BATTLE OF THE DEANS!

[Guest Jobber of the Week]

Fighting is breaking out in Current Events over whether which is better: Presidential Candidate Howard Dean, who has the support of thousands of Americans; or sausage and all-around snack food Jimmy Dean, which has been pleasing Americans' taste buds for decades.

 

Seeing that not every representative of Dean-dom is getting proper respect over there, I made a poll here so we can find out who is, indeed, the best Dean.

[Guest Tyler McClelland]

I vote for Dean.

[Guest MrRant]

I vote for the Deanster. And only one person is cool enough for that name and it's Jimmy Dean.

[Guest Tyler McClelland]

Well, dammit, I'm going to inform people about my candidate.

 

Howard Dean, M.D.

Governor of Vermont

 

"This equal emphasis on creating jobs, balancing budgets and expanding government's social activism sums up Dean's approach to the office he has held longer than anyone in this century ... Dean's stunning political success - five re-election bids, none of them close - has been built on that balanced approach to government."

 

 

 

The Burlington (Vermont) Free Press 9/13/2001

Howard Dean called the governorship "the greatest job in Vermont" when he took the state's top post in 1991. In the decade since, Governor Howard Dean has led Vermont with a firm fiscal discipline, an unwavering commitment to children's health care and education, and a keen environmental awareness.

 

Governor Dean is a physician who previously shared a medical practice with his wife. (To read more about his wife Judy, click here.) He received his B.A. from Yale University in 1971 and his medical degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City in 1978. He served in the Vermont House from 1982 to 1986; was elected lieutenant governor in 1986, and became governor in 1991 with the death of then-Governor Richard Snelling.

 

A common-sense moderate who firmly believes that social justice can only be accomplished through strong financial management, Governor Dean has cut the income tax twice, removed the sales tax on most clothing, and reduced the state's long-term debt. Not only did the governor pay off an inherited $70 million deficit, he worked with lawmakers to build "rainy day" reserves to help the state through any future economic downturn.

 

During the Dean tenure, more than 41,000 new jobs have been created, the state's minimum wage has climbed twice, incentive programs have expanded to help downtowns attract new businesses, and tax incentives were created to attract and keep new companies.

 

If fiscal management is Governor Dean's trademark, improving the lives of Vermont's children is his passion. A physician, Governor Dean strengthened the Dr. Dynasaur program to guarantee health coverage to virtually every child in Vermont age 18 and under. Vermont has one of the lowest uninsured rates in the country -- and highest rates of immunized children. Governor Dean has expanded programs to help seniors afford prescription drugs, and signed into law one of the toughest managed care consumer protections in the United States.

 

It is preservation of Vermont's precious natural resources and landscapes that the governor considers his legacy. Governor Dean worked with local communities and the federal government to preserve more than one million acres of farmland, shorefront, working forests and wilderness.

 

Under the Dean Administration, 76 of the state's leaking landfills were safely closed, and Vermont became a leader in the move to reduce mercury pollution and stop power plants from polluting the air. Governor Dean has created bikeways, led the effort to restore commuter rail service in Vermont, and led a strong, coordinated attack on sprawl.

 

Working with lawmakers, prosecutors, judges and law enforcement, Governor Dean has cracked down on violent crime in Vermont and ensured that violent felons spend time behind bars. He has fought to protect family farms, increased the number of women and minorities in judgeships and other prominent positions, cracked down on domestic violence, and put Vermont in the forefront for child support collections.

[Guest Tyler McClelland]

And God dammit, once you elect HOWARD Dean, the economy will improve so that you can buy MORE Jimmy Dean sausage.

[Guest MrRant]

Let me tell you a little about Jimmy Dean. So grab a chair and bite down into a flavorful roll of Jimmy Dean's Country Mild sausage.

 

 

Now then onto the tale of Jimmy Dean...

 

Born into poverty on a farm in Plainview, Texas, in 1928, Jimmy Dean was raised by his mother who started him on a musical path when she taught him to play piano at age 10. He went on to learn the guitar, harmonica and accordion. At 18, Dean joined the U.S. Air Force, where he passed his free time singing songs, telling tall Texas tales and getting lots of laughs. It was during that time he decided to become an entertainer.

 

After leaving the Air Force in 1948, he put together a band, the Texas Wildcats, who became a sensation on station WARL in Arlington, VA. He soon was broadcasting ten hours a week. In 1952, Jimmy toured the U.S. bases in the Caribbean, and that same year recorded his first single for Four-Star Records, "Bumming Around." The song soared to No. 5 on the country charts the following year and sold more than 700,000 copies. But by then, television was the medium to be in, and Dean landed a spot on the "Town and Country Time" show broadcast on Washington ABC affiliate WMAL-TV. The three-hour show was broadcast every Saturday from the Capital Arena in Washington. Dean was hired away from ABC by Washington's CBS affiliate to host a live country show, and in 1957, he moved to New York to do a CBS national live morning country show.

 

While CBS kept him busy with two live telecasts a day, Dean pursued a recording career. He signed with Columbia records in 1957 and told them that as a country star, he wanted to record in the country music capital of the world- Nashville. That decision proved fortuitous when, on one of many trips from New York to Nashville, he wrote a song on a piece of cardboard that was destined to become a worldwide sensation- "Big Bad John". The song, released in 1962, sold more than eight million copies, making it the number one song in the world and creating a superstar in the process. He followed up with five more top 40 hits in 1962: "Dear Ivan", "The Cajun Queen", "To a Sleeping Beauty", "PT109" and "Little Black Book".

 

The following year, Dean returned to ABC with "The Jimmy Dean Show", which aired Thursday nights from 1963 to 1966. Dean used his show to give many country talents their first national break, including Roy Clark, Roger Miller and Patsy Cline, earning the nickname, "The Dean of Country Music".

 

Next Dean tried his hand at acting with a guest role on an episode of the hit TV series "Daniel Boone". The appearance struck a chord with viewers and won him a regular role from 1967 to 1970 as Josh Clements, Boone's friend. Other acting roles followed, and in 1971 Dean made his feature film debut in the James Bond classic "Diamonds are Forever".

 

Meanwhile, his TV and music careers continued to flourish. he was a popular co-host or guest host for Johnny Carson, Merv Griffin, Mike Douglas, Dinah Shore and Joey Bishop. He also began recording for RCA, hitting the top of the charts with "Stand Beside Me", "A Thing Called Love", "Born to Be By Your Side", and "A Hammer and Nails". In 1976, "I.O.U." became on of the fastest breaking records in the history of the industry and was certified Gold after just 13 days.

 

Dean also made history as the first country performer ever to play Las Vegas. He also graced the stages in Reno, Lake Tahoe, the Hollywood bowl, Carnegie hall, the London Palladium, and everywhere in between. All along, knowing that fame could be fleeting, Dean had invested his money in a business he know about from childhood- hog farming. He founded the Jimmy Dean Meat Company in 1968 and began making the sausage that has made him a household name for new generations of American.s

 

In 1984, The Jimmy Dean Meat company became a subdivision of international food and consumer products company Sara Lee corporation, which has annual revenues of 20 billion dollars. In 1991, Sara Lee changes the name of the company to Jimmy Dean Foods, where Dean continues as chairman of the Board and corporate spokesperson.

 

Today, Dean remains active in the country western music industry, hosting awards shows, writing songs and participating in fund raising efforts for various Nashville charities. As a Virginia resident since 1990, he was inducted into the Virginia Country Music Hall of Fame in 1997. Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore recently appointed Dean to the Virginia Board of Game and Inland Fisheries, which oversees the state's wildlife efforts and regulates the boating laws. Jimmy Dean married Donna Meade, a singer, songwriter and recording artist, in 1991. Jimmy and Donna live on the James River in Henrico County and regularly make appearances on behalf of civic and charitable organizations in the Richmond area.

 

Donna Meade and husband Jimmy Dean

 

Beginning with an investment in hog farming, Jimmy created the Jimmy Dean Meat Company in 1969, which has since become on the America's leading suppliers of sausage and meat products. In June 1984, the Jimmy Dean Meat Company, "America's favorite sausage", became a division of Sara Lee Corporation, an international food and consumer products company with annual sales in excess of $20 billion. In 1991, Sara Lee changed the name of the company to Jimmy Dean Foods. Dean continues as Chairman of the Board and corporate spokesperson for his namesake company.

 

Dean's aim in business is the same in entertaining: "Appeal to the people with quality and honesty, you'll win their confidence. Maintain quality and honesty, and you'll keep it."

 

The advertising approach is a twofold sell: The first sell is made by Jimmy Dean's low-key approach with himself as the spokesman, while the second sell is the fine quality of the Jimmy Dean product line. The sales figures over the years testify to the quality of the product as well as the soundness of the business philosophy.

 

Backed by the security of a thriving business, Dean is free to choose the projects in which he wishes to be involved. He continues to make charitable and civic appearances around the country and appears on numerous television specials. He was a member of the National Advisory Council for Reading is Fundamental (RIF), and was master-of-ceremonies at a White House RIF event in 1989, hosted by former First Lady Barbara Bush.

 

Remaining active in the country western music industry, in 1990, Jimmy and Barbara Mandrell co-hosted the Music City News -The Nashville Network Awards for Country Music, broadcast live across the U.S. The following year he co-hosted TNN-Songwriter of the Year Awards at the Grand Ole Opry. In 1994, Jimmy received the Master Achievement Award from the Reunion of Professional Entertainers at a gala event banquet in Nashville. Jimmy regularly participated in fund raising efforts for various Nashville charities.

 

 

Yessir Jimmy Dean is the right choice for the Presidency!

 

Elect Jimmy Dean~!

 

 

 

 

"Only the best...that's the Jimmy Dean way."

 

 

And remember when you fear for your country's future you can look to Jimmy and is quality line of sausages and Fresh Taste™ meals full of down home country flavor to put the spirit of America right back into you.

[Guest Tyler McClelland]

Pshaw. His sausage is overrated.

[Guest MrRant]

The word Pshaw is overrated as well as the liberal cause.

[Guest Tyler McClelland]

Keep telling yourself that.

[Guest MrRant]

Why would I keep telling myself something I already know as a fact?

[Guest Tyler McClelland]

I know you are but what am I?

 

Erm...

 

Because one of these times, I'm sure you'll really believe it.

[Guest MrRant]

Yes... my comments have started to break down your walls of Liberalism.

 

Soon you will be a free thinking and functioning member of society.

[Guest Vern Gagne]

Pshaw. His sausage is overrated.

That sounds like pointless mudslinging. Aren't we above that kind of politics?

[Guest MrRant]

I bet Tyler has only tasted Howie's sausage and thinks he is above giving Jimmy's sausage a little taste.

[Guest Tyler McClelland]

That sounded needlessly disgusting.

[Agent_Bond34 0]

Yes, it did.

 

Anyway, I voted for Deano Machino.

[Guest JMA]

Soon you will be a free thinking and functioning member of society.

Fascism, ladies and gents. Face it, the world is becomming more progressive every day. You can't stop it. What, did you prefer the way America was in the fifties? Unless you were a WASP, it sucked.

[Guest JMA]

Anyway, Dean Malenko gets my vote.

[Guest bob_barron]

How in the hell could you forget SNL featured player Dean Edwards?

[Guest CanadianChris]

Where's Dean Smith? And Dizzy Dean?

[Guest Sandman9000]

I vote for Dean Smith, simply because I visited the DeanDome a couple years ago when UNC wasn't playing and sat in there for 20 minutes with my jaw open looking around at the place. Probably would be even better had there been a game going on.

 

 

That and he was a decent coach.

[Guest The Old Me]

No one should ever know that much about a man and his sausage.

[Guest Kotzenjunge]

I vote for the dean from Animal House.

[Zorin Industries 0]

 

Light a fatty for this pimp daddy

[Guest JHawk]

I voted for Dean Douglas.

 

I think with a little bit of tweaking that gimmick could have really kicked ass.

 

That and I figured nobody else would vote for him.

[Guest razazteca]

I don't know

I don't care

[Agent_Bond34 0]

So, who is gonna be the first one to vote for Dr. Dean Edell?

[Guest papacita]

I mark for Dean Douglas. If he was Chyna, I'd definitely hit that.

[Guest kkktookmybabyaway]

Hmmm, vote for Howard or Jimmy...

 

One's filled up with junk and garbage, and the other is a breakfast link.

 

I'm going with Jimmy...

[Guest bravesfan]

Dean Martin, simply because he was one of my dad's (RIP) favorite entertainers; on a side note, I can also remember the order in which his songs played on that Time Life commercial pimping his "The Best of Dean Martin" years back (I can do this with EVERY TL commercial dating back to 1993).

 

"Volare"

"That's Amore"

"Return to Me"

"You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You"

"Memories Are Made Of This"

 

...and yes, I AM a loser.