Nation-Building >> Trippi's Conference Call on the Success of the Call To Action For Iowa Congressman Boswell | return to front page

After raising $51,557 in 24 hours for Iowa Congressman Leonard Boswell, Dean For America Campaign Manager Joe Trippi said today that it signals to Washington, D.C. how the movement for Dean will make a much stronger Democratic party to compete against Bush.

There were 1,359 individual contributors donating an average gift of $38 for Boswell.

"We did this as a test. We wanted to demonstrate the power of this grassroots movement," said Trippi in a media conference call this afternoon. "No other Democrat has done this before, this early. We're making the Democratic party stronger."

When asked how often Dean supporters could be tapped for other Democrats, Trippi said the campaign is more likely to help others after Iowa and New Hampshire voting.

"This was an optimal response because contributors were conflicted between helping Dean or Boswell," said Trippi. "In March or April we believe we will be able to go to the well to help targeted Democrats in the House and the Senate."

Trippi also said the call to action for Boswell showed once again that the decision to opt out of public financing was the only choice the campaign really had to be able to compete with the onslaught from Bush.

"We always maintained that the Republicans would use their money to work over the Democratic nominee early. That's why we opted out of public campaign finance--to compete against Bush--not the rest of the Democratic field."

By organizing what they call the "Club For Growth," the Republican National Committee started campaigning two weeks ago in New Hampshire and Iowa by running television ads critical of Democrats. The early attack ads are unprecedented in American political history.

As a response, Trippi announced the formation of the "Club For Truth" to respond to the conservative media blitz.

"As Governor Dean says in one of our ads, 'I'm Howard Dean and I approve this message because they're not trying to stop me--they're trying to stop you."

Trippi said there is no doubt in his mind that after signing up the current list of 450,000 supporters that the goal of 2 million will be reached by the time of the Democratic National Convention next summer

Noting the the fact that RNC Chairman Ed Gillespie was dispatched to Vermont this week to bash Governor Dean, Trippi said it was a sure sign that Karl Rove is afraid of the growing grassroots movement of Howard Dean.

"If they wanted us so bad, I don't know why they are attacking us," said Trippi.

In other related news: Trippi said he would not comment on the sealed records issue until after the conservative Judicial Watch law suit they were served was digested by the campaign.

After being asked by a reporter if the campaign would start to help out the Internet teams and bloggers who spurred the movement financially, Trippi said that for the time being relations would continue on a volunteer basis.

This Press Release fostered at DeanTV.org where it will be disseminated as well.

Heath