Howard Dean...

[Wetzelbill]

Lost in all of this is the Howard Dean 50 state strategy. Obama is a transformational figure and McCain has been dreadful, Bush is about as popular as a case of the clap, but Howard Dean deserves some credit for how good Obama and the Congressional races are looking.

Obama and Dem candidates can seriously compete in states that they couldn't even think about doing 3-4 years ago. Montana. Georgia. North Carolina. Virginia. Indiana. etc etc.

Dems have picked up some ground all around the country. While the Republicans were alienating voter demographics and pandering to their most loyal factions, people like Barack Obama and Howard Dean had a vision for much much more.

Totally brilliant. And now the world also sees what we're doing. Hillary has solidified her legacy this election season. Bill Clinton and Al Gore are two of the world's leading statesmen. Joe Biden is getting his just due. We have good people fighting for us. Sure we fight and disagree, but now it's all coming together. I'm proud.

We're becoming a 50 state party, while the Republicans are struggling to hold on to their ever narrowing base.

[crispini]

1. We love Howard!

:loveya:

[CADEMOCRAT7]

2. Dr. Dean is brilliant, and we owe him a lot for his 50 state strategy.

Bravo Dr. Dean !!!!

[MaineDem]

3. I just hope Obama and the new DNC continue this

It's not looking good thus far for next year.

[janet118]

4. Howard is for real . . .

He didn't just pick up his marbles and go home after 2004. He hung in there to make sure we got our country back.

Thanks, Howard. You are a patriot in the truest sense of the word.

[Wetzelbill]

6. that's really the truth

[ProSense]

5. Good thing James Carville failed in his attempt to

stab Dean in the back.

[MaineDem]

7. Absolutely. n/t

[cali]

8. Here's hoping that Obama taps Dean to be Sec of HHS

Dean was fantastic on the Health Care Issue in Vermont, extending health care to thousands of Vermonters of all ages. Health care for all is his passion and has been for decades. He was a family care physician. His wife still is. He's a terrific executive who knows how to get things done. He should be offered HHS.

[Wetzelbill]

9. that's a very good idea

[madfloridian]

10. Kick.

:hi:

[Wetzelbill]

16. thank you madfloridian

Been loving your work all year. You've been doing a top notch job with all of your posts, definitely one of the big DU heroes of this election season. :)

[madfloridian]

19. We have to speak out. Too many will attempt to shove him out of the way

and prevent him from getting credit he deserves.

[myrna minx]

11. Thank you Howard Dean for having the foresight to see our true winning strategy and for showing

us the way. :loveya: We owe you much gratitude. K&R

[DainBramaged]

12. Yes, OMG I haven't seen that name here for a while

HE gets the credit along with the Obama campaign. I HOPE he has a place in the Obama administration, I really hope so.

[Beaverhausen]

13. Right on.

He is the person who really got me involved in actively working as a volunteer. He is the MAN!!!

[mzmolly]

14. Dean is a visionary...

I never tire of pointing that out. ;)

:toast:

[Overseas]

15. K&R -- Love love love Dr. Dean's 50 state strategy.

That has been really wonderful.

It was so depressing for all those years, watching the DLC big boys' map of the few little blue states in a sea of red each time, thinking to myself that I knew more people shared our democratic values than we were led to believe.

So glad Dr. Dean started the movement and in his own run began to smash the Republican myths about themselves vs. Democrats. Loved the way he smashed their claim to be better at the economy and defense. Just look at the record. They run up deficits and Democrats reduce them. They weaken our military by overextending and privatizing it. No bid contracts. War profiteering. Wars on false pretenses. Dr. Dean was shouting about that in his campaign in 2004, and getting many more voters in supposedly "red" areas.

YES YES YES many many thanks to Dr. Dean.

[Cha]

17. Another person we love!

Howard Dean:loveya:

[Guaranteed]

18. Once again, Dean's credit is mostly not for the 50 state strategy but

simply for his leadership.


The 50-state strategy meme is beginning to rot in its repetition.

[Wetzelbill]

20. What do you mean?

Are you saying he hasn't tried to open up offices in all the states or what?

[Guaranteed]

23. I've said it a thousand times yet I still see this, so that's why I'm a little terse.

Dean reopening the South was a big deal, but his contribution to our party and country was mainly his demonstration of the policy positions Democrats needed to take to put the country back on the right track.

Dean created this political climate. When the rest of the Democrats were running from Republicans, he was standing up to them and making the proper arguments, giving them place in our discourse.

That, by far, is his greatest contribution. While Obama had a similar approach and understood what Dean was doing, Dean is the one who held the line of argument on the national stage since 2002 and Obama and our party are winning today because of that.


I think what frustrates me is that I can see that people want to give Dean credit for how well things have gone, but at some point someone started up the "50-state strategy" meme and it stuck despite the fact that it wasn't nearly as important to where we are now as the simple fact that he actually stood up to the Republicans.

[madfloridian]

24. Yes, you are terse. We are crediting Dean just as you are.

I see no big deal, and I wonder why you bother.

[Guaranteed]

25. Don't talk to me- seriously.

I'm not in the mood for one of "these" conversations with you.

[madfloridian]

26. I am never in the mood for your anger toward him lately.

It stems from the primaries somehow....a leftover from all the lies told and the lack of truth by our Dem leaders.

I will update my list, you update yours...bye now.

[MaineDem]

28. And, actually ,the 50-state strategy was the idea of the state party chairs' association

They requested it of each of the candidates for Chair in 2005. They all agreed to it, if I remember correctly. Dean tweaked their request a bit but it was what the Chairs wanted before they'd make an endorsement.

[Wetzelbill]

30. yeah but that isn't a meme, it's a fact

And it's not just in the South, it's everywhere. But it's debatable to say Dems have stood up to Republicans all that much, I haven't seen that en masse on lots of issues. Including the war. Or taxes or much of anything. FISA. They fight back politically a little better sure, but I wouldn't say Dems just up and stood up to Republicans out of nowhere. That's probably minimal if anything. Political climate is probably biggest factor, and being in position to take advantage of it.

[madfloridian]

21. That was a very weird thing to say. I wonder why you did.

It was just odd.

Yes, his leadership, though mostly behind the scenes now. And the same ones who have been in control for years will be coming out of the woodwork with an Obama win to grab all the kudos and goodies.

The 50 state plan gave some power back to the states. That is the only thing keep the same old powers that be from taking over.

Weird.

[dorktv]

22. Dean needs to stay where he is. I do not want someone else who does not

get that we need to fight in EVERY STATE.

Oh and where are the naysayers now? I remember during the primary a good number of people were blaming him for the primary and some were mad over his spending money.

Well DUH.

[judasdisney]

27. Howard Dean? Doesn't he believe in TINFOIL "rigged vote machines"? Whatta dupe.

Actual quote:

"I took a lot of flack from my own side in late 2004 (or was it early 2005?) when I PURGED this site of those I called "fraudsters" -- people who blamed our 2004 loss on voting machines and other Republican trickery"

-- Markos "Kos" Moulitsas
source: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/10/16/2420/7724/465/632103

According To Kos: Howard Dean is a "fraudster"

[eridani]

29. I cheered him this very moment at our South Seattle/South King County GOTV rally

Gov. Gregoire, Senators Murray and Cantwell, and a number of our downticket candidates were there as well. Just fininshed a precinct during an afternoon of intermittent rain, and will do another tomorrow. Then off to being a poll worker on Tuesday.