Nation-Building >> they are trying to stop us, not Dean | return to front page

Blogger Morat over at A Skeptical Notion explains the motive behind the dirty-tricks allegations being shoveled at Dean by an increasingly desperate Gephardt:

Howard Dean's greatest strength, his biggest asset, is his grassroots. They're his ace in the hole. They're they keystone to his popularity, his teflon, and his fundraising. If Dean wins, it's because of his grassroots.

If you want to cut Dean down, you have to kill his grassroots support first. And nothing turns off supporters like the belief that their beloved candidate is playing dirty politics.

Pure and simple, we're looking at an attack on Dean's grassroots. Every major candidate knows the score. As long as Dean's army is there, Dean wins the primary. Karl Rove and George Bush certainly know. There's no need for coordination. No conspiracy. Just one well-known target with one well-known weakness. At least four candidates (Kerry, Clark, Gephardt and Bush) have reason to slam Dean hard, right now...and god knows how many 527s would consider it.

This blizzard of accusation has one goal: To slime Dean in the eyes of his grassroots. To make him out to be another petty politician. To keep the Deanies, the newbies, and the starry-eyed out of Iowa, out of New Hampshire. To keep them home. To keep their wallets in their pockets.

Dean's slogan turned out to be true: They're not trying to stop Dean. They're trying to stop you.

Fortunately, there's a simple way we can fight back. Let's fill our Dean Nation bat today and celebrate Harkin's endorsement while we scoff at the dirty tricks of Dick!