WE Convinced Dean to Keep Talking, Keep Fighting

[Eloriel]

Did you get a chance to see his speech at the DNC quarterly meeting broadcast on C-Span Sunday morning? (It was terrific -- do see it if it's rebroadcast or if there's a link to the video or transcript somewhere.)

Dean took the opportunity to make a quick little detour, saying that the DNC had raised $100,000 dollars, UNSOLICITED over the last few days (or overnight?? didn't catch that, but clearly since the brohaha), "The people WANT us to fight."

WE convinced Dean to keep fighting, keep talking. And you saw, perhaps, that he did another GOP smackdown -- a HUGE smackdown -- during the PUSH Coalition meeting:

Dean criticizes GOP courting of black voters
http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/news/nation/11879792.htm
discussed here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1543516

It's utterly remarkable to me that we FINALLY have a politician willing to listen to us. It's taken far too long for us to have a way to get their attention. Dean isn't in Congress, but at least he's listening, taking it into consideration, and acting on it. We haven't had that for a very, very long time (like since corporate donations became the primary financing method of the DNC??).

It's over $100K now: http://actblue.com/list/dnc

And this isn't even any contributions made directly to the DNC.

[graywarrior]

1. He's got me interested again after the Nov 2 letdown.

I'm actually inspired to do something.

[mandyky]

5. Same here, I was excited when he was running for Chair

but because he was only dealing with local media afterward, we heard little until lately. Now I'm all energized again.

[FreedomAngel82]

11. Me too

I remember being so nervous that he wouldn't get it and video taped it and all that. ;) I was so releaved when it was him and not one of the other canidates. When all the others started dropping out more then I knew Dean would more then likely get it.

:kick: Go Dean!

[cthrumatrix]

37. Dean has always spoke his mind.... you can when you are NOT bought !

[noahmijo]

2. I'm actually considering sending over $5

(I'm poor okay?) with a note attached saying "Dean Speaks For Me"

That's the trick I think attach every donation with a phrase that basically says they're only getting paid thanks to Dean and not because they decided to throw another boring ass $500 a plate dinner.

[jbond56]

28. I'm seriously considering...

donating 5 bucks every time Dean says something I like!

[noahmijo]

33. I'm seriously considering

What YOU'RE seriously considering! :)

[graywarrior]

3. Small donations are more powerful, in my humble opinion

[Eloriel]

4. Dean certainly loves them

Remember how much money he raised during his campaign -- almost ALL of it in small donations -- and he would say, "Our campaign IS campaign finance reform."

We can't get the corporate influence out of our politics and governing if we don't get the corporate money out, or at least diminish its importance. THE PEOPLE know that, and so does Dean. Dean is finally giving us something to believe in, work for, and put our money into. Just as with his campaign, we're more than willing to do what we can in small amounts, and let it all add up to a big ole bunch o' money, which it will.

[juajen]

27. Wouldn't it be amazing

if 1,000,000 people sent him $10 a month? There is power in little people. I think I can do that, though it is very hard. SS doesn't go far. Dr. Dean is really inspiring. I love him lots for speaking up for us.

[Gloria]

6. Yes, he WAS great at the meeting...and it's obvious that the

people there were behind him!

Those are the people that count, not the jackasses in Washington.

[janx]

7. The DNC is now listening to us.

Communicate with them. Give them your opinions and support, on local and national levels.

The web page is going to change soon in order that we can do this even more effectively.

(This is a general comment--not to Eloriel. She knows this already.)

[FreedomAngel82]

12. I agree

This is great. I also loved seeing Dean with Reid and Schumer and some other people in the last meeting recently. :D It was so great! I just wish other democrats would get on board with the unity.

[Southsideirish]

8. He's a natural leader and the more people see him the more they will

see that he is an honest man with tremendous integrity.

[FreedomAngel82]

13. I agree

I didn't really know too much about him in the beginning but the more I saw him, heard him and read stuff from him (interviews and whatnot) the more I liked him. :) I do wish he could run again in 2008 and kick some rightwinger ass.

[GreenPartyVoter]

9. Will he keep fighting or will they reign him in?

[FreedomAngel82]

14. I think if

they know that DNC members and democrats from all over are for him they'd keep him. If they get rid of Dean too many people will leave the party. I don't think they could risk that.

[FreedomAngel82]

10. Amazing!!!

This is great! The DNC is still flowing in money! I love it! Yep, Dean is the PERFECT man for the job. Plus I love seeing Cheney even coming out and giving "yo mama" shit. Howie is the best!

[Tom Rinaldo]

15. His foes still don't understand , do they?

Dean inspires activism. When Dean was the candidate himself, in one sense they could get away with attacking Dean to drain some votes away from him. But now Dean is fighting for the Democratic Party, not his own candidacy. They attack Dean now, and we just become even more determined to make our Party stronger.

[IndyOp]

16. Yes! Yes! Yes! People-Powered Howard Keeps on Truckin!

Thanks Eloriel - I've nominated this thread for "GREATEST".

I sent money last week (ending in .01 so that the DNC knows it is in honor of Dr. Dean).

I may have to send more $ this week since the announcement that the DNC is reactivating Kerry's 17,000 lawyers to provide support for election reformers in ALL 50 states. Dean promised he would prioritize election reform - and, now he IS. OMG - a politico who keeps his promises? I don't know what to think!

:kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick:

[Eloriel]

18. Oh, you're right!!! -- I'd forgotten about that

I may have to send more $ this week since the announcement that the DNC is reactivating Kerry's 17,000 lawyers to provide support for election reformers in ALL 50 states.

That speech on Saturday was simply terrific with all the new things in effect and coming, and that was one of the things he mentioned. He really is SUCH an effective executive manager type, plus all that charisma and leadership ability too. And VISION. What an incredible package. And he didn't waste a MINUTE once elected, did he? One incredible, indefatigueable worker. Just an incredible guy all around.

[ngGale]

17. Then, the DNC should get the message that...

we the people want and need Dean. I'm really impressed with him, not that I always haven't been. He's improving my emotionally stability quite a bit. :)

[goclark]

19. Our new TRUMAN

He is just what we needed.

All these wishy washy congresspeople should shut up and let him at it.

[Hidden Stillness]

30. Re: "Our New Truman"

Yes, this is a great comparison; I hadn't thought of that one before--the great, saintly-honest, "swore like a sailor" Truman. We can only hope Dean will be half as good, and Democratic, as Truman (the whole Truman family--Bess, Margaret, etc.).

The recent situations with Howard Dean reminded me of two things I just heard about. First, at the recent Campaign for America's Future forum, telecast on C-SPAN, one of the usual tepid Dem "strategists" talked about a study they just did, to try to find out if the slogans they were going to use against Bush/Repubs were "too harsh," and the feedback they got from the real, actual people in the country was that it was not nearly tough and angry enough--make it stronger. After all the years in the corporate DLC cult, their only fear is that they will sound like they are not Republicans. If Dean is aware of the fact that we are angry, and want it expressed, than we are already halfway home. You could never get Clinton to help us: "I feel your pain, but I love these rich capitalists!" The comments of Dean's that shove it right back in the faces of Republicans are exhilarating to hear, and make it seem as if the night is finally over. Now, though, we have to fight the real enemy and threat, but with our Party understanding us again, it will at least be worth it, and lead somewhere.
The other thing is a study result I read somewhere (might even have been a DU thread), that archcons who listen to Illegal Prescriptions/Fat Boy/The Pimple That Dodged the Draft on the radio, felt more emboldened by all the rhetoric and "support," where liberals feel hopeless and do not even try to fight back, because they are so totally censored and cut off by endless Republican propaganda and no public access of their own. The complete, monolithic ownership and control of all media eventually leads to the non-neocon audience feeling totally oppressed and hopeless, as if everything is united against them, until they give up and do not even believe anything will ever succeed. An obvious fact, but it made me realize that, regardless of all the lying media crap Dean and others have to take, a deeper, longer-range effect is that eventually, the great liberal majority will start to hear ourselves in our own country, get more and more excited and hopeful, and eventually our bravery will become an ordinary thing again, and then we will really fight--because we will see each other and our real country again!

[Arugula Latte]

20. Anyone have a list of all the Democrats who stabbed Dean in the back?

I want to contact them. Off the top of my head, it's:

Biden
Edwards
Obama
Pelosi
Reid (?)

Others? Thanks.

[Arugula Latte]

21. Oh yeah, forgot Harold Ford.

[spooky3]

22. Edwards did not "stab D in the back." All he said was that he disagreed

with him on this specific point, and that Dean was A voice but not THE spokesman for all Dems, in response to a reporter's question. I'm assuming you don't expect Democrats to march in lockstep like the Rethugs. The media chose to twist Edwards' words into something else. Check out Edwards' blog or the multiple threads on DU when this first came out.

[AntiCoup2K4]

23. Here's a few more

Holy Joe (R., Conn.)
Feinstein (PNAC, CA)
Richardson (DLC, NM)

[FreedomAngel82]

24. Question from me

Feinstein is with PNAC??

[CatWoman]

25. A kick and a rec for Gov Dean

:kick:

Thanks, E

:hi:

[ElsewheresDaughter]

26. YES!...Dean speaks for me!

[calimary]

32. ...and for me, too!

My heart STILL belongs to "Hollerin' Howard."

[MoonRiver]

29. He has kept me in the party after last November's fiasco.

Have to confess that I was against him getting the nomination. I drank the Kool-Aid that Kerry was the "electable" one, lol. (Fool me once.) Now I am 110% behind Dean.

[Califooyah Operative]

31. kick

[theboss]

34. So...what batshit crazy thing will Dean say next?

Maybe that the Republicans are all in favor of lynching. That would be a hoot.

[iconoclastic cat]

36. What are you talking about?

[Califooyah Operative]

38. haha, awesome picture. nt

[Cha]

40. Why use hyperbole when the

fucking truth works for us.

[IndyOp]

35. MORE Dean progress --

Check out this thread from DU'er Gettysburg II - the Democratic Party has a MAJOR announcement about election reform/protection coming in the next 10 days:
<http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x377678>

:kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick:

[iconoclastic cat]

42. Thanks! Very interesting...

[OneTwentyoNine]

39. Like Truman said "You have to tell the truth about those bastards" n/t

[NoPasaran]

41. I AM Howard Dean's special interest!

Like we used to say last year.