Dean on Wright
This past weekend, Howard Dean sat down with Chris Wallace on FOX News Sunday to discuss the presidential race, much to the chagrin of the Lefty nutroots. In addition to the usual talking points that Dean kept pushing, Wallace asked him about the Jeremiah Wright controversy. Below is a transcript of that exchange:
WALLACE: Governor, has the Reverend Wright controversy made Obama radioactive among Democratic candidates down ticket?
DEAN: First of all, I'm not going to get into the Reverend Wright at all. I think we've spent enough time on Reverend Wright.
The fact of the matter is what people are really interested in is the war, the economy and health care. And that is what the battle is. And the frank truth is that John McCain is out of step on the war, the economy and health care.
Look, the Republicans have run this...
WALLACE: But, Governor, I'll give you plenty of chance to go after McCain, and that's fair, but I'm asking you a specific question here, which is when you've got -- and it's not just there; it was in Louisiana, it was in North Carolina, it's been in Mississippi -- where they're linking Obama and Wright to their local candidates.
And in this one case in Mississippi, you had a local candidate saying, "Obama? Never heard of the guy." I mean, it indicates that he's a problem or a drag, at least in the minds of some local Democratic candidates.
DEAN: Chris, the Republicans -- for the last 30 years, the Republican book is to race bait and to use hate and divisiveness. In 2006, the American people said no to that, and I think they're going to say no to that in 2008.
It is true that the economy, the war and health care are more important to the American people. They are tired of the divisiveness of what the Republicans have done to them, and that's why the Republicans are in trouble, deep trouble.
Let me be frank here, because Howling Mad Howie is off base on this issue. The controversy surrounding Jeremiah Wright, and Barack Obama's connection to him, has nothing whatsoever to do with race. It goes directly to what Wright said. His "G*d- Damn America" sermon didn't resonate well with the nation. I really think that Dean should read and listen to what Wright has said, in it's full context and maybe he'll understand it finally, though I doubt it.
His connections to Jeremiah Wright and trinity United goes towards his judgment when it comes to who he chooses to associate himself with. He has ties to radical individuals, and that raises legitimate concerns for voters in the country. No one is saying that the issues Howard Dean brought up in the interview aren't legitimate. We do have a health care problem (but the solution isn't socializing it); we do have an economy that is going through a hiccup (but the solution is not to raise taxes). He claims that there are problems in Iraq, which simply shows viewers that he's not paying attention to the success of the Surge.
But he thinks that any discussion of Jeremiah Wright is racist. It has nothing to do with that, and has so much more to do with Obama's character. If he has no problem associating with a man whose social gospels sound racist and anti-American, then what does that say of Obama himself?
Publius II
WALLACE: Governor, has the Reverend Wright controversy made Obama radioactive among Democratic candidates down ticket?
DEAN: First of all, I'm not going to get into the Reverend Wright at all. I think we've spent enough time on Reverend Wright.
The fact of the matter is what people are really interested in is the war, the economy and health care. And that is what the battle is. And the frank truth is that John McCain is out of step on the war, the economy and health care.
Look, the Republicans have run this...
WALLACE: But, Governor, I'll give you plenty of chance to go after McCain, and that's fair, but I'm asking you a specific question here, which is when you've got -- and it's not just there; it was in Louisiana, it was in North Carolina, it's been in Mississippi -- where they're linking Obama and Wright to their local candidates.
And in this one case in Mississippi, you had a local candidate saying, "Obama? Never heard of the guy." I mean, it indicates that he's a problem or a drag, at least in the minds of some local Democratic candidates.
DEAN: Chris, the Republicans -- for the last 30 years, the Republican book is to race bait and to use hate and divisiveness. In 2006, the American people said no to that, and I think they're going to say no to that in 2008.
It is true that the economy, the war and health care are more important to the American people. They are tired of the divisiveness of what the Republicans have done to them, and that's why the Republicans are in trouble, deep trouble.
Let me be frank here, because Howling Mad Howie is off base on this issue. The controversy surrounding Jeremiah Wright, and Barack Obama's connection to him, has nothing whatsoever to do with race. It goes directly to what Wright said. His "G*d- Damn America" sermon didn't resonate well with the nation. I really think that Dean should read and listen to what Wright has said, in it's full context and maybe he'll understand it finally, though I doubt it.
His connections to Jeremiah Wright and trinity United goes towards his judgment when it comes to who he chooses to associate himself with. He has ties to radical individuals, and that raises legitimate concerns for voters in the country. No one is saying that the issues Howard Dean brought up in the interview aren't legitimate. We do have a health care problem (but the solution isn't socializing it); we do have an economy that is going through a hiccup (but the solution is not to raise taxes). He claims that there are problems in Iraq, which simply shows viewers that he's not paying attention to the success of the Surge.
But he thinks that any discussion of Jeremiah Wright is racist. It has nothing to do with that, and has so much more to do with Obama's character. If he has no problem associating with a man whose social gospels sound racist and anti-American, then what does that say of Obama himself?
Publius II
posted by Syd And Vaughn | 6:32 PM
2 Comments:
Dean is a little extreme for my taste, that is true, but he is right on about people being sick of (largely) Republican divisive tactics. People like a representative government, not an imperialistic one. Looking forward to a change in November!
Um, for the record, the change will come in January of 2009, when George W. Bush leaves office.
As for Dean, need we remind people of how divisive the Democrats have been in literally dividing this nation into different classes and demographics? How about the fact that Democrats don't exactly have the most stellar record when it comes to minority relations? They did try to stop the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Publius II
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home