FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog

In another gaff, Howard Dean, chairman of the Democrat National Committe, has called the Republican Party, “pretty much a White Christian Party:”

Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean, unapologetic in the face of recent criticism that he has been too tough on his political opposition, said in San Francisco this week that

Republicans are “a pretty monolithic party. They all behave the same. They all look the same. It’s pretty much a white Christian party.”

“The Republicans are not very friendly to different kinds of people,

” Dean said Monday, responding to a question about diversity during a forum with minority leaders and journalists. “We’re more welcoming to different folks, because that’s the type of people we are. But that’s not enough. We do have deliver on things: jobs and housing and business opportunities.”

Good Grief!

This fellow is the MOUTH that roared!

The Link to listen to this gaff is here.

But Simi Valley Councilman Glenn Becerra, a staffer with former Republican Gov. Pete Wilson and a Bush appointee to the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars, said Tuesday he was far from amused by Dean’s suggestion that Republicans constitute “a white Christian party,” and called the Democratic Party chairman “an embarrassment.”

Agreed Glenn and look at his other gaffs just this week:

Howard Dean: America Safer When Democrats are in White House

Howard Dean: An Honest Living

Well, I suppose that is why three top members of the Democrat Party fund raising crew have resigned.

And it just gets worse:

Dean, speaking in a roundtable discussion Monday, downplayed the controversy over his rhetoric.

“This is one of those flaps that comes up once in awhile when I get tough,” Dean said. “We have to be rough on the Republicans. Republicans don’t represent ordinary Americans and they don’t have any understanding of what it is to go out and try and make ends meet.”

And here is a plethora of quotes from Dr. Dean this week in California:

Here are some Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean’s comments while speaking this week with minority community leaders and journalists at a roundtable in San Francisco:

On Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger: “Gov. Schwarzenegger has been a big disappointment to a lot of Californians … Americans are tired of politicians that break their promise, especially in an area like educatio … so I think there’s going to be a lot of questions about whether the governor really cares about average Californians.”

On Schwarzenegger’s endorsement of the Minutemen: “This is why I don’t agree that there’s no difference between Republicans and Democrat … you would never have heard a Democrats talk like that … I think the Republicans are always like this. I remember (former Republican Gov.) Pete Wilson … got elected by victimizing immigrants. Republicans always divide people.”

On illegal immigration: “(Democrats) understand we have a border problem. But we think that if you enforce the laws you already have, the people who are already here … they haven’t broken any laws, they paid their taxes, a lot of them are paying into the Social Security system and getting nothing. Those people ought to be on a reasonable track toward citizenship.”

On past promises by Democratic officials to minority communities: “It does make a difference that we now have senior management that is African American (and minority) … which means we’re not going to have the white boys’ club make all the decision anymore. Everybody’s going to be included.”

On San Francisco politics: “It’s always a pleasure to come to San Francisco because I don’t look so liberal when I come to San Francisco.”

On the Democrats’ strategy for the 2008: “We’re trying to resurrect this party. We’re going to be in every state. You’re not going to see any 18-state strategies. We’re going to be in places like Mississippi and Kansas and Idaho. We’re going to be in the Republican counties of California from now on; we’re not going to try to win by getting San Francisco and Oakland and Berkeley … we’re not going to sit around anymore. We are going to fight back. We haven’t been fighting back.”

Flap is still wondering how long he will survive as chairman, especially since his fund raising ability has been lackluster at best.

Update #1

Here are some other blogs who are reporting this latest outburst from Howard Dean:

The Galvin Opinion,

Rhymes with Right, Swanky Conservatives, Varifrank, Midest Conservative, Right Voices, Captains Quarters, LGF, MassRight, Canadian, Brendan Loy, Lime Shurbet, Daly Thoughts, and GOP Bloggers.

Update # 2

H/T: Varifrank

A graphic demonstrating that Howard Dean is wrong:

Democrats just back from a week long post Memorial Day recess say they have the votes to delay, Ambassador to the United Nations nominee and under-secretary of State John Bolton’s confirmation until the Bush Administration complies for their request for more information:

In the Senate’s last act before leaving for its Memorial Day break, Democrats mustered enough support to block a final vote on Bolton, who they said tried to misuse U.S. intelligence and intimidated or tried to remove intelligence analysts who did not conform to his hard-line views.

Democrats demand the administration turn over more classified material on Bolton, but the White House has refused and accused Democrats of using partisan delaying tactics.

The Silent Filibuster….. so much for the DEAL…. oh yes - Bolton is not a judge.

So, we wait for cloture.

First it was Senator Joe Biden calling for the closure of the military prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Now it is Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States.

Former President Jimmy Carter on Tuesday called for the United States to shut down its Guantanamo Bay prison to demonstrate the country’s commitment to protecting human rights:

“Despite President George W. Bush’s bold reminder that America is determined to promote freedom and democracy around the world, the U.S. continues to suffer terrible embarrassment and a blow to our reputation as a champion of human rights because of reports concerning abuses of prisoners in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantanamo,” Carter said in a news conference following the close of a two-day human rights conference at his Atlanta center.

What in the hell is this senile old fool, captain of a failed Presidency, saying?

He is saying he doesn’t understand a DAMN thing with regards to United States foreign policy.

In addition to closing Guantanamo Bay and two dozen other secret detention facilities, the former president said the United States needs to make sure no detainees are held incommunicado and that they all be told the charges against them.

His other recommendations included that the United States stop transferring detainees to foreign countries where torture has been reported and that an independent commission be created to investigate where terrorism suspects are held in U.S. custody.

Oh right Mr. President, let us study this to death.

I recall your expert handling of the Iranian hostage crisis of 1979.

Carter also said the United States should reaffirm its commitment to due process and international law, and assure that the Geneva Conventions on the treatment of prisoners are enforced.

Carter said many countries, including the United States, are using the campaign against terrorism as an excuse to restrict freedoms and silence human rights activists.

“In fact, combating terrorism, defending human rights and ensuring our collective security go hand in hand,” Carter said.

In fact, they do and President Bush has.

Despite his criticism of the Guantanamo Bay prison, Carter said Amnesty International should not have called it “the gulag of our time” when the describing the facility in a report last month.

Calling it “an ill-advised term,” Carter said the abuses said to take place at Guantanamo Bay could never compare with the Soviet-era gulags, where thousands of people died.

“I think it’s unfortunate that their choice of words has become the focal point of the debate,” Carter said.

The Amnesty FLAP is old news and has been repudiated.

Carter’s speech sounds like TREASON to Flap.

Representative Katherine Harris, R-Florida has decided to challenge incumbent Democrat Senator Bill Nelson:

Republican Rep. Katherine Harris, who as Florida’s secretary of state was both praised and vilified for her part in the 2000 presidential recount, said Tuesday she will run for the Senate next year against Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson.

Her announcement brings a major name to the race, along with the potential to raise a lot of money.

“The time has come to launch a campaign for the U.S. Senate,” Harris told The Associated Press.

Flap handicaps a close and very expensive race. The Democrats I am positive would rather not have to spend the resources on an incumbent Senate defense.

Flap sees a possible pick-up for the Republicans.

Harris, who is serving her second term in Congress, is considered a top fundraiser and is a popular figure among Republicans. But she is also despised by some Democrats for her role in overseeing the recount that ultimately gave Florida and the White House to George W. Bush over Al Gore. And her entry into the race could galvanize Democratic voters and contributors.

She considered running for the Senate last year after Democrat Bob Graham announced his retirement, but decided to sit it out. The White House had wanted her to stay out of the race for fear her candidacy would produce big turnout among angry Democrats and hurt President Bush’s chances of carrying Florida and its crucial 27 electoral votes in 2004.

In 2000, Bush won a 537-vote victory over Gore after a dispute that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. While Democrats accused Harris of partisanship in her handling of the recount, she became the darling of GOP activists and got elected to Congress in 2002.

Now, it is Katherine’s turn…… get out your checkbook!

Dan Weintraub of the Sacramento Bee has this California Special election update i.e. if the Governor calls a special election for this November:

The unions dues initiative and the governor’s teacher tenure reform have qualified for the next ballot, whenever it is. To update your scorecard, that brings us to three measures qualified and five pending:

Qualified:
Union dues. Require public employee unions to get positive consent from their members before the government will deduct political money from members’ wages.

Tenure. Increase from two years to five the time a teacher must work on probation before gaining permanent status. The measure would also make it easier for school districts to let go of permanent teachers who are given poor job evaluations.

Abortion. Requires teens to get the consent of their parent or a court before getting an abortion.

Pending:

Remap. Shifts power to draw political boundaries from the Legislature to an independent panel of retired judges.

Budget. Sets spending limit based on past revenues, gives governor power to reduce spending in mid-year to prevent deficits, alters Prop. 98 education funding formula.

Prescription drugs — labor measure. Seeks to use the power of the state’s Medi-Cal program to drive down drug costs for the working poor and seniors.

Prescription drugs — industry version. Creates a voluntary prescription drug discount program for the working poor.

Energy. Prohibits expansion of private retail selling and purchase of electricity outside the regulated monopoly utility system.

And what makes anyone think that the Governor will not play HARDBALL and call a special election? (presumbably by June 13th)

With a lower voter turn-out guaranteed and these ballot measures he is assured of a more conservative electorate casting ballots.

The above graphic illustrates the Governor’s success the last time he was involved with a special election.

Stay tuned.

Vs.

The Daily Kos has exerpts from the original Howard Dean transcript:

You — (applause continues) — you know, the idea that you have to wait on line for eight hours to cast your ballot in Florida — there’s something the matter with that. You think people can work all day and then pick up their kids at child care or wherever, and get home and then have a — still manage to sandwich in an eight-hour vote?

Well, Republicans, I guess, can do that, because a lot of them have never made an honest living in their lives.

(Light applause.) But for ordinary working people, who have to work eight hours a day, they have kids, they got to get home to those kids, the idea of making them stand for eight hours to cast their ballot for democracy is wrong. We ought to make voting easier to do. Mail — Oregon has got it right. (Applause.)

However, Edwards responded that Dean “is not the spokesman for the party.”

Dean is “a voice. I don’t agree with it,” Edwards, a former senator and the Democrats’ vice presidential nominee in 2004, said Saturday at a party fundraising dinner in Nashville, Tenn.

Asked about Dean’s remark about Republicans and honest living, GOP chairman Ken Mehlman told NBC’s “Meet the Press”: “I’m not sure the best way to win support in the red states is to insult the folks who live there. I think that a better approach might be to talk about the issues you’re for.”

Now, John Edwards has responded on his blog:

What a flap has arisen over a disagreement about the way something is said! I was in Nashville over the weekend, thanking the good people of Tennessee who supported the Democratic presidential ticket this year, when I was asked whether I thought that it was fair to say that people who were Republican hadn’t done a good day’s work. Of course, I didn’t think so, and I said that. I don’t think our DNC chair, Howard Dean, would put it that way again if asked either. I disagreed with him, and I said so. And, I want to be clear, I would have to say so again if I were asked again. I said a lot of good things about Howard’s outreach program and invigoration of the internet as a communication and fundraising tool, but no one wrote about that. Instead the headlines blared that I disagreed with Howard. And then the flap arose: A chasm! A split! A revolt!

Instead, how about: Nonsense!
We are both talking about the Republicans and their failure to address the needs of working people. We both agree with this basic truth: This Republican president and this Republican majority are not doing what they should be doing for working people in this country. That’s a core belief we need to fight for. And what’s more, we agree that we - all Democrats and all working people - should be complaining, criticizing, and generally speaking out about this critical failure of the Republican party and offering our positive vision for America. And we have.

HUH?

It only gets worse:

Howard and I have been saying the same thing about this for years. Hear that? The same thing. For years. Have I ever put it some way that Howard wouldn’t agree with? Probably. And he put it in a way, once, just the other day, that I can’t agree with, since I come from a place where hard-working people, who are better served by the agenda and passion of the Democrats, somehow still vote Republican. But Howard and I are committed to a 50-state strategy that will reach out to those voters, in North Carolina, and in Kansas, and in Tennessee, across this country and tell the truth about what is happening in this country to their jobs, to their health care, to their forests and streams, to their vision of what this country is and should be.

What does it all mean?

Edwards is pandering and Howard Dean at the end of the day is still a moron.