Dean's Sleepless Summer Tour -- Chicago Stop -- Great Pictures

[prolesunited]

So, OK, I'm biased ;-)

Went to Dean's event Tuesday at Navy Pier. I haven't committed to a candidate, but he's had me intrigued so I thought I would check it out. It was held on the rooftop, with the Chicago skyline as a backdrop -- picturesque, but nearly torture because it was in the 90s with really high humidity. One of the most appropriate chants was, "We're hot for Howard."

It's late, though, so I'm just going to throw some pics up now and I'll come back tomorrow and add some comments. BTW, I was able to shake his had and he signed my Dean placard. :-)

Here's the setting and people milling befor it began.

[prolesunited]

1. Speaker lineup

His Illinois campaign chairman



A really dynamic speaker who's in college now but aspires to have a career in politics. Judging by his performance, we'll certainly hear from him again. Wish I could remember his name, though. :shrug:



And the main attraction. He really got the crowd energized.

[prolesunited]

2. Some supporters

[tedoll78]

11. Aww..

Those babies are adorable! Love that "I'm a DeanyBopper" tee!

[prolesunited]

3. Working the crowd

You could really tell he likes people.

[gasperc]

7. His meetups do a great job letting people now when he's in town

eom

[prolesunited]

4. Some signs

This one was left behind.



Here's my signed one. Typical doctor's signature. LOL!




He said some really interesting things and hopefully I'll remember them tomorrow, but I'm calling it a day.

[LeftCoast]

5. Hey! Thanks very much for posting these!

I just read an article on Dean (NYT I think) that brought up something I've heard before a few times...basically, that Dean's support is virtually all white...no people of color. If true, this may be a valid criticism, but from your pix at least - the crowd seems fairly diverse.

Besides that, they're great pix and I really enjoyed taking a look at the fun! :)

[prolesunited]

6. Although the majority of the crowd was white,

there were a number of minorities in the crowd. You could tell there was a conscious effort to make sure there was wide representation on the dais with him him as well. The fact that a young African-American man was chosen to introduce him is significant well.

Dean also addressed the race issue directly in he speech. Basically, he used a populist appeal that no matter what race or gender we are, our lives are being harmed by Bush's policies. He said he will succeed in the South because there are plenty of whites who lost jobs or who have no healthcare and will realize the Democrats want to change that and that message will reach beyond color lines.

One interesting note: At one point, he talked about leading and governing by hope and not by fear. He rhetorically asked who the last person was to talk about and then injected Clinton. I was standing next to two African-American women and one said to the other that it was about time somebody mentioned Clinton and that every other candidate is afraid to bring up his name.

My guess is that two things are at play with here: Dean wants to build upon the positive associations with Clinton, the boy from Hope, somehow implying he is the next Clinton. Two, Clinton, "our first black president," still enjoys tremendous support among the African-American community and this is part of his effort to woo their support.

[prolesunited]

8. Local coverage

Chicago Tribune

Dean courts voters in Chicago
It was as illegible as you'd expect from a doctor's signature, but Kyle Beasley beamed nonetheless as he walked away from a Howard Dean rally Tuesday in Chicago, clutching the autograph he had sought for a Time magazine cover that recently carried the image of the man he hopes will be the next president.

Beasley, 20, had driven four hours from the small town of Reelsville, Ind., to see Dean and get the autograph. The computer science student is old enough to vote, but his mother wouldn't let him travel to the city alone, so his Republican grandmother joined him.

"He stands for what I believe in and he's got people my age inspired to vote again," Beasley said. "I log onto his Web site every day."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0308270274aug27,1,4662158.story

Sun-Times

Dean insists he can win despite anti-war talk
Presidential hopeful Howard Dean brought his "Sleepless Summer Tour" to town Tuesday, taking control of a labor convention for most of the morning and telling supporters how he can take the White House despite his anti-war rhetoric and other left-leaning policies.

Dean is one of five Democratic candidates who stopped by the Communications Workers of America's convention at Navy Pier during the last two days courting the labor vote.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/elect/cst-nws-dems27.html

[pmbryant]

9. Thanks for the pictures, prolesunited

Interesting to hear about this event barely 12 hours after I was at a similar rally in San Antonio the previous evening.

I'm assuming the 'sleepless' in the 'sleepless summer tour' refers to Dr. Dean and his staff.

;-)

:hi:

--Peter

[Ellen Forradalom]

10. I worked sign-in for the event

as a member of the laptop brigade. I'm now unemployed so I've got nothing but time. I worked next to a guy who's been unemployed since April. Bush is gonna regret giving so many people so much time on their hands. }(

His Illinois campaign chair is named Kevin Conlon. I don't think he's a college student--he's an experienced guy with his own firm, Wilhelm & Conlon.

[JNelson6563]

12. Bravo!!

Looks like it was a great event! Thanks for the report and all the fab pics!

Julie

[UnapologeticLiberal]

13. Do you by any chance have a bigger version of those

that you could send to me? I am making a video montage of the sleepless summer tour and I am looking for good-quality photos of Chicago. Please e-mail me at [e-mail] and let me know.

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