By Laura Blumenfeld
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 1, 2003; Page A01
PORTSMOUTH, N.H. -- The candidate walked into a party with shaving nicks on his neck, uneven fingernails and wrinkles from a hanger creasing his suit at the knees. He has been known to stuff pretzels into his pockets. On this night, he was shaking hands: "Hi, I'm Howard Dean."
"He's short," said Teresa Pierce, 40.
"Reminds me of someone my mother might date," muttered Denise Mallett, 33.
Yet half an hour later, as Dean finished his stump speech, Pierce stood up, joining the crowd in a hooting ovation. The Democratic presidential hopeful had moved her, she said, made her feel like recruiting friends to vote for him. As she reached for Dean's hand, her eyes lit up. "He inspired me," she said.
The question is: How? What did Dean do to enchant Pierce, and to stir up thousands of avid supporters? Despite the buzz surrounding retired Gen. Wesley Clark's late entry into the campaign, and mounting attacks from some of his other eight rivals, Dean has raised the most money and leads the polls in New Hampshire and Iowa. Conventional wisdom credits Dean's Bush-bashing and his stoking of Democratic anger. But to follow Dean on the stump is to see something more subtle at work.
While the other candidates focus on their humble roots or heroic feats, Dean inverts the telescope: He talks about the voters. He tells them they're okay. Instead of trying to get them to love him, he tells them to love themselves. A doctor by training, he injects psychology into politics.
"I liked it when he said the election wasn't about him, it was about us," said Pierce. "He's empowering me."
This is the intended effect, the candidate said in an interview. "People feel horribly disempowered by George Bush," he said. "I'm about trying to give them control back. This is not just a 'campaign,' it's a movement to empower ordinary people. I don't say, 'Elect me.'"
Instead, Dean says the election is in their hands. Delivering a series of exhortations, he'll turn a garden party into political group therapy:
"Stop being ashamed."
"Stand up and say what you think."
"You ought to be proud."
"The power to change this country is in your hands."
"You have the power."
"
You have the power."
…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25308-2003Sep30.html
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
