DNC website hits up 120%, membership up over 60%

[madfloridian]

http://www.democrats.org/news/200502180001.html

"The Dean Effect: Revving Up Online Activism at Democrats.org
Washington, D.C. – Democrats.org, the online home of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), has experienced 120% jump in the number of daily visitors since Governor Howard Dean was elected Democratic Party Chairman this past weekend. Democrats from all 50 states have signed on to Dean’s plan for the Party, and are offering their own ideas.

The huge spike in interest from Democrats across the country was matched by an increase in new members — the rate of new people joining the Democratic Party online has jumped by over 60% since Governor Dean took office. These dramatic results reflect Governor Dean's strength in the grassroots community and his ability to bring new people into the political process."

[PROGRESSIVE1]

1. kick

[mzmolly]

2. Beautiful!

:toast:

[Bouncy Ball]

3. Thank you for that reminder.

I promised myself I'd give a donation to the DNC once Dean was elected chair.

So off I go!

[Bouncy Ball]

8. Did it!

And I let them know I did it because Dean was elected party chair.

Are these contributions subject to the same $2K limits as during an election season or not?

[madfloridian]

9. Proud of you. We rejoined and donated.

I don't know if there is a limit or not? Good question.

[FreedomAngel82]

17. This is great!

Yippie! This proves Mr. Dean is the right person. I don't think they care how many times you donate. :)

Here's a big :kick:

[Warren Stupidity]

18. I don't think so.

If I recall correctly individual contributions to party organizations such as the DNC are unlimited.

[KissMeKate]

39. wait I think those are limited "soft money" contributions

you can contribute to the candidate, and the party, but I think you cant contribute an unlimited amount to the party anymore.

[yurbud]

4. first good news of the day!

[liberalnurse]

5. We are headed in

the right direction. We have a dynamic leader! We want our country back and it shows. I hope the Congressional leaders are paying attention.

[madfloridian]

7. I laugh out loud when I see your sig line and pic.

Thanks for that.

[liberalnurse]

46. That Sig is a perfect

reflection of my personality. :smoke:

[janx]

6. What can I say but

YEEAAARRGGHHH!!!

[Downtown Hound]

10. But Dean will be the death of our party!

LOL!

[NYCGirl]

11. Woo-hoo!

[madfloridian]

12. Where did you find that cartoon? Hilarious!

:hi:

[NYCGirl]

13. Here's the link, MadFlor. It's from Working for Change:

http://www.workingforchange.com/comic.cfm?itemid=18588

:hi:

[FreedomAngel82]

19. LOL

I love those cartoons. :bounce:

[Cha]

25. OMG! That is so Cool and Funny!

Hat's off to whomever did that..I see it's from "WorkingForChange"..

[bvar22]

14. From the article:

"These dramatic results reflect Governor Dean's strength in the grassroots community and his ability to bring new people into the political process."

These dramatic results also demonstrate how far the Democratic Party has moved away from its roots in the last 20 years.

The disasterous DLC republican-lite strategy has been refuted and cast on the ash heap of really bad ideas!!

[Cha]

26. It only took "20years" for it to

come full circle!

[Pirate Smile]

15. I wasn't signed up but I am now.

:)

[caligirl]

16. Protester throws shoe at Richard Perle-at Dean debate

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Howard Dean, the newly minted leader of the Democratic Party, and former Pentagon adviser Richard Perle made clear their opposing views on the war in Iraq during a debate marred by a protester who tossed a shoe at Perle.

Perle had just started his comments Thursday when a protester threw a shoe at him before being dragged away, screaming, "Liar! Liar!"


http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apus_story.asp?category=1110&slug=Dean%20Perle%20Debate:headbang:

:headbang: :headbang:

[dhinojosa]

20. Link didn't work....

Got another?

[Cha]

28. That shoe guy was feelin' it!

I hope he's okay!

[Spiffarino]

41. It was kind of funny

...and it certainly was appropriate to throw a shoe at the bastard who helped start our descent into Hell. However, I think in the context of what the debate was supposed to be, it may do more harm than good.

It was a clash if ideas and ideals that was supposed to take place. The shoe-tosser and those who booed Perle did no harm to Perle's insane ideology. It just made some leftists look wacky. Dean had the job of discrediting Perle and the protesting did nothing to help him.

Protesting is great. If that asshole Perle were up there giving a lecture it would have been highly appropriate to pie him, shout him down, or toss something squishy and smelly at him. However, a free and open debate is exactly what we want to take place.

[ailsagirl]

55. The shoe-thrower was on Ed Shultz's program today!!

I think his name is Bruce and he said he didn't go to the event with that in mind but he just couldn't stand the lies so he let fly his shoes. One went who-knows-where, and the other bounced off the podium, giving Bruce a third opportunity to pelt Perle with it.

Bruce was arrested for disorderly conduct and has no remorse.

Good for him!!!

Maybe it'll start a trend??

:evilgrin:

[moggie12]

21. Yee-Haaaaa!!! (nominated this for greatest -should be homepage, too )

[Cha]

29. Me, too..I just recommended it

cause I saw your's and said.."why not?":D

[IronLionZion]

22. YEARGH!!!

hehe, Dean has awakened the sleeping giant, the silent majority, the Americans who care about our country. oh hell yeah!

That's what I'm talking about. Dean is revving up the grass roots for a huge Democratic takeover hella soon. All we gotta do to be a big tent 50 state party is to show up so people know we care.

BBBBBBut the Republicans said he would destroy the party... They said he's an extremist...whaaaa That'll teach us not to take advice from the enemy. Oh man, we are gonna rock their world so bad they will cry!

[blueheeler]

23. Add 1 more!!

Had to get in there too!! :grouphug:

To the end of the facist brigade!!

[Cha]

24. Wonderful!

Here's to growing..exponentially! :toast:

[Debi]

27. Gee, I wonder why this happened

Could it be we have a reason to be excited about our Party?

YYYYEEEEAAARRRGGGHHHH Howard Dean :yourock:

[lojasmo]

30. WooT! from a Dean democrat! EOM

[shance]

31. Not surprised. This is what Dean does best***

He increases the value where-ever he goes and whatever he does. He's the Democrats lucky charm*. Frankly, Id say he's one of America's lucky charms.

The definition of 'luck' being when preparation meets opportunity, and/or opportunity meets ability. I would put Dean in both of those categories.

Says alot as well, about perseverence, and those who are willing to go the extra mile.

He's proof in the pudding that it can be done, and achievements can be made if you are willing to put in the effort, discipline and focus to see it through.

[Eloriel]

45. Nicely said, Shance

And all I can say (echoing several others ahead of me) is --

YEEAAARGGH!

[shance]

49. Thanks mi amiga***

I will certainly say the same for the terrific posts you contribute!

[janx]

32. Nominated for Greatest Page--it needs only two more votes! n/t

[DU GrovelBot]

33. ## PLEASE DONATE TO DEMOCRATIC UNDERGROUND! ##

==================
GROVELBOT.EXE v3.0
==================



This week is our first quarter 2005 fund drive. Democratic
Underground is a completely independent website. We depend almost entirely
on donations from our members to cover our costs. Thank you so much for
your support.

[madfloridian]

34. A 60% jump in membership in a week is really big news.

It is amazing.

[almostallhere]

61. see post 60

[MsUSA]

35. Do ya think Cokkie Roberts might want to read this???

I'm sure she'd like to eat her words on her ideas on what we as a party should do to gain back seats in the House and Senate. Loser.

[KissMeKate]

36. back from the green brink.

Im ready to try again with the Democratic Party.

[PassingFair]

70. Open arms here, Kate!

My long-time green-voting friend said that the dems would NEVER allow Dean to take the Chair. We made a bet, and he promised to join the dem party if Howard got the nod. Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new Democrat!

P.S. He always loved Howard, and worked to elect him during the primaries.

[ClassWarrior]

37. The party's dead, I tell you!! Why doesn't anyone listen to me??

<sarcasm off>

<LOL>

That's awesome news! YEEEEARGHHHHHHHHH!!!

NGU.

[KissMeKate]

38. I wonder who the much touted "Leavers" were?

there was some talk about people leaving the democratic party, I wonder who they were? Or did that story fizzle?

[ananda]

40. in

Count me in!

Yay Dean!


Sue

[googly]

42. YEAAAAAAAAAAAARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!

[Spiffarino]

43. I knew it would happen!!

OK, I didn't. I suck at predictions.

Nevertheless, I am so happy right now the little hairs on the back of my neck are standing at attention. If I weren't so horribly out of shape I'd be doing flips!

YEEEEAAAAARRRRHHHHHH!!!!!

[madfloridian]

44. Carpe Scream-um? I love it.

LOL

[NYCGirl]

47. ONE MORE VOTE AND THIS MAKES THE FRONT PAGE! Please, someone!

I voted already...

[MessiahRp]

48. It's strange

When I was working for Kerry there was all this animosity between Dean folks and Kerry folks during the primaries and I myself tended to get caught up in it a little but Dr. Dean has grown on me a lot. I wish him the best in getting this party to grow. If we can turn the hopeful young people that followed Dean around during the primaries into regular, active Democrats who show up at the polls we can take back our country and the direction of the party.

That in itself is a much bigger accomplishment then winning the White House because doing so would only prove that we can only win in the Center and that our left leaning ideals are pathetic and meaningless as the Clintons try to claim.

Taking back our party opens the doors for Independents and Greens to come under the big tent and come back to the party and it opens us up the those centrist voters who don't want Republican-lite. They want a party with the balls to stand for it's principles.

This election was an awakening for me. And wow does the Bill Clinton legacy look a hell of a lot more tarnished.

Rp

[lancdem]

63. Clinton knew how to win presidential elections

I don't see any contradiction between that and what Dean brings to the table. They are not mutually exclusive in my book. Ideology is not the isse to me anymore. It's about letting the party be run more by the grassroots than the consultants inside the Beltway (yes, Bob Shrum, that's you) who don't have any friggin' idea how to win.

BTW, I love how Dean has energized the DNC. I don't give a flying fig what any Repuke says about him.

[Kipepeo]

69. As a Deaner during the primiaries

I have to say that Kerry grew on me too, after the nomination. I didn't think it would happen but over time I grew to love him also. :)

I hope this mends the silly primary divides, and as one of those Deaners, I couldn't be more optimistic now that he's chair!

I have always thought Dean has the key to bringing moderates and greens and liberals and even some disenchanted republicans together, not because his message is "anti-war" (that's what the media focused on and they were wrong about that being his primary attractiveness) but because his message is standing for what you believe in no matter the cost.

[kohodog]

50. I got the call last nigh and re-upped.

Even though times are tough. I've been involved locally and regionally since I heard Howard's alarm go off!

I voted Green in 00 because the state was safe. Maybe now I'll be able to vote my conscience for a GOOD candidate. I'm sick of the "lesser of two evils" mentality the dems cultivated in years past. I want someone to vote FOR next time around.

[Califooyah Operative]

51. yeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaah! nt

[sarcasmo]

52. The Dean Machine, with a swift kick to the Right.

[BlueManDude]

53. trickle up politics

[ailsagirl]

54. Thanks for posting this!! Brightened up my day

[Liberty Belle]

56. Reps said Dean would destroy our party. They lied again,

of course. Wooooohooo!

[sampsonblk]

57. But Repubs WANT us to have Dean....?

Isn't that what we were told?

[independentchristian]

58. 120? That's nothing.

I remember after John Edwards was on 60 minutes, that night traffic at his campaign site was smoking, by like 400%.

Got a lot of new supporters that night. :toast:

Good thing with Dean though.

I hope he actually follows through on his talk and doesn't get sucked up into the "establishment's status quo".

[Maine-ah]

59. just joined up, kick!

[almostallhere]

60. careful with the numbers - membership isn't up 60%

the rate of new members joining is up 60% - so if (hypothetical numbers here) previously 100 people were joining each week, now 160 people are joining each week. it's not the total membership that has increased by 60%

[sendero]

62. I understand..

... but they are going to have one more member in about 5 minutes.

This statistic is just a number, but it certainly has more meaning than the laughable "Bush** won in 97 of the 100 fastest growing counties" crap that the feeble-minded actually think means something :)

[Rainscents]

64. Say, if there were already 10 million DNC members

before Howard Dean was chair and now, there's increase rate of 60% a week after Dean become Chair... would this mean, 6 million people are joinning DNC a week? If so, this is such a wonderful news!!! This is lot of people!!!

[upperleftedge]

65. The table

Dr. Dean has brought a lot of people to the table! The Democrats will have to let us decide what's on the menu. Everybody eats, nobody hits.

billy

[Borgnine]

66. I've bitched about the DNC for years.

But guess what? I'm about to become their newest member.

YEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRGGGGGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[fujiyama]

67. Impressive!

That's a pretty good start.

[eridani]

68. Did anyone ever before ever give a rat's ass who was DNC chair?

I think that's also news--I never remembered even active local Dems caring one way or another about Ron Brown or McAuliffe, let alone lefty/greenies like myself. I'm sticking with the Dems because of Dean, and because I've noticed working in the party the past couple of years that the Greens don't have any PCOs.

[Hardknock]

71. Go Dean Go!

Let's bring life back to our party!

Let's take back America!

[progressoid]

72. Too Fuckin cool

nt

[mandyky]

73. Has everyone sent in their suggestions - I did today!!

Here it is -

Chairman Dean & DNC staff,

I think we have moved in the correct direction by electing Gov. Dean as Chairman. During the DNC winter meeting (I watched on CSpan) it was mentioned that the DNC has a "state of the arts" TV and radio studio. One of our main weaknesses right now has to do with media coverage and bias by news channels and shows. I have heard Warren Buffet and George Soros are buying stock in CNN and other media outlets. Do they plan on making changes more friendly to Democrats?

The DNC and local and state Democratic party organizations need to apply pressure to media. We also need to furnish a weekly rebuttal to the president's radio address, and work on getting more outlets to carry it each week. I am sure AAR would carry our rebuttals and there are independent Democratic and progressive radio shows through out the country, that might carry as well. Cable news channels may take more effort.

Here in Richmond, KY via Adelphia Cable, we have a government channel. Maybe other small cities have such channels. Perhaps we could get local democratic meetings covered. This channel is dead air for a large part of a 24 hour period.

I listen to an independent radio show Sat. nights out of South Florida. Guy James jokingly refers to broadcasting from behind enemy lines (very republican area). He is a listener supported show. He does call ins and not only broadcasts locally but streams online. We need to find and support other such shows, and also help AAR get on more radio stations.

Our online media needs some work too. At mydd.con I read of a project to make sure all state democratic parties have a blog and learn to use them to our best advantage. Once each state party has a blog that should trickle down to county and local party organizations. But having a blog is not an end all be all, the folks need to learn to use them for maximum effect. I am a poster at democraticunderground.org and they have state forums for people to post info about local issues and races. We need to share information with our state parties about these resources.

As Chairman Dean is aware, we have a virtually untapped army of grassroots ready to move on projects online and off. We need a clearinghouse type website that has a list of blogs, publications, radio shows, and forums friedly to Democrats. Use us! Please have our online coordinator at the DNC make a post for the blog. I am willing to bet they'd get a bunch of online activists signed up in a few days.

Anyway, as you can see my concerns are mostly with media issues. Please pass on any finding to our Congress people (reps and senators) that we need to re-enact the Fairness Doctrine where possible. I think the reason liberal has become such a dirty word is that people like Rush Limbaugh have had so much exposure. We need to counter those voices, and soon.

Sincerely,
Marlene Jones
Richmond, KY