The “Scream” That Killed Howard Dean’s Presidential Bid in 2004
Posted November 28, 2008 · Charles O
In summary: Howard Dean, who had been a leading contender for the Democratic Presidential nomination for the 2004 elections, came 3rd in the Iowa caucus, and subsequently addressed an Iowa crowd of supporters. The rest, as they say, is history. Howard Dean’s candidacy went down the drain following his excited scream (”… then we’re going to Washington, D.C., to take back the White House, Yeah!!!“ … ), and the media’s subsequent obsession with, and inane unending micro-analysis of, the “scream” that was said to be “un-presidential.” By some account, the clip was shown an estimated 633 times in the four days following the incident! I won’t expend energy on analysis and will rest on this superb commentary:
I remember when [the Dean “scream” debacle] was news and how it was used to discredit Dean. It was such a non-event and stands as a testament to the power of the media and the gullibility of the American people. A classic propaganda method. Show [people] something a hundred times each time telling [them] what it means or how [they] should think about it. The power elite, who control this country , no longer need to assassinate with a bullet when they can destroy ones character with a news media they control.
Historical Footnote: A Credit to Dean
We must note that Howard Dean made a crucial contribution to the art of campaign fundraising. The grassroots-oriented fundraising method used by Barack Obama in his successful 2008 presidential bid, with its emphasis on small donors and the Internet, refined and built on the model that Dean’s 2004 unsuccessful presidential campaign pioneered.
Postscript: On a Lighter Note…
I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to post this clip, as comic-relief: Dave Chappelle’s impresion of Howard Dean’s “BYAH”