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Clark and Lieberman falter:
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"For the first time the country is hearing sustained criticism of President Bush -- and though the Democratic presidential primaries have been going less than two weeks, the effect has been immediate."
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Should Howard Dean fall to defeat in the coming weeks, progressives everywhere should realize the debt we owe him. The campaign rhetoric from Kerry, Edwards and Dean has melded into one seamless attack against not only the incompetence, but fundamental dishonesty of the Bush administration. Democrats have found their voice -- thanks to Howard Dean.
Typically, civilized societies rely on journalists to expose such lies, but the Washington press corps has long been cowed by conservative apparatchiks. They call it "working the refs"; making journalists so afraid of accusations of "liberal bias" that they willingly play into whatever “conventional wisdom” the RNC is pushing.
The Republicans used it to slander Clinton and Gore for eight years. Reporters bought in to their spin again when they labeled Dean an angry pessimist.
Dean was pilloried for making completely accurate statements. More than 60% of Americans agreed with his assessment that they were no safer for having captured Saddam Hussein. Talking heads openly agreed with what Dean had said -- while they criticized him for having said it. They knew he'd never get away with that kind of honesty in a campaign against the dishonest. Karl Rove wouldn't allow it.
Republicans did the same on the war. Dean fought back. He showed Democrats they could fight back.
Now, whomever the Democrats nominate will have to learn to do the same -- when the Republicans come for him.
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