Party's over, but the Deaniacs are here to stay

[T_i_B]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uselections2004/story/0,13918,1151133,00.html

Howard Dean had left the building to reinvent his political career elsewhere. Local supporters went home to dinner and, in the end, only the young shock troops of the insurgency were left in the hotel ballroom, wondering what to do next. What they eventually decide could be more than a footnote. It is of vital interest to the Democratic party leadership, which always wanted to get rid of the awkward Vermont doctor but somehow bottle the political energy he had unleashed.

The Kerry and Edwards campaigns have been trying to emulate the Dean phenomenon in style and substance. They have become far blunter in their attacks on the Bush administration, now aware - thanks to Mr Dean - that they can do so without being labelled unpatriotic.

The surviving campaigns have also become far more imaginative in using the internet to raise money and galvanise support. Whatever route Mr Dean's followers take, it is clear he has left a legacy.

"I see Dean as the giant of online politicking," said Michael Cornfield, research director at the Institute for Politics, Democracy and the Internet at George Washington University. He pointed to early use of the then obscure meetup.com chatroom website to arrange local meetings of supporters - a technique now widely copied. No other candidate has raised so much money from small donations. More than half the $45m (£24m) raised by the Dean campaign came from donations of under $200.

[ahlewis]

1. dean democrats dig in!

you better believe we're here to stay.

if you add up howard dean's deaniacs + michael moore's fans + all the newly established alternative media providers + moveon.org + alternet + democratic underground + hardcore kucinich supporters + those journalists who just woke up and are starting to question the establishment + ALL the disgruntled and determined americans who have just discovered their voice, this is moving on.

[onebigbadwulf]

2. Now its time to bribe Edwards

for Dean VP-hood

[xxqqqzme]

3. I don't want Dean in the VP slot

He is more effective outside that constraint.

[T_i_B]

5. Edwards?

Sorry folks, but I do not like the look of Edwards. The guy just seems like a Tony Blair wannabe to me.

[bushwakker]

4. I hope it's true but I doubt it

I'd like to see Dean supporters stay active in the party but it won't happen. It was Dean the man who excited them not any particular ideology or position he held. Unfortunately The Movement will fade.

[madfloridian]

6. It was the truth that excited us.

It was in short supply until he came along. No, the movement is well-organized already, and it will grow stronger.

It is too bad the truth will fade, though.

[edzontar]

7. Not to be snarky--but how would you know?

We are staying organized, and are not going to just fall in line behind some DNC Madison Ave. "electability" candidate either.

This is FAR from over.

[CWebster]

8. or as they used to say

Can't keep 'em on the farm once they've seen gay Parie.

;-)

[Polemonium]

10. Well frankly your wrong

I've heard from all of the regulars at our monthly meet-ups, and they want to continue to get together. What's more there a couple of new people who contacted me today and they want to participate. Participate in what you ask? "Taking our country back". Back from corporate special interests, restoring true representative democracy, supporting progressive candidates, taking over the local DNC (something we've virtually accomplished already), etc etc. It turns out we aren't sheep, we were just sleeping. Now awakened with some Dean Coffee we're going to continue to fight.

[WyLoochka]

9. Donation problem

I was trying to send Dean a message last night, that he can count on me for the long haul on the road toward change, by making a donation.

A very curious thing kept happening - the 5th number on my credit card kept changing by the same one digit so that an error "invalid cc info" kept returning. I tried 10 times and the donation never went through.

Anyone else have this problem?