Is Howard Dean Crazy. . . Like A Fox? [Dave at Garfield Ridge]

I'm sure that by now you've all heard Howard Dean's recent comments regarding Republicans.

One would think that Mad Howard would follow the golden rule of digging a hole-- when you reach the bottom, stop digging.

However, a throwaway comment by National Review Online's Kathryn Jean Lopez ("And this is how Howard Dean is helpful to Democrats--folks like Barack Obama can position themselves as the sane wing of the party.") got me thinking: what if this is all part of a larger plan?

You know, Mad Howard acts mad so other Democrats don't have to. While we all know that many of them feel the same way-- Hillary! has said as much-- this way, Dean gets to act out his party's frustrations in public at the same time as acting as the lightning rod for criticism. His very presence deflects attention from the moonbat positions taken by others in his party.

Given how Dean hasn't been doing anything else worthwhile (who woulda thunk you could have a worse party organizer than Terry McAuliffe?), in the end, this may be his most productive role for the party. Talk crazy talk, get media attention, make all the other Dems look moderate in comparison, and get ditched before he does any long-term damage to the party's chances in 2006 (or 2008, although I'll be shocked if he lasts until the midterms, let alone past them).

I'm a conservative, and a fairly loyal if skeptical Republican voter, but I'm also a big proponent of a "level playing field." I think that American politics are enriched by having two mature political parties in competition. Thus, I admit to being pained by the elevated stature of someone like Howard Dean. I'm sure he's a fun guy to go to a Wyclef Jean concert with, but that's not important right now. I think he's bad for the Democrats, and thus bad for America. Obviously, the rest of his party doesn't quite feel that way. . . yet.

I think more people should ask them why.

posted by Ace at 01:28 PM

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