Dean retools talk on foreign policy
SAN FRANCISCO -- The capture of Saddam Hussein prompted Howard Dean to draft a new opening for a foreign policy address scheduled for today, but aides, supporters, and analysts argue that it will not diminish his strength in the Democratic presidential race because he has used the notoriety of his staunch antiwar position to attract a broad political following.
"Dean still represents the Democratic frustration with being locked out of power all over Washington and their distaste for the administration in general," said Dennis J. Goldford, chairman of the political science department at Drake University in Iowa,where the Jan. 19 caucuses kick off the delegate-selection process. "Dean still appears to be someone who is willing to take a baseball bat and go after the Republicans."
The former Vermont governor, who rose from political obscurity earlier this year by chastising President Bush for waging what he considered an unjustified, unilateral invasion, was sleeping in Florida after a long day of campaigning when an aide woke him about 8 a.m. yesterday and told him of the Iraqi leader's capture.
Several hours later, speaking with reporters before a cross-country flight for a fund-raiser in San Francisco, Dean said he would not discuss the political ramifications of the capture. Instead, he lauded the troops who had captured Hussein and also said he hoped it would transform the US occupation of Iraq.
"I think this is an opportunity for us, an opportunity to turn the American occupation of Iraq into an international reconstruction effort," Dean said in West Palm Beach. "This is a real opportunity to internationalize the effort in Iraq, and I urge the president to use this extraordinary opportunity to reach out to the UN again, to NATO, to other countries, to bring in troops from other countries to replace our troops, so we can begin to bring ours home."
Later, during an appearance before an estimated 2,500 at a concert headlined by Bonnie Raitt and David Crosby, Dean's remarks took on a more political air.
"I congratulate our troops on capturing Saddam Hussein," Dean said. "He is a bad person and we are better off with him in captivity. But you should know that my views on Iraq have not changed one bit."
Moments later, he added: "You know, some people have said, `Oh, Saddam Hussein is captured, this campaign is going away.' I don't think so."
The most immediate impact on Dean's campaign was the redrafting of the speech he is delivering today in Beverly Hills. While it will continue to focus on broad foreign policy themes, including the creation of an international antiterrorism fund, Dean and his speechwriters immediately began rewriting the beginning to acknowledge the latest news from Iraq.
"I don't think it will change the speech significantly," said one top campaign official, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
As for the capture's affect on Dean's candidacy, the official said: "We've seen this before, `Mission Accomplished,' etc., etc., but I think this campaign has gone way beyond the war, and why we're here also has to do with changing the party and changing the political system in the country."
