NO DEBATING IT: HOWARD BLEW IT BIG TIME
By DEBORAH ORIN and VINCENT MORRIS
NY Post
January 12, 2004 -- ANALYSIS
DES MOINES, Iowa - Howard Dean's worst debate performance came at the worst possible time: just as Iowans are getting ready to vote.
He was stuck on the defensive almost all night, and got the worst of it from Al Sharpton as Dean tried to defend his failure to hire minority Cabinet members and stumbled over citizenship for immigrants serving in the Army.
Even a preplanned stunt blew up in Dean's face - invited to ask a question of a rival, he tried to toss it to a supporter in the audience, but the moderator wouldn't let him. Flummoxed, Dean was unable to come up with an impromptu query.
It was a performance that could only fuel jitters among Democrats; if he isn't ready to debate Al Sharpton, how can he out debate George Bush?
Dean's troubles allowed his chief rival in Iowa, Rep. Dick Gephardt (Mo.), to float above the fray and stress his own message of protecting U.S. jobs.
In effect, Sharpton boosted Gephardt's chances by taking on Dean since often in debates, both candidates who get tangled in nasty back-and-forths hurt each other.
Sen. John Kerry (Mass.) got in a few good jabs at Dean, while Sen. John Edwards (N.C.) mostly stayed above the fray, stressed a positive message, and escaped attacks from rivals, despite his rise in the polls.
NEW YORK POST |
