Democratic Leader Dean Faces Balancing Act

[Rose Siding]

NEW ORLEANS - Howard Dean, long known for bucking the establishment, has spent much of his time as Democratic chairman trying to strengthen the party outside of Washington — and his rank and file loves him for it.

"He is truly nationalizing the Democratic Party and he's looking to the future," said Steve Achelpohl, head of the Nebraska state party.
...
"He's doing very well," said Mitchell Ceasar, a former Florida Democratic Party chairman. "We're winning races in red states, places where we, frankly, haven't won anything in 30 or 40 years."

Andrew O'Leary, executive director of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party in Minnesota, said that because of Dean, the DNC now is paying the salaries of four organizers now working in Minnesota.

"He's raising the money necessary to be competitive. He's just spending it in ways the party's never seen before," O'Leary said.

"Howard Dean has put his money where his mouth is," added Jay Parmley, a former Oklahoma Democratic Party chairman who is working in Mississippi as a DNC-paid organizer. "He's delivered on his promises to help state parties reach out to our counties and precincts."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060422/ap_on_el_ge/democrats_11

Tim highlighted this article at the blog, then wrote about the last meeting in NO:

"....As the governor spoke about the Fifty State Strategy, the grassrtoots, and individual success stories around the country, you could start to feel a buzz in the room begin to build. I am so proud to have been a part of the events like the national canvass taking place next weekend and the Democracy Bonds community (and an owner myself!), and I wasn't the only one... As the room erupted in cheers, the goosebumps came. We have every reason to be proud of the DNC this evening. The Party has come a long way in the last few months, and we have even more to build over the next few years. But one thing we know for sure, if you live in Wyoming or Ohio, Florida or Phoenix, Alaska or Alabama ... Democrats are fighting to win from the top of the ticket to the bottom. And that is something we can all get excited about as we approach the 2006 midterms."

[LiberalPartisan]

1. This must have the DLC hacks seething....Go Howard Go!!! n/t

[wryter2000]

2. I can't wait until November

I hope we're all carrying Howard around on our shoulders.

[awoke_in_2003]

3. Screw balancing

we have had way too much of that, and where has it gotten us? Go Howard, just do that voodoo you do so well.

[napi21]

4. I still wish it would have been President Dean!!!!

I know, you can't redo the past.

What a breath of fresh air though. A politician who speaks the truth and soesn't worry about being politically correct all the damn time!

I'm still hoping that the idiots in Wash. will suddenly take a look at what Dean has done and say "Gee, maybe WE should try that!!!!"

[janx]

5. November should be VERY interesting! n/t

[LittleClarkie]

6. We have four organizers here in Wisconsin too

Viva la Dean!