Dean expected to end campaign today

[NHPolitico]

BURLINGTON, Vt. -- Howard Dean is planning a news conference for early this afternoon during which it is expected he will announce the future of his presidential campaign.

Aides close to the former Vermont governor say he will drop his bid for president.

Dean arrived early this morning in Burlington after a disappointing 3rd-place finish in Wisconsin.

At one time, Dean said he would drop out of the race if he lost in Wisconsin.

Sen. John Kerry came in first and John Edwards was close behind in second.

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WASHINGTON (AP) - Howard Dean will end his campaign for the presidential nomination and oversee a new effort to keep his issues alive and his supporters organized on behalf of Democratic causes, two party officials said Wednesday.

Dean was to announce his plans at a news conference Wednesday afternoon, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

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BURLINGTON, Vt. (Reuters) - Howard Dean returned home to Burlington, Vermont, early on Wednesday carrying a decision to quit his presidential campaign but remain in the race for the nomination, the Los Angeles Times reported in Wednesday's editions.
"Though Dean is not going to formally drop out of the race, he is going to stop campaigning," a Dean aide told the newspaper.

"The move would allow his supporters to continue to vote for him in the upcoming primaries and have a say at the Democratic National Convention in July," The Times reported.

The decision was to be announced here on Wednesday; however, Dean had begun talking in the past tense about his bid for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination.

The former Vermont governor suffered an apparent knockout on Tuesday in the Wisconsin primary -- his 17th defeat without a victory in the Democratic nominating process. Still, he came out swinging, telling backers at a rally in Madison, "We are not done yet."

While Dean's presidential campaign may soon end, he said the movement he began with his Internet-based organization and anti-war, anti-Washington message would push on.

"We will change the Democratic Party; we will change America; we will change the White House," Dean said in Wisconsin to applause from a flag-waving crowd of several hundred.

Democratic front-runner John Kerry won the Wisconsin contest, with Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina finishing a close second. Dean was a distant third.

Dean has said Edwards would be a stronger candidate against Republican President Bush than Kerry, whom he has denounced as beholden to special interests.

Dean appeared to acknowledge his White House race was over when he thanked the painters union on Tuesday for having "stuck with us right to the end."

Dean helped reshape the 2004 White House race by tapping in early to voters' concerns about the war in Iraq, health care and the soaring federal deficit -- energizing Democrats and sharpening criticism of Bush.

With his Internet-based organization, Dean also smashed fund-raising records and connected with legions of new political activists.

But while he soared to the top in the polls last year, he never saw his following translate into victories from voters this year.

[MarkDel]

It's about time. Dean has been behaving like the political version of The Black Knight from Monty Python and the Holy Grail...LOL

Of course, in all honesty, the Democratic Party owes him an awful lot. He kept the faithful interested when it looked hopeless for their party, and he provided Kerry with the rhetoric that made him the frontrunner.

To non-Democrats, Howard Dean sounded like an escaped mental patient, but apparently it is exactly that type of rhetoric which the Democratic Party base wanted to hear after four years of Bush. Kerry and Edwards took his message, toned down the anger without toning down the vitriol, and they became the frontrunners.

[Wakie]

Dean had a lot of enthusiasm and he was very smart about organizing grass roots efforts.

A big problem among Democrats was a feeling that you were "alone".  Dean showed that many people are frustrated and upset with Bush.  This encouraged people to get involved, to donate money, and to build networks (all of which is vital to running a successful Presidential campaign).

Dean served his purpose.  He drew out the "mad as heck" voters.  Now it is Kerry's responsibility to unite them.

[© tweed]

Actually, I think Dean helped the Democrats chances in 2004 because he generated excitement.  I would like to see him camapign for Kerry in urban areas.

[Gustaf]

It's about time. Dean has been behaving like the political version of The Black Knight from Monty Python and the Holy Grail...LOL

Of course, in all honesty, the Democratic Party owes him an awful lot. He kept the faithful interested when it looked hopeless for their party, and he provided Kerry with the rhetoric that made him the frontrunner.

To non-Democrats, Howard Dean sounded like an escaped mental patient, but apparently it is exactly that type of rhetoric which the Democratic Party base wanted to hear after four years of Bush. Kerry and Edwards took his message, toned down the anger without toning down the vitriol, and they became the frontrunners.

That's a great film, and I agree the similarities are quite striking...

[JohnFKennedy]

Looks like it is going to be a two horse race up to Super Tuesday, I am hoping that Edwards will pick up some good victories then.....

[MarkDel]

Gustaf,

That is likely the funniest movie ever made.

[Gustaf]

Gustaf,

That is likely the funniest movie ever made.

Yes, right up there with Life of Brian...the parody of Communist fringe groups is hilarious, especially considering the fact that it was made around the time when that movement was peaking in Europe.

'What have the Romans ever done for us?'

[NHPolitico]

It's about time. Dean has been behaving like the political version of The Black Knight from Monty Python and the Holy Grail...LOL

Of course, in all honesty, the Democratic Party owes him an awful lot. He kept the faithful interested when it looked hopeless for their party, and he provided Kerry with the rhetoric that made him the frontrunner.

To non-Democrats, Howard Dean sounded like an escaped mental patient, but apparently it is exactly that type of rhetoric which the Democratic Party base wanted to hear after four years of Bush. Kerry and Edwards took his message, toned down the anger without toning down the vitriol, and they became the frontrunners.

That's a great film, and I agree the similarities are quite striking...

We can all unite in a bipartisan way in support of Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

[Gustaf]

It's about time. Dean has been behaving like the political version of The Black Knight from Monty Python and the Holy Grail...LOL

Of course, in all honesty, the Democratic Party owes him an awful lot. He kept the faithful interested when it looked hopeless for their party, and he provided Kerry with the rhetoric that made him the frontrunner.

To non-Democrats, Howard Dean sounded like an escaped mental patient, but apparently it is exactly that type of rhetoric which the Democratic Party base wanted to hear after four years of Bush. Kerry and Edwards took his message, toned down the anger without toning down the vitriol, and they became the frontrunners.

That's a great film, and I agree the similarities are quite striking...

We can all unite in a bipartisan way in support of Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Don't you just love bipartisan agreement?

[JohnFKennedy]

Have you ever watched Monty Python's flying circus? It is good, lots of sketches rather than a full movie, My friend and I are probably going to do the "Cheese Sketch" from it for a laugh at school.

[Gustaf]

Have you ever watched Monty Python's flying circus? It is good, lots of sketches rather than a full movie, My friend and I are probably going to do the "Cheese Sketch" from it for a laugh at school.

Yes, I have, the video tapes of it can be purchased in my video store. There are so many good ones...'Prawnfish Ltd. (It just fell!)' and 'The Welsh Coalminers' come to mind immediately...as does the election night one, a must for any political junkie...

[JohnFKennedy]

Another good one, I cannot remember its name, but it is about the designs for an apartment building, the first guy has basically designed an abbattoir and the second guy has one he says is indestructable yet the model like explodes as he takes them through the design.

[Gustaf]

Another good one, I cannot remember its name, but it is about the designs for an apartment building, the first guy has basically designed an abbattoir and the second guy has one he says is indestructable yet the model like explodes as he takes them through the design.

The one with the Hitchcock plagiarizer is also brilliant: 'man opens window, sees the murder. The murderer comes up to kill him. He kills the murderer and looks out of the window again. The End. Hitchock stretched that out to 3 hours and everyone thinks he's so bloody great!'



This could go on forever, btw...

[Michael Z]

Another good one, I cannot remember its name, but it is about the designs for an apartment building, the first guy has basically designed an abbattoir and the second guy has one he says is indestructable yet the model like explodes as he takes them through the design.

The one with the Hitchcock plagiarizer is also brilliant: 'man opens window, sees the murder. The murderer comes up to kill him. He kills the murderer and looks out of the window again. The End. Hitchock stretched that out to 3 hours and everyone thinks he's so bloody great!'

Haha, yes, I remember that one. My favourite has got to be the Spam sketch, or the Hungarian phrasebook...

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Indeed.

[Gustaf]

Another good one, I cannot remember its name, but it is about the designs for an apartment building, the first guy has basically designed an abbattoir and the second guy has one he says is indestructable yet the model like explodes as he takes them through the design.

The one with the Hitchcock plagiarizer is also brilliant: 'man opens window, sees the murder. The murderer comes up to kill him. He kills the murderer and looks out of the window again. The End. Hitchock stretched that out to 3 hours and everyone thinks he's so bloody great!'

Haha, yes, I remember that one. My favourite has got to be the Spam sketch, or the Hungarian phrasebook...

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Indeed.

Yes, those are good ones too...and there's the invisibility sketch

[Nation]

This parrot IS NO MORE! It has CEASE TO BE!

[Gustaf]

This parrot IS NO MORE! It has CEASE TO BE!

The classic...

How could I forgot? The 4 Yorkshire Men is a huge favourite!

'...and when we came home our dad would beat us to death with his belt and dance on our graves singing hallelujah! And when you tell the young people today they won't believe ya...'

[Michael Z]

This parrot IS NO MORE! It has CEASE TO BE!

The classic...

How could I forgot? The 4 Yorkshire Men is a huge favourite!

'...and when we came home our dad would beat us to death with his belt and dance on our graves singing hallelujah! And when you tell the young people today they won't believe ya...'

Another favourite of mine:
"Let's take a look at the sales chart. When you took over this account, Conquistador Coffee were a brand leader. Here you introducted your new campaign, 'Conquistador Coffee brings a new meaning to the word vomit.' Here you made your special offer of a free dead dog with every jar, and then followed your second campaign 'the tingling fresh coffee which brings you exciting new cholera, mange, dropsy, the clap, hard pad, and athlete's head'."

I wonder how long it's gonna be until someone yells at us for incessantly quoting Monty Python in a Howard Dean thread...? But then, in a way Howard Dean's campaign was rather comic... let's face it, that Iowa speech was pure Monty Python, so I suppose in a way we still are on-topic...

[JohnFKennedy]

lol @ Michael, HERE HERE!!!! I haven't seen that sketch, sounds good, I like the Loser competition one, I can't remember its name but it was hilarious, they had to jump a match-stick box wall and unhook a bra and stuff.....

[Gustaf]

This parrot IS NO MORE! It has CEASE TO BE!

The classic...

How could I forgot? The 4 Yorkshire Men is a huge favourite!

'...and when we came home our dad would beat us to death with his belt and dance on our graves singing hallelujah! And when you tell the young people today they won't believe ya...'

Another favourite of mine:
"Let's take a look at the sales chart. When you took over this account, Conquistador Coffee were a brand leader. Here you introducted your new campaign, 'Conquistador Coffee brings a new meaning to the word vomit.' Here you made your special offer of a free dead dog with every jar, and then followed your second campaign 'the tingling fresh coffee which brings you exciting new cholera, mange, dropsy, the clap, hard pad, and athlete's head'."

I wonder how long it's gonna be until someone yells at us for incessantly quoting Monty Python in a Howard Dean thread...? But then, in a way Howard Dean's campaign was rather comic... let's face it, that Iowa speech was pure Monty Python, so I suppose in a way we still are on-topic...

Oh yes, that's really funny one as well! Isn't that the one where John Cleese holds up a banner that says 'joke' to trigger the audience?

We'll keep going until we're stopped I think...