Nation-Building

On a lighter note, the Boston Globe reports that the Kerry/Dean competition is even heating up among celebrities:

Rock 'n' roll is known for its ''battle of the bands,'' but 2004 presidential politics may trigger a battle within a band. Senator John F. Kerry has enjoyed the support of Stephen Stills, of Crosby, Stills & Nash fame, as he has campaigned for the Democratic presidential nomination. Stills even got off his sickbed last month to sing at a Kerry fund-raiser in San Francisco. Last night the other two-thirds of the band, David Crosby and Graham Nash, were in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to attend a reception on behalf of Howard Dean, the former governor of Vermont and a rival for the DemocratiS&c nomination. Kerry was making his own campaign appearance in Cedar Rapids yesterday, and when he returned to his hotel, he found the hotel driveway blocked by a van bearing a Dean bumper sticker. It was waiting for Nash and Crosby to come out of the lobby. The split allegiances prompted one Kerry aide to make reference to the band's former member, Neil Young. ''I guess the fight is to see who can get Young,'' the aide said.

Continue reading/discuss Split Ticket: CSN split over Kerry, Dean ...

OK, OK... so this is the Washington Post, not really a GOP staffer or scribe. Still, this storyline is emerging, and it's safe to say it's probably not by accident. The GOP would love to simply pigeon-hole Dean as the "pacifist" candidate... a true dove... Which he really is not. This is a testament to Dean's emerging status as a major contender in the Democratic primaries. Basically, the GOP is already so worried about Dean that they're planting the over-simplified version of Dean's position on the war in Iraq with reporters. Today's Washington Post had this analysis:

"Republicans vs. Democrats: The GOPers want to paint the Dems as the party of Howard Dean, weak on national defense, compared to a Republican president who has now whipped two despotic regimes. The Democrats' liberal wing says Bushie, Rummy & Wolfy used the anger over 9/11 to demonize the Iraqi regime as part of a grand plan to take out Syria and Iran as well – and besides, the economy still stinks."

I hope that the Democrats are the party of Howard Dean because not only is he right on the war in Iraq, but he's been saying for months that America must engage (not ignore) North Korea. When North Korea goes nuclear on this President's watch it will be a huge trump card for the Democrats next year.

What all the pundits and the journalists (and, of course the right wing) miss in all this is that "being strong" doesn't mean you go around bombing third rate powers. This war is the equivalent of the NFL playing the pee-wee league, and the Bush administration knows it. Dean has clearly outlined a strong multilateral foreign policy, and a strong defense policy that reserves the right to use force. I will sleep much better at night knowing that Dean is in the White House.

Letters to the editor at the Washington Post may be directed to: Letters@washpost.com

Continue reading/discuss GOP Already Gunning for Dean ...

Another milestone: Dean, at 13808 members. This beats the next group (witches: 13630) by 178 people - and still growing! Kerry: 802, Edwards: 529. Unsurprisingly, Gary Hart has been growing as well, with 745 members.

Gary Hart leads in growth over the past 7 days, at 47%. Dean follows at 26% and then Kerry, at 15% - the same as Sean Hannity :P All three (and Hannity too) are in Meetup's Top 25 fastest growing groups.

Continue reading/discuss Dean is king of the Meetup hill ...

A short piece from CBS news mentions that Terry McAuliffe has explicitly asked all teh Dem Candidates to "play nice" - while it's obvious that Kerry is the main offender, the article focuses more on Dean. This is problematic - probably because Dean is so outspoken, that there is a conventional wisdom building that he is the most prone to go on the offensive. It bears watching.

Dean himself is quoted and defends himself ably:

"I don't think I have said anything personal," said Dean. "I think the only personal remarks were made by some campaign aides for Senator Kerry. I don't think there is anything personal about disagreeing with someone's positions or lack of positions."

Continue reading/discuss play nice ...

This is the first article I've seen that directly compares Dean to Clinton in terms of his strengths at reaching out to a diverse range of people. The article discusses how Dean is at east in both the big city environment as well as the rural and suburban scene - mainly due to his ownn diverse background:

Like Bill Clinton, who could both hobnob in Hollywood and feel right at home playing cards and chatting with local folks in the small towns and on the back roads of Arkansas, Dean is at ease hiking the Long Trail in Vermont and navigating the subways and streets of New York.
...
Dean's diverse background helps him in many ways: His career as a doctor lends credibility when he talks about health care; his years as chief executive of a state allows him to say that he has balanced a budget; his life in Vermont gives him credibility when he speaks about the environment.

And Dean's ability to straddle the worlds of Vermont and New York City will serve him well: His experience campaigning one-on-one in Vermont will bolster his efforts in Iowa and New Hampshire while his New York upbringing will help him in the big states and with the big-money donors.

Continue reading/discuss Howard Dean at ease in big city ...

Hey Meetup organizers,

the Meetup crew has offered to assist in getting local media coverage for Dean meetups. The benefits of increased press attention are obvious - increase Dean's exposure, especially in the context of his emergent grass- and net-root support base. Myles from Meetup.com writes:

In short, we can help drive local media coverage for those so inclined to actively pursue press attention. Internally, we're already in hot pursuit, but with an active 'street team' of ad-hoc publicists in 100s of cities and small towns, the impact of the messaging can be that much greater.

If folks would like email me with their locations, I can try to send them some top-line media contacts in their areas.

You can reach Myles via email at press@meetup.com

Continue reading/discuss meetups: local media ...

Look for a flood of influential Democratic party endorsements for Howard Dean. Already on the books: Judith Hope, former New York Democratic Chair, former Oregon Gov. Barbara Roberts, and current Sec. of State Bill Bradbury. Now, a major coup, former Lt. Gov. Donald Beyer - a major player in Virginia politics, and a generous party donor - has agreed to become Dean's campaign Treasurer.

Keep your eyes peeled for other endorsements in your area, and let the rest of us know about them. Dean's national networking abilities and stint as former NGA Chair are holding him in good stead. This again, is one reason people underestimate him. He's not just a local pol from a small state... he actually has a large, influential network through Democratic Governors.

Continue reading/discuss Former Virginia Lt. Governor Endorses Dean, Becomes Campaign Treasurer ...

From the Washington Times comes this assessment of Sen. John Kerry's sudden change of tactics as he moves from his usual position of restraint on the war and the administration to attack mode - in a vain, and thinly disguised attempt to cut into Gov. Dean's growing support:

"The locals in New Hampshire are pondering changes in Sen. John Kerry as he switches from "honorable restraint to barbs that drip vitriol" in his race against fellow Democratic presidential hopeful Howard Dean, according to a Laconia Citizen editorial yesterday.

Mr. Kerry is after the "anti-war crowd that forms the base of the former Vermont governor's support," the paper noted.
"Is this the same John Kerry we thought we knew — the honorable veteran of the Vietnam War who had pledged two weeks ago to dull his criticism of the Bush administration after the war started in the interest of promoting national unity?

"Fine words, but apparently hollow words that shift with the political winds. Kerry has taken the role of an opportunist who won't allow principle to get in the way of telling some people what they want to hear in an effort to gain votes. And if Kerry were elected president, would the U.N. delegates trust a man who talks from both sides of his mouth?"'

Editorial Note: This probably isn't the kind of press in New Hampshire that his campaign aides envisioned when they adopted this new strategy.

Continue reading/discuss John, We Hardly Knew Ye... ...

Dean Campaign Director Joe Trippi has been pointing out lately that the "Howard Dean in 2004" Meet-up total for Boston, the heart of Sen. John Kerry's presidential campaign and the city in which the Democratic nominee will be named, dwarfs the "John Kerry in 2004" total there. We at the not-official DeanBlog, being more free to poke fun and gloat (good-naturedly, of course) than the official Dean Call to Action Blog, bring you the following totals from Meetup.com on the state of the "net-roots" campaign for each candidate. All numbers are accurate as of the timestamp for this post.

Trippi is right about Boston -- Dean, with 524 members, is the single most popular Meet-up topic there, with twice as many people signed up as the next closest topic. As of this writing, Kerry has failed to break a hundred members in his hometown, with Meet-ups for the cultish fans of the emo band Dashboard Confessional and knitting enthusiasts threatening to overtake him.

In Connecticut, Dean is again the most popular Meet-up topic. Both in Hartford, where Sen. Joe Lieberman lives, and in Stamford, where he grew up, "Dean in 2004" -- at 82 and 59, respectively -- has about twice as many members as the second-place topic. "Lieberman in 2004" musters only one member in each city. This puts Senator Joe below not only Kerry's total in both towns (two and four, respectively), but also a range of topics from Xena: Warrior Princess to Icelandic pop princess Björk.

In Raleigh-Durham, the locale with the most Meet-up members in North Carolina, "Dean in 2004" is at the top of the list with 162 members. Sen. John Edwards pulls in at 43, with witches (41) and the ubiquitous knitters (38) on his heels.

Rep. Dick Gephardt trails not only Dean -- again the most popular Meet-up topic in the city, with 145 members -- but Kerry and Edwards, too, in his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. Gephardt, with four members, finds himself tied with Tool (no relation, so far as we know) and just ahead of soapmaking.

Predictably, the four establishment candidates mentioned above find their most supporters in Washington, DC (New York City tops the "Dean in 2004" list). Yet even Dean's total in Washington (906) is more than the national total for any of the other candidates; Kerry's national total is 790, Edwards comes in at 522, Gephardt at 93, and Lieberman has 43. As of this writing "Dean in 2004" members number 13,315.

President Bush also has a Meet-up group. In Austin, Texas, where the Bush 2000 campaign was headquartered, "Bush2004" finds itself ranked below not only Dean, the most popular topic there, but also Kerry, Edwards, non-candidate Al Gore, and Gephardt, in that order. In Houston, the city with the most Meet-up members in Texas, Dean's 127 compares pretty favorably with Bush's two. That total makes Bush the 326th most popular topic there, putting Bush just below "Body Modification", but only because those subjects that are tied are ranked in alphabetical order.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that many Dean supporters attending meet-ups have never been involved in a campaign before. This is significant because it means Howard Dean is not only building a campaign organization but nurturing civil society. As these numbers show, the other Democrats and the president simply aren't inspiring people in the same way.

As has been said over and over on this site and elsewhere, Meet-up is a great way to connect with other Dean supporters and get his message out. Be sure to sign up now if you haven't. If you're already a member, take a minute to tell a friend.

Continue reading/discuss Favorite Sons? ...

We will be using a phonenet service to directly reach Dean supporters with important, time sensitive text messages and voice mails on their cell phones. See our Call to Action Blog for details, or you can sign up here. This is a fantastic tool for grassroots and netroots organizing--the campaign can speak directly to you at the most critical moments.

Continue reading/discuss Join the Dean Phonenet--Receive Important Text and Voice Messages from the Campaign to your Cell ...

I really think that most pundits and politicians and journalists have trouble trying to figure Howard Dean out. Dean himself is walking a fine line between the issues and I like that strategy. What Dean is doing is taking on and evaluating every issue on its own merits. What started this train of thought of mine was this story in the Washington Post. It's about how the war has divided the Democratic party. Here's a quote:

The war in Iraq has divided and largely silenced the Democrats, leaving many of their leaders as bystanders to the conflict and their presidential candidates contending with a resurgent antiwar constituency that could drive the party farther to the left.

The war has underscored the absence of consensus among Democrats on foreign policy and national security and highlighted concern among some Democrats that, to date, no one has emerged with the experience, political stature or credibility to pull the party together to challenge President Bush on issues that will be central to the 2004 election.

Now personally, I don't happen to think this is a bad thing. The Democrats desperately need to stop marching lock-step with each other. And Howard Dean has done just that. And, not a surprise, he is the main focus of this article. His steadfast opposition to the war in Iraq has put many of the other Democratic contenders on the defensive. Here's another quote:

The strength of the antiwar left has boosted the presidential candidacy of former Vermont governor Howard Dean, a vociferous critic of going to war before it started, and it has forced candidates who supported going to war to find other ways to appeal to the party's liberal activists to prevent the once-dismissed Dean from gaining even more ground.

Well yes, much of the antiwar left have rallied around Dean but I think it's more than that; he has, or rather offers, no stock answers. As I said, he considers each question about each issue and offers a surprisingly well thought out answer. Whether it concerns gun rights or abortion rights or healthcare or the war, he doesn't fit into any neat pidgen-hole the way reporters and pundits wish he would -- that would make their jobs, and criticisms easier.

And this gift of Dean's is what had me voting for him five times. Those who know me or my blog Alphecca know my main concern in life is protecting the Second Amendment. Howard Dean has consistently agreed and governed that way. He's also a fiscal conservative (as I am) and has made the tough cuts in the state budget when they had to be made. We disagree about some issues but I defy any honest person to find a candidate they really agree with one hundred percent. Even the most die-hard Democrat must find some things they think Bush is doing right or they are the most dishonest person in the world. When I think about voting for a candidate I draw up a list of ten issues I care most about and evaluate each candidate based on that list.

Anyway, back to Dean and this article. Here's another quote:

Dean not only has attacked the president for going to war without establishing that Iraq represented an imminent threat to the United States, but also has criticized those Democrats who voted for the congressional resolution authorizing war. At party gatherings, Democratic activists have consistently given Dean their most enthusiastic applause.

Many Democrats predict that Dean's candidacy will suffer once the war ends, arguing that antiwar activists will begin to look beyond Iraq to other issues as they weigh their choices for the nomination. They also contend that the desire to defeat Bush will force the antiwar left to weigh who has the best chance of doing that.

"Right now he gets a lot of energy and a lot of support from people who are antiwar," one Democratic operative said. "It's not clear whether or not that group will stay with Dean or look to other major '04 candidates after the war in Iraq."

Dean advisers say his candidacy transcends opposition to the war and will prosper whether or not the antiwar left remains cohesive. Others say the more Dean continues to be a significant force in the nomination battle after the war, the bigger the danger for the party.

"If the war turns out to be a success, enough savvy Democratic operatives, contributors and activists will do their best to make sure the party does not nominate a Howard Dean candidate," said William Mayer of Northeastern University in Boston. "They will find somebody who will plausibly look strong enough on defense not to doom the party."

This conflict will, in various stages, be with us for the next few years. The actual war might end in a few weeks but "mopping up" and rebuilding and creating a new government will take a long time. Dean could suffer from that but I really think most folks will -- as the election draws near -- consider all that he stands for. Look, I disagree (tepidly) with his stance on the war with Iraq but when I weigh my "ten issues" with his record and his statements, I find myself liking him a lot. Granted, I agree with Bush about some issues but his "Homeland Security" legislation is an abomination and is anti-Constitutional. I'm not sure I could bring myself to vote for him again based just on that issue alone. Dean is far more attractive.

Dean is gaining momentum and gaining in the polls (he's tied with Kerry -- a politician I truly loath) and I think he will pull ahead. And this is good news for many reasons but especially because New Hampshire is the first primary and if he leads the pack there, he will have the momentum to win many more.

The Press might have a tough time figuring him out but I think most Democrats and many voters won't. Like me, they care about a lot of things and Dean comes down on the right side of most of them.

Continue reading/discuss Dean too complex for most pundits -- but hopefully not for most voters ...

Frank Rich writes in today's New York Times that Michael Moore just may have more impact as a serious/funny everyman than the so-called "liberal network" that some Hollywood types are attempting to establish to counter the Rush's, Ann Coulter's, and Sean Hannity's of the world. According to the article, Moore has struck a nerve with his commentary, his unwillingness to shrink from the "liberal" label, and his refusal to dish it out as well as the far-right. In short, he's drawn some blood. An excerpt:

To Mr. Moore, the "virtual insanity" he has provoked in "the Bill O'Reillys and others" on the right is an indication that he, unlike many of his fellow showbiz antiwar protesters, has actually drawn blood. That's a shock to the conservative system. Liberals have been so lame in battling on the mass media's turf that Democratic fat cats in February ponied up $10 million to finance a talk-show radio network that will field hosts to counter Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity. Yet Mr. Moore, without a talk show, may be just the lethal heat-seeking show-business weapon they have been looking for. It's telling that conservatives who deride him as a big, fat idiot sound as worried about Mr. Moore as liberals were about Mr. Limbaugh when he began his rise to superstardom.

Like Mr. Limbaugh at his least grandiose best, Mr. Moore's persona is more funny than angry, more everyman than show-biz. He is not, as he puts it, "a didactic, wimpy kind of liberal" — one of those whiners that makes audiences reach for the remote faster than you can say "Phil Donahue." Mr. Moore may not be subtle as a filmmaker or a polemicist, but the grandstanding glee of his broad strokes is precisely what makes him succeed as a showman. "Bowling for Columbine," with its wild (and sometimes dubious) leaps of logic and Kubrickesque juxtapositions of grim content (carnage-filled newsreels) with humorous trappings (Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World") makes a seemingly shopworn liberal gripe (the American culture of violence) seem like a lark.

The column closes with a reference to Moore's new work, "Fahrenheit 911" which looks at the oil connections between Texas, the Bush family, the Bin Laden family and other Saudis that will be release two weeks prior to the election. Rich notes that this in combination with Hollywood "lining up to contribute to Howard Dean" might prove a potent combination against the Bush White House.

Continue reading/discuss Michael Moore's Ascent - And an Acknowledgment of Dean's Fundraising Appeal in Hollywood ...

From the Rutland Herald, Tracy Schmaler writes that Dean supporters are not typical political volunteers. They're willing to go the extra mile, pack up a car and get to Vermont to volunteer, work overtime in far away states through meetups, and much more. Some good comments from Joe Trippi on the message here as well - this is not just a campaign against the president's war policy, it's a campaign for a balanced budget, for health care for all Americans, for a sane approach to public education, and much, much more.

This is the kind of story that other Democratic presidential candidates would sell their right arm to get (or at the very least, abandon their principles for. ahem.):

Certain volunteer stories have become lore in the campaign, the examples of the kind of inspiration Dean invokes in his supporters. There is the young man who packed up his car in New York City and drove north to Burlington to volunteer because he believed in Dean. He worked for no pay for several weeks, but now makes about $500 a month. There is a pair of Washington, D.C., lawyers who came to Vermont to work for free because they liked what they heard from Dean. They may have a paying job some day, they were told. It is that type of response that has campaign staff convinced that Dean will be the candidate who emerges as the party’s nominee next year.

“It’s one of those things that you can’t believe,” said Kate O’Connor, who has been working for Dean as his special assistant since he moved into the governor’s office upon the death of Richard Snelling in 1991. “It’s hard for people here in Vermont who know him to get it.” O’Connor recalled the audience’s reaction to a speech Dean gave in California last month. “It was amazing,” she said. “When he was walking through the crowd, people were reaching out to touch him.”

Continue reading/discuss People behind the Dean campaign are believers ...

Doug Busk of Atlanta, Georgia has a terrific letter in The New Republic:

Mad campaign

Governor Howard Dean has consistently represented his position on Iraq in multiple appearances and interviews (Ryan Lizza, "Front Load," February 24). While slightly more complicated than other candidates' outright support or opposition to the war, it is nonetheless a clear and easily understood position. Is it necessarily disingenuous of Dean to frontload his opposition to the war as opposed to the more nuanced requirements for the terms under which he would support one? Or is the opposition the other candidates feign outside the Senate chambers, while still voting to grant the president a blank check for action, even more so? TNR has a responsibility to present the facts as they stand: Governor Dean has consistently held a position of opposing the war on Iraq while indicating the terms under which he might be forced to resort to it. And isn't that the type of depth we want in a president?

Continue reading/discuss TNR - Letter to the Editor: Dean has Depth ...

This really isn't news to anyone reading this. However, it's important to note the continued fascination of the news media in internet organizing and the Dean campaign. For any of you organizing house parties, events, or future meetups, this is a great local hook to the national campaign. Call up your hometown reporters and let them know about meetups, email them copies of stories like this one from San Francisco, and definitely invite them to your activities. Reporters seem fascinated with this campaign, and the potent combination of volunteer, grassroots support and the internet is one of the reasons why.

Continue reading/discuss Dean Supporters Flock to the Internet ...

I would like to thank Joe Trippi for his continued participation on this blog. Every time he posts, it focuses my energy and enthusiasm - I don't know if he truly understands what a celebrity he is around here! Unfortunately, I've received a fair amount of hostile email from readers about this post, accusing me of "pandering to Kerry" and advocating "unilateral disarmament" - and most of them are twisting Joe's words in this comment thread to make their point. Joe ably defended his own comments, which I also think were a fair critique of Kerry's incoherence. But we aren't talking about critique so much as we are talking about support.

Let's be clear - Dean has every right to set himself apart from the other Democrats in the field. If that requires some hard criticism, so be it, as long as that criticism is well founded and true (and Dean has already shown that he accepts responsibility for his mistakes in that regard, with his apology to Edwards).

But regardless of the Kerry campaigns's silence when Dean has faced withering attack by GOP propaganda outlets, there is a high ground that we are all striving for. What I hope to see is Dean actively take the leadership role in defending all Democrats from GOP chickenhawk rhetoric. Dean faced that barrage alone well before the war on Iraq started. But the other candidates' rubber stamp of Bush's policies didn't immunize them - and by taking a public stand in their defense, Dean can both float all the boats with a rising defensive tide (including his own, of course) as well as yet again illustrate what makes him different - what makes him the real leader of the pack.

The GOP will attempt to divide and conquer. Some candidates are already falling for it - but that simply proves the degree of institutionalized rot that exists in the Democratic Party. Dr. Dean will be both antibiotic and vaccine. But to beat Bush in 2004 we need to take the right path - the moral high ground.

UPDATE: Joshua Marshall puts it all in perspective.

Continue reading/discuss the high ground ...

Campaign 2004 news on two fronts this week startled many observers. First came word on the "money primary" as the first quarter drew to a close and candidates reported their fundraising totals. A brand new poll of likely New Hampshire primary voters followed soon after. But the surprising news wasn't who was at the front of the pack in each contest -- the real story in each case was a well-known candidate performing startlingly below expectations.

Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, the candidate with the best national name-recognition, managed to raise roughly $3 million, less than half of the totals raised by the two Senators John -- Kerry of Massachusetts ($7 million) and Edwards of North Carolina ($7.4 million). The New York Times characterized his performance this way: "The Lieberman campaign barely topped the $2.6 million raised by Howard Dean, the far-lesser-known former governor of Vermont...."

As the party's vice-presidential nominee in 2000, Lieberman was positioned to establish himself as the early frontrunner by virtue of his name-recognition and contacts among party donors. That he failed to capitalize on this raises serious questions about either his competency as a candidate or Democrats' confidence that he's a viable alternative to Bush -- or both.

Similarly, despite the whopping $7.4 million he raised, John Edwards' poll numbers in New Hampshire raise serious doubts about whether this cash bonanza will do him any good. In the latest poll by the Franklin Pierce College, Edwards drew just 2% support -- putting him below former Senator Gary Hart's 3% and tying him with retired General Wesley Clark, who isn't even running at this point. A margin of error of plus or minus 4% means that Edwards is in a statistical tie with the Al Sharpton, who drew 0%.

With Representative Dick Gephardt of Missouri falling to the middle of the pack in each of these measures (a worse-than-expected third in fundraising; fourth in New Hampshire, behind Lieberman) two candidates showed their strength: Sen. Kerry and Gov. Dean. Kerry was a close second in fundraising and tied for first in New Hampshire. Dean, neck and neck with Kerry in the Granite State, raised less money, but much more than many expected.

But as Kerry continues to draw criticism from both the left and the right for his ambivalence (to put it diplomatically) on the war, it would seem that Dean had the best week of all the major candidates. Add to this the success of this week's Meetups (now pushing 13,000 members) and Dean is clearly on a roll.

[Author's Note: Attentive readers will note the Kerry criticism linked above found its voice right here at DeanBlog, some of it in blockquotes, some of it not. The Kerry-related commentary spawned some lively discussion in comments, including either Dean Campaign Director Joe Trippi or someone purporting to be Dean Campaign Director Joe Trippi [confirmed. --Aziz]. Either way, an excellent point was made: the Kerry campaign has not had the kindest of words for Gov. Dean. Nevertheless, even in the face of foolishness from Jim Jordan, the Kerry Campaign Manager, our broad efforts to elect Howard Dean will also include more benign political hackery, such as the above ham-handed attempt to use the week's news to show what most of us already know: Howard Dean is going all the way.]

Continue reading/discuss Lieberman, Edwards Stumble Badly ...

Former Oregon Gov. Barbara Roberts and current Secretary of State Bill Bradbury have endorsed Howard Dean for President. At the April 2nd Dean meetup, a packed crowd of more than 100 - some lined up outside the room - went wild as Gov. Roberts made her endorsement and told us that Dean is indeed "the real deal." The news release from the Dean campaign went out yesterday:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Susan Allen
April 2, 2003 Press Secretary

BURLINGTON, Vt. – Democratic presidential candidate Gov. Howard Dean today announced the Dean for Oregon Campaign. Co-chairs are former Gov. Barbara Roberts, Secretary of State Bill Bradbury, Terry Bean and Cheryl Perrin.

In addition, Mr. Bean and Ms. Perrin will be serving on the National Finance Committee.

“I am so pleased that these four Oregonians have agreed to head Dean for America’s efforts in their state,” said Gov. Dean. “They each have a long record of public service to their communities and state. They have strong grassroots connections in Oregon. And they have the respect of Democrats.”

“I look forward to working with them to bring the Dean for America message to Oregon,” he added. “It’s time for a rational foreign policy, health care for every American, and a stronger U.S. economy. With Oregon’s help, I can make these goals a reality for our nation.”

###

Continue reading/discuss Oregon's Gov. Roberts and Secretary of State Bradbury Endorse, Chair Oregon Dean Effort ...

One thing that we Dean supporters have to be very careful of is not to confuse friend with foe. Obviously, our Primary guns are trained on Kerry. But we also have to focus on the bigger picture- and take great pains not to poison the well. While it's true that Kerry's newfound criticism of Bush brings Eggo to mind, his statements are certainly ones that no one here would disagree with:

PETERBOROUGH, N.H. - Senator John F. Kerry said yesterday that President Bush committed a ''breach of trust'' in the eyes of many United Nations members by going to war with Iraq, creating a diplomatic chasm that will not be bridged as long as Bush remains in office.

''What we need now is not just a regime change in Saddam Hussein and Iraq, but we need a regime change in the United States,'' Kerry said in a speech at the Peterborough Town Library.

And Kerry has predictably drawn the heavy fire from the Chickenhawks in Chief:

House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., released a statement that said in the midst of war, the nation should pull together to support the troops and commander in chief.

"Once this war is over, there will be plenty of time for the next election," the statement said. "But the war is not yet over, and we still have much work to do to rid the world of Saddam Hussein and his brutal regime."

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, released a statement calling Kerry's words "desperate and inappropriate."

"America before New Hampshire," DeLay said.

(DeLay's brazen hypocrisy is well-documented.)

Everyone who opposes Bush should be alarmed by the regular character asassination that the right-wing infrsatructure is able to manufacture and disseminate - partly with the tools and bully pulpit of the government itself. And such attacks hurt Dean as well, and propagate the ridiculous notion that Democrats are somehow weak on defense and national security. (Look at the budget battles, and you see a quite different story!)

Kerry can be rightly criticized for supporting Bush with a blank check in the past. But we have to recognize that his position now is more in tune with what the nation needs to hear - not just from Howard Dean, but from all Democrats and opposition. And we do have to close ranks to defend Kerry against the greater enemy. Training our guns on him, while he is already under fire from the ChickenHawk Brigade, ultimately only weakens us and strengthens Bush.

Continue reading/discuss Kerry and regime change ...

Glen Johnson of the Boston Globe reports that Sen. Kerry is attempting to horn in on Gov. Dean's emerging popularity by stepping up his criticism of President Bush. The problem? Kerry can't seem to decide if he's for, or against the policies of the Bush administration. An excerpt:

By echoing the ''regime change'' line popular with hundreds of thousands of antiwar protesters who have demonstrated across the nation in recent weeks, the Massachusetts senator and Democratic presidential contender seemed to be reaching out to a newly invigorated constituency as rival Howard Dean, the former governor of Vermont and a vocal opponent of the war in Iraq, closes in on Kerry in opinion polls.

The criticism appeared to contradict statements Kerry made on March 18, just a day before Bush authorized military action to remove Saddam Hussein from power.

Kerry, who previously had been critical of Bush's efforts to reach out to the international community, was reluctant that day to answer when a television crew asked him whether the administration had handled its diplomatic efforts poorly.

''You know, we're beyond that now,'' the senator said after addressing the International Association of Fire Fighters. ''We have to come together as a country to get this done and heal the wounds.''

Kerry, a Navy veteran of Vietnam, said he strongly supported US troops. ''There will be plenty of time here to be critical about how we arrived here,'' he said at that time. In response to questions after his speech yesterday, Kerry reiterated his support for the troops.

He also joined the administration in blasting ''armchair generals'' who are criticizing the war plan.

Then he said: ''It is possible that the word `regime change' is too harsh. Perhaps it is.''

Once again, Sen. Kerry's biggest problem is that he's just not quite sure what his position on this war really is...

UPDATE: LeftLeaner suggests referring to Kerry as the Eggo candidate. It's all in good fun, especially because it's useful to highlight the differences between Dean and Kerry, but one thing we have to make sure of is that we don't cross the line to active Kerry bashing. In our enthusiasm, we have tor emember that Dean and Kerry are on the same side, after all... not that you'd necessarily know it by the Kerry's voting record :) --Aziz

Continue reading/discuss Kerry Waffles on War... Again! ...

According to the AP's Political Notebook, Howard Dean has reached a deal with Simon & Schuster to publish a book on his life and campaign platform in November of 2003. "In it, the former Vermont governor will discuss his positions on health care, social justice, education, balancing the federal budget and the environment."

No comment from the campaign and no hint as to the title. May I suggest "Stand Up for America"? Any takers?

Continue reading/discuss Dean book to be published Novemer 2003 ...

A Franklin Pierce College poll out today shows Howard Dean tied with John Kerry for first place at 21%. Joe Lieberman trails a distant third at 9%. The raw numbers:

Democratic Primary Matchup
All Men Women
Kerry 21% 26% 15%
Dean 21 21 20
Lieberman 9 9 8

Favor U.S. Military Action Against Iraq?
Support 34%
Oppose 55

This is the second poll in two weeks to show Dean tied with Kerry in New Hampshire. The American Research Group's March 21 poll showed similar results.

This is great news, following yesterday's announcement of Howard Dean's incredible first quarter fundraising. But it's important to keep the momentum going. Join Meetup. Take the Meetup Challenge and raise a million for Dean. Contribute online. Remember that March 31st was but a mile post in very long race.

Continue reading/discuss Dean ties for first again in latest NH poll ...

Gov. Dean's hometown paper, the Burlington Free Press urges the Governor to keep dishing it out. An excerpt:

"Dean should resist efforts to muzzle him or to tone down his campaign tactics. For the good of the Democratic Party and the nation, the country needs a fierce, hotly contested race for the Democratic nomination in 2004."

My guess is that other journalists - and my hope is that most Americans - feel the same way.

Continue reading/discuss Give 'em Hell, Howard! ...

A Boston Globe article cites John Kerry's stepped up rhetoric in recent days as being a direct result of the Howard Dean insurgence. Kerry is, they write, "reaching out to a newly invigorated constituency as rival Howard Dean, the former governor of Vermont and a vocal opponent of the war in Iraq, closes in on Kerry in opinion polls."

No surprise to regular visitors to this site, there is definite friction between the two camps. And that seems to have given the media its angle on the Democratic primary. They always love a story of David & Goliath, insider vs. outsider, beltway candidate vs. grass roots candidate. They've found it in Kerry vs. Dean.

Continue reading/discuss Dean forces Kerry's hand ...

From the farthest reaches of the Deanverse - assemble herein and speak of your exploits!

Continue reading/discuss open thread: Meetup reports ...

The Daily Kos is running an online poll. It's worth mentioning as Dean's growing support online should be borne out through online polling. It's worth encouraging Dean bloggers, friends, and other interested parties to check it out, and make your voice heard on behalf of the online community for Dean. Check it out... and vote.

Continue reading/discuss Daily Kos Online Poll ...

BURLINGTON, Vt. – Dean for America today announced that first-quarter fundraising totals are expected to exceed $2.6 million, with more than $2 million cash-on-hand. Contributions came from more than 12,000 individual donors. More than $2 million of the contributions will qualify for federal matching funds under campaign law.

“I send my genuine thanks to all those supporters who agree that this country needs a more thoughtful foreign policy, who believe that every American deserves health insurance, and who are deeply concerned about the borrow-and-spend fiscal policy of this administration,” Gov. Dean said.

“I’m pleased with all the new supporters who were inspired to get involved in presidential politics for the first time, many through the internet,” Gov. Dean said. “But I also appreciate the level of support that I’ve received from the Democratic faithful who agree this country needs a change.”

The big surprise was Internet contributions, which exceeded three-quarters of a million dollars -- about $400,000 coming in the last week of the filing period. A successful Internet push was spearheaded by Dean Meetup, an Internet site that encouraged Dean supporters to “meet up” in cities across the U.S.

For the full release, see our Call to Action Blog.

Continue reading/discuss The Internet Delivers for Dean ...

Hi everyone! I'm back from my self-imposed hiatus, and here's the first article that came to my attention today. Go over to Salon and grab a day pass (top right header bar - view an ad and get the day pass), then check out this article.

Jake Tapper (who is hit or miss, IMO) covers Dean's "whirlwind" week in New York City. Putting aside Tapper's contention that the candidate is "pretending" that the domestic agenda matters, there are a few gold nuggets in this article. The first is that Judith Hope has endorsed Dr Dean. According to what I googled, Hope is the New York State Democratic Committee State Chair, so this is huge news. The article quoted her as saying that she endorsed Dean despite intense pressure to go with another candidate: "I just could not do it, because I feel so strongly that Howard's the real thing. And that comes so rarely in American politics." I couldn't agree with your more, Ms. Hope.

There's also a few choice quotes from Terry McAuliffe (pardon me while I visibly shudder), who is obviously trying to remain neutral at this point. He calls Dean "a spectacular individual who's brought energy, enthusiasm, and excitement to this party." Well Terry, at least you got that right. Read the article for the rest of McAuliffe's statements.

Tapper states that Dean has focused on his domestic agenda during this recent trip. With war dominating the national dialogue, do you think it's wise for Dean to remind the electorate that he's not a "single-issue candidate"? I do, because what orginally attracted me to his candidacy was his national agenda. The anti-war stance is just a bonus for me rather than "the thing" that draws me to the campaign. I'm sure it's going to be hard to force a dialogue on the State of the Union at this point in the race, but I think it's smart to try and let the people who are attracted by the anti-war stance know that there is much more to our candidate's platform.

Continue reading/discuss Another Dean article from Salon.com ...

The Dean Campaign has released a report on the Meetup Challenge over at the Dean Call to Action blog. An excerpt:

Netroot activists have raised nearly a quarter of a million dollars (with FEC matching funds) for Howard Dean in the last month.

Less than two weeks after Dean spoke at the Essex restaurant in Manhattan [on March 5th], over $30,000 had been donated to Howard Dean by Meetup members and their friends. That amount quickly increased, and on March 31st alone, $12,000 came in through the Meetup Challenge. Today, thanks to Dean Meetup members, $112,000 has been raised for Howard Dean. With FEC matching funds, that's nearly a quarter of a million dollars raised through The Meetup Challenge in exactly a month.

[The Meetup Challenge] has been an amazing demonstration of Howard Dean's grassroots support and the power of Internet activism. But the Challenge is not over. Tonight at 7 pm, many of the nearly 12,000 current Dean Meetup members will gather in venues across the country to discuss ways to help Howard Dean. If you're going, spread the news about the Meetup Challenge's success so far. Make it a goal tonight to keep the Meetup Challenge going. The million dollar goal was suggested when there were less than 5,000 Dean Meetup members; today, with nearly 12,000 members, the goal is even closer.

Continue reading/discuss Meetup Challenge now at 1/4 million dollars ...

A Reuters story out today puts Dean rival Sen. John Edwards' first-quarter fundraising total at $7.4 million. The story cites expectations of more the $4 million each for Sen. John Kerry and Rep. Dick Gephardt and $1.5 million for Howard Dean. (It does not provide any information on totals for Sen. Joe Lieberman.)

The following excerpt puts the results in context:

Donnie Fowler, a national field director for Gore's 2000 campaign, said that while many view the first-quarter totals as a sign of a campaign's strength, he considers the second and third quarters more telling.

Much of the first-quarter money is "low-hanging fruit,'' he said.

"It's the easiest money because it's family and friends,'' Fowler said. "They're going to give money to you regardless of whether you're viable, regardless of whether they agree with you on all the issues, regardless of what the media's saying.''

By that logic it seems that Edwards would do well at this early stage; as a wealthy trial lawyer, his connections to other wealthy trial lawyers around the country mean that his low-hanging fruit is probably by far the juiciest.

Similarly, Sen. Kerry and Rep. Gephardt have the connections to raise this friendly money. Sen. Kerry's wife is the Heinz ketchup heiress and he has been a fixture of Boston and Washington high society for decades. Gephardt, another Washington insider, ran for president once before and travelled the country tirelessly during the last several election cycles, cultivating donors for his repeatedly unsuccessful attempts to lead Democrats back into the majority in the House of Representatives.

Dean, as the "outsider" candidate from a small state, contends with fewer opportunities to raise this early money. But he also benefits from lower expectations because of that fact. If he manages to meet or exceed the expectations of the political establishment and his own campaign, it will emphasize his credibility as a candidate and allow him to focus on what this campaign is really about: reaching people, showing them his vision, and taking his -- and our -- country back.

Continue reading/discuss The Money Primary: Nabbing the 'Low-Hanging Fruit' ...

courtesy Nina come these public domain graphics for people to use freely:

Continue reading/discuss Dean linking ...

Good article in the Seattle PI, which again gives play to Dean's nuanced war stance, in contrast to eth "conventional wisdom" that is advocated by Democrats in teh wake of polls showing increased support for Bush's war:

"I say what I think," Dean said in a phone interview yesterday. "I am still opposed to the war on Iraq, even though polls show 70 percent of the public in favor of it. . . . This is the USA, not Iraq. There is no reason not to have a disagreement with the president."
...
In a primer for its activist clients, entitled "Navigating Media in Wartime," Washington, D.C.-based Fenton Communications recently advised: "DON'T bash Bush. 2 out of 3 Americans approve of Bush's handling of the confrontation with Saddam Hussein. In times of war -- especially the early stages -- the public's instinct is to stand behind its leader."

But different political breezes tend to blow out of New England and along the Pacific Coast, in contrast to our conforming capital.

There are also a lot of other juicy pieces, such as this extremely detailed bit about how to fix the looming budget problems facing the country post-Bush:

What would Dean do? "First, you have to get rid of the tax cuts for everyone earning over $300,000 a year," he said. "Then, you scale back reductions in the inheritance tax. Increase the exemption to $5 million so you cover people's businesses and farms, but keep the tax."

and as good a summary of his health-care viewsw as I have seen (which was succinct enough that I used it in an email to some skeptical friends):

Similarly, Dean won't ape some Demo- crats' call for universal health insurance. "The American people won't accept government-run health care; we learned that -- painfully -- in the 1990s," he said.

Instead, he would expand Medicaid to cover middle-class kids, put a prescription drug plan into Medicare, and develop a system of vouchers and tax credits to encourage employers to insure their workers.

Continue reading/discuss Dean defends dissent ...

This open thread is for Deanistan denizens to weigh in about their dream picks for Dean's cabinet. Don't forget to include WHY!

Continue reading/discuss open thread: Dean Dream Cabinet ...

Mark Humbert, political writer for the Associated Press writes that Dean has picked up a key endorsement in New York's Judith Hope, the state party chair from 1995-2001. Hope's endorsement means mo-mentum, mo-attention, and most of all... mo-money!

UPDATE: Jerome points to this link for more information.

Continue reading/discuss The Big Mo': Dean Picks Up Key New York Endorsement ...

In just a few hours, Howard Dean's presidential campaign will file his first quarter fundraising reports with the Federal Election Commission.

The campaign is only $45,000 away from its goal. We need to help Governor Howard Dean now. Howard Dean is the only candidate with the courage to stand up to President Bush and to speak out for what he believes in.

This is important. Please contribute before midnight tonight. Then pass this message on to everyone you know.

A few hours—together we can take our country back!

www.deanforamerica.com/contribute

Continue reading/discuss Hours to go for Dean ...

The current count is 10434 as of this posting. Just imagine if every single person gave $50 tonight. We'd crack the Million Dollar Meetup Challenge in one fell swoop with just hours to go before the FEC deadline!

Online contribution form.

Continue reading/discuss Dean Meetup passes 10,000 ...

At the Springfield, MA meetup (actually going to be in Northampton, MA), we are expecting Aaron Holmes, Regional Coordinator in Burlington, to be there. Here's a chance to meet with someone from the campaign. There will be local press coverage so visibility is important. April 2nd, 7pm at JavaNet in Northampton (on Main St). Sign up and RSVP at dean2004.meetup.com (register for Springfield, MA). Come even if you don't sign up or RSVP.

And, oh yeah, today is March 31st. Last day of the FEC 1st quarter filing. If you have not contributed, do it now.

Continue reading/discuss Special Guest at Northampton (Springfield), MA Meetup ...

On the eve of the 3rd Dean Meetup, as we break the 10,000 mark for the number who have signed up to Dean's Meetup (10010 have signed up as I write this), a hearty 'thank you' comes our way by Dr Dean:

"I was blown away by the March 5th Meetup in New York City. When I got out of the car, and saw hundreds of people lined up outside the Essex Lounge, and walked inside to find hundreds more, I felt—in a direct, powerful way—the awesome force of the Internet. After that Meetup, I knew we could take back the White House.

Journalists love to speculate about which candidates are doing well in the “invisible primary.” Long before Iowa and New Hampshire, pundits like to think they can assess who will do well in the elections by who is raising the most money. But there is another primary that is only invisible to those who are blind to seeing it. Its place of power is on the Internet, where people who never before had a voice this early in a campaign can speak up and demand honesty and fearless leadership from the Democratic Party, and self-organize around common ideas and ideals to take our country back.

One invisible primary is about money and posturing for position.

Our movement is about taking a stand, and giving people a reason to vote.

To the nearly 10,000 people who have joined our cause, and signed up for the April 2nd Meetup, I give you my thanks. Because of you we are building a nationwide campaign that will surprise the pundits, the other campaigns, and ultimately George W. Bush. And together we will take our country back."

Thank you,

Governor Howard Dean, M.D.

Continue reading/discuss Message from Governor Howard Dean, M.D. ...

Adam Nagourney writes in Saturday's New York Times that as Dean's position on the war in Iraq has taken root, he has established a beachhead in Iowa. With other candidates openly supporting (or dissembling on) the war, Dean virtually has Iowa to himself. It remains to be seen what effect Dean's growing presence has on the larger field nationally (or in Iowa) absent any new polling, however.

Continue reading/discuss Dean Buoyed in Iowa ...

The floor is yours, for reports of the Friday Dean house parties. We especially want to hear from those who had phone calls from Dean himself!

Continue reading/discuss House Party open thread ...

Even with the war on, the boundless energy of the punditocracy to speculate and handicap the race for the Democratic nomination means that Monday's FEC quarterly reporting deadline is of crucial importance to the Dean campaign. Besides providing Governor Dean the resources he needs to build his organization, donations before midnight on Monday, March 31, will show the "big" media in terms they understand what those of us here in Blogistan already know: Howard Dean is inspiring people.

If you're not convinced, or are convinced but not compelled to actually go through the few-minute-long process of donating, please take a look at Dean's speech to the California Democratic Convention a few weeks back. Our friend Carl with a 'K' -- thus, actually, Karl -- has on his site video streams for both dial-up connections and broadband connections. Those of you who have seen the speech on C-SPAN or at c-span.org but still haven't donated should take the time to look at Karl's version. His is a different copy, taken from the convention floor, which allows you to "feel" the crowd's reaction to the speech.

It is important to remember that the California speech is for a partisan audience. Many Dean supporters are not liberals or even centrist Democrats but independents and conservatives who like the governor's straight-forward honesty and common-sense agenda. For a more general understanding of what the Dean candidacy is about see the issues section of his official site, read the speech he gave to the New America Foundation/Atlantic Monthly forum in January, or take a look at the story run by the hyper-conservative New York Sun earlier this month.

I gave today, and if you are viewing this site on anything other than free library internet access and/or have a rich spouse, it's likely that you have a better financial situation than I do. You can give anything from two to two thousand dollars right now either by secure online donation or by printing off this donation form.

The Dean Meet-up Challenge calls for a donation of $10.01 and an effort to recruit ten others to contribute the same. (Click here if you have no idea what I mean when I talk about Meet-up.) You needn't scramble to find ten friends before Monday; give now and work on spreading the message over the coming weeks and months of the campaign, which still has a long way to go.

No matter what your reasons for supporting him or how much you give, Howard Dean needs your help. Monday is, for better or worse, a big day as far as the "money primary" goes. Expectations are very low for Dean and a surprisingly strong fundraising total can help his campaign achieve escape velocity from the "underfinanced" and "long-shot" qualifications that virtually every media story about him contains.

But in the end, your donation helps Howard Dean bring his message to America. If you've come this far to learn about him, you surely agree that his message is something people need to hear. Donate today.

Continue reading/discuss Why Donate Before Monday? ...

Hooray for Maureen Ratigan from Natick, MA for her letter to the editor in the Boston Globe. If 9,000 Dean Meetup volunteers take her cue, we can provide an immediate, and very visible boost for Gov. Dean. I've heard from a few that they've sent letters that have yet to be published - but keep trying. For every ten that are sent there may only be one that runs, but it is worth the effort!

Continue reading/discuss Dean: A Real Alternative to Bush ...

We all know that Dean has been a true pioneer in making use of the netroot support. Dean's campaign has embraced Meetup, they have set up several internet sites (including the Call to Action Blog and the Dean Action site), and have benefited from the emerging network of supporter-driven sites like DeanVolunteers.org, regional groups like New York for Dean, and of course the Dean Blog itself, which paved the way.

But Gary Hart - who hasn't even announced his candidacy yet - has trumped all of this. Hart has begun blogging himself! True, Dean posted a message in the comments here on the DeanBlog, but Hart's new blog takes candidate participation on the web to the next level. Of course, it remains to be seen if Hart will actually continue posting, and what impact his schedule will have on his blogging regimen (if, indeed, he formally enters the race at all).

Still, we in Deanistan are not content to rest on our laurels - or let our candidate do the same (*grin*). There has always been a standing invite for Howard to contribute to this DeanBlog directly (Joe, Zephyr, just email me and I will handle all the technical aspects). So, make your voices heard, and leave a message exhorting Dean to follow Hart's example - and your suggestions on how to better it.

(and keep an eye on the HartBlog... so we know what he's up to :)

Continue reading/discuss Gary Hart starts blogging ...

AP has a story out today on Dean's willingness to not only promote his position(s) - on the war, and on other issues, but also to criticize his rivals within the party if their positions are not clear. In particular, he seems to have Sen. John Kerry in his sights as Kerry continues to equivocate on his position with respect to his vote for the war, but his "disagreements" with Bush on how to execute it.

What do others think: Is Dean on the right track by criticizing his rivals early on? Or, should he be more deferential this early in the primary process?

Continue reading/discuss Dean Stakes Out Position - And Criticizes Rivals ...

Seattle P-I Columnist Joel Connelly writes that Candidate Dean holds much appeal for Washingtonians. He cites Washington's history of supporting "insurgent campaigns" - Anderson in 1980, Hart in '84, and Tsongas in '92. House parties are planned throughout the Seattle area today to introduce Dean to potential supporters, and to raise much-needed cash for his emerging presidential bid.

Continue reading/discuss Dean Picking Up Steam in Northwest ...

Another article in today's Boston Globe (as reported by the Associated Press) shows that Dean is undeterred in sticking to his principled position on the war in Iraq. Perhaps the best news, however, is buried in the final paragraph:

"He's recently opened a campaign office in Des Moines and has 10 field staffers on the payroll seeking to organize for Iowa's caucuses."

This is terrific news, and shows that fundraising efforts are beginning to pay off. The trick now is to keep the momentum (and the cash-flow) building.

Continue reading/discuss Dean Continues to Speak Out (And, He's Opened an Office in Iowa!) ...

A glowing editorial in today's Boston Globe must have Senator Kerry's attention (again!). This outlines a number of reasons why Gov. Howard Dean is beginning to emerge from the pack - and how far he has yet to go. Most important it touches on his domestic agenda, which frankly is what drew many of us to him in the first place. His foreign policy is solid, and continues to be the source of his appeal to those who oppose the war, but it just scratches the surface of what is shaping up to be a very attractive platform, and a very competitive campaign.

Continue reading/discuss Candidate of the Heart ...

We need the bucks to keep coming! Join the Meetup challenge! Remember to add a penny to your donation for the power of netroots.

Continue reading/discuss ...

Vermont Governor Howard Dean has borrowed a page out of Harry Truman's playbook. According to the Associated Press, Dean took time out of his campaign schedule in Iowa to pen a personal note to Sen. John Edwards apologizing for misrepresenting his position at the California Democratic Convention. By handling this issue in a direct and straightforward manner, Dean demonstrates again that the "buck stops with him."

This not only defuses the issue, but it shows that Dean is willing to stand up and take responsibility when mistakes are made. Many other candidates would have equivocated, or ignored this issue by simply brushing it off as a misunderstanding. Once again, Dean sets himself apart from the pack - and demonstrates why he will make an excellent President of the United States.

Continue reading/discuss Howard Dean: The Buck Stops Here ...

Today's Boston Globe features an op-ed column describing the Kerry campaign's increasingly contentious relationship with Governor Dean. Clearly, when Dean was perceived as a novelty in the race Kerry was only too happy to have him in the fray. Now, however, Dean has emerged as a legitimate contender for the Democratic nomination, and a direct threat to Senator Kerry.

The author of this column predicts that this is just the beginning of a serious duel between the two contenders.

Continue reading/discuss A Not-So-Neighborly Feud ...

Before the war came to dominate the political scene, former governor of Vermont and current presidential aspirant Howard Dean was written off as a "long shot" candidate. The earliest polls -- which at that point in a campaign measure not support but simply name recognition -- put him at the bottom of the pack, which was enough "evidence" to stoke the conventional wisdom that he is "not a serious candidate."

Lacking actual reasons to explain this apparent lack of support (the polls must always Say Something; the poll-as-meaningless-name-recognition-measure does not fit into any easy narrative for journalists), his opponents took wild stabs in the dark with baseless accusations like that Dean is an "ultra-liberal." Quite the strange brand of ultra-liberal that consistently balances the budget as governor. By that standard, to be sure, President Bush is no ultra-liberal.

As the war drew closer, Dean became the "anti-war candidate" despite his protestations that he wanted Saddam Hussein disarmed, but with a truly global (as opposed to Anglo-Bulgarian) coalition. Now, with war underway, the narrative dictates that Dean will be "having trouble redefining himself" as something other than the anti-war candidate. Insofar as that was never really what he was, he shouldn't have much trouble with that. The real trouble will come from the media's definition of him, not his definition of himself. This part of the pre-defined story has already begun:

Howard Dean, the former governor of Vermont who has presented himself as an antiwar candidate, was back in Iowa, a state with a large and vocal antiwar wing among Democrats. It was the start of what an aide said would be a week like any other week in Dr. Dean's campaign.

This pieces leaves it there, strangely not explaining what exactly an typical week for the Dean campaign consists of, other than simply being in Iowa. The implication seems to be that Dean is off hiding in a state that still (still!) supports his supposedly anti-war message -- as if Iowa were an undisclosed location for peaceniks and not the first-in-the-nation caucus state.

Sadly, besides the media, a rather large portion of those paying attention to the presidential race that this point fancy themselves politically astute for being able to identify the trends in this constructed storyline. The most cynical don't even believe the narrative; they make very much of the fact that they would prefer another candidate but use the prevalent conventional wisdom and their besserwisser powers of glib deduction to conclude that only this or that candidate can win.

To be sure, Al Sharpton isn't a candidate that can win a presidential election in the United States. But if people really believe in him, I'm inclined to give them a strong, vocal, "Well, uhhh, okay." The same can't be said for Howard Dean. With Dean in a statistical tie with Senator John Kerry in the latest New Hampshire polling, it would seem that the narrative is dictating reason, rather than reason dictating the narrative.

Similarly, everyone needs to relax and step away from the afactual narrative about Dean and the war. Let's wait and see how much trouble he has firing people up before the sages declare it impossible. Whether you're for or against him you have to contend with the fact that this guy is for real. The press and his opponents would do themselves and the process well to recognize that.

[Author's Note: This piece originally appeared at That Other Blog, my personal site. The eminent Aziz Poonawalla, administrator for this site and purveyor of Unmedia, invited me to join the DeanBlog and suggested that this be my first contribution. I look forward to contributing and will do my best not to embarrass myself, Aziz, or Howard Dean. (That's a hope, not a promise, though.)]

Continue reading/discuss The Coming Conventional Wisdom ...

Here's a sneaky, conservative editorial promoting GWB's "communication skills" and his "political feel." All the usual pro-Bush hype is here. What is unusual is that the essay is on health care, and they really attack Gov. Howard Dean. Clearly, they're beginning to understand that his message has appeal with voters beyond simply an "anti-war" in Iraq message.

The columnist describes Dean's health care position as "socialized medicine" (and you can bet conservatives will trumpet that soundbite to mischaracterize Dean's plan), and that this will be the "millstone" around his neck. It is comforting to know that Dean is already forcing conservatives to respond to his message, and that his stands are beginning to shift the nature of political debate in this country. This is good reading as primer to the conservative handbook on attempting to beat up on Democrats (in this case, Dean).

Note the alternative promoted, too. The much ballyhooed "Medical Savings Account" (MSA), which no doubt like school vouchers will simply shift better care to those who can supplement such accounts while leaving the rest of us to fend for ourselves.

Continue reading/discuss Conservative Thinking on Health Care and Howard Dean ...

Jonathan Raban, a British writer living in Seattle has an entire column in Seattle's largest weekly on the war in Iraq and the peculiar nature of the pacific northwest's "emerald city." He makes some interesting observations, and then takes off on Gov. Howard Dean:

"There is also much anger with the Democrats for failing to provide any articulate leadership in the war on (not with) Iraq. To many of its traditional supporters, the party appears to have been gutlessly complaisant in its bipartisan stance. But something interesting happened on Feb. 21, when the present crop of presidential hopefuls paraded in front of the Democratic National Committee in what several reporters likened to a beauty pageant. Joe Lieberman made a speech so flat that his candidacy may well have died in that moment. Richard Gephardt boasted of making common cause with the Bush administration on Iraq, and was met with cries of “Shame!” but went on to outline his domestic policy and won a series of standing ovations. Then came Howard Dean, the former governor of Vermont."

“I’m Howard Dean, and I’m here to represent the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party. . . . What I want to know is why in the world the Democratic Party leadership is supporting the president’s unilateral attack on Iraq.”

We've all seen and heard the line by now, but he goes on to insist that Seattle (and by default, Washington State) is Dean country. He concludes with one sentence: "Watch Howard Dean."

This kind of column is terrific. It fires up the activists and should help contributions from that part of the country.

Continue reading/discuss Seattle Weekly: Watch Howard Dean ...

Only six more days until March 31st. The campaign's number one priority until the FEC deadine is raising money. Yesterday was our best Meetup Challenge day yet! If you have been thinking about contributing, please do so now (and remember a penny for the net). If you have already donated for Dean, encourage your friends to do the same. If you have already called or emailed people you know, thank you, and this is a good day to follow up with them.

You can also put a clickable Dean icon on any web site you administer. Make sure to spread the word with other Dean supporters. Thanks!

Continue reading/discuss Dean Meetup on the Verge of 8,000 Members ...

Ryan Lizza, writing in TNR, has several cogent observations about the timing of war and how it impacts the campaign cycle:

Political operatives slice the presidential campaign into quarters, largely because fund-raising reports are due at the Federal Election Commission every three months. As if on cue, the war with Iraq is coming at the end of one quarter, as if the curtain is closing on the first act of the Democratic contest. After an intermission, during which the war itself is conducted, the curtain will rise again and the second, postwar phase will begin. The Democratic contenders are busily positioning themselves for that next phase.

This is a very good article, in that it discusses in detail how Dean and Lieberman are positioned at opposite ends of teh spectrum when it comes to war, and has some strategic analysis. Dean consistently gets the benefit of the doubt he deserves, when compared to the other candidates:

After Bush's ultimatum speech Monday, overnight polls showed that Democratic opposition to removing Saddam had fallen into the low forties. Needless to say, it is likely to drop further if the war goes well. Lieberman is trying to soak up a little of this rally-round-the-flag glow, which dovetails with his campaign's belief that there are enough moderate and independent voters in the early primary states for him to win the nomination. "For all the talk that the primary electorate is generally more liberal, moderates can do well," says a senior campaign adviser.

For Dean, the onset of war could have the opposite effect. "I'm well aware of what this morning's polls show," he told me the day after Bush's first speech. "So now I'm in a minority of sixty-six to thirty-three, and that's just the way it goes. I didn't take this position for political reasons, and I'm not going to drop it for political reasons." In canvassing opinions about the political implications of the war this week, aides to all four of Dean's major rivals made the same argument: that all the energy fueling Dean's surge in the first quarter came from the war. As long as the war is successful--a hugely important caveat--its conclusion will drain the momentum from Dean's candidacy. "Dean was nowhere before the war," says a top adviser to one candidate. "Once that hook is gone, he'll stop gaining as much ground." An official from another campaign concurs: "He essentially goes back to being the quirky health care candidate."

Not surprisingly, Dean insists he does indeed have a second act. "There is a lot more to this than the war," he says. In his view, the war may have been the hook that got people to first pay attention to him, but it was, well, him that got them to stick around. "The Iraq stuff was not the biggest issue," he says of the cheers he received in California. "That gives me the entree to get people to listen to me. What gets people cranked up is the straight-ahead style and the `let the chips fall where they may.' It's the McCain thing." Dean has a habit, which some find annoying and others refreshing, of talking about himself and his campaign in this detached manner. He doesn't just speak off-the-cuff; he reminds you that he's the guy who speaks off-the-cuff and explains that his off-the-cuffness is the reason people like him. "It's not just the issues," he says. "It's the way I talk about them. The war is the divide between me and the other four folks. ... But it's not the war; it's the straightforwardness."

There's one more warning for Dean in the article - that when the issue of war is over, he will still be vulnerable to attack - from the left:

But, once the war is over, Dean may face other challenges. With his Iraq hook gone, at least one rival campaign will try to pull the plug on another source of Dean's energy--the claim that he represents the "Democratic wing of the Democratic Party." Expect an attack on Dean from the left on Social Security, the death penalty, guns, abortion, and federalism.

Of course, teh same answer applies to all of these charges - Dean speaks from rational analysis , not politics. Right now war has polarized the public, but after it is over, we have to have faith that the American public (and Democratic voters in particular) are able to appreciate "straightforwardness" and recognize its value, as compared to the same old refrain of craven politicking.

Continue reading/discuss where war and campaign finance intersect ...

The Dean campaign sent out a message to its mailing list, this one authored (or signed anyway) by Dean himself, reminding people about the filing deadline for the FEC of March 31st:

I need your help. I am writing you today because I need your financial support now, before March 31.

Next week, my campaign faces an important test of strength. March 31st is the deadline for filing first-quarter fundraising reports with the Federal Election Commission (FEC). These reports are public record and are carefully scrutinized by political opponents and the media. By giving your financial support today, you will show the press, political insiders and party activists that I am a candidate with a message that works and the ability to run a strong campaign.

The Democratic Party needs to look itself in the mirror and start speaking up for what it believes in. It needs a leader willing to take a stand. I hope I have shown you I can be that leader. I hope I have proven over the past months that I am committed to the issues that matter most to you and to doing the right thing-even when it means standing alone. Now is your chance to stand with me.

We can do it. We will do it.
...
We need you to contribute generously to my presidential campaign before the FEC deadline of midnight, March 31st. By giving now, your contribution (of up to $250) will be doubled by federal matching funds. The federal limit on individual giving at this time is $2,000.

(LINKS: online donation form, downloadable PDF form)

Continue reading/discuss Donation deadline: March 31st ...

From the Boston Globe, a story on how Dean's comments, misinterpretation by the press, and his own admitted gaffe are playing out:

In animated conversation on the floor of the US Senate on Wednesday, Kerry placed a hand on Edwards's shoulder and nodded in agreement as the North Carolinian spoke to him with visible passion. Then, pointing at the podium where the Senate's presiding officer sits, Edwards said to Kerry in a voice loud enough for a reporter in the overhead press gallery to hear, ''He got up there and lied.''

Edwards was referring to the speech Dean delivered to California Democrats last weekend, in which he stood at the podium at the party's annual convention in Sacramento and lambasted Edwards and Kerry by name for supporting the war. Dean, who has won a following with his antiwar pronouncements, sought to distinguish himself further by telling the delegates that both of his rivals had refused to stand by their position during their speeches to the crowd. The remark triggered cheers for Dean - even though he would later acknowledge it was wasn't true.

The part where Dean acknowledged his remarks weren't true is expanded upon near the end of the article, based on an interview he did with the Boston Globe on Friday:

In an interview with the Globe on Friday, Dean argued that his position about the war and his rhetoric surrounding it has been clear and consistent. ''I'm not going to use red-meat criticism and attack the president, but I'm not going to support his war policy, but I'm going to support the troops,'' he said.

While Dean said he was staunchly opposed to the war and planned to continue criticizing it, he also said the United States should keep fighting, putting him at odds with other antiwar activists who have been calling for an immediate cease-fire.

''We're in. We don't have any choice now. But this is the wrong choice,'' Dean said. ''There will be some who think we should get out immediately, but I don't think that's an easy position to take.''

In the interview, Dean acknowledged that he had mispoken in telling the California delegates that Kerry and Edwards had reversed their positions on the war.

''I didn't know what [Edwards] had said because I hadn't been in the hall and nobody told me,'' Dean said. ''Had I known what Senator Edwards had done, I would not have said that.''

This is going to get uglier before it gets better.

Continue reading/discuss Dean's rhetoric on war creates a campaign stir ...

There are House Parties in support of Dean all over the country on March 28th. Find out more by subscribing to HP28-subscribe@yahoogroups.com (just send an email to the address). We are trying to raise for the March 31 deadline, so try to attend. If you are near Western Massachusetts, write me (nohomissives@yahoo.com) to find out how to attend the party in Northampton, MA.
If you cannot attend on the 28th, join meetup and go to your local meeting on April 2nd.

Continue reading/discuss March 28th is Dean House Party Day ...

Jerome is exactly right about Meetup. If you haven't done it already, go to dean2004.meetup.com and sign up. Also, please don't underestimate the importance of this March 31 deadline. This is one of those weeks where every contribution counts triple, as (1) cash; (2) support; (3) the power of the net. Give 'em Hell Howard, and contribute. We'd like to raise $100,000 over the net in the next week.

Continue reading/discuss ...

Jerome offers some explanation of why Dean's Meetup netroots matter - post-New Hampshire:

A big reason why McCain lost in 2000, besides SC, was that he lacked a nationwide campaign structure that might have benefited from his NH win. The combination of the very crowded early primary schedule and the massive nationwide influx of volunteers (see Meetup.com) supporting Dean have made it possible for the Dean campaign to build a national campaign much earlier. What these means, is that the traditional growing pains associated with translating a New Hampshire win by an insurgent candidate (see McCain in ’00, Buchanan in '96, Tsongas in ’92, Hart in ’88) into a national campaign, are being dealt with by the Dean campaign nearly a year ahead of schedule. When Dean wins in New Hampshire, he’ll be on the cover of Newsweek, and become known to many voters for the first time. More importantly, for winning the nomination, he’ll also have a nationwide campaign in place to fully capitalize on the win.

Jerome is too modest to post his own stuff here, so I'm doing it for him :)

Continue reading/discuss Why Meetup matters - post NH ...

courtesy of Carl With a K, is this transcript of Dean's speech (link above goes to a PDF).

Governor Howard Dean, MD, Speech to California Democratic Party State Convention (Saturday, March 15, 2003)

What I want to know is what in the world so many Democrats are doing supporting the President’s unilateral intervention in Iraq?

What I want to know is what in the world so many Democrats are doing supporting tax cuts, which have bankrupted this country and given us the largest deficit in the history of the United States?

What I want to know is why the Congress is fighting over the patient’s bill of rights? The patient’s bill of rights is a good bill, but not one more person gets health insurance and it’s not 5 cents cheaper.

What I want to know is why the Democrats in Congress aren’t standing up for us joining every other industrialized country on the face of the Earth and having health insurance for every man, woman and child in America.

What I want to know is why so many folks in Congress are voting for the President’s Educations Bill “The No School Board Left Standing Bill” the largest un-funded mandate in the history of our educational system!

As Paul Wellstone said, as Sheila Kuehl said when she endorsed me…I am Howard Dean and I here to represent the democratic wing of the Democratic Party. I want a Democratic Party that will balance the budget. Bill Clinton balanced the budget and starting in 1993, without a single Republican vote, kicked off the greatest 10 years of economic growth in this nation’s history. No Republican President has balanced the budget in this country in 34 years. If you want to trust somebody with your taxpayer dollars you better elect a Democratic because the Republican’s can’t manage money. I want an economy in this country where we create jobs that don’t move offshore. I want an America that has health insurance for everybody. I want a government that stops passing un-funded mandates and starts funding the ones we’ve got, like special education. I want a government which will give us a foreign policy so when we walk down the streets of the capitals of our friends we don’t have to worry about watching our backs where ever we go as American’s.

We’ve had two fine people. United States Senators, Senator Edwards and Senator Kerry, who’ve done a lot for our country and they have served us honorably and if they win the nomination either one of them I am going to support them and do every thing I can to help them win the White House. But, I don’t think we can win The White House if we vote for the President’s unilateral attack on Iraq in Washington and then come to California and say we are against the war. And I don’t think we can win The White House if we support the President’s “No School Board Left Standing Bill” and then come to California and tell every body that we are going to do all kinds of things for education. And I don’t think we can win the White House if we skip the most important abortion vote in the last year and then come to California and talk about pro-choice.

I am not surprised that only 15% of people between the ages of 18 and 25 vote because we have not giving them a reason to vote and we are going to give them a reason to vote now. I was Governor for so long that I got to serve through not one but two Bush recessions and in Vermont I was very proud to balance the budget. We balanced the budget, we set aside money in a rainy day fund, and we paid down almost a quarter of our debt. The reason that is important is it is hard to fund social justice with out a balanced budget, which is why this President doesn’t have one. In our state our budget is still balanced and we are not cutting higher education, we are not cutting K-12 and we are not cutting health care for kids. That’s what we need in this country. I am Governor and I have done it. In our State everybody under the age
of 18 has health insurance. We have made Medicaid into a middle class entitlement. If you made $52,000 a year or less in Vermont everybody under 18 in your family is entitled to Medicaid. We charge if you are at the upper-end of that, we charge $50 a month that insures everybody in your family under the age of 18. Now, if we can do that in a small rural state which is 26 th in income in the entire country, surely the most wealthy and powerful society on the face of the earth can grant all of its citizen’s healthcare. I am a governor and I am a doctor and I have done it.

In Vermont we have conserved 100s of thousands of acres that will never be developed, and I might add Mr. President, they’re never going to be drilled on either. If I get to be President I will protect California as well as Florida. Let me tell you something else, one of Bill Clinton’s greatest legacies to this country was the promise he kept to make his cabinet look like a America. I thought one of the lowest moments of this President’s presidency was about 5 weeks ago when he used the word quota 5 times on national television in the evening news. The University of Michigan does not now and never has had a quota system and the President knows it. We need affirmative action in this country and we ought to stand up and say so and be proud of it as a society. California is a precursor for the rest of this country you have 5 big minorities and lots of small minorities. In alphabetical order you have African American, Anglos, Asian American, Latinos, and Native American. Soon all of America is going to look like California, and when it does I want to make sure that every American is included in the very best institutions that we have in this country. Because as a nation we either admit that we are all-together or we will be divided as the Republican have divided us since 1968 under the Richard Nixon’s Southern Strategy. I don’t want to be divided anymore by race, I don’t want to be divided anymore by gender, and I don’t want to be divided anymore by sexual orientation.

Senator Kerry was reported to have said that he could win without the South. I do not want to win without the South. I want to go to the South and I’m going to say to white guys that drive pick up trucks with Confederate flag decals on the back of their car. We want your vote to, because your kids don’t have health insurance either. I want to end on a personal note. Three years ago next month I signed a bill into law called the Civil-Unions bill, which gives gay and lesbian Vermonters the same rights I have: visitations for their significant other in the hospital; inheritance rights; and insurance rights. Vermont clearly is a place where every American is equal in the eyes of the law. I want the President of the United States to explain to all American’s why he doesn’t believe all Americans should be equal under the law. I signed that bill 6 months before an election when it was at 35% in the polls. I never had a conversation with myself about whether or not I would sign the bill or not, because I knew if I was willing to sell out the hope and dreams of a significant portion of our people that I had wasted my life in public service. Because, I have never lost an election but my career has never been about winning elections. My career and this campaign is about changing the Democratic Party. Its about changing America. And this campaign is about taking back the White House so we can have health insurance, so we can have a balanced budget, so we can have an inclusive society where everybody believes in each other and believes in America. I want the opportunity to work with extraordinary people in California. I will work with California instead of against you. I will work with Nancy Pelosi. I will work with Diane Feinstein. I will work with Gray Davis. I will work Herb Wesson. I will work with Jon Burton. And I’ll sure work with another Democratic from the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party, Barbara Boxer. We are not going to beat George Bush by voting with the President 85% of the time. The only way that we’re going to beat George Bush is to say what we mean, to stand up for who we are, to lift up a Democratic agenda against the Republican agenda because if you do that the Democratic agenda wins every time.

I want my country back. We want our country back. I am tired of being divided. I don’t want to listen to the fundamentalist preachers anymore. I want America to look like America. Where we are all included, hand in hand, walking down. We have dream. We can only reach the dream if we are all together – black and white, gay and straight, man and woman. America. The Democratic Party. We are going to
win in 2004. Thank you very, very much. Thank you very, very much. Stand up for America, Stand up for America, Stand up for America.

Continue reading/discuss transcript: Dean's CA Dem speech ...

From ABC's The Note comes news of a great milestone (emphasis added):

The Wall Street Journal 's Washington Wire says: "LIFE GOES ON in political-fund-raising world: As deadline nears for first-quarter reports, Senator Kerry has six fund-raisers before month's end; he's seen leading Democratic presidential candidates' money race. Rep. Gephardt still plans next week's $1.5 million bash in hometown St. Louis, and a 'Tonight Show' appearance. Senator Lieberman sends appeal to donors: 'I got off to a relatively late start,' he writes, by delaying his bid until Al Gore opted out. Senator Edwards keeps raising funds, but postpones New Hampshire trip on Friday to visit Fort Bragg families in home state North Carolina. Longer-shot Dean surpasses his $1 million goal."

Let's make it $2 million - don't forget the Million Dollar Meetup Challenge - and add a penny for the internet!

Continue reading/discuss Dean passes $1M mark ...

Vermont Gov. Howard Dean is now in a dead heat with Sen. John Kerry in a New Hampshire poll released today by the American Research Group. The poll was taken on the eve of American intervention in Iraq.

UODATE: Here's another story on this from SFGate.

Continue reading/discuss Dean Locked with Kerry for Lead in New Hampshire ...

For immediate release
March 20, 2003

In today's paper the Los Angeles Times said that Presidential candidate Gov. Howard Dean was "backing away from earlier plans to continue criticizing the war after the shooting began." This story went on to say that all the top contenders for the nomination released statements backing Bush as he ordered the first attacks on Iraq.

These assertions are incorrect and the story is incorrect. The AP, at the same event wrote quote "Anti-war Presidential candidate Howard Dean said he will not silence his criticism of President Bush's Iraq policy now that the war has begun, but he will stop the 'red meat' partisan attacks...

Dean's view that this is the wrong war at the wrong time is well known and has not changed.

Dean will continue to criticize the President's Iraq policy. "No matter how strongly I oppose the President's policy, I will continue to support American troops who are now in harms way," said Dean in a release prepared in order to correct the Los Angeles Times story.

Continue reading/discuss ...

Dean has a new line in his stump speeches:

"White folks in the South who drive pickup trucks with Confederate flag decals in the back ought to be voting with us and not them [Republicans]," he said, "because their kids don't have health insurance either, and their kids need better schools too!"

Most people think this is great (myself included), but there are a few who are uncomfortable with it. The best case against including the "confederate flag" part of the line comes from Orcinus, who argues that there are two different groups, one worth pursuing, the other not:

. And if you had to explain it in a simple sound bite like Dean's, that division nowadays is between the folks who have Confederate flag stickers in their back windows and those who don't.

The latter -- the decent, civility-minded, neighborly people of common sense and good will who make up the vast majority of rural America -- are the Democratic party's natural rural base, the people who have most felt abandoned by the party's urban focus in the past 20 years. They are the people that Dean, or whoever carries the party's banner, needs to bring back into the fold.

The former -- the neo-Confederates and Patriots, the right-wing extremists and the unregenerate racists and segregationists, all of whom are the people most likely to put a Dixie sticker in the back window -- are the people who once upon a time made the Democratic Party the acknowledged home of the nation's unreconstructed racists. They are the people who fled the party in the 1960s for the welcoming arms of the Nixonite Republican Party.

Dean should not be courting this faction of rural America. Even if he provides them with a brilliant plan to ensure health care for all of them, they will reject it and him in the end anyway, because their hatred of "gummint" ultimately knows no bounds.

Personally, I have to disagree. I live in Texas and I see a lot of Confederate flags myself - and I think that the perception of anyone who has a C flag on their truck is a closet racist (implied in Orcinus' argument) is blatant Yankee stereotyping. I despise the Confederate Flag and what it stands for but the truth is that it has become a social rallying point for conservatives, not because of racial overtones, but rather in response to the "liberal onslaught" of progressive ideology such as welfare, multilingual education, immigration, secularism, political correctness, affirmative action, etc. When you hear a Southerner speak fondly of Dixie and Southern Culture, they aren't talking about returning to the cotton plantations as massah and boy. They are literally too far removed from that era to really be tied to it.

It's true that many of these people will never vote for Dean anyway. But te point is not to try and appeal to those confederate flag wavin' pickup drivin' gun tootin' whoever they are - it's to appeal to the moderate conservatives, the ordinary people, who may be attracted by Dean's message of affordable health care but still have closer cultural ties to the more "redneck" (to use the gross stereotype) types. You can't attract Southerners to your platform without demonstrating respect for their concerns - and Dean's soundbite is (I believe) an honest recognition of this.

What does Deanlandia think? Keep the line, edit it, or dump it entirely, and why?

Continue reading/discuss confederate flags for Dean? ...