Howard Dean 2004 Call to Action Weblog

The Spin Game -- Gone Bad

2003-06-10T10:50:00.000-07:00

For months the other campaigns, pundits, and others spun each other and the press in an attempt to marginalize Howard Dean. "He's not electable" they said -- despite the fact that he is the only candidate bringing thousands of people who have never participated in politics into his campaign. Meetups "are like a bar scene from Star Wars" they said -- even though if you go to a Meetup or look at the picture below of the Austin Rally -- you see Americans who are willing to do the hard work of making Democracy stronger in their local community, people who are becomming more involved and more active, and are energized by one candidacy -- Howard Dean's.

They have tried to marginalize Howard Dean by saying he is George McGovern (which did not work) so now they are labeling him as Jerry Brown (which won't work either). It won't work because anybody who sees him and listens to him knows he isn't anybody but Howard Dean. Too many in the press have bought the spin and repeated it over and over again -- but the spin isn't working. Why because it is a mistake to try to label Howard Dean -- I gave up trying to figure out how to label him years ago.

Howard Dean bases his decisions on the facts (I think its the doctor in him) And if the facts as he sees them say invading Afganistan is the right decision he supports it (as he did) and if the facts in front of him say that Iraq is the wrong war at the wrong time for our country he says so. If we can figure a way to REALLY provide health coverage for every American -- he looks at the facts -- and develops a plan to get it done (as he did for 97% of the children in Vermont and 91% of adults). And yes if the facts say Vermont does not need a ton of gun control laws (5 homicides in one year in which he was governor) then he doesn't see a big need for making gun control laws in Vermont -- and says lets keep the federal laws that we have, close the gun show loophole -- and let each state decide what laws they want to add. And its why regardless of the popular opinion -- when the facts as a doctor tell him there is no such thing as "partial birth abortion" he says so loud and clear.

What the spinsters from the other campaigns, and the pundits have either failed to realize, or report, or just don't get is it isn't the war, or any of these things -- its that Howard Dean is real, he has given exactly two prepared speeches in this campaign -- count em two. What they have haven't reported, or have not figured out is that if America is looking for a "programmed" candidate for President -- there are plenty of them in this field. Howard Dean is giving people a choice -- he's the unprogrammed candidate. He is who he is -- Howard Dean -- he defies labels -- yet they persist in labeling him. And no matter how hard they spin it another way -- it will not work -- because when people see him -- the spin does not ring true.

But the wake up call is coming -- our growth will not stay contained in the coffee shops and restaurants where Dean Meetups are held. Three months ago it was 500 to 600 at a New York Meetup, two weeks ago it was 1,200 strong from all across the state of Washington, and last night in Austin 3,200 people came to see Howard Dean speak and join our campaign.

We must make June ours -- we need to make the June 23rd Declaration of Candidacy events a display of the Dean grassroots strength across this country -- please sign up on our website for a June 23rd event or create one with our new organizing tools. We surprised everyone with the amount we raised in the last reporting period in March -- on June 30th (just 20 days from now) we must reach and surpass our fundraising goals again. We could not have surprised anyone in March without the netroots and grassroots support of hundreds of thousands of dollars of small donations, and we will not do it in June without the same response from every Dean supporter who can afford to make a contribution this month -- and every penny will count.

The time is now -- we need everyone's help now more than ever. We can expose the spin of the other campaigns for what it is -- a failed attempt to marginalize a candidate, a campaign, and an energized grassroots -- that simply cannot be marginalized. I mean its time to make these people's jaws drop. Last night mine did when I heard about Austin, as I suspect many of your's did when you heard about it - and we know what we really are.

ON A WARM TEXAS EVENING....

2003-06-10T08:11:00.000-07:00

3,200 people showed up to hear Howard Dean speak at the Plaza Saltillo in Austin on Monday, June 9th.

THE NOTE ON HOWARD DEAN

2003-06-10T08:09:00.000-07:00

From this morning's The Note:

We've said it before, and we'll say it again: Howard Dean might win both Iowa and New Hampshire; Howard Dean is the only major candidate in the race who talks like both a governor AND a real person from outside Washington; Howard Dean is really using the Internet to fundraise and organize (It ain't just hype … .); Howard Dean connects regularly with Democratic audiences in a way that the others can do only sporadically; Howard Dean has a long record of policy thoughtfulness and a capacity to connect it to the real lives of real people that governors do best (and is, dare we say it, Clintonesque) ; and he evinces real anger at George Bush's polices.

The dirty little (not-so) secret of political strategists of both parties is how hard it is to get people interested in, and emotional about, politics. Howard Dean is doing that, and he is bringing new (and young) people into the process. In a crowded field, that is a good thing.

WHAT DOES 3,200 MEAN?

2003-06-10T07:55:00.000-07:00

You hear it everywhere. The pundits discuss Howard Dean. They discuss the 33,100 people signed up for Dean Meetups. They discuss the blog, sometimes, and the netroots momentum behind Howard Dean. And then they say, "It remains to be seen whether this Internet activism will make any difference in the real world, or on election day."

What they miss is that it is making a difference, today, in the real world. Last night, 3,200 people showed up in Austin, Texas to hear Howard Dean speak for 20 minutes. The event was organized online in less than ten days by local volunteers. 3,200 people. Carl with a K puts the number into perspective:

In 1999-2000 when I began work on Senator John McCain's campaign... getting people to show up for an impromptu political rally outside of New Hampshire was near impossible... unthinkable even.

Things slowly changed as the campaign progressed and AFTER New Hampshire it was not uncommon in South Carolina for the campaign to be greeted by screaming McCainiacs numbering in the 1500-2000 range. That's an important point to understand. McCain's momentum flowed from state to state as he did better. There is no way we could have flown to Nashville (Gore's hometown) and been welcomed by 3,000 supporters even if it had been the day after New Hampshire at the height of his popularity.

It becomes more clear each day that this campaign is different from any other insurgent candidacy of the past. Doctor Dean has a national support network ready at any time to turn out for him and get the job done. That's something the Gary Hart's and John McCain's of this world were never able to harness let alone 6 months before a vote was taken.

3,200 people showing up for Howard Dean is incredible. We can also demonstrate the power of the netroots by again exceeding fundraising expectations over the Internet. Click here to contribute to Howard Dean's campaign for America. We have only twenty days before the end of the second quarter.

FROM THE ROAD: AUSTIN, TEXAS

2003-06-10T06:07:00.000-07:00

Thank you, Texas!! Last night was truly amazing. 3,200 people showed up for a rally for Gov. Dean in Austin. We had been told that 300 people were waiting for the Gov. When we arrived at the rally site is was clear that someone forgot a zero! Being in George Bush's home state made the size of the crowd even more exciting. The Gov. spoke for about 20 minutes and had the crowd roaring - especially when he referenced the current President! What made the rally so impressive was that it was organized in ten days primarily over the internet. When we got in the car after the event the Gov. was elated and, needless to say, amazed by the size of the crowd.

Right now we're driving from Austin to Houston for two events. This is a trip to Texas that we will never forget.

3,200 PEOPLE RALLY FOR DEAN IN BUSH'S HOME STATE CAPITAL

2003-06-09T22:16:00.000-07:00

This was a truly amazing night. 10:30 pm, end of a very long day here in Burlington... Nicco and I had just spooled up Trippi's email about the Declaration parties on June 23rd... and all of a sudden Burlington HQ just starts to hum with excitement as word filters in about what is happening in Austin. 3,200 people showed up for a rally for Howard Dean in Austin, Texas tonight! It's hard to put perspective on just how massive an event that is, and how such a turnout is simply unheard of.

The rally was a stand-alone for Howard Dean-- the people were there to see him. The event was organized locally by volunteers.

Has this ever happened, six months before the first vote is cast in a primary? 18 months before the general election, 3,200 people rally for an opposing candidate in the capital city of a sitting President?

Over 3,200 numbered name tags were given out. Cell phone reports have it that all the local stations were there-- the Governor did interviews afterward. We're working to get video up on Howard Dean TV and photos up on the blog. Send us any photos at deanforum@deanforamerica.com.

Rick Klau helped us break the story, while Blogger was down. We're awaiting a report from Kate O'Connor; meanwhile, the unofficial Dean blog has a good report.

The confidential schedule said: expect approx. 300 people. We were stunned by the turnout.

MEETUP EXCEEDS 33,000; CHECK OUT THE NEW MEETING TOOLS

2003-06-09T17:53:00.000-07:00

There are now 33,000 people signed up to Meetup for Howard Dean on the first Wednesday of every month.

For those who haven't yet seen them, click here to check out the new meeting tools that we launched only days ago. These tools allow member of Meetup and other Dean supporters to arrange or find any type of event online-- house parties, viewing parties, recruiting efforts, tabling days, or any other project you want to do to help elect Howard Dean the next President of the United States.

You can set up an event any time, any place. One of the first things you can do is set up a viewing party to watch Howard Dean's announcement speech on June 23rd. If there isn't a viewing party in your area, please set one up. It is important that we demonstrate to the country that people across the nation are taking part in Howard Dean's official declaration.

The speech is scheduled to be broadcast at 1 pm ET. It will be webcast live and will be available on demand on the Internet by 6 pm ET. Set up a Monday evening party with your friends and neighbors to hear Howard Dean as he lays out his vision for the future of our country. Be sure to get your friends to join you using the online meeting tools-- it's the only way to demonstrate to the country how many people are taking part in the June 23rd celebration.

SALETAN ON DEAN: "NOT SINCE CLINTON HAVE DEMOCRATS SEEN A TALENT LIKE THIS"

2003-06-09T17:01:00.000-07:00

William Saletan at Slate is dutifully impressed by Howard Dean's appearance in Iowa this weekend. (Click here to view the video from Cspan.) Saletan writes:

Dean is far and away the most interesting player in the race. Not since Clinton have Democrats seen a talent like this. Here's Dean on the federal budget:

When Ronald Reagan came into office, he cut taxes, we had big deficits, and we lost 2 million jobs. When Bill Clinton came into office, he raised taxes without a single Republican vote; we balanced the budget; we gained 6 and a half million jobs. George Bush has already lost 2 and a half million. I want a balanced budget because that's how you get jobs in this country is to balance the books. No Republican president has balanced the budget in 34 years. …You had better elect a Democrat, because the Republicans cannot handle money. … We're the party of responsibility, and they're not.

When you hear Dean talk like this, you wonder why no one else can make the party's case so simply. If more Democrats spoke this way, maybe they'd control a branch of government.

If more Democrats spoke this way, we'd probably control all three.

OVER 33,000 PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO MEETUP FOR DEAN

2003-06-09T16:25:00.000-07:00

Over 33,000 people have now signed up through meetup.com to organize locally for Governor Dean. They have raised nearly one third of a million dollars through the Meetup Challenge, a challenge from a New York Meetuper to raise $1,000,000 for Dean through Meetups (click here to add your contribution). Many of those same Meetup members are now organizing events to celebrate Howard Dean's official declaration of his candidacy on June 23rd. Visit http://www.deanforamerica.com/june23 and type in your zip code to see if an event has been scheduled in your area. As the June FEC filing deadline approaches in less than three weeks, these Declaration Celebration events and the Meetup challenge become critical to Dean's continued momentum.

TALK OF THE TOWN: HOWARD DEAN

2003-06-09T15:22:00.000-07:00

The New Yorker's Ben McGrath takes in two fundraisers-- one with Howard Dean, the other with someone else-- and reveals some reasons why people are supporting Governor Dean:

[Cynthia] Williams is not, to be precise, a young professional; she said that she had been unemployed since September 11th, and, before she discovered Dean (watching c-span over the winter), she was, she said, “on the verge of being evicted. I didn’t know what would happen to my son.” Now that she’s a Dean supporter, things are looking up. “When I say he saved my life, I’m not overstating,” she said. “Last Friday, I went to the dinner in Atlantic City, and I had to borrow the money to even get down there. But once I got there I had a hotel room waiting for me, meals, everything. We Dean supporters look out for one another, you know? They say they like my enthusiasm.”
At another candidate's fundraiser, McGrath takes a one-person poll:

A Columbia student named Meredith... had been at Downtown Dean, too. (She had changed clothes between stops.) As the Late Night party began to thin out, after midnight, she looked around... and said that she’d been more impressed by Dean. “I found him very compelling,” she said. “Not necessarily arousing, but compelling. And the crowd there was more diverse.”

MSNBC: DEAN CONTINUES ATTACKS ON BUSH

2003-06-09T10:47:00.000-07:00

Tom Curry over at MSNBC reports on Howard Dean's appearance at Governor Tom Vilsack's picnic in Iowa this weekend:

Dean compared Bush to President Nixon during the Watergate crisis. “What did the president know and when did he know it?” Dean asked, in a reprise of the famous question posed about Nixon in 1974.

“The country is facing a serious crisis,” Dean told the crowd. “Our people are dying in Iraq at the rate of nine a week and the American people may not have had the full information about why we went there.”

"The president’s credibility is at stake,” Dean told reporters earlier.

ON THE NET: PROGRESSIVE CHRISTIANS FOR DEAN

2003-06-09T09:01:00.000-07:00

Adding to the Dean Internet presence is a new site, Progressive Christians for Dean. From their homepage:

Progressive Christians for Dean is a group of thoughtful and committed progressive Christians focused on electing Howard Dean President of the United States and getting his message to the larger community of faith. Gov. Dean has a record of commitment to social justice and fiscal responsibility, and he is dedicated to reviving the progressive voice in public policy and ensuring that no person is left behind. We encourage all progressive Christians to support Gov. Dean in his campaign.

JOHN ZOGBY: "REAL STORY IS DEAN'S RISE"

2003-06-08T14:42:00.000-07:00

Following up on the KCCI poll released Thursday, in which Howard Dean surged into a second-place tie in Iowa, the latest Zogby poll of New Hampshire voters confirms that Howard Dean is the only candidate advancing in the key states of Iowa and New Hampshire.

According to the Zogby poll of New Hampshire voters, Howard Dean has advanced 9 points in New Hampshire since February. Dean is tied for the lead in the Granite State with John Kerry, who has lost some traction in the state since the spring. Zogby writes:

In February New Hampshire polling by Zogby International, Kerry enjoyed a 2-1 lead over Dean, 26% - 13%, with Gephardt at 11% and Lieberman at 9% .

The results of the current poll, conducted June 4-7, show Governor Howard Dean at 22%, in a statistical tie with John Kerry (25%). Lieberman was a "distant third" at 10%, while Gephardt fell to 7%. The margin of error for the poll is +/- 4.1%.

John Zogby summed up the poll by writing: The real story here is Dean's rise.

Indeed, comparing the latest polls, while Gephardt rose in Iowa, he fell in NH. Kerry lost one percentage point in New Hampshire and fell six points in Iowa. Only Dean advanced in both states.

Also in the New Hampshire poll, 27% of voters were still undecided. 36% of voters had yet to become familiar with Governor Dean, while only 12% of respondents were unfamiliar with John Kerry, suggesting that Dean has the stronger chance of winning over those who are still looking for a candidate to support.

FROM THE ROAD: MT. PLEASANT, IOWA

2003-06-08T14:22:00.000-07:00

We are in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa for Gov. Tom Vilsack's and Lt. Gov. Sally Pederson's annual family picnic. The picnic was held at the Old Threshers Grounds. There were more John Deere tractors than you've ever seen in your life! Around 800 people were there. The Dean people came from all over: Chicago, Minneapolis, and Missouri. They did a great job greeting the Gov. and they were on there feet waving signs when the Gov. spoke. Gov. Dean made their drive worthwhile by giving a great speech! You can feel the enthusiasm for the Gov. building here it Iowa. Thankfully, the Gov. did not sing - like some of the other candidates did. I'm not sure his speech would have gone over as well if he did!

You can't have a picnic without food and the Vilsacks and the Pedersons put on a great spread: pork burgers (Never had one before - they're great), cole slaw, potato chips, lemonade, chocolate chip cookies and ice cream. This is one day that we won't be going without food.

Make sure to watch Road to the White House tonight on C-SPAN. They will be rebroadcasting the speech.

Right now we're in the airport waiting to catch a flight (unfortunately, it's a little plane) to Minnesota. It will be our second state in just one day!

DEAN TIED FOR LEAD IN NH ZOGBY POLL

2003-06-08T12:35:00.000-07:00

The AP reports on the latest Zogby poll of likely New Hampshire primary voters:

Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean lead the field among Democratic presidential candidates in New Hampshire, according to the latest poll of likely voters in the state.

Kerry was at 25 percent while Dean was at 22 percent in the Zogby poll released Sunday.

The poll of 600 likely voters taken June 4-7 has an error margin of plus or minus 4 percentage points. That means Kerry and Dean are statistically tied for the lead.

According to the AP report, "About one-third of those surveyed said they are not familiar with Dean, while one in 10 said that about Kerry." These numbers suggest that Dean is more likely to gain additional support in New Hampshire.

AROUND THE BLOGS: SEEING THE FOREST

2003-06-07T13:53:00.000-07:00

Dave Johnson over at Seeing the Forest has been getting some good air time with his defense of what it means to be from the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party. He writes:

Being in the Democratic wing is about being an opposition party and standing up for the people of the country and the interests of the nation instead of cowering before the Bush intimidation machine, allowing the right to persue their radical agenda to take the country back to the 19th century. That's what it's about, not about being a leftie. And it's about getting it. Checking in with weblogs is getting it. Reading BuzzFlash is getting it. Understanding what the grassroots are talking about is getting it. THAT is why Governor Howard Dean is doing so well with the grassroots, and THAT is why Dean can use the phrase "from the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party.

DOC SEARLS DIGS DOCTOR DEAN

2003-06-06T21:57:00.000-07:00

Or at least this humble little weblog. Searles writes in Digging Dean:

In the Official Howard Dean Weblog, we may have (far as I know, which admittedly is not... enough) a model political campaign blog.

What makes a good poliblog? Human beings speaking in human voices (like Matthew Gross, who signed the latest several posts). Making the ends the means. Links galore. Cross-crediting where due. Permalinks. RSS. Involvement. All that stuff is good to see, regardless of the policies involved.

Are any other candidates even close?

Well, what can we say? It put a smile on our face, even if the old first name was misspelled yet again (the bane of my existence-- one lonesome "t," just spread the word). A very good end to a very good week for the Howard Dean campaign.

HOW WILL BUSH SPIN THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE?

2003-06-06T15:43:00.000-07:00

As the number of unemployed Americans increased to a 9-year high, the question today is, how will the Bush Administration explain the effect of its disastrous economic policies on the millions of unemployed Americans who are not enjoying the benefits of a supposed "recovery?"

"The problem is not that President Bush isn't paying enough attention to the economy, the problem is that his economic policies are leaving hard-working American families behind," said Governor Howard Dean today. "Our economy cannot withstand one more misguided tax cut cloaked in the guise of economic stimulus. This president has broken the bank, and it's time we cut up his credit card."

Howard Dean is running for President to restore fiscal discipline to the federal government. As Governor of Vermont, Dean balanced the state budget every year while providing health care to virtually all of Vermont's children and creating thousands of new jobs.

ON PETITIONS

2003-06-06T13:27:00.000-07:00

In regards to a petition that is circulating online: it should be stated clearly that Governor Dean does not believe pressure should be placed on anyone to withdraw from the race. Governor Dean is standing up for the democratic ideals of our nation, and those ideals mean that the voters should decide-- at the polls.

In order for Howard Dean to win the White House in 2004, we must bring together all of the constituencies and viewpoints that make up the Democratic party. Efforts to encourage a particular candidate to drop out-- no matter how well-intentioned-- will only alienate those whom we need to include in the fight against George W. Bush.

Howard Dean welcomes the healthy debate that a broad Democratic field brings to the nominating process. It's a chance for the Democratic party to consider where it is going, and where it has been. We will win this race based on the power of our ideas and the rightness of our actions. And we will win this race by bringing the entire Democratic party together.

AROUND THE BLOGS: TOMPAINE.COM

2003-06-06T09:06:00.000-07:00

TomPaine.com calls Howard Dean a "Man We Won't Misunderestimate":

Remember when we had competent presidents? Clinton press conferences were like college seminars with a star professor. He could speak broadly and authoratively for hours -- completely off the cuff. We were reminded of him when we read the Grist Magazine Q&A with Howard Dean. The lengthy, free-ranging conversation about environmental policy occurred while Dean was walking through the airport, going through the security checkpoints, not sitting at a desk with a binder of briefing sheets. Unlike Clinton, though, and today’s DLC-fed presidential contenders, The Doctor seems genuinely committed to alternative energy, pledging to ramp up renewables to a hearty 15% by 2010.

UNEMPLOYMENT HITS 6.1%

2003-06-06T08:23:00.000-07:00

The Washington Posts reports:

WASHINGTON - The nation's unemployment rate climbed to 6.1 percent in May, the highest level in nine years, as businesses cut 17,000 jobs in a weak economy struggling toward recovery.

The rate was up one-tenth of a percentage point from April, peaking at a level not seen since the country was emerging from the last recession, the Labor Department reported Friday.

DEAN SURGES IN IOWA POLL; MOST OTHER CANDIDATES HEADING IN WRONG DIRECTION

2003-06-05T15:27:00.000-07:00

In the latest KCCI poll of likely Iowa voters, Howard Dean has made tremendous gains while most other candidates are losing ground. The poll results for the top 5 candidates now, as compared to March:

             JUNE MARCH   NET CHANGE
Gephardt     27    22    plus 5
Kerry           14    20    minus 6
Dean           11     6      plus 5
Lieberman   10    16     minus 6
Edwards      4     8      minus 4

The poll reveals that only two of the top five candidates-- Howard Dean and Dick Gephardt-- are gaining support in the race to win Iowa. Howard Dean has leapt from 5th place to 3rd. The direction of John Kerry's momentum suggests he risks falling back into the pack, and Senators Lieberman and Edwards have also lost traction.

AP: DEAN SUPPORTERS USE INTERNET TO ORGANIZE

2003-06-05T15:10:00.000-07:00

Ron Fournier files his story with the Associated Press on yesterday's Meetup:

"Time to break out the checkbooks!" Morrill shouted as a Dean campaign worker passed out donation forms.

The purpose is to build a deep, cheap grass-roots political organization and take the extra step to victory that eluded Gary Hart, Pat Buchanan, John McCain and other insurgent candidacies.

JOIN THE DECLARATION CELEBRATION JUNE 23RD

2003-06-05T12:54:00.000-07:00

On June 23rd, Governor Dean will formally declare his candidacy and lay out his vision for America in a major address from Burlington, Vermont.

In addition to the rally in Burlington, the Dean for America campaign is organizing Declaration Celebrations in five cities.

You can also organize your own local Declaration Celebration—-we can show the country the strength of support for Governor Dean by holding hundreds of parties in towns and cities across America.

How can you organize a Declaration Celebration? By using the ultra-secret, pretty-darned-cool tools that our web team has been working on around the clock. Click here for more info.

CNN TO REPORT ON MEETUP

2003-06-05T12:49:00.000-07:00

Legend has it that CNN will report on yesterday's Meetup on today's edition of Inside Politics, broadcast at 4 pm EDT.

FROM THE ROAD: WASHINGTON, DC

2003-06-05T12:25:00.000-07:00

Right now we're in our nation's capital. We got here this morning after spending the last two days in New York. We had two great days in New York City. We met with activists who we are trying to get on board and we had several fundraising receptions for solid Dean supporters. One of the receptions was hosted by Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. As a Vermonter who doesn't get to see movie stars everyday it was very exciting to see them in person. (I even had a conversation about oatmeal raisin cookies with a extremely famous composer!) The meetings were great, but the weather wasn't and being the frugal campaign that we are we don't do taxis! So, we walked, took a bus, and took the subway every where we went. Needless to say we were soaked by the end of the day, but we are now experts at public transportation!

In addition to the typical campaign meetings we had to do, Gov. Dean gave the commencement address at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. The Gov. graduated from Albert Einstein, so he had a great time seeing some of his former classmates and professors.

This morning we flew from New York to Washington, DC. (The flight was not without incident. We were dropped off at the wrong terminal and the shuttle bus to the right terminal never came. It was too far to walk, so we had to break our no taxi rule and jump in a cab to get to the terminal just in time to board the plane!)

Thankfully, we made it to Washington!

MEET UP SUCCESS IN THE PRESS

2003-06-05T08:29:00.000-07:00

Dean supporters across the country did a good job of getting local reporters to their Meetups last night. Two examples:

Santa Fe New Mexican

San Mateo County Times

TV SPY INTERVIEW

2003-06-05T07:26:00.000-07:00

TVSpy.com has a short online interview with Howard Dean, in which the Governor discusses HowardDean TV:

TVSPY: Governor, what exactly is Howard Dean TV?

DEAN: Howard Dean TV is essentially a way of getting our message out unfiltered over the Internet. It's been terrific. It's really been a great success. It allows people to go onto the Net, where they are able to see the direct message without being snipped into little sound bites and without being filtered by Rupert Murdoch and "fair and balanced coverage".

MEETUP MEMBERS SURPASS 32,000

2003-06-04T21:23:00.000-07:00

32,044 people have now signed up for the Dean 2004 Meetups. This means that in the past 48 hours ALONE, 3,149 new people signed up. To put that in some perspective, less than 3,000 people are signed up to Meetup for Kerry, Edwards, Gephardt, Lieberman, and George W. Bush combined.

BACK FROM THE BURLINGTON MEETUP

2003-06-04T20:58:00.000-07:00

We just got back from the Burlington Meetup an hour ago. Because it is, even in Vermont, warm enough to sit outside, the Burlington staff and dozens of supporters sat together on the patio, ate french fries, watched the video on Dean TV, and listened to each other. Vermont Coordinator Sam Osborne, Joe Trippi, and Michael Silberman spoke, and one woman who claimed to be unable to speak eloquently in crowds proved herself completely wrong. One of the best parts of this entire process is seeing people who have never previously been political getting so actively involved. A local volunteer, Jim Brayton, took pictures which you can see here. Then I came back to the office to read reports from Meetupers from around the country, like Clay from Georgia:

"This meetup was decidedly different than the others. People were much more ready to take action. They were energized. They were BEGGING for action. I don't know what y'all did in Vermont, but whatever it did worked here in the south. People here want their country back. And I'll have a team together that will not only carry Dekalb County, but quite possibly the State of Georgia."

or Rachel from Chicago:

"Chicago meetup was FANTASTIC. This thing is really rolling!"

or a supporter from Cincinnati:

"The Cincinnati meetup was attended by about 30 people - no small feat considering that we had to scramble for a new location after the first location cancelled (they were worried that we would take up too much space!) About 3/4's of the people were new!

We organized ourselves, raised money and had a great time.I agree - this is winnable!"

There is a great CBS News article today on Dean and the extraordinary Meetup grassroots movement. "The largest component spreading the word – both in money and organization – are the Meetup folks," says Joe Trippi, Dean's campaign manager. "Meetup has been incredible. Just incredible."

HOWARD DEAN ON CHARLIE ROSE

2003-06-04T10:43:00.000-07:00

For those of you who missed it, last night's interview with Howard Dean on the Charlie Rose show is now available in Quicktime by clicking here.

"REALLY COOL ORGANIZING TOOLS"

2003-06-04T10:09:00.000-07:00

One of the best parts of the unprecedented grassroots movement for Dean is the independent organizing that has grown out of Meetup. In Atlanta, New York, Nashville, California, Minneapolis, Albany, Houston and dozens of other cities, Meetupers and others have been organizing their own events--outreach events where people pass out flyers and sign people up for Dean, and social events, like barbeques and pizza parties, where Dean supporters come together to meet each other, plan and raise money. In upstate New York, Meetupers passed out flyers at the local tulip festival; in Chicago, volunteers are signing people up at this weekend's book festivals; in Durham, supporters get together for trivia night.

As of yesterday, supporters can now arrange those outreach events and social events on the Dean for America website. These are the “really cool organizing tools” that Joe Trippi mentioned in his blogpost last night (no, Joe, I was not at the Pub & Brewery--I was working really, really hard on that new project we're always talking about). Go to http://action.deanforamerica.com/meet to see if anyone in your area has scheduled an event (just enter your zip code), and, if you have already planned a local event, try posting your event on our website, and inviting friends to join you. Or you could just post your Meetup tonight as an event. Meetup hosts in a handful of towns have already started doing just that. (Have I mentioned that tonight is Dean Meetup night, and nearly 31,500 people have signed up across the country?)

These are new capabilities, and will take time for people to get used to using them, and there will doubtless be several kinks that need to be worked out, so be patient with us as we all figure out the best way to use them. You should know, though, that we would never have tried to provide this new service if it weren't for the incredible organizing and energy that is out there already. We'll put a link to the tools on our website tomorrow, and provide more information, but if you want a sneak preview and to try scheduling your own events, you can be among the first!

MID-WEEK IN THE BLOGOSPHERE

2003-06-04T08:05:00.000-07:00

Yep, it's Wednesday (already?), which means it's not only National Meetup for Dean day-- it's also time for Daily Kos' Weekly Cattle Call. Kos (rightfully) notes the power of blogs in the coming election:

The passion we demonstrate for politics is making waves. The Dean people are pioneers in this regard, but by next cycle all campaigns will be "working" the blogs. By becoming engaged in the political process, we will help shape it.

Indeed, do any of you think Dean would be where he is without the power of the weblog? The other candidates, thanks to their techno-ignorance, have ceeded this entire territory to Dean. You better believe no one will make that mistake in future campaigns.

It's a whole new world, and I think it's cool that we are all playing a role. And like it or not, these weekly rankings are part of the process.

ROCK THE VOTE AT DEANROCKS

2003-06-04T07:43:00.000-07:00

Adding to the Howard Dean presence online is the website with the cool title DeanRocks. From the site:

Deanrocks.com was started in May 2003 by a 24 year old single mother in Southern Vermont. DeanRocks.com seeks to inspire the 25 million Americans aged 18-30 who are not currently voting to support Vermont's former Governor, Howard Dean, in his bid for the Democratic Nomination for President. Our website will utilize the unique combination of art, music, politics and the internet to inspire our generation to unite and TAKE BACK AMERICA from the Bush Regime!

GOVERNOR DEAN ON DIANE REHM ON NPR 10:30 ET

2003-06-04T07:20:00.000-07:00

Howard Dean will be on the Diane Rehm show on NPR at 10:30 am ET today-- fifteen minutes from now. Check the schedule of the NPR station in your area for broadcast times near you.

Also, many PBS stations will be rebroadcasting last night's interview with Governor Dean on the Charlie Rose Show. Check your local listings to catch it today.

31,000 PEOPLE SIGN UP TO MEET UP FOR HOWARD DEAN

2003-06-03T21:43:00.000-07:00

Well its midnight, and we've grown somewhere well over a few thousand in just the last 24 hours. So where are Matt and Zephyr when we have great news to post? Well I am guessing either getting some well deserved sleep, or more likely down at the Vermont Pub and Brewery downing a well deserved local brew. Of course there is always the chance they are just scouting the place to get ready for tomorrow night's Burlington Meetup. Today was a really great day -- we began to test some really cool organzing tools that we should be launching on our site this Thursday. June is going to be a critical month for our fundrasing efforts and the netroots response, Meetup Challenge, and Grassroots House Parties are all going to be crucial to our success. The filing deadline is June 30th for this quarter -- so we only have 27 days left to get every penny we can in -- and in this campaign every penny counts. We were having what was looking to be a strong day in terms of contributions over the net -- people have really begun to respond to the June deadline -- but when the network, that supports 25% of the nation's ATMs, along with our electronic credit card transactions, went down for 6 hours today......well lets just say the rest of the staff was happy that my office is kind of out of the way and relatively soundproof. So if you responded today but could not get through -- please try again tomorrow. Take the time in your Meetup to make it clear that the June 30th deadline is coming up --- this campaign must prove that our grassroots strength also translates to competitive financial support. Every day we are growing stronger -- we are not just talking about it -- we are working to build the strongest grassroots organization in our party's history -- every person who contributes to our effort -- by giving what they can in terms of time or money helps Howard Dean take another step forward towards the nomination and the White House. It is pretty amazing how far we have come together -- in so short an amount of time -- we can take a giant step forward by exceeding our fundraising goals for this quarter.

THIRTY THOUSAND PEOPLE SIGN UP TO MEET UP FOR HOWARD DEAN

2003-06-03T12:34:00.000-07:00

Over 30,000 people in over 400 cities have signed up to meet tomorrow night to help elect Governor Howard Dean, M.D. the next President of the United States. Governor Dean is the most popular topic at MeetUp.com, and his numbers continue to grow every hour.

Governor Dean made the following statement:

“I'm amazed that so many people across the country are working so hard at this stage of the campaign. Our grassroots support has experienced tremendous growth so far. In February, there were fewer than 500 people signed up through MeetUp.com. Now, over 30,000 have signed up to meet tomorrow night to find out how they can help take back our country. Our democracy is still in the hands of the people, and it's thrilling that so many care so much about the future of America.”

MEETUP HITS 30,000!

2003-06-03T10:10:00.000-07:00

30,000 people are now signed up to Meetup for Howard Dean tomorrow.

MEETUP COORDINATORS: ESTABLISHING THE DEAN NATIONAL MEDIA NETWORK

2003-06-03T09:58:00.000-07:00

Richard Hoefer of the grassroots group San Francisco for Dean writes:

I had a long conversation with Nicco (webmaster, video) at DeanForAmerica about 10 ten days ago. One of the things they still need, among many things, from the Dean supporters are PHOTOS from venues where Dean appears, preferably mixing with people vs just on a stage. There is also a need for coordination of video assets that are available all over the web -- so more people (and city-sites) know about them, and to push more media out showing Dean in action. Moving broadcast quality video, DVD quality and even quicktime media fluidly from city to city is important and requires coordination. There are asset management issues, there are general questions like "I shot this video and I don't know where to send it"...

Third, there is a need to identify pro video photographers in Meetup cities who can cover Dean at local appearances -- wherever he might be -- then get that video fed back tothe Campaign and to State/Regional/City sites.

Fourth, a number of creative folks in LA, SF, NY and elsewhere have been developing targeted ads to introduce Dean to their city's various communities of people. We also need more people, and want to identify who these people are in each Meetup city.

Such as: Video Photographers & Editors, Ad Producers, Still Photographers, Designers, Illustrators, Flash Animators, Writers, Copywriters, Creative Directors, Music Composers, Production Artists/HTML Builders, and any other creative personnel.

For all these reasons, I discussed with Nicco that having a single place for compilation of these resources would make coordination of these creative efforts much easier -- and speed up the whole process of message creation and distribution thru web, DVD, print, broadcast media.

SanFranciscoForDean has taken on the task to coordinate Media talent in forming a National Media Network. Meetup is right upon us. What we're
asking Dean Supporters in all Meetup cities across the country to do is: At your Meetup meeting, specifically ask and solicit within your Meetup group:
Who are the professional crreative media personnel who would volunteer their services for Dean in these areas: Video Photographers & Editors, Ad Producers, Still Photographers, Designers, Illustrators, Flash Animators, Writers, Copywriters, Creative Directors, Music Composers, Production Artists/HTML Builders, and any other creative personnel.

The intention is not that all of these people come together on a national project. The intent is to be able to share media assets -- and ideas that
work -- so that appeals to take a look at Howard Dean are targeted for different voting segments.

PLEASE HELP AND SUPPORT THIS COORDINATION EFFORT

By having your Meetup Group coordinator gather this information and post it to the SF website here:

http://www.sf4dean.com/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=8&t=32

Thanks very much!

VIDEO OF DEAN IN CALIFORNIA

2003-06-03T08:15:00.000-07:00

Carl with a K has put up streaming video of Howard Dean's June 1st address to the California Teacher's Association. Check it out.

MEETUP SURPASSES 29,000

2003-06-03T07:31:00.000-07:00

29,531 people are signed up to Meetup for Howard Dean tomorrow.

FROM THE ROAD: NEW YORK

2003-06-03T07:25:00.000-07:00

It's Tuesday morning and we just arrived in New York. I've been a little behind on reporting in because Gov. Dean has been flying around the country, leaving me little time to get on the computer!

On Saturday we were in Lake Placid, NY where the Gov. addressed the Democratic Rural Conference. A large group of Vermonters crossed Lake Champlain to greet the Gov. when he arrived. The Gov. gave his stump speech, and as many of the press accounts accurately reported, he got a better response than the other candidates (especially when he uttered the now famous, "We don't need another Dean-lite" line.)

Early Sunday morning we took a plane to Los Angeles, California where Gov. Dean was the keynote speaker at the California Teachers Association meeting. The reponse from the teachers was amazing. Their reaction reminded me of the enthusiastic reaction the Gov. received at the California Democratic State Party convention earlier in the year - (there must be something in the CA water) . The teachers especially appreciated when the Gov. recounted his short stint as a teacher (five hours on your feet with no bathroom break!) It was great to see all of the California Meet Up people. They held a rally outside of the hotel where the teachers were meeting. I know I am sounding like a broken record, but once again, there was a large, loud and enthusiastic crowd of sign waving Dean supporters!

We saw two celebrities during the California trip. The Body by Jake guy was on our plane, and even more exciting was seeing Karl of Karl with a K website fame at the teachers convention. Karl broke his arm when he fell off a cliff (I see a made for tv movie in Karl's future!). All of us at Dean for America wish Karl well!!

Now we are in New York for two fun filled days!

OVER 29,000 MEETUP MEMBERS

2003-06-03T06:18:00.000-07:00

Over 29,000 Dean supporters have now signed up through Meetup.com to meet tomorrow, June 4th, in hundreds of cities across the country. If you have not yet signed up--and asked all your friends--you can sign up now and get involved on the ground floor in the largest grassroots campaign in presidential history. At this Meetup, Meetup hosts will be focussing on how individuals and local groups can help the Dean movement take off in the next month through doubling our base, and raising grassroots and netroots money as the vital June 30th Federal Elections Commissions deadline approaches.

IN THESE TIMES PROFILES HOWARD DEAN

2003-06-02T15:52:00.000-07:00

Progressive magazine In These Times writes:

Real American strength, Dean says, comes from internationalist cooperation on matters such as terrorism, global warming, raising living standards, and bringing greater democracy to the poor countries of the world (whose debts need to be forgiven as much for American security interests as for their own economic growth). Domestically, he proposes a safety net for the “middle class” as well as the poor, guaranteeing that health care, education and affordable housing are available for everyone. That’s hardly an “elitist” program, but the DLC attack may reflect the rising political fortunes of this previously little-known governor from the next-to-least most populous state. In one early New Hampshire poll, Dean is tied with Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts for the lead, and he is making a strong showing in Iowa, where he has visited more than 30 times already and has a strong staff.

STATEMENT OF HOWARD DEAN ON TODAY'S DECISION BY THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

2003-06-02T09:16:00.000-07:00

“Today's decision by the FCC delivers a crushing blow to the ideal of diversity in our nation’s media, and threatens access to local news in many small towns and communities across America.

"In Vermont, as in other states, we rely on local newspapers and local television and radio stations to alert us to weather hazards, broadcast local breaking news, and keep us informed on the important events in our communities. I am deeply concerned that when local media is no longer local -- as may be the case in many cities and towns as a result of today's action -- residents will be less informed, alerts may happen more slowly, and an entire community may be endangered by the lack of an effective communication tool in an emergency situation.

"The Bush Administration should have blocked this deregulation; instead, they urged its passing, choosing to side with the interests of the few, rather than the millions of Americans who will be affected by it.”

On May 27, Dean wrote to FCC chairman Michael Powell urging the delay of the June 2 vote so that the American people would have a real opportunity to provide public input on a decision that effects every American.

CALL FOR SEATTLE VIDEO

2003-06-02T08:10:00.000-07:00

If you have the original video of the May 14th Seattle event (not in Quicktime), please send an email to deanforum@deanforamerica.com.

2003-06-01T16:10:00.000-07:00

MEETUP SURPASSES 28,000!

2003-06-01T14:56:00.000-07:00

There are now more than 28,000 Americans signed up to Meetup for Howard Dean!

The next National Meetup for Dean Day is this Wednesday, June 4th. If you are a Meetup Host, download your Meetup Host kit.

If you have broadband access, get the Howard Dean video message to Meetup participants at HowardDean.tv. Be sure to bring your laptop with the video to your Meetup to share with other supporters of Howard Dean.

If you have yet to sign up for Meetup, click here to meet people in your area who are working to elect Howard Dean the next President of the United States.

FROM THE ROAD: WINOOSKI, VERMONT

2003-05-30T21:58:00.000-07:00

Well, we are back in Vermont for the night. We just returned from a three day road trip to New Hampshire and a quick stop in Atlantic City, New Jersey. We started the day with a breakfast meet and greet at The Inn at Jaffrey Center in Jaffrey, New Hampshire. Like the other meet and greets we did in NH over the last three days, it was well attended - close to 100 people. From Jaffrey we went on to Keene for a lunch sponsored by the mayor of the city. So many people showed up to hear the Gov. that they could not get into the restaurant because of fire codes. The Gov. ended up giving two speeches: one to the crowd inside the restaurant, and a second on the lawn in front of the restaurant to the overflow crowd. We then drove - of course in a mini van - to Claremont for our final NH house party of the day. After the house party we drove to Lebanon, NH and hopped on a plane to Atlantic City, New Jersey where the Gov. spoke to New Jersey State Democratic Convention. We were greeted outside of the hotel by the familar crowd of sign waving Dean fans. They yelled out a chant that we had not heard before: "D-E-A-N U-S-A!" It was a great dinner, and the Gov. had the crowd on its feet especially at the end when he told the crowd, "You have the power to take this party back! You have the power to take this country back! Together we'll take the White House back!"

After the dinner we went to a nearby hotel for a fundraiser. In a stroke of luck, the hotel was the site of the Miss America pageant! We were lucky enough to get to see some of the evening gowns and crowns on display in the lobby, as well as to watch a continuous video of the winners being crowd. I got some good tips on being a gracious winner - not to mention how to keep a crown on your head, blow kisses to the crowd and hold a bunch of flowers all at the same time!

There are some great Dean supporters in NJ who made both the dinner and fundraiser a success. Thank you NJ!

Well, it's time to go to sleep. I've got to pick the Gov. up in 7 hours so we can go to Lake Placid, New York.

HOWARD DEAN PROFILE IN NY TIMES MAGAZINE

2003-05-30T12:34:00.000-07:00

Matt Bai's extensive profile of Governor Dean will be out Sunday in the New York Times Magazine. But it's available online now. An excerpt:

For months, while his rivals in Washington looked on with a mixture of growing contempt and sheer incredulity, Howard Dean went off on the Democratic Party. Energized by the reception to his antiwar stance, Vermont's former governor ran around Iowa and New Hampshire, pounding his Democratic presidential rivals for their total lack of backbone -- not just on the war but on tax cuts and education, too. They would say whatever they had to say to get elected, Dean said, and for that reason he dubbed them, collectively, ''Bush Lite.''

His signature line, borrowed from the late Paul Wellstone, an icon of the left, drew thunderous applause from liberal activists. ''I'm Howard Dean,'' he shouted, ''and I'm here to represent the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party!'' It was like a coded message that beaten-down liberals could understand viscerally: it was time for Democrats to stop being afraid to act like Democrats. Dean, a doctor who barely registered in polls last fall, closed in on John Kerry in New Hampshire, and in Iowa, he was clearly the king of every beige ballroom he entered.

AROUND THE BLOGS: OLIVER WILLIS

2003-05-30T08:50:00.000-07:00

Oliver Willis, in "The Case for Howard Dean," writes:

People want their candidates to mean something. His ideas may be foolish, his methods sleazy, but even the most partisan must admit that George Bush stands for something. Especially if you're a wealthy white male, he stands for a lot. It is the duty of the progressive candidate, the Democrat, to counterbalance him. Right now, the one winning the Stand-Up Primary is Dean, and that may end up being the best swift kick in the pants the Democrats need.

AROUND THE BLOGS: UNTELEVISED

2003-05-30T08:41:00.000-07:00

Untelevised blogger Matthew Langer writes:

... The one glimmer of light in my morning was seeing this news on PoliticalWire that Howard Dean has "called for a repeal of the $350 billion tax cut that President Bush signed into law Wednesday, describing it as 'part of a radical agenda to dismantle Social Security, Medicare and our public schools through financial starvation.'"

Someone gets it.

If it hasn't been obvious to you before this, I've come around on Howard Dean. And if it hadn't been obvious to myself, this announcement of his confirms it. Howard Dean really is our only hope.

Because he's angry, just like we are. Angry that our country, our wellbeing, and all of the disparate people and parts of this nation that make us proud to be Americans have been hijacked by agents of the oil industry and defense contractors; that the Bill of Rights are being rewritten before our eyes; that we're fighting endless wars for, as Michael Moore said, fictitious reasons.

That anger and that conviction and the promise of drastic positive change is the only hope we have of unseating these crooks and returning America to the people.

Howard Dean wants his country back, and I do too. I'm on board, Dr. Dean. With a little hard work we can get the rest of America behind you, too.

FROM THE ROAD: HENNIKER, NEW HAMPSHIRE

2003-05-30T03:23:00.000-07:00

It's 6:00am and I'm up and ready to go for our third day in New Hampshire. All I am missing is the Governor. We are staying with a family in Henniker, and I got up a little early to get in line for the shower! Our departure time in 6:30am, so he still has some time before we leave him behind.

Yesterday was another busy day, and it seemed a little more crazy because we had three camera crews following us - CNN, FOX, and an independent crew. We started the day off with breakfast with senior citizens in Manchester. After breakfast we paid a visit to a Dunkin' Donuts. Our entourage filled up the entire shop. We then hopped in the mini van (our new home away from home) and drove to Concord where Gov. Dean hosted a town hall meeting on health care. We then went to three meet and greet events which were all very well attended. (I have to put a plug in for the Main Street BookEnds bookstore in Warner, NH site of the second meet and greet. They sell great books and were very patient as they were being overrun with over 100 Dean people and camera crews).

Well, the Governor is up and ready to go - so I guess we're off for NH day three!

DEAN TIES FOR LEAD WITH KERRY, LIEBERMAN IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA POLL

2003-05-29T13:58:00.000-07:00

San Francisco ABC station KGO-TV reports on the results of a Hertz Research poll conducted among 1,153 Bay Area residents from May 20 - 25th, 2003. The results:

40% say... they are not sure or have no preference in this race. Former Vermont Governor Howard Dean, Massachusetts Senator John Kerrey and Connecticut Senator Joseph Lieberman are the early leaders, each with 13%.

They were followed by Missouri Congressman Richard Gephardt (8%), former Illinois Senator Carol Moseley Braun and North Carolina Senator John Edwards (4%), Florida Senator Bob Graham and Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich (2%) and the Reverend Al Sharpton (1%).

STATEMENT OF HOWARD DEAN ON BUSH TAX CUTS

2003-05-29T13:38:00.000-07:00

Howard Dean issued the following statement today on the Bush tax cuts and their toll on lower-income working families:

“Yesterday President Bush signed into law tax cuts that plunge the country further into fiscal crisis. They mortgage the education, health care and social security of the many to shield from taxes the dividends and capital gains of the few.

Today, we learn that Republicans drafting the bill decided to cut benefits for lower-income working families.

That Republicans should make such a choice should come as no surprise to the parents of the 12 million American children who now won't benefit from yesterday's tax cuts. Many of them are parents who don't have health insurance and whose children's schools are overcrowded, underachieving and falling apart - because the President has other priorities.

The Republican party should be ashamed of the choices that it makes and the record it seeks to sell to hard working American families. The time has come to cut off George Bush's credit card, repeal the President's reckless tax cuts, and put the priorities of this country back in order.”

DEAN MEETUP MEMBERS SURPASS 27,000

2003-05-29T11:59:00.000-07:00

As of this afternoon, over 27,000 people have signed up to Meetup for Dean.

Every week, this grassroots campaign is breaking new records and building momentum. Every week, people who have never been involved politically are joining the Dean movement. To get a sense of the movement, you can see hundreds of pictures from last month's Meetup, showing Dean supporters in places ranging from Omaha to Washington, D.C. to St. Louis, Houston, and Tampa.

There are only six more days until the June Dean Meetup--sign up here to join other Dean supporters in your area. At this June Meetup, grassroots organizing around the country will be focusing on our effort to double our base of Dean supporters. We started a "Double Dean" effort a week ago, in an effort to grow our list from slightly over 50,000 to 100,000. Since then, over 15,000 new Dean supporters have signed up. If you are one of those new members, think about joining up now to go to your local Meetup.

VOTE FOR DEAN IN THE MOVE ON POLL!

2003-05-29T11:01:00.000-07:00

MoveOn.org has built a massive online grassroots community. In a letter to their members today, founder Wes Boyd wrote to the 1.4 million members of MoveOn: "With our agenda in hand, we can play an unprecedented role in the presidential campaign. But first we need to develop a common agenda. Today's straw poll is the first step."

If you are a MoveOn member, or if you know someone who is, please check your email from MoveOn and follow the link to vote for Howard Dean. (You must already be a member of MoveOn to vote.)

We are building the largest grassroots campaign in history, a campaign to take back the Democratic Party and to take back the White House in 2004. In order to achieve this, we must all come together for Howard Dean. It is important that supporters show their commitment to Dean by voting in the MoveOn poll. Only by reaching out to the communities that already exist-- communities like MoveOn-- will we demonstrate to the world that Howard Dean, as the Democratic nominee, will defeat George W. Bush in the general election.

Now's your chance. If you're a MoveOn member, vote for Howard Dean in the MoveOn online poll today!

FROM THE ROAD: NEW HAMPSHIRE

2003-05-28T20:55:00.000-07:00

We are spending three days in New Hampshire. We drove to Manchester, NH this morning after spending yesterday in Burlington, VT. Gov. Dean had a busy day. He taped a 30 minute television show called "Conversation with the Candidate" on WMUR TV Channel 9 in New Hampshire. It is supposed to air on Sunday evening, so all of you who live in the WMUR viewing area should check your local listings and watch the show. Before leaving WMUR the Gov. did a last minute press conference to respond to the President signing the tax cut bill.

The Gov. made his first official visit to his Manchester headquarters. It's very cool space, located directly across the parking lot from one of our opponents. The NH staff was excited to see us, but they seemed even more excited about their 5th place showing (they actually won a tie breaker to come in 5th instead of 6th) in a karaoke contest between all the campaigns sponsored by the NH Democratic Party. Their song: Carly Simon's "You're So Vain."

We capped the day off by going to three very well attended (the last one in Londonderry had over 100 people) house parties in Manchester, Derry and Londonderry.

This is the end of day one, but I have a feeling this may be a very long trip! We are riding around family style in a mini van. Sometimes we get a little confused about which road we should take, and the Gov. has been priding himself on the fact that he always seems to be the one to get us back on course when we get lost. We have all made it our goal to stump "the master of directions"! The one bright spot in our mini van adventure was the Stonyfield Farm yogurt and smoothies - very healthy and soothing. I'd highly recommend both products to anyone riding around in a mini van with someone running for President!

DEAN: WE MUST PUT OUR FISCAL HOUSE IN ORDER

2003-05-28T14:31:00.000-07:00

Howard Dean issued the following statement today on President Bush’s signing of the Tax Cut Bill:

With the President’s proposed budget and the $350 billion tax cut package he is signing today, it has become clear what this President is attempting to do, and why we must repeal the entire package of cuts – both those signed today and those passed in 2001.

It is time to level with the American people. The economic plans put forth by President Bush and the Republican party are a fundamental assault on the basic American ideals that we all share -- an assault on our schools, our health care, our environment and our social security.

I will not go along with it.

The sooner we recognize that this isn't a fight over tax cuts, but a battle for our country's heart, soul and future - the sooner the American people will join our cause.

Let me be clear. The President’s tax cuts are part of a radical agenda to dismantle Social Security, Medicare, and our public schools through financial starvation.

In Oregon last week, the state had to close schools three weeks early because there was no money. In New Hampshire this week, the sheriffs made it clear that, because there was no money, they couldn’t provide the basic law enforcement protection communities expect in this time of heightened alerts about terrorism. All across the country, hospitals and health care systems are cutting back – and cities are cutting services because there is no money.

What America needs now is a Democratic Party with the backbone to stand up for fiscal responsibility and against this President's recklessness with the facts, and our future.

No Republican president has balanced the budget in 34 years – and if this president succeeds, no future American president from either party will be able to do so without massive tax increases that will break the backs of the American people – or without destroying Medicare, social security, our schools and even our nation’s security.

My central commitment upon taking office will be to repeal these tax cuts to put our fiscal house in order, and save the very fabric that holds our American community together.

We will not be able to meet our fundamental obligations to teach our children, care for our parents, and defend our nation if we bankrupt our country.

If we fail to defeat this President and end his radical agenda, we will have lost the central ideal proclaimed from one American generation to the next throughout our history: “We are one nation, and we are all in this together.”

CREATIVE LOAFING

2003-05-28T08:23:00.000-07:00

Atlanta's alternative weekly Creative Loafing ponders Howard Dean's message in the south, and in the process Kevin Griffis paints a complete picture of Howard Dean's insurgent campaign:

Howard Dean's campaign for president depends on obstinacy.

Damn the polls, and damn conventional wisdom.

Here's a guy waging a straight-talkin' populist campaign when the theme of "the People vs. the Powerful" has supposedly gone the way of parachute pants. He promises balanced budgets at the same time he opposed war in Iraq. He cites a record that protects gun rights and gay rights.

So far, this unlikely mix has made Dean the buzz-worthy candidate among the nine Democratic hopefuls looking to dethrone George Bush.

Griffis questions whether non-voters can truly be brought back into the fold in numbers great enough to defeat Bush. He finds one answer:

Two weeks ago at Manuel's Tavern in Atlanta, 75 people showed up for a Dean Meetup confab, and many gave testimonials about how they "came" to Dean. (It wasn't quite Billy Graham, but it wasn't Amway either.) The crowd was peppered with self-described independents and young people like Clay Johnson. Johnson is why Dean could prove formidable at enlarging the electorate.

At 26 years old, the Atlanta born-and-bred software engineer has never voted. But his mother, who had paid about $200 per month in health insurance throughout her life, recently discovered she has breast cancer. Her insurance spiked to $3,000 per month, and Johnson's dad, who was 70 at the time, had to return to work to cover the insurance costs.

"To me ... that's not health insurance," Johnson says. "That's a joke."

So he started looking for a candidate, and liked what Dean had to say about health care.

"[My dad is] still working to this day -- even though all he wants to do is retire -- just so he can have health insurance for my mom," Johnson says. "That's why I'm supporting Howard Dean, because I hope to God my dad can retire. It's personal."

And rounding out the portrait, Griffis even touches on Dean's favorite book:

Somehow, it's not surprising that Dean cites Ken Kesey's Sometimes a Great Notion as his favorite novel.

For anyone who has ever read the book, four words probably come to mind: "Never give an inch." The patriarch in Kesey's 1964 epic scrawls this admonishment on a painting and hangs it near his newborn son's bed. It's a commandment of intransigence... to... convention and history.

Dean runs on this sort of gumption.

FROM THE ROAD: SOUTH BURLINGTON, VERMONT

2003-05-27T16:05:00.000-07:00

Well, this really isn't from the road! Today we're spending the day in the headquarters in South Burlington, Vermont. About three weeks ago we moved into a more spacious office. No more of the 4 people crammed into 12" by 12" offices. Joe Trippi and I share an office (although I have put a piece of masking tape down the middle of the office - and straight thru our beautiful orange couch - so Joe knows his limits!) Right now Joe is eating cherries, while outside in the hall we can hear the conversations and laughter of the volunteers that have gathered for the open house that Gov. Dean is hosting. Esquire magazine is here taking pictures for an article they are doing on the Gov. Earlier in the evening musicians - a violin player and an accordian player - roamed the halls providing music for the volunteer reception. It was surreal, but I definitely knew I was home!

DEAN TO FCC: CEASE AND DESIST

2003-05-27T11:30:00.000-07:00

Howard Dean today wrote to FCC Chairman Michael Powell, urging the FCC to avoid further deregulation of the American media. The text of the letter:

Dear Chairman Powell,

Americans cherish the freedom of the press -- and the diversity of the press that ensures they can get access to the truth and to the information they need. The Bush Administration may not appreciate that freedom and diversity, but they should not tamper with it.

On June 2nd, the Federal Communications Commission should decide against allowing a single company to own multiple television stations, radio stations, and newspapers in a single town. The Bush Administration has urged the FCC to remove regulations that protect every Americans' right to a free press. This latest attempt by the Bush Administration to undermine the American ideals enshrined in our Constitution is wrong.

This deregulation, like so many actions pushed for by the Bush administration, would benefit a few at the expense of the rest of us. Modifying the ban in most cities on cross-ownership of television and radio stations and newspapers will have serious repercussions for every American. A similar deregulation of radio, through the 1996 Telecommunications Act, has resulted in a 30% decline of independently-owned radio stations in the United States. This decline has reduced Americans' access to local news via radio. According to a May 27 Bloomberg story, in at least one instance local authorities were delayed in broadcasting important emergency information to the local populace because the "local" radio station was broadcast from out-of-state. Accelerating the disappearance of independent local media by further deregulating television and newspaper ownership is the wrong direction for this country.

In my travels around the country, I have discovered that this proposed deregulation is one of the foremost issues on peoples' minds. I am asked about it everywhere--in small towns in New Hampshire, and in major cities across the nation. The American people are concerned about the future of their media, and the effect this decision will have on them. Thousands of Americans have written the FCC to oppose this rule, and members of Congress from both parties have voiced their protest and requested that you testify before them on the matter. Yet the FCC appears poised to ignore the interests of regular Americans by allowing a few massive conglomerates to gobble up our local news sources.

This proposed deregulation threatens the ideals of America--the ideals of openness, free speech, free expression and free discussion, which are the backbone of our Constitution and our democracy.

Therefore, I urge you to take the following actions:

1) Delay the June 2nd vote by the FCC.

2) Testify before Congress so that the Representatives of the American people can have the opportunity to question the representatives of the Bush Administration.

3) Allow for, and consider, additional public input. The FCC must provide sufficient opportunity for public input on a decision that effects every American.

I appreciate your consideration.

Sincerely,

Governor Howard Dean, M.D.

AROUND THE BLOGS: UNTELEVISED

2003-05-26T16:57:00.000-07:00

Matthew Langer has an interesting analysis of the primary race so far, including this stirring examination of Howard Dean's strengths:

[T]here’s something else contributing to this newfound sense of mine of Dean’s promise for the party, something ethereal and intangible that one can sense Dean’s got that the other candidates don’t. That is the conviction that running against these other candidates is an effort that goes far beyond self-promotion and individual aspirations, the knowledge that beating the incumbent President in 2004 is the most noble cause to which any of these candidates could devote themselves, the firm belief that the Bush presidency has been one of the most tragic events in the history of this nation, and the fear of what damage and destruction would be done to the United States by another four years of George W. Bush.

From the other frontrunners comes a distinct sense of their willingness to compromise in kowtowing deference to the Bush administration, an inability to recognize or at least to publicly confirm the magnitude of the threat that this President represents. But from Howard Dean that message is sent loud and clear.

That’s what this party needs in a candidate, and that’s what this nation needs to be reminded again and again every one of the 527 days between now and November 2, 2004: that this nation has suffered long enough under George W. Bush, and that we cannot endure four more years.

HOWARD DEAN'S STATEMENT ON MEMORIAL DAY

2003-05-25T17:01:00.000-07:00

“On this Memorial Day, I wish to share my profound respect for the men and women who have laid down their lives in service to their country. Theirs has been the ultimate sacrifice, and to all of them we owe nothing less than full commitment to the American ideals which they died defending.

“In Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Abraham Lincoln said that it was for us, the living, ‘to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.'

“Our work is still unfinished, and if we are to honor our fallen heroes, we are bound by duty to work every day toward strengthening our democracy and our United States, so that as Lincoln implored, a government of the people, by the people, for the people does not perish from the earth.”-- Howard Dean

MEETUP SURPASSES 26,000; EFFORT TO DOUBLE DEAN BASE UNDERWAY

2003-05-25T16:53:00.000-07:00

There are now 26,116 people signed up for Dean Meetups.

Dean for America has also launched an effort to double the size of its email list by June 30, 2003. You can help by clicking on the link below and telling us about your friends and colleagues who want to know more about Howard Dean:

FROM THE ROAD: NEW HAMPSHIRE

2003-05-25T16:34:00.000-07:00

Sugar Hill. Berlin. North Conway. Center Sandwich. Brookfied. We visited five New Hampshire towns today and met over 500 people! Being a Sunday, we did not expect more than 25 - 50 people at each event, but we were pleasantly surprised by the size of the crowds. The Gov. is currently speaking to roughly 75 people at the Brookfield Town Hall. It is a great setting, almost right out of a movie. Hardwood floors and walls, a wood stove in the center of the backroom which looks like it served as a classroom at one point. You can just imagine the politics that have gone on in this historic building over the years, and it is interesting to hear the Gov. speak about modern day issues in this setting.

We've met some interesting people and visted some fun places. The highlight was a visit to Polly's Pancake Parlor in Sugar Hill, NH. We didn't stay long enough to eat, but based on the number of people who were there the pancakes must be terrific. We also stopped by the Dairy Bar in Berlin. This time we did get food. I'd highly recommend a stop there if you're ever in the area!

We started the day at 8:15am and will leave here at 8:15pm for the four hour drive back to Burlington, Vermont. The Gov. has analyzed the map and thinks he has figured out a short cut, so perhaps it will be a five hour trip back!

FROM THE ROAD: IOWA

2003-05-24T08:06:00.000-07:00

We are zooming down the interstate to the Des Moines aiport. We just had breaktast with at the Cafe Diem in Ames, Iowa with the Story County Dems. It has been a quick - but fun - trip to Iowa. Yesterday we spent the day in Mason City. Mason City is not only the home of the grandmother and aunt of the Dean Campaign's Stephanie Schriock (Stephanie gets big points for getting two people to show up at an event!), but it is also the home of Meredith Wilson, the composer of the Music Man. The Meredith Wilson museum is located right across for the library where we had a meeting. I slipped out of the meeting and took a quick swing through the museum. If you liked the movie, you'll like the museum. We also visited a local favorite spot, Dairy Queen, where we had lunch/dinner. Our order: a blizzard, two twist cones, and a milk shake. This was our daily allowance of dairy on the food pyramid!

DEAN STATEMENT ON LATEST BUSH TAX CUTS

2003-05-23T11:30:00.000-07:00

Howard Dean released the following statement today in regard to President Bush’s latest round of tax cuts.

"This new round of tax cuts is just another reminder that not only are Republicans irresponsible with taxpayer money, they're irresponsible with the truth of what they have done," said former Vermont Governor Howard Dean.

"The President's latest reckless tax cuts should come with a warning label like that on a rearview mirror: 'CAUTION - THE SIZE OF THIS TAX CUT IS MUCH LARGER THAN IT APPEARS.'

"The gimmicks and book-keeping contortions contained in this bill are breathtaking in their scope and dishonesty.

"This President and the Republicans in Congress continue to redirect scarce resources to the top rungs of the economic ladder and away from the urgent needs of our citizens - from health care and prescription drugs, to better schools and assistance for the unemployed."

WIRED ON DEAN TV

2003-05-23T11:00:00.000-07:00

Via Wired:

With all the entertainment options available on broadband Internet, watching Vermont Gov. Howard Dean discuss health care and the economy for an hour might not seem like the most exciting use of bandwidth.

But for those who think otherwise, strategists overseeing Dean's long-shot bid for the Democratic presidential nomination are hoping their all-video site -- Howard Dean TV -- will provide just the fix political news junkies crave.

TNR: DEAN.COM

2003-05-23T07:23:00.000-07:00

Ryan Lizza over at The New Republic writes about the Dean presence in the blogosphere in one of the first pieces we've seen to put it all together:

Other innovations—wireless communications, HowardDean.tv (a website that runs streaming video of Dean speeches and events), a network of rapid-response bloggers—have followed, and [Campaign Manager Joe] Trippi is now doing more with the Internet than any other presidential campaign.

And, of course, this humble little blog gets a mention.

Aides to some of the other 2004 Democratic candidates regard Trippi, who was born in Silicon Valley and has spent the last few years working for high-tech companies, as a bit of an eccentric who wastes precious campaign time e-mailing obscure bloggers and hanging out with political oddballs at the monthly Dean Meetups. "Some of these Meetup events look like the bar scene from Star Wars," says an adviser to one Dean rival.

Tha bar scene in Star Wars? Will they never learn? They're called voters.

One of the most important online vehicles for the Dean campaign is blogs. Just as President Bush has wooed conservative talk-show hosts, holding a special day for them at the White House, Dean is the first candidate to treat relatively unknown bloggers as a critical opinion-making constituency.

Which, of course, bloggers are.

Anyone who writes critically about Dean can expect his copy to be chewed up by this army of zealous Dean Internet scribes. When I wrote a piece recently that contained a few paragraphs about Dean, a member of the Dean2004 blog team filed an almost 2,000-word entry slicing my article up into sections with labels such as "true," "false," "inadvertently true," and "foolish."

Everyone's a critic, we know. Nonetheless, the Lizza article is a good read, with this conclusion by Trippi (already picked up by Atrios,who is fast fast fast):

"In the way TV changed politics and took it away from the grassroots," [Trippi] says with fervor, "the Internet is going to give it back."

FROM THE ROAD: SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

2003-05-22T22:55:00.000-07:00

We are sitting in the Northwest Airlines terminal at the San Francisco airport. We are waiting for our 12:45am flight to Minneapolis where we make a connection to Des Moines. Gov. Dean is on the phone with the Mike Webb radio show in Seattle, Washington. We just came from a reception in San Francisco. There must have been over 250 people there. The person who introduced the Gov. asked how many in the crowd had not made up their mind yet on who they were supporting for President. About 30 people raised their hands. The Gov. took the microphone and had the crowd roaring! If he did not swing all 30 of the undediced voters, he certainly came close. I stood behind the Gov. and it was amazing to watch the crowd get more and more excited as the Gov. spoke.

After being in the screaming crowd, it is strangely quiet here in the airport. The Gov. is now sitting next to me writing thank you notes as we eagerly wait to take yet another red-eye to Iowa.

DEAN FOR AMERICA ANNOUNCES NEW STAFF AND ADVISORS

2003-05-22T14:14:00.000-07:00

The Dean for America campaign today announced the addition of several key staff members and advisors.

“I am delighted that talented people of this caliber have agreed to join our campaign,” said Howard Dean.

“These men and women add extraordinary talent and depth to our operation and begin to round out our senior staff,” said campaign manager Joe Trippi. “We will be making additional staff announcements in the near future.”

The campaign's Policy Director will be Jeremy Ben-Ami, Deputy Domestic Policy Advisor to President Bill Clinton from 1994-1996, as well as Chief of Staff to the Domestic Policy Council from 1993 to 1996. Ben-Ami served recently as Deputy Campaign Manager for Mark Green in his race for Mayor of New York and as Green’s Policy Director in the Public Advocate's office. He has worked for two Mayors of New York on housing and homeless policy. He also founded and ran a strategic communications consulting firm in Israel.

Also joining the campaign's staff as Senior Policy Advisor is Ronald Weich, formerly Chief Counsel to Senator Edward M. Kennedy on the Labor and Human Resources Committee, and later on the Senate Judiciary Committee. A former New York City prosecutor, Weich now practices law in Washington DC at the firm of Zuckerman Spaeder LLP.

Ben-Ami and Weich will be setting up a policy council to advise Governor Dean on policy issues that will help shape new initiatives and policy direction for the growing campaign. Helping to assemble this policy council and serving as senior advisors to the campaign will be Maria Echaveste and Christopher Edley, Jr., both senior White House officials in the Clinton administration.

Maria Echaveste was Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff in the second Clinton White House. The highest ranking Latino ever to serve in the White House, she provided both political and policy advice to the President on a wide range of economic and social issues, as well as several foreign policy and national security matters. Prior to the White House, she was Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division of the Labor Department. Echaveste is currently an attorney and consultant in Washington DC.

Chris Edley Jr. is a Professor at Harvard Law School and founding co-Director of the Civil Rights Project at Harvard. Edley served as Senior Counsel to President Clinton and Senior Advisor for the Race Initiative. Prior to that, as Associate Director of the Office of Management and Budget, his portfolio included five cabinet departments and over 40 independent agencies. Edley was national issues director in the 1987-88 Dukakis presidential campaign, and Assistant Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council under President Carter.

Tricia Enright, who most recently served as Press Secretary for Iowa Senator Tom Harkin and worked as Deputy Communications Director on Gore/Lieberman 2000, will become the Dean campaign's Communications Director. She has also previously served as the Senior Advisor and Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs at the Department of Housing and Urban Development during the Clinton Administration.

Two Deputy Campaign Managers, Bob Rogan and Tom McMahon, have also joined the staff. Rogan most recently served as Vice President of Public Affairs for Central Vermont Public Service. From 1994-1998, he worked as Deputy Chief of Staff for Governor Dean, and prior to that, he served in various positions for U.S. Senator and Florida Governor Lawton Chiles. Rogan also previously worked as a legislative assistant to U.S. Senator Bob Graham.

Tom McMahon worked in the Clinton Administration between 1993-1999. He served as the Deputy Director of Advance in the White House, and as a public affairs specialist at the Department of Defense. A regional field director in Missouri for Clinton/Gore 1992, McMahon was also involved with the Clinton and Gore campaigns of 1996 and 2000.

The campaign's Finance Director is Stephanie Schriock, the former Director of Campaign Assistance at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. She has also served as the Southern regional finance director at the DSCC, and as the finance director of the South Carolina Democratic Party.

DEAN RAISES $1M VIA INTERNET

2003-05-22T11:40:00.000-07:00

The AP reports:

Democratic presidential hopeful Howard Dean has raised $1 million without serving hors d'oeuvres, hitting the phones or mailing thousands of appeals. The money has come through the Internet, a possible sign of fund-raising trends to come.

The former Vermont governor and self-described underdog has used the Internet to complement traditional fund-raising techniques, collecting contributions through his Web site and e-mail at little cost to his campaign.

Dean hit the $1 million mark in Internet fund raising last week, becoming the first 2004 presidential hopeful to announce he has done so. Dean supporters also are using the Internet to organize volunteers across the country.

DEAN ON NEWSHOUR TONIGHT

2003-05-22T10:36:00.000-07:00

Howard Dean will be interviewed during the second half-hour of the Newshour with Jim Lehrer tonight, Thursday May 22nd on PBS. The Newshour airs at 6 pm in most markets; check your local listing.

WEBB UPDATE

2003-05-22T10:28:00.000-07:00

A correction for our Seattle readers: Governor Dean will be on the Mike Webb radio show tonight at 10:15 PM.

MSNBC: THE HOWARD DEAN CHANNEL

2003-05-22T10:04:00.000-07:00

Michael Rogers at MSNBC reviews Dean TV:

Now Dean has taken another interesting high tech step by launching what is essentially his own Web-based television channel www.howarddean.tv. By installing a small piece of software, your computer is turned into something of an Internet-based Tivo, constantly downloading video in the background, via your high speed Internet connection. Thus, when you go to the howarddean.tv page, there is a series of video programs available for immediate viewing — full screen at better than VHS quality, with no waiting for streaming to start. The current fare at Dean’s channel includes full-length versions of his recent speeches on health care, along with a long campaign trailer. The campaign promises to continually update the channel as new Dean video becomes available.

Clearly, this isn’t going to make the average citizen’s bookmark list, but it’s a very smart way to make sure that Dean supporters are entirely up on the latest video images and coverage of their candidate. And the Web is an increasingly important piece of the political machine.

DEAN INTERVIEW AT TRUTHOUT

2003-05-22T08:06:00.000-07:00

William Rivers Pitt has an interview with the Governor (conducted yesterday) over at Truthout.org. Some excerpts:

People in my party fundamentally misunderstand why this President is popular. The reason he is popular has absolutely nothing to do with the issues. It has to do with the fact that people think he is a leader. The way to deal with a leader is to be another leader, and to be strong in your views and present the American people with a choice. Not to take half of his policies and vote for them, and then say, "Well, I voted for half of the policies, but I thought he was a little wrong on this one." That's not going to win us this election.

For me, when the Cumulus Corporation, which owns a lot of radio stations, kicked the Dixie Chicks off their networks – a couple hundred radio stations – I realized that media corporations have too much power. What they were doing was using a public resource, i.e. the airwaves, and removing the ability to view and represent both sides of an issue.

When you have that kind of power, you have too much power. I believe we need to re-regulate the media, go back to limiting the number of stations that can be controlled in one particular area, so we can be sure that the American people get moderate, conservative and liberal points of view.

[On the Patriot Act] First of all, I would remove the parts of the Patriot Act that are clearly unconstitutional. It can't be constitutional to hold an American citizen without access to a lawyer. Secondly, it can't be constitutional for the FBI to be able to go through your files at the library or the local video store, to see what you've taken out in the last week, without a warrant. The other thing I would do is appoint judges that would uphold the constitution. This President is appointing people from the far-right Federalist Society who have a different view of the constitution than most Americans. I hate to agree with anything Dick Nixon said, but Dick Nixon used to say that he wanted strict constructionists for the bench. This President is appointing right-wing judicial activists. We need strict constructionists that believe in the constitution and will uphold it as written.

HOWARD DEAN: REBEL WITH A CAUSE

2003-05-22T07:25:00.000-07:00

Online environmental magazine Grist has a great interview with Howard Dean, in which the Governor discusses his views on a variety of environmental issues. An excerpt:

GRIST: Sounds good. Let's start with your general response to the Bush administration's environmental policy and your bi--

DEAN: What environmental policy? He has none. It's appalling. Essentially what he's done is try to undo most of the environmental policy in the last 50 years. Drilling in the national parks is essentially his solution to the energy dilemma. Gutting the Clean Air Act and daring to call it Clear Skies. Opening wilderness to more logging under the guise of Healthy Forests. He's even threatening our national monuments. The assaults are sweeping. He has the worst environmental record of any president since before Theodore Roosevelt. You can't rely on this president's word on any domestic agendas -- least of all environmental issues.

GRIST: Will your environmental agenda be central to your campaign?

DEAN: Yes, it will be central because my campaign is about a long-range vision for the country and you can't have a serious long-range vision for the country if you don't talk about the environment. Everything that they do in the Bush administration is about results a year from now or two years from now. There's very little discussion of what's going to happen 10 or 20 years from now, when we will see the consequences of many of Bush's current environmental policies. The way he runs the country's finances shows the same myopia -- these enormous deficits as far as the eye can see. All he wants to do is make it through 2008.

FORWARD: OP-ED BY HOWARD DEAN ON HEALTH CARE

2003-05-22T07:00:00.000-07:00

A new op-ed, written by Howard Dean and addressing the Governor's health care plan, appears in today's edition of Forward. An excerpt:

In the richest, most advanced country in the world in the 21st century, it's simply wrong for sick children to go without seeing a doctor because their parents can't afford it. It's wrong for a woman to find out she has late-stage breast cancer, because she couldn't afford a mammogram. It's wrong for seniors to have to choose between prescriptions they need and putting food on the table. The time has come to make healthcare for all Americans a reality....

A just-released Congressional Budget Office study shows that nearly 60 million Americans lack health insurance at some point during the year. The number of uninsured is soaring at the rate of nearly 1 million people every year. More than 40% of uninsured adults postponed seeking medical care last year alone. At a time when insurance costs paid by working families are increasing exponentially, and 1,300 babies are born in this country without health insurance every day, there is no excuse for President Bush's plan to slash funding for Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program by $2.5 billion....

With the plan I've put forth to the American people, we'll organize a system nearly identical to the one federal workers and members of Congress enjoy. And we'll enable all employers with less than 50 workers to join it at rates lower than are currently available to these companies — provided they insure their work force. I'll also offer employers a deal: The federal government will pick up 70% of COBRA premiums for employees transitioning out of their jobs, but we'll expect employers to pay the cost of extending coverage for an additional two months. These two months are often the difference between workers finding the health coverage they need, or joining the ranks of the uninsured.

Finally, to ensure that the maximum number of American men, women and children have access to healthcare, we must address corporate responsibility. There are many corporations that could provide healthcare to their employees but choose not to. The final element of this plan is a clear, strong message to corporate America that providing health coverage is fundamental to being a good corporate citizen. I look at business tax deductions as part of a compact between American taxpayers and corporate America. We give businesses certain benefits, and expect them to live up to certain responsibilities.

REPORTS FROM UTAH

2003-05-22T06:51:00.000-07:00

Both the AP and the Salt Lake Tribune have reports on Howard Dean's visit to Salt Lake City yesterday.

Dean spoke to supporters at the Alta Club:

"You have the power to elect an administration that will balance the budget and bring jobs,” Dean said. “You have the power to take this party back, the White House back and the country back.”

FROM THE ROAD: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

2003-05-21T21:07:00.000-07:00

It's another east coast to west coast day. Wake up in Alexandria, Virginia. Lunch in Salt Lake City, Utah. Dinner in Los Angeles, California. I actually dared to look out the window when we flew from Salt Lake to Los Angeles (I'm not the best flyer) and was I glad I did. It was a spectacular view. Tonight we stay in Los Angeles and fly to San Jose in the morning. We're meeting activists and raising money! Tomorrow night it's another dreaded red eye flight to Iowa. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for an aisle seat!

WE WANT DEAN

2003-05-21T14:28:00.000-07:00

Adding to the Dean web presence is a new site called We Want Dean, which just launched today.

HEAR IT FROM SLATE

2003-05-21T14:06:00.000-07:00

William Saletan over at Slate reviews Governor Dean's performance at the "Hear it from the Heartland" forum in Iowa this past weekend. An excerpt of his assessment:

1. [Dean said] Bush "is not popular because of his policies, because most Americans don't agree with his policies. … The reason people like George Bush is they think he's a leader. They think that he says what he means in unambiguous terms. And the way to beat him is not to try to be like him [on the issues]. The way to beat him is to unambiguously state our Democratic Party agenda, because if you put a Democratic agenda next to a Republican agenda, the Democratic agenda's going to win every time."

There's a good case to be made for this theory. Polls show Bush is substantially more popular than most of his policies are. Furthermore, Dean would be an excellent nominee to test the theory. He has a Reagan-esque, strong-backboned appeal....

5. [Dean said,] "My health insurance plan … is built on the existing system. It's not that the existing system is so great; it's just that I'm tired of trying to get the reforms through Congress and then have the Democrats fight among each other about how to do it, and then the Republican special interests come in and kill the whole thing. So what I want to do is just build on the existing system, get everybody insured first, and then we can have a big fight as to how to change the system."

This is the clearest statement I've heard yet from Dean as to why his plan is better than the others. The health-care issue is enormously complicated and will become more so as other candidates pile their plans on top of Dean's, Dick Gephardt's, and John Kerry's. Nobody's going to believe that one of these plans is better than all the others in every respect. Each candidate needs to convey in a simple way the standard by which his proposal is the best. Dean has now done so, in a way that enhances his credibility by conceding which virtues his plan compromises to achieve its object. Let's see whether Gephardt, Kerry, and the rest can follow suit.

DEAN AT NUMBER 2 IN KOS CATTLE CALL

2003-05-21T12:17:00.000-07:00

Daily Kos has his weekly Cattle Call out, and Dean is at #2. Kos writes:

George Bush called Adam Clymer a "major league a--hole", and while the press expressed predictable outrage, the public loved him for it. I wouldn't sweat some of Dean's "misstatements" -- it seems his Meet Up numbers always spike after one of those.

Why? Because it spurs media attention, and his campaign is in "name ID" mode. Once people are aware he exists, they take a closer look. And he seems to be doing really well amongst those who look.

For that reason, both Kerry and the DLC miscalculated horribly by attacking Dean. They took a candidate without a cause post-Iraq, and reinvigorated him beyond all expectations. Rather than ignore and marginalize, they elevated Dean to "threat number one" and he's subsequently reaping all the benefits.

One more thing -- remember that silly notion that helped get Bush elected -- "who would you rather have a beer with, Bush or Gore?" Dean wins the "Beer Primary".

DEAN STATEMENT ON CHRISTIE WHITMAN'S DEPARTURE FROM EPA; LAST VOICE OF MODERATION GONE FROM ADMINISTRATION

2003-05-21T10:43:00.000-07:00

Howard Dean today commented on the resignation of Christie Whitman from the Environmental Protection Agency and spoke out against the Bush Administration’s disastrous environmental record.

“Administrator Whitman was one of the few voices of moderation in the Bush Administration. Unfortunately, her voice was muted by the Bush-Cheney obsession with rewarding their friends in the oil industry by rolling back decades of bipartisan progress on protecting our environment.”

Upon taking office, President Bush swiftly broke his promise to regulate emissions of carbon dioxide – a major contributor to global warming. The Bush Administration has repeatedly worked to weaken clean air, clean water, and other environmental laws; slashed environmental enforcement efforts; and pushed for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and other environmentally sensitive areas.

Dean stated that, “The burden is on the President to show the nation that he cares about the environment more than he cares about helping his political friends in the oil and gas industries.”

DEAN ON MIKE WEBB SHOW IN SEATTLE TOMORROW

2003-05-21T07:48:00.000-07:00

Seattle-area residents can listen to an interview with Howard Dean on the Mike Webb radio show tomorrow, Thursday, at 10:15 am PT.

MEETUP SURPASSES 25,000 MEMBERS

2003-05-20T14:52:00.000-07:00

Over 25,000 people have now signed up for Dean Meetups. The next Meetup is Wednesday, June 4th.

QUICKTIME NOW AVAILABLE ON HOWARD DEAN TV

2003-05-20T13:50:00.000-07:00

QuickTime versions of the content available from Howard Dean TV is now available online.

There have been some questions about Howard Dean TV. It's a feature that is evolving.

The first component of Howard Dean TV addresses the desire among supporters for television-quality video of Howard Dean. It is different from streaming media.

Howard Dean TV is presently a broadband service. Through Wavexpress and using TVTonic technology (see website, above, for more information), users can download full-screen, DVD-quality programming to their computers. Howard Dean TV will update automatically. Simply by leaving their computers running and hooked up to a cable or DSL connection, new video is automatically delivered to users’ local drives.

Users now can view a speech or other content on demand. Because the file is stored on their hard drive, they can watch the video while on the go; they can also bring their laptops to Dean Meetups or other public events to share the video with other supporters who may not have broadband access.

Because the video is of the highest quality, “in a full-screen format with VCR-like controls,” the programming can be played from a laptop in a public setting (such as a Dean Meetup). Other formats require a connection to the Internet to be established at the time of playback (Real Player or Windows Media) or offer only small display sizes (QuickTime).

The Dean campaign is working to allow dial-up users to watch Howard Dean on streaming video. Since this need is presently being met through multiple volunteer and professional sources (such as C-Span.org), our first step has been to address the need that hasn’t been met—TV-quality video of Howard Dean, distributed free via the Internet. (Dial up users can now download the QuickTime formats.)

Thanks for your support, and if you have broadband access, please download Howard Dean TV and share the video with friends and other supporters.

I READ THEIR VIEWS TODAY, OH BOY

2003-05-20T09:09:00.000-07:00

We've said it before and we'll say it again: the comments section over at Daily Kos' weekly Cattle Call is some of the best political reading on the web.

DEAN APPLAUDS SUPREME COURT DECISION ON PRESCRIPTION DRUG COST CONTAINMENT

2003-05-19T15:37:00.000-07:00

Howard Dean today applauded the Supreme Court’s decision allowing Maine to begin implementing a program to force manufacturers to lower prices on prescription drugs.

"This is a good day for Americans who are struggling to pay for their needed prescriptions. Having worked very hard in support of Maine’s effort, I am very pleased with the Supreme Court’s ruling," Dean said. During Dean’s tenure as Governor, his office worked closely with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office in encouraging other states to sign an Amicus brief supporting Maine.

Dean has long been a leader in controlling pharmaceutical costs. At a time when Congress has failed to deliver any meaningful cost containment legislation, it has fallen to Governors to look for solutions to the problem of skyrocketing pharmaceutical costs. Vermont, under Dean’s leadership, received the first federal waiver for a program designed to secure manufacturer rebates to fund a discounted drug program for residents who do not normally qualify for Medicaid. Subsequently, Vermont and Maine worked closely together to develop programs to reduce pharmaceutical costs that could withstand court challenges.

Dean’s efforts have included other strategies to reduce drug costs, including the development of a Preferred Drug List (PDL) and Supplemental Rebates. The results have been remarkable: by including a less expensive brand instead of highly-advertised heartburn medicines, Vermont’s Medicaid expenditure on that category of drugs has been slashed by 43%.

Dean has also pushed through a number of other cost-containment strategies. For instance, Vermont negotiated an agreement with a Pharmacy Benefits Manager (PBM) to have a transparent contract; he signed a first-in-the-nation bill requiring pharmaceutical manufacturers to disclose gifts to physicians and other health care providers; and he has strongly advocated for allowing the re-importation of prescription drugs from Canada for personal use. In addition, as founder of Business for Affordable Medicine, a coalition of governors, business and organized labor, Dean has been a leader in advocating the closing of loopholes used by brand name drug manufacturers to prevent or delay lower-priced generic drugs from reaching the market place when patents expired.

"As a doctor, I witnessed first-hand the difficult choice patients often made between food and prescription drugs. As Governor, I knew could not afford to wait for Congress to act on the issue, so I implemented a variety of meaningful cost containment strategies. As President, I will build upon that work as an integral part of my health care agenda for the nation."

DEAN URGES BUSH ADMINISTRATION TO ENSURE RATIFICATION OF TOBACCO TREATY

2003-05-19T15:21:00.000-07:00

Howard Dean applauded the Bush Administration’s reversal resulting in the decision to vote in favor of the current version of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) at the World Health Assembly meeting and urged the Administration to shepherd the treaty through Congress to ensure its speedy ratification.

"We have taken great strides to protect the children of this country from the predatory marketing practices of Big Tobacco. Now that the tobacco industry has apparently shifted its sights overseas to developing economies in Central and Eastern Europe and elsewhere, it is clear that a strong international approach is warranted. The FCTC reflects the most concrete action the world has ever seen to reduce tobacco consumption, especially among children."

"I just hope that this is not another instance where the Bush Administration’s actions fail to match its rhetoric. Once the treaty is approved by the World Health Organization delegates, I urge President Bush and Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson to guide the agreement through Congress to ensure its speedy ratification. We cannot permit this treaty to languish."

Dean was referring to instances where the Bush Administration’s actions have failed to match its rhetoric, such as its failure to adequately fund the "No Child Left Behind Act," its failure to allocate sufficient Homeland Security funds to first responders, and its failure to date to demonstrate the necessary commitment to stabilizing and rebuilding Iraq and Afghanistan.

DEAN IN SLC THIS WEDNESDAY

2003-05-19T13:37:00.000-07:00

Howard Dean will be in Salt Lake City this Wednesday May 21st. This event is open to the public.

Time: 11:00 am-12:00 pm

"Salt Lake City Meet and Greet."

Located at Alta Club, 100 E. South Temple Salt Lake City, UT.

Questions? Please contact Peter Corroon at 801-532-3702 or petercorroon@hotmail.com

DEAN STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO DLC'S CHARGE THAT PUBLIC SERVANTS ARE "FRINGE ACTIVISTS"

2003-05-19T13:27:00.000-07:00

“Once again, the DLC has chosen to put their own political agenda ahead of the progress needed to unite the Democratic Party. This election has barely begun, and the DLC has repeatedly dismissed people who attend caucuses, who get out the vote, and now the 1.3 million members of AFSCME as ‘fringe activists’ who do not reflect ‘the mainstream values, national pride and the economic aspirations of middle-class and working people.’

“The DLC staff can say what they want about me, but they owe an apology to the 1.3 million members of AFSCME. Our teachers, our health care workers, and our state and local public servants don't need a lesson from Washington insiders about the needs and concerns of middle- and working-class families. What they need is a Democratic Party that will stand up for them.”

TAPPED

2003-05-19T13:18:00.000-07:00

The American Prospect's blog has this to say about the DLC's attack on Dean:

It's a pretty impressive sign of how desperate the DLC is to derail Dean that it's now accusing him of being too liberal for the party at the same moment that he's smartly co-opting and building on a plan that was developed at the Heritage Foundation, introduced as legislation on numerous occasions by moderate Republicans and conservative Democrats, and that's backed by the current president.

"People are going to suffer if we don't compromise. We have to be practical; we have to compromise," Dean told a Burlington, Vt. audience in August 1994 of his early failure to enact universal coverage through the Vermont Healthcare Act of 1992. Health reform "isn't going to happen overnight," he added. "We have to do it piece by piece . . . and we have to have a bipartisan bill."

Al From may disagree. But it sounds pretty New Democratish to us.

VIDEO OF DEAN IN SEATTLE AVAILABLE FROM OUR OWN MEDIA

2003-05-19T10:49:00.000-07:00

Barracuda over at Our Own Media has made available a video of Howard Dean speaking to over 1,200 supporters at a rally in Seattle on May 14th:

Right-click here to download the video in QuickTime format.

WATCH DEAN IN IOWA ONLINE

2003-05-19T10:40:00.000-07:00

C-Span.org now has online Senator Tom Harkin's "Hear it from the Heartland" forum with Governor Dean.

To watch the video online, click here.

DEAN RUNNING, RUNNING FOR DEAN

2003-05-19T10:38:00.000-07:00

The San Francisco Examiner has an article out on the colorful Bay to Breakers race, with this interesting tidbit:

While the race was not as political as past years, Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean had about 100 volunteers with banners and signs.

"I've lived here for 30 years and have never run in Bay to Breakers," said Pat Albright. "Howard Dean inspired me to do it."

DEAN BLASTS BUSH ON FOREIGN POLICY

2003-05-19T08:02:00.000-07:00

Reuters has a report on the Davenport Forum:

Dean... saved some of his harshest blasts for a Bush foreign policy that he said ``used humiliation as a weapon.''

"This president has used humiliation as a weapon, not only against our enemies but against our friends,'' Dean said, adding the United Nations should be brought in to help administer Iraq.

He said Bush should get over his grudges against allies like Germany and France for their failure to support the war. "This president has exercised foreign policy by petulance,'' he said.

Bush's biggest foreign policy problem was that "he surrounded himself with ideologues'' like Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, Vice President Richard Cheney and former Defense Policy Board chairman Richard Perle, he said.

Dean said his foreign policy team would operate on the belief that "the United States has a moral obligation to be a world leader and not simply the most fearful power on the planet Earth.''

DAVENPORT REPORT: AP

2003-05-19T07:41:00.000-07:00

Mike Glover from the AP reports on Howard Dean's appearance at the "Hear it From the Heartland Forum" in Davenport with Senator Tom Harkin. Some excerpts:

Sharpening his attacks on President Bush's policies, former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean asserted Sunday that the nation will face an economic depression if Bush is re-elected.

Dean cited a statistic that 2.5 million jobs have been lost during Bush's first term in office, laying the blame on Bush's handling of an economy that has remained sluggish.

"Two and half million jobs in two and half years," said Dean. "If we re-elect this president, we'll be in a depression. That's 8 million jobs in eight years."

A job loss of that magnitude would plunge the nation into an economic slowdown far worse that the current recession, Dean argued.

Dean.... argues he has the best chance of defeating Bush because he can draw the sharpest differences with the president.

Howard Dean 2004 Call to Action Weblog

The Spin Game -- Gone Bad

ON A WARM TEXAS EVENING....

THE NOTE ON HOWARD DEAN

WHAT DOES 3,200 MEAN?

FROM THE ROAD: AUSTIN, TEXAS

3,200 PEOPLE RALLY FOR DEAN IN BUSH'S HOME STATE CAPITAL

MEETUP EXCEEDS 33,000; CHECK OUT THE NEW MEETING TOOLS

SALETAN ON DEAN: "NOT SINCE CLINTON HAVE DEMOCRATS SEEN A TALENT LIKE THIS"

OVER 33,000 PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO MEETUP FOR DEAN

TALK OF THE TOWN: HOWARD DEAN

MSNBC: DEAN CONTINUES ATTACKS ON BUSH

ON THE NET: PROGRESSIVE CHRISTIANS FOR DEAN

JOHN ZOGBY: "REAL STORY IS DEAN'S RISE"

FROM THE ROAD: MT. PLEASANT, IOWA

DEAN TIED FOR LEAD IN NH ZOGBY POLL

AROUND THE BLOGS: SEEING THE FOREST

DOC SEARLS DIGS DOCTOR DEAN

HOW WILL BUSH SPIN THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE?

ON PETITIONS

AROUND THE BLOGS: TOMPAINE.COM

UNEMPLOYMENT HITS 6.1%

DEAN SURGES IN IOWA POLL; MOST OTHER CANDIDATES HEADING IN WRONG DIRECTION

AP: DEAN SUPPORTERS USE INTERNET TO ORGANIZE

JOIN THE DECLARATION CELEBRATION JUNE 23RD

CNN TO REPORT ON MEETUP

FROM THE ROAD: WASHINGTON, DC

MEET UP SUCCESS IN THE PRESS

TV SPY INTERVIEW

MEETUP MEMBERS SURPASS 32,000

BACK FROM THE BURLINGTON MEETUP

HOWARD DEAN ON CHARLIE ROSE

"REALLY COOL ORGANIZING TOOLS"

MID-WEEK IN THE BLOGOSPHERE

ROCK THE VOTE AT DEANROCKS

GOVERNOR DEAN ON DIANE REHM ON NPR 10:30 ET

31,000 PEOPLE SIGN UP TO MEET UP FOR HOWARD DEAN

THIRTY THOUSAND PEOPLE SIGN UP TO MEET UP FOR HOWARD DEAN

MEETUP HITS 30,000!

MEETUP COORDINATORS: ESTABLISHING THE DEAN NATIONAL MEDIA NETWORK

VIDEO OF DEAN IN CALIFORNIA

MEETUP SURPASSES 29,000

FROM THE ROAD: NEW YORK

OVER 29,000 MEETUP MEMBERS

IN THESE TIMES PROFILES HOWARD DEAN

STATEMENT OF HOWARD DEAN ON TODAY'S DECISION BY THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

CALL FOR SEATTLE VIDEO

MEETUP SURPASSES 28,000!

FROM THE ROAD: WINOOSKI, VERMONT

HOWARD DEAN PROFILE IN NY TIMES MAGAZINE

AROUND THE BLOGS: OLIVER WILLIS

AROUND THE BLOGS: UNTELEVISED

FROM THE ROAD: HENNIKER, NEW HAMPSHIRE

DEAN TIES FOR LEAD WITH KERRY, LIEBERMAN IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA POLL

STATEMENT OF HOWARD DEAN ON BUSH TAX CUTS

DEAN MEETUP MEMBERS SURPASS 27,000

VOTE FOR DEAN IN THE MOVE ON POLL!

FROM THE ROAD: NEW HAMPSHIRE

DEAN: WE MUST PUT OUR FISCAL HOUSE IN ORDER

CREATIVE LOAFING

FROM THE ROAD: SOUTH BURLINGTON, VERMONT

DEAN TO FCC: CEASE AND DESIST

AROUND THE BLOGS: UNTELEVISED

HOWARD DEAN'S STATEMENT ON MEMORIAL DAY

MEETUP SURPASSES 26,000; EFFORT TO DOUBLE DEAN BASE UNDERWAY

FROM THE ROAD: NEW HAMPSHIRE

MORE DEAN VIDEO

FROM THE ROAD: IOWA

DEAN STATEMENT ON LATEST BUSH TAX CUTS

WIRED ON DEAN TV

TNR: DEAN.COM

FROM THE ROAD: SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

DEAN FOR AMERICA ANNOUNCES NEW STAFF AND ADVISORS

DEAN RAISES $1M VIA INTERNET

DEAN ON NEWSHOUR TONIGHT

WEBB UPDATE

MSNBC: THE HOWARD DEAN CHANNEL

DEAN INTERVIEW AT TRUTHOUT

HOWARD DEAN: REBEL WITH A CAUSE

FORWARD: OP-ED BY HOWARD DEAN ON HEALTH CARE