NEWS
Dean Works to Win Wisconsin
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Also by Abby Peterson:
- In-Depth: Higher tuition threatens public education (September 9, 2004)
- In-Depth: Four more years (November 11, 2004)
- In-Depth: What's a UW degree worth? (November 18, 2004)
- In-Depth: The students that shape the UW (October 7, 2004)
- In-Depth: Bush, Kerry largely ignore higher-education issue (October 14, 2004)
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- Dean holds phone conference with Wisconsin reporters (February 3, 2004)
- Dean failed to capture student vote (February 19, 2004)
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by Abby Peterson
Monday, February 2, 2004
MILWAUKEE, Wis — Strategically maneuvering to win Wisconsin’s primary Feb. 17, former Vermont Governor Howard Dean made a campaign stop in Milwaukee Sunday to regain his political footing after losing the first two contests in the democratic primary.
The former Vermont Governor defended his campaign record after failures to capture a win in either Iowa or New Hampshire, stating that the race is far from over and his candidacy will still be in full swing by the time the Wisconsin primary rolls around.
“To suggest that anyone ought to drop out of the race after 10 percent of the delegates [have been chosen] is ridiculous,” Dean said. “I think the people of Wisconsin ought to have a say in who is the next President of the United States.”
Dean hopes to be, “the last standing alternative to John Kerry after the Wisconsin primary on February 17,” according to a release by his new campaign chief executive officer, Roy Neel.
Neel said Wisconsin could be the key contest in which Dean might retake the lead for the nomination against now heavy-favorite Sen. John Kerry (Mass. ? D) and gain momentum into the Super Tuesday primaries.
“Why Wisconsin? First, it is a stand-alone primary where we believe we can run very strong. Second, it kicks off a two-week campaign for over 1,100 delegates on March 2, and the shift of the campaign that month to nearly every big state,” Neel said in the statement.
Although all other major candidates headed south for the next round of primaries, Dean decided to focus on winning later races he stands a better chance of winning. Dean strategists hope to save resources while other contenders get knocked out during the coming week. Dean will not campaign in any of the February 3 races, focusing instead on the three primaries February 7 and 8 before gearing up for the Wisconsin primary.
Dean was the hour-long guest on “Meet the Press” taped in Milwaukee. He then met with local African-American leaders at the Hilton Milwaukee City Center before attending church services on the city’s north side.
Claiming he is, “the most electable of the Democrats,” Dean pointed to his reputation for challenging Bush on education and Iraq as well as Vermont’s health care, where all citizens under 18 have health insurance and seniors’ can rely on a prescription drug plan, as reasons why he is the best democratic candidate.
“I have a record as opposed to rhetoric,” Dean said.
Addressing local concerns, Dean emphasized that only a Democrat could take steps like small businesses investment to revitalize the city of Milwaukee, and especially its black population.
“What’s good for the African American community is good for everyone else too,” Dean said.
Dean, however, refused to comment when asked on the worsening racial divide in Milwaukee, which is the United States’ most segregated city based on the 2000 US Census.
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Dean is attempting to appeal to the African American vote by linking Milwaukee’s economic hardships to Republican fiscal policies, which Dean labeled “a borrow and spend government.” Since 1970, Milwaukee’s per capita income fell to 44th place among the 50 largest US cities.
