When Howard Dean was chosen to head their party, Democrats looked forward to the benefits of his bristling energy and zest for political combat.
But at a private meeting Thursday on Capitol Hill, a number of worried Senate Democrats warned Dean that he had been going overboard and needed to choose his words more carefully.
And what ghastly things did Dean say about the Republicans, causing his supposed allies to become all a’flutter with concern?
The former Vermont governor and unsuccessful presidential candidate recently referred to the GOP as “pretty much a white, Christian party” and declared that a lot of Republicans have “never made an honest living in their lives.”
So, Dean made a mildly biting comment about the Republicans no doubt in response to the years of nasty vicious rabid attacks from the pit bulls of the Right, and his very own Democrats are shocked, just shocked, he could do this. Heavens, they roll their eyes and shriek, what happen to civility and how can we ever hope to take the center if we actually, y’know, fight and stuff like that? It is precisely this clueless, gutless attitude that has put the Democrats where they are.
It IS a war. The Right is methodically attacking, and until the Democrats, especially the liberal wing actually decide to get in the ring and throw some punches, win or lose, they will continue to cede the battles to the Right.
Liberals have a long and tired history of mouthing support for progressive causes until it actually gets down to a fight then they get in their limos and leave, hence the perjorative phrase, “limousine liberal.” The Dems need a whole lot less limousine liberals and more street fighters like Howard Dean.