Of course you did, but let's cover the basics anyway... Coming in a distant third, after expecting a coronation, must have been a REAL letdown for both Dean and his supporters. In an effort to raise his/their spirits, Dean turned his concession speech into a revival meeting. He screamed like a pro wrestler and then ended the speech with a New Englander's idea of what a cowboy might do to get the cattle moving.
This was too much for the media and the Dean detractors; they've derived so much pleasure in their mocking of this moment, that they probably need a cigarette and a change of clothes.
Was it goofy as hell and a little disconcerting? Yeah. Was it the proof we needed that Dean wasn't presidential material? What the F#*@ does that mean? This is similar to the conservative slam at Clinton for telling the MTV crowd his preference in undergarments. How dare a president/candidate behave like an average person and share personal info with his public; or, in Dean's case, act like a loon during a moment of excitement at a public event! Do we secretly want our public officials to be as distant and disconnected from the public as the English monarchy? I don't. I want to know that my public servants are as human as myself and capable of making mistakes and behaving badly on occasion. Do I hope that they are more capable and confident at the position they strive for or hold? Yes, but I want to be able to connect and relate to them as human beings also.
The reporters jeer at the buffoonery of Dean's yelp and then run out and try to trip up the candidates by asking them if they know how much a loaf of bread, gallon of milk or gas costs. When the candidate fails to give an acceptable answer, the reporter grimly turns to his audience and tells them that the candidate is out of touch with the people and not like them. Which is it going to be, people? Do you want the candidates human or superhuman? Do you want real people or stiff, formal bores? If it's the latter, there might still be time to get Gore back in the race.
The same conservative critics that were offended by Clinton's underwear confessions, were the same ones that demanded him to reveal every detail of another personal matter at a later date; and they were overjoyed at every revelation.
Dean's other failure to behave in a presidential way came when he snapped at his Republican heckler, ''You sit down! You had your say! Now, I'm going to have my say!'' Everyone knows that a president needs to pretend like he didn't hear the criticism or unwanted questions and go on with his speech. Dean should have ignored the heckler and hoped that one of his attending supporters would shout him down... Dean should have tried to calmly reason with the heckler or let someone else be the bad cop. Even in this situation, I have to say that I would have faired no better; that is why I'm not running.
I am not trying to gather support for Dean's campaign; I am not a Dean supporter... at least for president. I am, however, a supporter for Dean as a human being.
Howard, the next time someone gives you grief over your DeanScream,
just tell them Yippee-ki-yay, Motherf*@*@*!
Oh, wait, John Kerry already got in trouble for having a potty mouth in his Rolling Stones interview!
It never ends, does it?
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