Wednesday, February 04, 2004
George Will, crusty conservative that he is, lays a finger on why Dean creeps me out:
Dean is incapable of staging a non-accusatory campaign. His strategy is premised on projecting self-righteousness and condescension toward anyone even slightly to his right (and Kerry actually stands to the left of Dean on a few issues). I think that the vulture of a Nader candidacy won't take wing as readily this time round, but Dean reminds me of the tone that the Naderites took 4 years ago when they self-righteously sent this country to the right in the name of left-wing causes. That's why he's losing now, but he'll never be able to admit it.
Ralph Nader must be smiling, in his dour way, now that Dean is saying Kerry is a 'Republican,' 'Bush Lite,' 'no different' than Bush in being 'a handmaiden to special interests,' is making 'crazy' promises of tax cuts and spending increases, and is 'a Washington insider who shifts back and forth with every poll,' exemplifying 'exactly what's wrong with American politics.' Dean, sinking with his guns blazing, is providing a pretext -- and a cadre -- for another run by Nader (or a kindred spirit), whose 2000 candidacy prevented Al Gore from winning.
Dean is incapable of staging a non-accusatory campaign. His strategy is premised on projecting self-righteousness and condescension toward anyone even slightly to his right (and Kerry actually stands to the left of Dean on a few issues). I think that the vulture of a Nader candidacy won't take wing as readily this time round, but Dean reminds me of the tone that the Naderites took 4 years ago when they self-righteously sent this country to the right in the name of left-wing causes. That's why he's losing now, but he'll never be able to admit it.
