Value Judgment: Fuzzy Math

Value Judgment is a daily weblog written by two independent voters on the eastern seaboard of the United States. VJ will focus on the 2004 U.S. Presidential campaigns, including strategy, tactics, and substance. The authors supported Howard Dean in the Democratic primary. Accordingly, his activities will be a prominent topic on this site.

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July 9, 2003

Fuzzy Math

Found via today's Note: two "Dean can't win" stories from the New York Post: McGovern II... [Dick Morris] ...or a New Carter? [Eric Fettmann]

Gee. It would be easier to take either of them seriously if they both didn't get the same easily-checked fact wrong in exactly the same way (and, coincidentally, both got it wrong in a way which makes Dean look weaker; shocking).

How much money did Dean raise in the second quarter, again? Morris: $6.5 million. Fettmann: $6.5 million. Dean campaign and numerous sources in Lexis-Nexis: $7.5 million.

Ah, but what's a million-dollar error between political operatives...

Alternative hypothesis: Though their columns are dated today, maybe they're actually living in the world of June 29th, when $6.5 million was the known number. Hey, that might explain a few things.

So: Morris and Fettman both declare Governor Dean 'unelectable'. Put the NY Post in the stack for 'Fire the Fool!' letters come November 2004.

Posted by V at July 9, 2003 01:19 PM

Comments

If Dean's so 'unelectable' why aren't all these insider bigshots just ignoring him like they're ignoring Kucinich, Moseley Braun, and Sharpton?

Instead it's: He's too liberal! He's not liberal enough! He doesn't have any money! He's spending too much money! He has no name recognition! His (all 50-state) supporter base is too white! Too male! Too wired! Too green! And so on, and so on.

What are they so afraid of? I'll tell you: The Republicans are afraid of someone who'll actually point out Bush's duplicitous incompetencies straightforwardly. The Beltway Dems are afraid that he'll win and he won't owe them a thing.

The people, though, you all remember the people, right? They like Howard, they support him, they'll work for him, and even when they don't agree with him 100% (as I don't), they know that he'll approach challenges rationally and pragmatically.

Go, Dean, Go.

Posted by: J at July 9, 2003 03:35 PM

That's funny, I thought Carter succeeded in becoming President. Shall we rewrite that history now too?

Posted by: tate at July 10, 2003 12:08 AM

Their titles are somewhat misleading: Morris says Yes, Dean is McGovernish, Fettmann says No, Dean is not Cartery and will lose much like McGovern.

So, it's a real high-contrast point/counterpoint they've got going there...

Posted by: V at July 10, 2003 12:26 AM