How was your Dean meetup tonight?

[Guaranteed]

We had 15 people at the Peoria meeting. The general consensus was that we would vote for Kerry, but we would not squelch our voices.

Kerry will get our votes. But he's going to have to listen to us.

We are going to keep meeting and are planning on getting involved very actively in local politics- writing letters, public forums, networking. Morale was high, and things went well.

How did things go in other cities?

[Gman]

1. They're still having Dean meetups?

I curious as to why since Dean is out of it.

[jmaier]

2. We had a Clark meetup on Monday

These are no longer about the primary race but how to channel the grassroots energy constructively into other races -- while maintaining a bit of our own identity. It was interesting.

[Gman]

5. Makes sense

[cprise]

6. My suggestion: Grassroots anti-BBV

See this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1191569#1191732

[Cheswick2.0]

15. All of us at my meet-up are and have been involved in the BBV issue

for many months.

[DannyRed]

4. Because

Dean's message about taking the power back resonated.

Because we were not lying when we said that the campaign was not only about the nomination or the presidency, or even about the candidate himself...but was about US, and OUR VOICE.

Because we are game to prove the doubters and naysayers (internet bubbles, no grassroots, and so on) wrong wrong wrong.

Because we want the Democratic Party to grow, to expand, and to progress, and we think we can play an important role in that process.

See?

[DannyRed]

3. Last night in Tokyo

we had 20 to 25 people show up.

It was a good meeting - good energy, positive outlook, determined to do as much as we can for Kerry in the GE, to focus also on downticket races and getting new people involved.

We also talked a lot about message, media, focus, and power, and how to grow our own organization, to continue agitating for change within the Democratic Party, and to bring that about through building on the foundations laid by DFA, CFA, T&H, and others....

All in all a very upbeat, positive, and exciting time!

[LSdemocrat]

7. We had 50 people in St. Louis

We talked mainly talked about working on various local and statewide races and working with the local and state Democratic party.

Great meeting, lots of energy, and a few new people!

[Guaranteed]

8. Awesome.

We're a force.

[Cheswick2.0]

14. we have mostly people who are new to political activity

So we talked about joining the local democratic committee or starting one where they do not exist. Several of our members live in towns that are so republican, there is no local democratic party organization.

[madfloridian]

9. We had one more than last month.

One of our group is running against the GOP incumbent in congress, and we worked on getting him up and running....getting cards out for signatures. He is one of the at least 110 Democratic Wings inspired to run for election by Dean. We are learning a lot as we go.

An activity will be planned on March 18 when Dean announces his plan.

People were just as enthusiastic as ever. I believe the meetings will continue, even if the name changes. I believe most will vote Kerry in the fall, though most do not seem to be planning to be active in the campaign. I believe that should be their decision, though they do plan to vote. Since some are independents and Republicans, hard to say what they will do.

[shance]

10. Santa Monica was great.

Good crew of people. Great ideas.

Interestingly enough, my FIRST Dean meet-up!

[dsc]

11. Cleveland area still has 6 meetups going

at mine there were 14 people. We discussed helping various local races including Capri Cafaro who won a stunning primary victory for Congress. In a five person race she won with over 50% of the vote in each and every county in the district. Our race is one of the targetted ones to get rid of an Republican incumbent. She is very likely to get our group's time and money. We also are targetting a Christian Reconstructionist State Rep for defeat. I was a little late so I have no idea what the thoughts on Kerry were but there were some Kerry buttons worn.

[NoPasaran]

12. We had a big crowd in Austin

We went over the procedures for our caucuses this coming Tuesday night and heard brief pitches from a number of local candidates.

We will be supporting Kerry in November. But meanwhile we are taking the party over and working to make Texas a Democratic state again.

We've got two more visibility activities planned. I'm in a small group that has rented a billboard on I-35 through downtown Austin that will have a Dean message on it Friday. And Saturday we will once again be out with our signs at a major intersection spreading the word that Dean is still the best on the ballot. I've been out there the last two weekends and we've had a great response from motorists.

[Cheswick2.0]

13. that's about how mine went

We talked about local and state races. We talked about connecting to grassroots candidates all over the country. We talked about Camp Wellstone and I encouraged everyone to attend a weekend training. We talked until 10:30 pm about bush and the state of the world including Iraq and Haiti.
It was a great conversation.