Nation-Building >> Who is behind the whisper campaign to derail Dean? | return to front page

In the comments on my post from last night, Niner asked who was behind the whispering campaign that is attempting to portray Dean as an enemy of Israel. Frankly, I don't have any concrete evidence pointing to any candidate, but I do know this:

1. The anonymous email circulating around states that Dean has "promised that if he is elected president, the United States will no longer support Israel the way it has in the past under both Democratic and Republican presidents". This is a lie.
2. Dean has come under fire for saying we need an "even handed" policy toward the I/P negotiation process.
3. Dean has acknowledged the US's "special, longstanding relationship" with Israel, and he's stated that his policy will be a continuance of former President Clinton's policy.

In response to the furor over his "even-handed" comment a few months back, Gov Dean engaged in a very public dialogue with several Jewish organisations. He stated:

I will follow in the footsteps of Bill Clinton from day one of a Dean Administration and make every effort to bring peace to this troubled region. I believe the United States is the only intermediary that can bring the parties to the peace table, and that playing the role of a fair and honest broker when there is consistent with the special relationship that the U.S. has with Israel. Preserving that role is key to achieving peace. A secure Israel is not only more likely to take risks for peace, but also underscores to the region that there is no alternative to peace.
President Bush squandered 18 months in refusing to engage his personal political capital in the region. He allowed the situation to deteriorate even further, thereby significantly undermining the credibility of the U.S. and our ability to play an effective role. I have called on President Bush to rise above partisan politics by asking President Bill Clinton, a statesman with a track record for making peace, to go to the region on behalf of the United States in an effort to bring the parties back to the negotiating table and work out an agreement to immediately end the violence.
Since Harry Truman's historic decision to make the United States the first nation to recognize the Jewish state, Americans have been united in their commitment to the state of Israel. I will not allow a crack to emerge in that important national consensus.

Are these the words of an "enemy of Israel"? I didn't think so. Now what I'd like to know is who started this vicious gossip. Somewhere out there in the ether floats a copy of the email. If you've received it, forward email a copy to us so we can try and get to the bottom of this. If at all possible, use the "bounce" feature of your email so that the original headers remain intact. If you have any questions on how to do that, just email us.