives." |
"As governor, I came to believe that the death penalty would be a just punishment for certain, especially heinous crimes, such as the murder of a child or the murder of a police officer. The events of Sept. 11 convinced me that terrorists also deserve the ultimate punishment." |
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Social Security
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""The way to balance the budget, Dean said, is for Congress to cut Social Security, move the retirement age to 70, cut defense, Medicare and veterans pensions, while the states cut almost everything else." -Gov. Dean in Newshouse, 3/3/95 "I also would entertain taking the retirement age to 68." |
"I have never favored Social Security retirement at the age of 70, nor do I favor one of 68." |
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Cuba
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''If you would have asked me six months ago, I would have said we should begin to ease the embargo in return for human-rights concessions..." |
"...But you can't do it now...." |
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Trade
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Dean supported NAFTA. "Free trade is good...." |
Opposes NAFTA and other free trade pacts. "We ought not to be in the business of having free and open borders with countries that don't have the same environmental, labor and human rights standards." |
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Environment
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"I believe that there are few things we in public office can leave to our children and their children that are more important than the spectacular wilderness, clean waters, and beautiful forests that we now enjoy. As governor of Vermont, I took action to protect our environment and preserve our land. " |
"EP under Governor Dean meant Expedite Permits, not Environmental Protection." -Annette Smith, Director of Vermonters for a Clean Environment "Howard Dean's environmental record in Vermont is toxic." -Tom Elliott, fmr. Political Director of Vermont Sierra Club |
Not authorized or paid for by Gov. Howard Dean, or any candidate or committee.
Contact: hoho@wafflepoweredhoward.com