Hi Governor Dean, I'm back!

[Bouncy Ball]

Dear Governor Dean,

I discovered you in May of 2003. You were on CSPAN, giving a stump speech to about 20 senior citizens in some tiny Iowa town I can't even remember the name of now. It was very very early in the primary season and I had no idea who you were.

In fact, I was about to turn the channel, when I heard you express your displeasure with the war in Iraq. What? Feelings I felt that I was hearing NO ONE on TV express? What was this about?

I was intrigued. I literally stood in the middle of the room, remote in hand, afraid to even move for fear of missing a word. My husband heard you and came into the room, too, and stood there, mouth agape.

I realized I was nodding my head constantly in amazement. So was my husband. When you finished, we looked at each other, the din of clapping on TV, and said "WHO THE HELL WAS THAT?"

I got on the internet and looked you up. The more I read, the more impressed I was. I joined your grassroots organization. From there, I gave my first political donation, I started my own meetup group here in my town, and my husband and I even ended up being two in the first group of almost 500 Texans to fly to Iowa in September of 2003 to canvass door to door in the icy cold rain. Dean bumper stickers, Dean t-shirts, Dean buttons, Dean magnets, Dean stickers, Dean literature. The back of my van became Dean central. I attended meetups in other cities, I started speaking at meetups. I became a deputy voter registrar. I wrote letter after letter to voters in other states. Wrote until my hand cramped up completely and then wrote some more.

I remember watching the bat until the wee hours of the morning.

Of course, the primaries were a huge disappointment.

Of course, I got behind Kerry. You urged us to. But it was not lost on me and my husband that you put your money where your mouth was and changed Dean for America into Democracy for America. You said you would keep on fighting no matter what the result and you meant it.

I'm back. Democracy for America is my homepage. I just registered for and paid for Democracy Fest '05. I've found this Dean forum. And just now, I was googling for images of you and I realized something:

People were seriously fired up about you. I had almost forgotten how much, but it all comes back to me. I was in crowds screaming until everyone lost their voice. Screaming and smiling, looking at each other and only able to say "YEAH!" We absolutely adored you. People traveled hundreds of miles at their own expense to support you. People emptied their savings for your campaign.

That made the republicans awfully afraid. As it should have.

We still love you. And you still speak for me, every time you open your mouth.

I gave a donation to DFA yesterday, after the Senate count. I'm going to the next DFA meetup here. I was pleased to see how strong the groups are here, still. Almost 1200 members in the Dallas group alone. My God.

No matter what, I know you (and us, together) can bring about good in this country. You had one of the most hopeful, optimistic messages I have ever heard.

And I, for one, am thrilled you are still out there, working hard. I'm back to join you.

[JNelson6563]

1. Oh Bravo!!!

Wonderful letter!

:toast:

Julie

[Bouncy Ball]

4. Thanks, Julie

It truly came from the heart.

[JNelson6563]

5. Very obvious it was heartfelt

That is why it is so beautiful. Inspiring even!

Julie

[DFLforever]

2. What a great letter!

My experience is somewhat different in that I went from DFA1.to DFA2. in a matter of minutes and put most of my money into the Dean Dozens rather than the Kerry campaign. Dean folk in MN also backed some legislative candidates, most of whom they got elected in Nov.

But like you, in spite of the discouragement and despair of the general election, I look hopefully into the future and am anxious to get to work taking back our country.

I'm considering attending DemocracyFest myself.:)

[Bouncy Ball]

3. Oh please do! It'll be freaking AMAZING!!

I am already excited about it and it's not until JUNE!

[PassingFair]

6. Now you did it! I'm tearing up thinking of the time

I went to hear him speak when the unions SEIU and IUPAT endorsed him here in Detroit. I had met him at a "house party" and seen him speak before a smaller crowd, but that day when the unions showed up....
I could hardly see, my emotions were running so high.
Your letter is a beauty!

[Bouncy Ball]

7. Aw, shucks.

'Tweren't nothin'.

Thank you!

[janx]

8. That is a colorful story!

It's great. I found out about Dean from correspondence in another forum, a smaller one, from someone in the gay community. Gays knew about Dean very early on since he had stood up for them as governor of Vermont.

I'm not lesbian or gay, but I am not new to lesbians and gays, so I guess I had an advantage.

I could not believe that someone who could run against Bush** could be of such fine character and principle. I remember writing: "Could this be? Could someone like this actually stand up to what has been going on?"

It was unbelievable that someone of such character would be willing to take the risk. And then so many Americans backed him! Such a refreshing, populist effort from so many people across the country.

We have not gone away. Dean represents the American people in a way that I've never seen in my 47 years.