Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Deen (center) signs a Barack Obama poster for Bryan Stackpole,19, of Ellsworth (right) after speaking at the University of Maine in Orono Wednesday. Dean spoke in support of Barack Obama, Tom Allen and Mike Michaud. Buy Photo
ORONO, Maine — Speaking to a crowd of mostly college students on Wednesday, Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean called Barack Obama a “new generation” candidate not unlike John F. Kennedy.
“This election is the most like 1960 when Kennedy ran against [Richard] Nixon,” Dean, the former Vermont governor, said at a rally at the University of Maine. “Nixon was a candidate of the past, as [John] McCain is, and Kennedy was a candidate of the new generation. We have the opportunity to pass the torch to the next generation in this election.”
Dean, who had another event scheduled later Wednesday at the University of Maine at Farmington and a third rally today in Portland, also outlined what he called the three biggest difference between the two candidates.
The first, he said, was the economy.
“[Republicans] believe in trickle-down economics, but we’ve tried that and it’s been a complete failure,” Dean said. “Obama wants to provide tax cuts to the middle class, who will have no choice but to spend that money. That’s how you stimulate the economy.”
The other stark differences, he said, were health care policies and the Iraq war.
“Obama has a [health care] plan to cover everyone, and McCain calls that socialism,” Dean said. “But if we already have [subsidized] health care for those over 65, why not for people under 65?”
The difference on the war, he said, “was 98 years in Iraq,” referring to comments McCain made about having a U.S. presence in the Middle East country for a century or more.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Jane Swift, a Republican, was supposed to appear in Maine on Wednesday to stump for McCain but dropped out amid scheduling conflicts. Maine Republican Party Chairman Mark Ellis, however, responded to Dean’s visit.
“Other than Mr. Obama, himself, no other national Democrat leader better embodies the agenda of massive tax increases and redistribution of wealth than the big-government champion, Howard Dean,” Ellis said. “The contrast couldn’t be more stark, and John McCain has real plans that will offer real help to Mainers, especially in these tough economic times.”
In a one-on-one interview with the Bangor Daily News prior to Wednesday’s event at UMaine, Dean talked a little about his role as leader of the Democratic Party. He was partly responsible for moving forward with a 50-state campaign strategy and said it’s paying off so far.
“It’s extraordinary to be battling over Indiana, Virginia, North Carolina, even Georgia,” he said. “The whole philosophy is, if you don’t ask for people’s votes two bad things happen: One, people don’t respect you and two, you don’t get the votes. Barack is someone who wants to be the president of all the people.”
He also talked about the possibility of a so-called filibuster-proof 60-seat Senate majority for the Democrats and whether Tom Allen could help by over-taking incumbent Susan Collins in the Maine race.
“I’m a huge fan of Tom Allen. I always thought he would be behind until Election Day and then he’d finally squeeze it out,” he said. “I’ve not given up on him at all.”
Even with all the Democratic excitement, though, Dean predicted a close presidential race.
“I’d be surprised if it were a landslide,” he said. “Change elections are always tough.”
Asked if he envisioned a role in a potential Obama administration, Dean dismissed the notion.
“That’s completely up to them, but it’s not under discussion until at least Nov. 5.”
On 10/30/08 at 3:44 AM,
mariahstorm wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
so this is how they meet, publicly...marxist and kkk align..
On 10/30/08 at 4:02 AM,
ShawnDaily wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
The country being run by a majority of spread the wealth socialists. Hugo Chavez will be so proud that our country will have a communist ruling party. Thank you Howard Dean.
On 10/30/08 at 4:46 AM,
tewhiti wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
It is time for the silly season to come to a close and for all good Americans to loyally back Obama and the new Congress in the huge task of extricating us from the hole the Bush Administration has left us in. WE all need to pull together.
On 10/30/08 at 5:19 AM,
leumas wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
Obama? Good bye 401k, social security, retirement funds, jobs, gun rights, free speech rights, rights of assembly, etc. AND hello bread lines, welfare check, slimy public housing, health care rationing, crime surge, and ownership of anything. Obama is an affirmative action, Harvard "token" graduated marksist George Soros puppet. He does speak well but a genious he AIN"T. That's why his records are sealed. You can however get a great "deal" on your next cocaine purchace from him.
On 10/30/08 at 6:49 AM,
markko wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
leumas wrote: "marksist"
The fact that you cannot even spell Marxist correctly shows that you are only parroting things you have heard on right wing radio.
Obama, if given a chance, will greatly improve things for us. The thing is, we have been in this grave of a life under fear, terror and anxiety for eight years of Bush and Co., that you guys think up is down and that bad is good...
No more doublespeak, there is a new wave of hope coming, and hey if you don't like it after four years, just find better candidates than an old man with old ideas and a hockey mom with no idea.
On 10/30/08 at 6:52 AM,
HermonStout wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
leumas, Shawn Daily, The country being run by a majority of spread the wealth socialists. ??????????????????
"Good bye 401k, social security, retirement funds, jobs, gun rights, free speech rights, rights of assembly" ( Yes a friend called me in tears the other night. Her 401k lost $3,000. she works at two jobs; MY SS check has been trimmed back to less than enough to live on,( $10 Million going to Iraq each month,) how many people have been escorted out of Republican events, & even arrested for wearing a Tshirt with the slogan of the opposition party; FREE SPEECH? ???????????????????
WHO, ( WHICH PARTY) IS AND HAS BEEN RUNNING THE COUNTRY FOR 28 YEARS EXCEPT FOR BILL CLINTON, AND HE IS REPUB. LITE!?
HIS NAFTA, sent the Maine shoemakers out of business, and now we are all wearing ill made ill fitting shoes made in CHina. ( Have you noticed how your sneakers don't fit tight around the ankle and when you walk on a slope your foot slides sideways? Or like mccain can you afford $540. shoes?
The opposite ideology to Marxism/Socialism is Corporatocracy/Fascism...........................
google FASCISM. study the indentifying features.................... WE ARE THERE!!!!!!
Are you so rich you need the present economic structure that is supposed to trickle down but doesn't? Or are you just listening to the wrong people, and casting blame in the wrong direction?
If you are rich, if your wealth comes from manipulating money instead of WORKING, be aware that YOUR wealth is supported by a whole lot of people who work hard FOR YOU. If the grunts who slaughter the beef you are eating for dinner went on strike..what would you eat? Or of you are one of those survivalists, have gun will eat venison.................who will make your bullets if the grunts go on strike? Or wjhere will you get truck parts if no one is making them?
Beginning with Reagan's destruction of the airline comptrollers in 1981, the fascists have calculatedly, systematically, destroyed UNIONS, & the fabric of our Democracy..........and I guess they have fooled you once; twice; trying for a third time!
On 10/30/08 at 8:18 AM,
RevGerald wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
Shawn....you are correct the wealth socialists run the country; they always have...the Rockefellers, the Mellons, the Carnegies......As John Jay said in 1789. "The people who own the country should govern the country." I think that leaves out you and me.
On 10/30/08 at 10:13 AM,
Maine62 wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
I think the state should pool together and write in Gov. Baldacci! He's doing soooooooo good
On 10/30/08 at 10:15 AM,
DannyBoy wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
Tell me, all this "redistribution of wealth" that has everyone calling Obama a Socialist and a Marxist....how is it any different than the kind of wealth spreading we see being done in Alaska? Gov. Palin takes money from the big oil companies and redistributes it to the citizens of Alaska. What does that make her? And come to think of it, the Republican National Committee takes money from it's supporters and redistibutes it to Gov. Palin through expensive Neiman Marcus and Saxs Fifth Avenue wardrobes. I guess that makes Gov. Palin a Neiman Marxist.
On 10/30/08 at 6:06 PM,
maineboy wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
ahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!
On 10/30/08 at 6:41 PM,
Karruka wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
Also, have we forgotten the wasted money and lives in Iraq? The Dems will pull us out much sooner than the hawkish GOP.... If you ever listened to Howard Dean you'd learn a great deal about how to govern a nation and preserve our rights. I'm still waiting to hear about anything substantive that the McCain/Palin ticket would do differently than Bush/Cheney, The election in 2004 would have been very different if Dean had won the nomination and election! By the way, socialism is here and as some people above have written -- the bailout is a major socialist action which many Dems didn't support (I among them) but Unemployment insurance, Social Security, Medicare, even insuring our investments is a kind of socialism. Next time you whine for the government to fix something -- the infrastructure... money to help out the physically or mentally challenged, etc. remember most of that money came from taxes.... socialism at its best. The boogeyman of socialism is simply that.... Conservative spin from the same people who gave you Homeland Security, illegal wiretapping, the Financial meltdown, the incredibly huge national deficit., and as I stated... the War in Iraq.. and the list goes on.
On 10/30/08 at 8:24 PM,
evasmith wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
leumas - do you still have anything left in your 401k after Bush's economic policies?
Karruka - I am waiting as well for specifics from McCain/Palin. The bottom line - after this too long, heated contest - is apparent now: they have none! And when Katie Couric asked Palin for specifics - Palin's answer was, "I'll get back to ya." Even she doesn't know.
Post a comment about this story
You must be logged in to post a comment.
click here to log in.
