Nation-Building

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 .

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

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 .

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 .

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 deman...

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.

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!

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 tim...

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!

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*)...

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?

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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...

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,...

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 ...

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!

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 p...

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...

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 ...

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.

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.

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 capital...

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...

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!

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.

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...

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 ...

Regular DeanBlog contributor Carl Withak has a long post full of photos (and video?) from the convention floor about Dean's speech: With each line the Governor completed the audience became more energized. By the time he had completed the above statement he had at least 80% of the crowd off their seats, screaming and waving Dean signs! No other speech before or after received anything like this. At best, a speaker could count on 30-40% of the crowd to get off of their seats and applaud. This show of support was deafening. ... As the good Doctor began to wrap things up he seemed to feed off the audience. His face become red, nearly the entire convention on their feet, screaming his praise, Governor Dean bellowed, "I want my country back! We want our country back!" From the looks of it, California is definitely Dean Country among the party faithful. ... Outside the convention doors hordes of delegates converged on the Dean booth snatching up whatever Dean material...

This article in the WaPo is a more personal look at Dean on eth campaign trail. Dean reacts to the enthusiasm his campaign has generated, as well as speaking frankly of his straight-talking methods as both asset and liability. As well as unrequited love for lollipops (read it, you'll see). There is also a slight suggestion that Dean's candor is not as off the cuff as it seems: Dean says he doesn't do things for political reasons. When you start qualifying everything, he says, you get in trouble. But when a young mother asks a question about Dean's high approval rating from the National Rifle Association, he gives a curious answer. After saying that Vermont has no need for gun-control laws -- it has one of the lowest homicide rates in the country -- he concedes that it's a view some people will have trouble with. "But it's also a position that will allow me to win the presidency," he says. Al Gore's strong support for gun control cost him...

Cute little article comparing Dean and fictional president Bartlett in painstaking detail. Nothing really new here, though there is some insinuation that the fiction-reality connection was deliberate in some ways, especially with regard to the "for America" slogan. More interesting is the way the fervor and passion that Dean has aroused in the party activists is seen in the context of the TV series. Further blurring the line between entertainment and politics, and truth and fiction, is Rush Limbaugh's latest diatribe .

The Howard Dean news has been coming fast and furious today, mostly in response to his stellar statement in response to the Bush announcement on Iraq. His comments have sparked a wildfire of discussion, some positive , and some anything but . So let's break down the news in order. 1. The New York Times . Adam Nagourey's article finds the Democratic Party scrambling to find a coherent message on Operation: Iraqi Freedom (hey, I didn't name it). Officials in both parties say the image of high-profile Democrats challenging President Bush's war policy right up through his address to the nation on Monday — and, in fact, beyond the speech, as was clear here today — could reinforce a perception that Republicans are better suited to deal with threats from abroad. One rival strategist was quoted as saying, "If Howard Dean didn't exist, Karl Rove would have to invent him." Ouch! However, Nagourney completely misrepresents his statement, claiming...

Remember the Meetup Challenge ! ( details here , and add a penny for the Internet). Speak out for Dean--get at least ten friends to contribute. Also, there are new flyers coming soon for the rallies this week.

Ellis Henican of Newsday writes a nice column lauding Dean's nuanced position on the upcoming military action in Iraq. He quotes family members, moms and dads, who have kids in the Persian Gulf. An excerpt: Support the troops, oppose the war: For Charley Richardson, that's where real patriotism lies, as he and his son wait for their president's call. "Why do people have such a hard time with this concept?" this one Marine father asked. "If I saw my son getting into a car with a drunk driver, I would lay down in the middle of the street to keep that car from moving. I would do anything I could. "For me to stand on the side of the road and salute would be ridiculous." Opposition to this war is deep and wide. Howard Dean, the former Vermont governor now lighting up the Democratic presidential race, vowed to stay on the case. "I went to Parris Island so I could look into the faces of the kids who will be sent to Iraq," Dean tol...

Our field agent Teddy Davis sends this notice of Dean's participation in a "Presidential Candidates Forum" sponsored by the Children's Defense Fund on Wednesday, April 9 from 7-9 p.m in Washington DC: The forum will be held at the Marriot Wardman Park Hotel. The hotel is conveniently located near the Woodley Park/National Zoo stop on the Metro's Red Line. All announced candidates have been invited. What's more, I called Jane Farrel with the Children's Defense Fund and learned that the "candidates forum" is free and open to the public. On the heels of Dean's electrifying performances at forums sponsored by NARAL, the DNC, and the California Democratic Party, rival camps are hoping that Dean's appeal will fade once war commences in Iraq. Come out. Support Dean's prescription for change. Prove the pundits wrong! It's worth noting that in Texas, Gov. Rick Perry has announced that the Children's Health Insuranc...

“Tonight, for better or worse, America is at war. Tonight, every American, regardless of party, devoutly supports the safety and success of our men and women in the field. Those of us who, over the past 6 months, have expressed deep concerns about this President’s management of the crisis, mistreatment of our allies and misconstruction of international law, have never been in doubt about the evil of Saddam Hussein or the necessity of removing his weapons of mass destruction. Those Americans who opposed our going to war with Iraq, who wanted the United Nations to remove those weapons without war, need not apologize for giving voice to their conscience, last year, this year or next year. In a country devoted to the freedom of debate and dissent, it is every citizen’s patriotic duty to speak out, even as we wish our troops well and pray for their safe return. Congressman Abraham Lincoln did this in criticizing the Mexican War of 1846, as did Senator Robert F. Kennedy in calling the ...

That's the question being asked at MSNBC.com in an article titled, "Democrats seek another Clinton." Citing his support of civil unions and universal health insurance, Tom Curry posits that Dean "might not be able to win the general election." The biggest figure lending weight to this theory of late is Garry South, Gray Davis's reelection advisor. It appears to be a legitimate concern from a party heavyweight until one looks a bit closer. South is on record as having the goal of "beating the bejesus out of George W. Bush" in 2004. He's also on record as subscribing to the theory that "antiwar" always translates to "soft on national defense" in the minds of everyday voters. (Many would argue that's changed greatly in light of the recent foreign policy moves of George W. Bush.) While Garry South has made his intention clear to work for the Democratic presidential nominee in 2004, he's also made it clear th...

Gov. Dean has clarified his position on war with Iraq if, and when, the United States should engage in a military conflict with that nation. He has forcefully suggested that he will support our troops and wish them success - but continue to challenge the Bush Administration on its strategy in Iraq. He has said he will also continue to speak out against the administration's policy on North Korea, and its failure to open bilateral talks with that nation as it attempts to build a nuclear arsenal. This is a big step for the campaign and will help to reassure those who fear that once war breaks out that there will be no candidate speaking out against the Bush Administration. This may also help to continue setting Dean apart from the rest of the field. "It is our patriotic duty to say to the president, 'We wish our troops well. We hope they get home safely and soon, but Mr. President, we think this war is a mistake," Dean told a gathering of Democrats. One woman ...

We are on the eve of war on Iraq. Collectively, we deaniacs have been trying to make the case that Dean's apeal transcends his position on war, and have been striving to explain how his position is more complex than simple "no war" but hinges on recognition from the UN, without sacrificing America's sovereign right to act in defense. However, as Bush goes to the nation tonight and delivers his ultimatum, it is important to switch gears and explain to anti-war Americans why Dean does truly reflect their views, despite the qualifications above. Few Americans believe that all war is wrong and that war must never be waged for any reason - especially after 9-11 it is hard to find anyone but the most extreme left who advocate dismantling our armed forces or other such pacifist measures. Most Americans who are against war feel this way simply because they feel that the case for war has not yet been made . President Bush no doubt believes that there is a strong c...

Dean was on CPAN yesterday delivering a speech at the California Dem. Convention. If anyone has the link to video or transcript, please let us know and we will update the post. In the meantime, read DailyKos's coverage of Day 2 (where Dean cleaned house) and Jerome's reporting , who also points to this early report from AlterNet and an analysis of the top three candidates (Kerry, Edwards, and Dean) from the SacBee. By all accounts, Dean was on fire . UPDATE: added link to the video. Click above or here . UPDATE 2: Carl With a K has another video from the convention. Links to Dial up and high-bandwidth versions

Howard needs your help this month--we've got an FEC deadline coming up, and we need the net to come on board and show the depth of support he's got there. He loves the net, and we've got a great opportunity to show how much it loves him. There's a new official Call to Action blog up--we'll be updating regularly. In the meantime, PLEASE send this letter (or your own), to everyone you know. Thanks so much! There is a longer version on the call to action blog. -- Z I’m writing all my friends on my email list because there is something that is very important to me personally and should be important to the country. Howard Dean is the only candidate running for President who says what he thinks, and acts on what he says. I think he’s dead on. I want you to get involved and contribute to his campaign. He doesn’t have the deep pockets of most of the other candidates, but I believe he will make the best president—and I don’t want money to decide who leads this countr...

TEXANS! MARK YOUR CALENDARS! Gov Howard Dean will be in our state April 7, 8, and 9! On April 7, he'll be in Dallas for the morning and afternoon, then Austin in the evening. On April 8, he'll attend a few events in Austin, then travel to Houston on April 9. Details about findraising and networking activities will be posted here as soon as everything is finalised. I just wanted to go ahead and post a heads-up so you can plan on attending an event in your area.

Hi everyone! I attended the first Dean for Texas meeting in Austin this morning and got a good inside look at how the Dean campaign is building their organisation nationwide. Essentially, the more moneyed candidates will be able to "buy" established networks of fundraisers and the like, while Dean is building one from the ground up. This is why it's very important for the activists among us to get involved in the campaign. We need to start building name recognition while continuing to raise money. There are some websites being set up right now for the purpose of building the organisation. Many people have written us to ask how they can help, so I thought I'd point you all over to DeanVolunteers.org . There are links to many states in place already, with contact information for your precinct organisers being added daily. And as a side note, if you're in Texas like me, you can visit DeanForTexas.com to get started volunteering for the campaign. We've g...

Rally in Boston on March 26th at 3pm with a speech by Dean at 4pm. Take the Red Line to JFK/UMass Station--rally is at the JFK library. Hear Howard Dean speak about: Guaranteed Healthcare Fiscal Responsibility Thoughtful Foreign Policy Equal Rights for All Reserve a free seat at www.jfklibrary.org/calendar.html .

Much is being made of Howard Dean and John Kerry's attacks on the administration launched this weekend at the California State Democratic convention. More important to Dean blog readers, the San Francisco Chronicle highlights Dean's criticism of Kerry for his support of last year's resolution backing war with Iraq. This seems to be a smart move for Dean, as the article notes, "Even Kerry supporters admitted his vote on Iraq worried them." (There is a much larger piece on the growing Kerry/Dean competition at my site if you're interested.)

The New York Times ran a piece yesterday on the March 5 Dean Meetup at the Essex in New York City. It's a hugely positive piece citing the importance of grassroots internet organizing for the Dean campaign. Speaking about the organizer, Meetup.com , The Times points out: ... the site lists groups for supporters of Democratic candidates like Representative Richard A. Gephardt of Missouri and Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, and for backers of President Bush. But none so far are as well populated as those for Dr. Dean, a physician who is an outspoken opponent of war with Iraq. Dean is played up as the antiwar candidate, although without the one-trick-pony spin Fox News applied to the good doctor in their analysis of the meetup. The most important thing, it seems to me, is the fact that the New York Times is paying attention to the fact that Dean's support is real, grassroots, and anything but orchestrated. (Thanks to Braham, who earlier posted a link to the st...

The Nation has an interview with Dean on their radio program, Radio Nation: In an interview with The Nation's Washington editor David Corn, former Vermont Governor Howard Dean, a Democratic presidential candidate, discusses his opposition to war in Iraq, explains his own vision of healthcare reform, praises the NRA, whacks away at Bush and the Democratic Party, and names his favorite rock album. Here's the direct link (pre-cued to Dean's segment):   Radio Nation interview The Nation is also running a full profile of Dean . It's a mixed bag, but on the whole a decent analysis and serves well as a summary of Dean's progress and stance so far. Given how influential TNR is, Dean's status as a top tier candidate will likely enter conventional wisdom as a result of this piece (which is a follow-up to the TNR piece last year that helped launch Dean's candidacy). The piece is particularly good at highlighting Dean's independent positions on various...

Thanks to reader Ken Manz for pointing out: http://dean2004.blog ps ot.com - don't visit the URL, it just puts huge pop-ups all over your screen and tries to sell you bibles. But it's clear that Dean's candidacy (and the Dean Blog particularly) has attracted enough attention that it's now become worthy of parasitic typo-traffic. With our candidate himself posting to this blog, we have verification that we have been an asset to Dean's campaign. We drive an immense amount of traffic to the campaign website, and especially to the online donations page (as Dean himself confirmed to Anna some weeks ago). In a way, this blog is a true partnership between politicians and the electorate, in a way that hasn't been possible since the early days of the Republic. Remember what partnership means. Our self-organizing fundraising, war-room analysis, and real-time feedback is our responsibility to our candidate. Dean's reciprocal responsibility to us, is to repre...

NPR Transcript of Dean Interview, March 11, 2003 BOB EDWARDS, host: The prospect of war has become a big issue for Democratic presidential candidates. Among those candidates well-organized in Iowa, only one, physician and former Vermont Governor Howard Dean, is portraying himself as an opponent of the war. His position has given him some early momentum in the first-in-the-nation caucus state. NPR's national political correspondent Mara Liasson traveled in Iowa with Dean this past weekend, and has this report. MARA LIASSON reporting: The Iowa caucuses are just about 10 months away and Howard Dean is doing what you do in Iowa at this very early stage. He's traveling from one small town to another, meeting with small groups of committed Democrats, trying to get votes one at a time. Former Governor HOWARD DEAN: Very nice to come. Unidentified Woman: And this is Ray Miller(ph). Mr. DEAN: So does Rosemary(ph) drag you to all the caucuses? Unidentified Woman: Tries t...

You want flyers? We got flyers! Okay, well, one flyer, but it's a start! One of our readers sent in a flyer he's created (thanks, David!) so I made a directory on my personal web server. Feel free to click on the link above and grab David's flyer. I'm providing this space on my server for the forseeable future. If anyone has created a Dean flyer, poster, or card, email it to me and I'll add it to the directory. Feel free to pass the link around. And remember folks, if you're attending one of the many anti-war rallies and vigils this weekend, print some flyers and pass them around. Also, if anyone is attending the California Democratic Party Convention in Sacramento this weekend, remember to show up at 8:30AM to support Howard Dean, who'll be arriving at 8:45AM!

Salon.com urges the current crop of contenders to continue their war opposition even after the bombs start dropping: Democrats have a brand-new dilemma over the looming Iraq invasion: What should they say -- especially the half-dozen or so camped out in Iowa right now, crusading for the '04 presidential nomination -- once war breaks out? Even some antiwar Democrats are insisting they won't criticize the Bush administration once the fighting begins. Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, who's staked out a complex pro-disarming Saddam, anti-unilateral-war approach to the mess, says he'll hit the mute button immediately. Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, a more unequivocal war opponent than Kerry, told the Boston Globe he's not sure he'll keep it up once the shooting starts. War critics like former Sen. Gary Hart and Florida Sen. Bob Graham may postpone official announcements of their candidacies if war begins, as expected, in the next couple of weeks. Only Rep. Dennis ...

I know, I know, this isn't a Gephart blog. But I do think we need to keep our eyes on the rest of the field. Tonight, Dickie-G will be on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. I watch that show religiously and think that Jon Stewart does a better job of covering the news than many "real news" outlets (and isn't it sad when a cable comedy show does that better?). Of course, it's just my opinion. But don't expect Jon to toss very many softballs in Dick's direction. Anyone else up for a letter-writing campaign? mail@comedycentral.com is the only email address I found online. How about we all send them a note asking them to invite Dr Dean for a sit-down with Jon? Go!

“ We cut taxes a lot in Vermont ,” Dr. Dean said yesterday in a visit with editors of The New York Sun. Republicans these days, Dr. Dean complained, are operating on a basis of borrow and spend, borrow and spend ... touting his “A” rating from the National Rifle Association. Does Bush need to worry that his conservative base is about to swing into the Dean-for-President camp? Well, probably not yet. The Republican National Committee describes Dr. Dean as an “ultra-liberal on social issues.” His support for gay civil unions in Vermont is unlikely to go over well with the religious conservatives. Those are Bush votes anyway. Remember the elections of 1992 and 1998, when the Republicans waged their "cultural war" theme? Dean, by boxing off the issues of fiscal conservatism and guns, brings out the worst in Republicans, for all the independents to see-- their social intolerance.