Pacific Views

In Portland With Dean

Byline natasha
We had a big crowd here in Portland. The Portland State University plaza was packed, with more people ringing the fences and the balconies overlooking the rally.

Student organizer Saul Ettlin, from the PSU College Democrats, praised Dean for reaching out to students. He said that this early in the campaign, none of the other candidates had even started paying attention to them.

Secretary of State Bill Bradbury talked in his introduction about President Bush's recent visit to Oregon to promote his forest policy. He described the President's forest policy as the "No tree left behind" policy.

And now, Governor Dean:

"No Republican president has balanced a budget in 34 years. If you want to give your hard earned money to the federal government, than you better hire a Democrat. Because the Republicans can't handle money."

"See that flag up there? That flag does not belong to President Bush, [...] it belongs to all of us."

"The biggest lie that gets told at election time is that if you elect me, I'll solve all your problems. [...] The truth is, you have the power."

Press Room:

Iraq: I would immediately go to the United Nations [...] internationalize the occupation. [...] We can't leave now that we're there, [there's too much risk of chaos, or a fundamentalist regime.]

Healthy Forest Initiative: We don't want clear-cutting in the national forests. The right thing is to allow thinning, underbrush clearing, and deadfall clearing. [...] Not every acre needs to be used by every interest. [...] He believes that the forest belongs to the mining companies and the timber companies, and I don't share that view.

Israel & Palestine: He went AWOL for 2 1/2 years, and now we're paying the price. [...] I believe that the two state solution with secure borders for everyone. ...

Health Care: Lawyers, doctors, insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, . But they'll never tell you the sixth problem, and that's us. My son had an appendectomy about a year ago, and I was transformed from a governor who wanted the insurance company to pay for everything, and there's no one here who'd do any different. [The problem with other politicians who talk about this] is that they treat the voters like children, [and won't discuss more detailed issues.]

[Now that patients no longer know their doctors,] they get the works whether they want it or not. The corporatization of medicine has [degraded the quality of health care. With many decisions made out of fear of the lawyers.]

How do you avoid peaking too early: Keep working hard every day. [...]

PS: The Portland volunteers will be glad to know that one of the press attendees was overheard saying that the level of organization down at the registration tables was the best they'd ever seen. Good job, everybody.

x-posted on Blog for America

Update by natasha: The badly transcribed notes on Dean's healthcare statement should read as follows...

Health Care: [Other candidates will tell you about the five big problems with health care in this country;] lawyers, doctors, insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, [...]. But they'll never tell you the sixth problem, and that's us. My son had an appendectomy about a year ago, and I was transformed from a governor who wanted [to fix healthcare spending, into a father who wanted] the insurance company to pay for everything, and there's no one here who'd do any different. [The problem with other politicians who talk about this] is that they treat the voters like children, [and won't discuss more detailed issues.]

Posted by Mary at August 24, 2003 08:19 PM | TrackBack