Howard Dean's the Real Deal 2004

2004-04-04T22:09:00.000-07:00

Well, well. At the campaign, they asked us not to blog so we could keep the focus on the official campaign blog.

Now that the campaign is over, I want to continue to share important events in our country with you, but will do so from my new Real History Blog. I hope you come by and check it out. Please read the recent post about Electronic voting and the dangers to our democracy that come from not having a mandatorily audited paper trail. Please get involved with that all important issue while it still matters. If our vote can be stolen, we may never get it back. Please help. Thanks!

2003-08-09T20:11:00.000-07:00

I'M GOING TO VERMONT!!! I've accepted a job with Dean For America in Burlington, Vermont to work on the Dean campaign, and couldn't be happier!

One of my friends asked that question I've had to answer a lot lately: Why are you so passionate about Dean? Here is my response:

At a time when I could hardly stand to be an American, someone I had never heard of stood up before the nation and said we should not be going to war in Iraq. This is WRONG. I sat up and took notice. Who is this guy? Is he for real? I started reading his positions and saw quickly that here was someone who had solid experience as a five-term governor. Here was a man so bright he cruised through medical school in 3 years. Here is a guy that not only said the war was wrong BEFORE we went to war, but reiterated that sentiment even at the very height of its popularity, when 70% of the country was in favor of it. When the press, trying to (perhaps?) do him a favor tried to say Dean was backing down, Dean stepped up and said no, I still oppose the war. They had given him an out, and he didn't take it. THAT REALLY got my attention. Then I heard about his support for civil unions in Vermont, even when it nearly cost him his last re-election. Later I was to find out he wore bullet-proof vests during that campaign because he had received such credible death threats. But the clincher for me was not that he was doing and saying everything right, and not that he was standing all alone in the process. At the Winter Conference of the Democratic Party last year, Dean opened with these amazingly bold questions, which spoke right to the heart of my own concerns:

"What I want to know . . . is why in the world the Democratic Party leadership is supporting the President's unilateral attack on Iraq?

"What I want to know . . . is why are Democratic leaders supporting tax cuts? The question is not how big the tax cut should be -- the question should be: Can we afford a tax cut at all with the largest deficit in the history of the country?

"What I want to know . . . is why we're fighting in Congress about the Patient's Bill of Rights when the Democratic Party ought to be standing up for health care for every man, woman and child in this country?

"What I want to know . . . is why our folks are voting for the President's No Child Left Behind bill that leaves every child behind, every teacher behind, every school board behind and every property tax payer behind?

"I am Howard Dean. And I'm here to represent the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party."

And that was it. I was smitten, in the political sense. This guy is IT. THIS is the guy who can beat George Bush. What appeals to me is his strength as a candidate via his experience and knowledge, and his courage in standing up not only against Bush but against his own party when they have sold out our ideals. He had a stellar record in Vermont, managing to cut taxes, increase health care coverage, protect the environment and balance the budget. And he was no magician. He tried to get single-payer health care passed. It failed miserably. What did Dean do? Did he, as the Clinton administration did, throw up his hands and give up? No. He fought a smarter fight. And inch by inch, incrementally, he brought better health care to his state. THAT is perhaps his most impressive achievement - proving himself a true master of the "Art of the Possible" as politics is often called.

And there was more. On Tim Russert's Meet the Press, Dean showed True Grit. When Russert tossed off a sneaky hit and run comment, Dean seized on it and would not let Russert off the hook. Look at that, I thought. There is a fighter. There is someone who is not going to stand by and let Bush set the agenda, as Gore did. There is someone who is going to fight back if called a liar. This guy has gravitas.

But there's still something more. He has a powerful charisma about him. Something in him, his anger, his outrage, has tapped into the anger I have felt for so long. And it's an anger born of love, love for what could be in this country, not an anger born of hate. And his campaign is not only allowing, but encouraging unprecedented grassroots participation that is bringing a whole new set of people to politics. That can only be a good thing. He is not a leftist. If he were a peacenik, I wouldn't waste a vote on him. But he's not a peacenik. He's not even that much of a liberal. But he is a solid, principled man who believes that government can be both of the people and for the people. By supporting this man, with all his brains, savvy, courage, and charisma, and I think I'm holding the winning ticket to starting finally to reverse a serious trajectory of horrible events set in motion one gray day in Dallas back in November of 1963. FINALLY, we have a true leader again before us. I can think of nothing better to do with my next 15 months than to spend every waking minute trying to get him elected. Maybe I'll spend some dream time at it too, come to think of it. ;-)

2003-08-05T08:34:00.000-07:00

We're going to hit 75,000 people signed up for meetups across the country tomorrow. We are indeed changing the face of politics in this country. Now we need to change the face in the White House! ;-)

I've been swamped with other projects and haven't been able to blog much of late. There's so much to read I'd rather be doing that than blogging, at the moment. But all things come around and I will be back in force again soon. Meanwhile, enjoy the remaining summer days!

2003-07-27T08:23:00.000-07:00

Well well well. I've been busy joining Yahoo groups this week so I can help get the word out about Dean events in Washington State. I have big news but am waiting to share it.

Meanwhile, watch the bat! Watch David conquer Goliath! Watch how the little people say hey, our money is just as good as the high-rolling donors to the Bush-Cheney effort! Check out the Bat at DeanForAmerica.com. And then contribute. Every little bit really adds up.

2003-07-19T08:16:00.000-07:00

If you want to see a top presidential candidate upfront and
personal, check out the People-Powered Howard Sleepless Summer Tour! Howard Dean will be appearing in the following
cities in August:

Saturday, Aug 23 - Alexandria, VA
Sunday, Aug 24 - Seattle, WA
Monday, Aug 25 - Portland, OR
Monday, Aug 25 - San Antonio, TX
Tuesday, Aug 26 - Chicago, IL
Tuesday, Aug 26 - New York, NY

Find out why people who see him are so enthusiastic about him. See
what the press means when they call him a great orator. You'll have a
blast. Sign up, bring some friends, and be prepared to be wowed!

2003-07-16T17:47:00.000-07:00

This is too good. There's a photo on the White House site, showing George Bush going through the State of the Union address "line-by-line and word-by-word." In case it's been moved, the Dean For America blog has captured it and the original caption. Check it out!

2003-07-14T18:01:00.000-07:00

Dean supporters have often heard, "Don't vote for another McGovern." Now, George McGovern is speaking out in defense of speaking the truth. Here's a snippet from his opinion piece in Today's LA Times:

I wish that in today's political dialogue we had more politicians willing to say what they honestly believe is best for the nation rather than going along with the polls and the focus groups and the conventional wisdom. I thank God for Sen. Robert Byrd, who has courageously challenged the Bush administration's unconstitutional invasion of Iraq -- a country that has done no harm to us, poses no threat to us and which had nothing to do with the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. More senators should have stood up against this foolish war that is needlessly taking American lives.

I also wish more of our elected officials would raise hard questions about the Patriot Act, which really ought to be called the Anti-Bill of Rights Act. Some searching questions should also be directed to the so-called Homeland Security Act, which has created an enormous, costly bureaucracy that will add little to our security while increasing taxes and red tape.

With the 2004 race about to begin in earnest, I would only add: Give me a presidential candidate who speaks the truth as he sees it and I'll show you a candidate whose campaign, win or lose, will be good for the nation.

You can read the full statement without having to register by going to the Public Newsroom at http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wxxi/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=521343.

2003-07-14T17:44:00.000-07:00

And now, a note on blog ettiquette. As I've been getting out and about around the blogs, I see a lot of link issues. I used to deal with people with Accessibility issues. There are a huge number of people who use the Internet via screen readers - a utility that actually reads text outloud. Whereas a seeing person can scan a page to pick out the links on the page, a person using a screen reader usually has to press a key, and then the links get read aloud to them.

But in the blog world, that must be really frustrating to hear the following:

link
here
this

Bloggers, please make your links a little longer, for those who hear them out of context. I've tried (maybe successfully, but probably not always) to make links that are explanatory out of context. Check out my most recent post below. It only takes a little effort, and will allow you to reach and appease an important and surprisingly large population of users. It's one of those little things we can do that make life better for others. Go on. Expand those links!

2003-07-14T00:06:00.000-07:00

I've never met Joe Trippi, but I think I'd really like him. His posts in the official Dean campaign blog are always so hopeful and inspiring. Truly, this campaign and the people I've met in it so far are indeed inspiring. I've done a lot of research into the darker side of history, fraught with lies, deception, drugs-for-guns and other horrible alliances. It's so inspiring to meet people who aren't willing to roll over and play dead, who want to stand up and use their own voice, and support the one candidate giving voice to the anger within so many of us.

The biggest secret in America is that we, the people DO have power. And Dean is reminding us of that. The republicans never win when there is a large voter turnout. So they've spent years telling us our votes don't matter, and funding candidates like Nader and the Green Party (there was a big scandal about that here in the Northwest) to split the Democratic vote. But not this time. NOW, the only thing standing between us and victory will be a fair vote counting system, and the electronic systems going in across the country are owned by Republicans. And one brave New Zealand media source demonstrates how easily forgeable vote counts are. Please read this important article on how votes can be tampered with and how the database keeps double books, allowing spot checks to read accurately but composite results to be easily alterable. It's very real, and we should all be very concerned.

In addition, we should all be writing or calling our State Secretaries and the press asking how votes will be counted in our own areas. Only when we raise our voices together will we succeed. I am firmly convinced the outrageous behavior of the Republicans in the last year comes from a complacency that bespeaks a foreknowledge of next year's election results. If we let them control the voting systems, that will likely be the case. SPEAK UP on this very important issue, in every outlet that you can. Nothing is as precious as our vote. We need to ensure its accuracy. The burden of proof needs to be on the system to show us that it will accurately report the votes such that tampering cannot be allowed.

2003-07-12T23:15:00.000-07:00

Oh! Almost forgot! There's an excellent 1/2 hour segment on Dean campaigning in New Hampshire available on the Dean for America homepage. This is exactly the kind of video you can send to friends to help them learn about Dean. Share it around!

2003-07-12T23:12:00.000-07:00

Lawrence Lessig, Stanford Law Professor, author, and a huge advocate of copyright reform, has turned over blogging duties for his week of vacation to none other than Howard Dean! I heard Lessig speak once, and he is a bright, articulate man. He's a powerful advocate to have in Dean's corner. I can't wait to see the Governor's entries next week. You can follow Lessig's blog (and even respond back to Dean) at http://cyberlaw.stanford.edu/lessig/blog/. So we're in for a very interesting week. I can't wait to see what the Stanford crowd asks and how Dean answers.

Meanwhile, Bush's numbers are falling mightily as more revelations surface of who knew what when. Despite Ari Fleischer's pronouncement that the public's interest is over, the polls show that is simply not true. And the media, which has been hogtied ever since 9/11 in the name of national security, is smelling blood and starting to lash out. Unsurprisingly, longtime CIA asset Walter Pincus is leading the charge, defending his old employer (he once published an article titled "How I Traveled Abroad on CIA Subsidy"). The long knives are out. We do indeed live in the Chinese curse of "interesting times."

2003-07-11T23:54:00.000-07:00

What a day. I've been following the unfolding story of who knew what when re the inclusion of the forged Niger documents alleging nuclear weapons in Iraq. I've been wondering what the scandal would be called, but that appears to have been answered at Jihad Unspun: Weaponsgate. Here's the start of the article:

You wouldn't know it from listening to the leading Democratic candidates for president, but "Weaponsgate" may ultimately bring about the downfall of the Bush regime and its allies in London, Canberra, and elsewhere. The neoconservatives may have also finally stirred something in the Fourth Estate, which has suddenly begun challenging the lying echo chambers in the White House and Number 10 Downing Street.

It's clear that the VP, the State Department and the CIA all knew this to be false. And even Colin Powell denied inclusion of the Niger document in a speech he gave shortly after Bush's state of the union address. My guess is that Bush KNEW, and used it anyway. If he didn't know, he should be mad as hell, demanding to find the truth, asking for resignations. That he is instead defending going to war whether this was true or not is outrageous. No wonder the rest of the world doesn't trust us. That's why we need Dean. We need someone in office who can help restore lost credibility.

2003-07-10T23:43:00.000-07:00

William Blum, the author of Killing Hope, an excellent, well-researched piece on the various covert and overt actions our government has done to inflict pain and suffering around the world, recently sent out a letter urging people to vote for Kucinich and not Dean. Here is my response to his missive:

Subject: RE: Howard Dean

RE your comment " In case you know anyone who's getting all excited by Howard Dean, have them look at this. The point is not that he falls short of Kucinich, the point is that -- by his own admission -- he's not even a liberal, never mind a progressive."

Which is why I think he's more electable than Kucinich. And my end goal is to defeat Bush, not to vote for the person most like myself. I'm supporting Dean wholeheartedly because I think he is centrist enough to appeal to the crossover voters and yet he won't sell us out like Bush has. And he'll bring us health care if he does nothing else. But he'll do more. He made it through medical school in 3 years - is whip smart. And he's also stood on principle, even when it was unpopular. He opposed going to war with Iraq because 1) it was wrong to go it alone without the UN and 2) he didn't believe Bush had made his case re WMD. Despite lying press reports, he never changed his position. Also case in point - he signed the Civil Unions bill in Vermont under pressure of death threats (for real) and falling poll points. But he said if he didn't do that, deliver equal rights to all, then he had no business being in office.

He actually tried to bring a single-payer health care plan to Vermont about the same time Bill and Hilary were trying it in DC. His failed too, but he got smart and worked with the existing plan that covered gov't employees in his state and got that extended to cover others who didn't have health care. He's got a solid, moderate record in Vermont. He's not a Republican in Democratic clothing. He's a democrat. But he's also fiscally conservative and inherited a deficit, balanced the budget, was re-elected 5x, etc. And let's face it- he's liberal enough to satisfy the state that sent Socialist Bernie Saunders to Congress. How bad could he be? ;-)

2003-07-10T23:41:00.000-07:00

John Judis has a new article out in Salon saying that Dean is more McGovern than Clinton. Here's my response, which I submitted to Salon:

Anytime the comparison to McGovern is made, I cringe. McGovern was the anti-war candidate. Dean was an anti-Iraq war candidate specifically because he said, long before the press figured it out, that the President had not made his case for Saddam posing an imminent threat. Now, as the press says hey, where ARE those Weapons of Mass Destruction, Dean is looking smart, not weak, as the article implies.

However, there is another reason I cringe at the McGovern comparison. Every reporter who has made that comparison has failed to note that 1972 was THE year of dirty tricks like no other. This was the year in which Muskie was sabotaged, the DNC's Chairman's phone was tapped in the Watergate 'burglary', the plumbers had a plan to sabotage the Democratic convention, and George Wallace was shot (after which Colson asked E. Howard Hunt to go plant Communist literature in Bremer's apartment.) To attribute McGovern's loss to his positions and not to acknowledge the myriad and HIGHLY (and, as it came out, illegally) financed sabotage operations is poor reporting. Shame on John Judis for ignoring that important part of history.

2003-07-08T18:39:00.000-07:00

William Saletan of Slate has an article out subtitled, "Why I'm Rooting for an Edwards surge". Here's my response, and my clarification to my response, posted in the Slate forum as "LisaInSeattle":

The message Dean has, that no other candidate can touch, is that he stood up not just to the President but to the mob in this country who supported going to war in Iraq. Dean said from the start the evidence of WMD was too thin. Now he's being proven right. But unlike Edwards, Kerry, and the rest of the Senate and House, which gave a blank check to Bush, Dean stood alone and spoke the truth, even when it was unpopular. And it wasn't the first time. He'd done it before, when he signed a bill that cut into his ratings quite severely, allowing gays to join together in civil unions. I like Edwards. I think he needs more seasoning. And he has no administrative experience like the Governors in the race do. But most importantly, his message (I grew up poor, look at me now) is the same as Bush's message. So how could that be an advantage? Dean and Kucinich are the only two who showed real backbone. Dean is far more of a centrist than the media has yet painted him. But eventually his record will catch up with him. Dean is the only one running who can beat Bush. It's time those who care about defeating Bush start looking really carefully for the same level of fight in their preferred candidates. Can they stand up to him, when it counts? Do they have the guts necessary, and the experience? Will they take the popular way out (Kerry, how could you?) or will they take the principled stand and tell people follow me because I know I'm right? My money's on Dean.

I meant to clarify - both Bush and Edwards say, look at me. If you work hard, you can have the American dream. Bush came up from being a C student to being President. Edwards came from a modest background to be a Senator. Good for him. But that's not a sign that he's ready to lead the country. No thanks. I'll keep my money on Dean.

2003-07-06T12:55:00.000-07:00

Good article today in the St. Petersburg Times (FL) about Dean, in which the following quote appears:

"The Internet found us; we didn't find them," Dean said in a phone interview between campaign stops in Iowa last week. "All we did was have a message."

There's been a lot of talk about how Internet-savvy Dean's campaign is. And all that is true. But it takes a message to build a movement, not just online tools. Most of the media still doesn't understand that. Adam Smith, who wrote this article, apparently did.

2003-07-05T22:30:00.000-07:00

This Guardian piece, from that wonderful British paper, has an excellent article explaining the deep differences between the Democrats and the Republicans. Yes, the two parties share certain concerns. Yes, the top people in both parties are to varying degrees beholden to the same elite. But there is a profound and important difference in how the Democrats and Republicans view the role of government. I once worked with a Republican who asked me, in all earnestness, "Why do we really need a government anyway?" I'm sure I formed some blundering answer when I recovered from the shock of the question. The Guardian piece states:

...America is poorly understood in Britain. Above all, we don't understand the American Right - its roots, reflex reactions, ambitions and the profundity of its ideology. It's been a commonplace for too long that Republicans and Democrats are essentially the same and that their differences are minuscule. It is a view that has even been held in parts of the US, though with ever decreasing conviction as events unfold.

The truth is that there is a fundamental fissure. There is the pro-federal tradition - a golden thread that runs from the founding fathers, through Lincoln, the Roosevelts, Kennedy and Johnson to Bill Clinton. And there is the anti-federal tradition that crystallised in the south during the American Civil War and which runs as an equally golden thread through the key twentieth-century figures of the American Right - William Taft, Barry Goldwater, Ronald Reagan and now George Bush.

It is the quintessential American conflict, fuelled by visceral emotions over race, sexuality and gender. On the one hand, there is a belief in the power of government and rationality to improve the lot of all Americans. On the other, there is a belief in the rawest system of individual penalties and rewards to create a conservative concept of good Christian character - vast incomes for the entrepreneurial, vicious punishment for the antisocial. Nothing should be allowed to inhibit the prosecution of these allegedly natural instincts. ....

Howard Dean is reminding us once again that government can be used to bring us closer together by giving us shared healthcare, a place in the world where we are not viewed with abhorrence. A place where the world is mostly gray, and not black and white as Bush would have us believe. (Note: I cannot call him by his presumed title since Bush was never elected. He's lucky I use his name instead of some other epithet.)

2003-07-05T21:47:00.000-07:00

Okay - are the rest of you completely addicted now to the Campaign Blog? I easily spend a couple of hours a day reading the posts and comments there. And even so, I'm sure I haven't read it all. But it's endlessly fascinating.

For the fifth day in a row, I've been out in public with a Dean message on, one way or another, and continue to be impressed with the visibility Dean has, although let's face it, this IS Seattle, after all!

The Washington Post has been doing a series on each of the candidates running for the Democratic nomination. The one on Dean came out today and is titled Short-fused Populist, Breathing Fire at Bush.

Today I had the great pleasure of hooking up with a Dean supporter I might never otherwise have met, from Port Angeles. She and her Dean-supporting daughter came to visit in Seattle and we met for lunch and the wondrous, beautiful movie Whale Rider, which I'd highly recommend for those who need a little break from campaigning! ;-)

2003-07-04T06:28:00.000-07:00

I found this most appropos column for today, the 4th of July, to share.

From http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2003/07/04/MN269241.DTL
…

The other day I met Chris Zychowski, a young San Franciscan who is working locally to elect Howard Dean president. Zychowski was passing out leaflets headlined "Take Our Country Back."

"The average donation to Dean is $66," said Zychowski. "This is nothing like those $2,000 hot dogs Bush is selling."
Those little donations add up. A lot of folks are angry about the corporate takeover of America -- as well as the failing takeover of Iraq. Dean, who just months ago was the unknown governor of Vermont, raised more money in the last quarter than any other Democratic presidential hopeful.

Zychowski, who reminded me of the kids who campaigned for Eugene McCarthy in 1968, talked about a couple of tools that Dean has that McCarthy didn't. One is the Internet and the other goes by the homey name of "Dean Meetup Days."
On Wednesday, Dean supporters in the Bay Area got together to write personal e-mails to people who would be voting in the Iowa caucuses. They even included digital photographs of themselves. Bay Area locals connected with Iowa locals to possibly affect global events.

This is not an endorsement of Dean, although it might be nice to have a chief executive who balances budgets, provides health care and doesn't play John Wayne with other people's lives.

No, this is an endorsement of people like Chris Zychowski, who hasn't succumbed to the cynicism and passivity politicians are buying with their money. This is an endorsement of the people of the Bay Area, who are sick of unthinking labels like liberal and conservative.

Americans are more alike than they are different. Take a look at them tonight, by the rockets' red glare.

... Rob Morse at rmorse@sfchronicle.com.

2003-07-03T21:29:00.000-07:00

I returned nearly five hours after I left to help setup for the Dean Meetup at Piecora's Pizza in Seattle. People started arriving nearly an hour before, as the place is ALWAYS crowded, and the last letter writers were still at work when I finally left at about 9:45 pm. WOW. John Taylor was leading the group and asked at the start, how many had heard that we would be writing Iowans. Nearly everyone raised their hands. I had fully expected maybe half would not feel comfortable writing letters to people they didn't know, but was genuinely surprised, thrilled, and encouraged by the absolute commitment shown by the 80 or so people who showed up. We did split off a group of people who had come looking for information and who weren't necessarily ready to write a letter, but after they had been talked to (at a little park just a half a block away) many of them dove in as well. It was awe-inspiring. And we had a reporter there from a local weekly. I can't wait to see what he writes about this!

2003-06-30T22:17:00.000-07:00

Gawd I love the Internet. I've been watching Dean raise money all day. What a thrill it's been to watch the numbers on the bat rise, rise, rise. They're over 7.1 million and it's not yet midnight on the West Coast. I also don't believe that includes the funds Dean raised in person at a couple of events, so there's more counting going on still, in Vermont, past midnight their time. So while I've been watching and refreshing the www.blogforamerica.com page, I've also been looking for jobs, submitting resumes, and scheduling interviews by e-mail for the book I recently co-authored and co-edited. The book is The Assassinations and is about the killing off of the left in this country in the sixties through the assassinations of President John Kennedy, Malcolm X, Dr. Martin Luther King and Senator Robert Kennedy. Very interesting. Check it out for some really eye-opening (if hair-raising) offline reading. In addition, I'm helping a small team of great volunteers set up the 'official' Washington for Dean site (soon to be seen at www.wa4dean.com), which has, to date, been manned by a single, wonderful volunteer, Ray Minchew. But we needed something that could grow as the campaign grows, so we're starting over with a new site based on Moveable Type technology. Very cool. Or so we hope!

Tomorrow, I have to put my car in the shop for some $1000 of brake work! (I'd rather be giving it to HD, but what's a girl to do without a car??) Fortunately, there's a Starbucks nearby, and in the Starbucks, there's a T-Mobile wireless network that I have access to. So I will continue to be plugged in all day while I wait for my car. I'll also have my cell phone, which is good because I'm in the process of selling my condo, and agents are calling constantly to ask if they can show the place. What a wild, connected world. And how sad that we're one of the few countries really getting the benefits of this. In Africa, many places don't have much electricity, let alone computers and wireless Internet access. So as much as I enjoy wallowing in this, I can never forget those for whom making a living wage and finding food for the family is a constant struggle. That's why I'm a Democrat. This is still, last I checked, the party that thinks beyond the confines of self and family to the greater community of humanity.

2003-06-30T19:23:00.000-07:00

Doo do-do-do do dooo...When you're hot your hot! A record-breaking day for Team Dean! This is amazing and unprecendented. How cool it is to be part of the online revolution! May politics never be the same again. And may the power of netroots sweep Bush out of office in 2004!! By 10:00pm Eastern Time, the Dean for America campaign has raised over $7 mil for the campaign. AMAZING and WONDROUS. Way to go, fellow Americans!!

2003-06-30T15:57:00.000-07:00

Here's the little logo I made for "Team Dean" in Seattle. If you know of other "Team Dean" logos from other areas, send me a link! Thanks.

2003-06-30T08:26:00.000-07:00

WOW. Things are happening so fast I barely have time to keep up. Dean has raised nearly 6.5 million as of this morning in this quarter alone. The amazing thing is how much of it came in over just the last few days. Dean gave his announcement speech and got a lot of press, not just from his appearance on Meet the Press but also about his appearance on Meet the Press.

The Washington Press is so insulated they think they speak for the country when they say Dean's performance was a flop or a disaster. Remember, the Washington Press is a propaganda arm of the establishment, and they're reporting with a heavy dose of wishful thinking. In reality, all those I talked to who actually saw the broadcast, rather than read about the reporting of it, were very impressed with Dean's thoughtful answers.

A friend of mine wrote this GREAT letter to Russert, which I'll share for you now. Remember when Dean questioned the accuracy of Russert's numbers on needed tax increases? Looks like Russert may have been the beneficiary of books cooked by the Bush administration expressly for political purposes! Check this out:

Dear Mr. Russert,

I was rather surprised to see you grill and cross-examine Governor Howard Dean with such tenacity last Sunday on Meet the Press. You seemed intent upon challenging Dean on virtually every position he has ever taken and trapping him into seeming contradictions. It was thus with some distress that I later read in the Washington Post that at least one of your questions, dealing with the Bush tax cut, was the product of “a highly selective analysis” that was prepared by the White House “at the request of Meet the Press.” (Washington Post June 23, 2003)

In looking back at some of your earlier interviews I noticed that members of the Bush administration have received far gentler treatment at your hands than was afforded Governor Dean.

On March 9, 2003 you asked Secretary of State Colin Powell about revelations that documents linking Saddam Hussein to attempted purchases of Uranium from Niger cited by the President in his State of the Union speech, were forgeries. His astonishing response: “It was information that we had. We provided it. If that information was inaccurate, fine.” Most impartial observers would contend that such a glib response to such a serious issue required follow-up, but you apparently felt otherwise.

On March 16, 2003 Vice President Dick Cheney, on the eve of war, said on Meet the Press: “We believe [Saddam] has, in fact, reconstituted nuclear weapons.” This statement was in conflict with the opinion of the United Nations IAEC, and no one else in the administration had previously made such a claim, yet you made no attempt to inquire of the Vice President as to the basis for his very serious charge.

On April 13, 2003, despite published accounts that the Defense Department had been warned well in advance of the danger of looting at the Baghdad Museum and still failed to protect it you allowed Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld to say, unchallenged: “We didn’t allow it. It happened… We don’t allow bad things to happen. Bad things happen in life, and people do loot.”

On June 8th National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice was given a virtual unfettered platform on your program to make a number of questionable remarks. You did not challenge or question her when she made the dubious claim that “maybe someone knew down in the bowels of the [CIA]” that the Niger documents were forgeries when the President cited them in his State of the Union message, “but no one in our circles knew that there were doubts and suspicions.” You did not challenge her contention, re: the failure to discover WMD in Iraq, that “no one ever said we knew precisely where all of these were, where they were stored,” despite the fact that Colin Powell and Donald Rumsfeld had both alleged that the administration knew where WMD were. You also did not press her when, in response to charges that Vice President Cheney had pressured the CIA to cook intelligence re: WMD, she said, with no supporting evidence: “Simply not true, ” nor when she dismissed criticism of senior administration officials as “revisionist history.”

On June 15th 2003 you had an opportunity to probe further into a potential major news story when former General Wesley Clark said on your program that “there was a concerted effort during the Fall of 2001, starting immediately after 9/11 to pin 9/11 and the terrorism problem on Saddam Hussein… It came from the White House. It came from the people around the White House. It came from all over.” General Clark said that on September 11th he was urged to go on CNN and “say this is connected… this has to be connected to Saddam Hussein.” Clark said he asked for evidence but received none. One would have thought that an enterprising journalist would have probed General Clark as to just who in and around the White House had engaged in this provocative activity, but instead you quoted Tom Delay as saying people like Clark oughtn’t to be trusted because they are Presidential candidates and have agendas. You then cross-examined Clark at length as to whether he was a Democrat and as to whether he did indeed plan to run for President. That type of tough questioning might have been appropriate if you had also engaged in it when you interviewed Dick Cheney, Colin Powell, Donald Rumsfeld or Condoleeza Rice. Curiously, when one visits the Meet the Press web site there is a window specifically referencing the Clark interview, but it does not mention his 9/11 revelations. Rather it mentions his belief that Saddam Hussein is still alive. I doubt that many people who viewed that program would have chosen to highlight that particular portion of the interview.

As I said at the beginning of this letter, it is troubling that you would seek help from the White House in preparing your questioning of Howard Dean, one of the administration’s harshest critics. It is even more troubling when seen in the light of your consistent gentle handling of members of the Bush administration. I think your viewers have a right to a little more evenhandedness from Tim Russert, NBC News, and Meet the Press.

Sincerely,

Jerry Policoff

---
Great letter! Thanks, Jerry.

Re my own activism, after thinking long and hard about my future, I've decided to sell my condo, leave Seattle, and head for Vermont to see if I can get a job with the campaign. I did work on a presidential campaign once before, in 1992, and it was the time of my life. I'm looking forward to diving into the thick of things again. And I've never spent more than a summer, long ago, in that part of the country. (I went to Tanglewood, a summer music camp, for one summer. But without a car, I didn't get far beyond the camp and the lovely town of Stockbridge.) I am especially looking forward to seeing hte famous fall foliage there!

This weekend, I yelled myself hoarse participating in the Pride parade in Seattle. I'm not gay, but I have lots of friends who are so it felt good to share my support. But of course, I was there primarily for Dean. I had a homemade sign and walked the edges of the parade telling people, "THIS is the guy who's going to beat Bush. You can join us now, or join us later, but you must join us." And when people whistled, hooted or clapped for Dean, I'd point to them and in my best Howardian style, yell "YOU have the power!" It was great fun.

I've also been helping get the new Washington for Dean site ready. It should go live in time for Meetup. This next meetup we'll be asked to write to people in Iowa to tell them about Dean. This is an interesting experiment in people-to-people campaigning. I'll be very interested to see how this turns out!

Okay - have to run. Lots to do today. More later!

2003-06-22T08:23:00.000-07:00

Well, I got up early because I wanted to watch Dean’s performance “live” on Meet the Press. He did very well. Tim Russert’s team had done their homework, and brought out many difficult issues and questions. Dean handled them all well. I think the show is very instructive as it shows the lines the Republicans will be using come next year. For example, when Dean said he wanted to “rollback” the tax cut, Russert said that meant Dean was willing to raise taxes 4000%. Just so people understand the math, if you cut something by 50%, you have to raise it by 100% to get it to its pre-cut level. So the numbers themselves tell a horrible story. It’s important we help educate people on the tradeoffs. Dean did this very well on the show. He wanted to give the public the alternative – raise taxes back to the levels during the Clinton administration and get healthcare, or take your rebate check but lose all these other social services. (He said it better than I’m paraphrasing here.) In fact, I think that was one of his strongest moments. The way Russert phrased the question, it sounded like he had Dean in a terribly tight box. But Dean managed to turn the box upside down and get out of it with a fiery response.

Dean’s weakest moment was defending his change regarding the death penalty. I love the guy, but I think he should have been fighting for genuine life imprisonment rather than the death penalty in selective cases. His argument was that some repeat offenders get out because there is no true life imprisonment, and that more deaths result. This after he said the Death penalty wasn’t a deterrent. So that’s a tough one for him. But all the candidates have their problematic issues, and Dean had so much else to say this was just a drop in the bucket.

Also – the issue with his son was dealt with swiftly at the opening of the show and clearly not an issue for the interviewer. Russert DID, however, really harp on Dean for not knowing the number of troops deployed in Iraq. I thought Russert was being silly on this. Dean gave a good answer that, this far from the election date, he did not have the military advisors around him to help him with these issues. Dean also dealt well with the criticism that he is perceived as weak on National Security because he has never served in a war. Dean pointed out that neither had Reagan, Clinton, or the current President . Russert brought up questions about Dean’s draft deferment, citing a report that he had spent 80 days skiing after being let out for a fused vertebra. Dean responded that the military made the assessment, not himself, and that he would have served if called.

Some Dean defenders will be incensed with Russert’s treatment of Dean. But I thank goodness someone’s being tough on Dean EARLY in the campaign. This can only help him understand what the core challenges will be so he can be even better prepared for them the next time. So realize that, while probably not meaning to, Russert has provided genuine assistance to our campaign. And the Governor came off looking very tough, very ready, very smart. Nothing wrong with that!

2003-06-17T00:17:00.000-07:00

Gosh - I've been so busy I haven't had time to update the blog. The LA trip was fantastic. Did four radio shows to promote my book, "The Assassinations", published by Feral House. Spoke at an RFK assassination conference and also spoke at the press conference that preceded that, which was by surprise - I didn't know I was going to be speaking and had to prepare in a hurry!

I had a great time at the Meetup in Santa Monica. The space was bad - we packed into a small upstairs area in a bar that had a pool table SMACK in the center of it. On the other hand, that meant supporters could see each other, at least, those at the edge of the pool table anyway! They played a couple of short videos re Dean, and then a host got up to speak. The crowd was quite friendly. I was thrilled to see some old friends from my days in Los Angeles, and was to see many more before my trip was over.

Currently, I'm helping the Dean group in Washington plan the next version of the Washington for Dean site. HOW fun! And don't forget - if you haven't registered for the MoveOn.org Presidential Primary, get thee to this link: http://www.moveon.org/pac/reg/ and register! We are all virtual members of MoveOn anyway - we seem to support the same issues. There's no charge. And you'll be rewarded by having many opportunities to act in union with others to affect policy in America. Wow. Real grassroots organization like you've never seen before. Go register and get ready for the upcoming vote!

2003-06-01T17:05:00.000-07:00

The next Meetup is in 3 days! Can't wait. I live in Seattle, but I'll be in the Los Angeles area for the next meetup, and will attend the one in Santa Monica. It will be fun to meet Dean Supporters from another area!

I'm watching (again, for the umpteenth time) Dean's speech in Seattle (instuctions are below, if you're interested.) How inspiring. That's what I need on a Sunday as the next week begins.

There is a NYT article on Dean today. He is getting notice from important people and places. He is definitely electable. I wear a Dean t-shirt most times I'm out in public, and the biggest question I get from people is, "I like Dean very much, but could he get elected?" YES. He's the most electable of the bunch. He's a dynamite campaigner. He's got 11 years of experience running the Governorship of Vermont. He's got a powerhouse team working on his campaign, not to mention the now 28,000(!) supporters who have signed up through meetup.com.

Last week I didn't post because I was busy working on a fundraiser for Dean, held at a local restaurant. It came off well. We raised a little chunk of money, and all had a good time meeting and talking to fellow Dean supporters. What a great bunch of people!! :-)

I may not post much in the next few days either, due to the LA trip. But I'll get back here when I can.

Oh yeah - why am I going to LA? To speak at a conference on the RFK assassination. I've written and spoken a great deal about the assassination of Robert Kennedy, and will do some more for the 35th anniversary of that tragic event at the scene of the crime. I'll also be on a couple of radio stations talking about the case as well. If I can find a way to work it in, I'll try to find a way to plug Dean too. ;-) I have a book out called "The Assassinations", about the four major assassinations of the sixties - JFK, Malcolm X, MLK and RFK. Between 1963 and 1968 we lost the best leaders the left has had in a long time. Coincidence? Follow the facts. You can read about my book at Amazon.com and can order it online or through any of a number of bookstores.

2003-05-28T00:24:00.000-07:00

To view the video of Dean's wonderful speech here in Seattle, follow these steps:

1. Go to www.apple.com/quicktime/products/qt/.
2. Click the little link for “QuickTime 6” at right.
3. Click the “Download” button – you don’t have to register.
4. Click “Yes” when the window pops up.
5. Click “next” to get through the screens – skip the screen that asks for a product number (just click next).
6. If you know you use a proxy, click the button there. But usually, only corporate connections have a proxy, so if you’re in doubt, leave that unchecked.
7. The whole process takes about 2-3 minutes tops on a cable modem. On a dialup connection it might take 5-6 minutes.
8. When you’re done, right-click this link: ourownmedia.com/copper/HowardDeanSeattleQT1.mov. (Click the right-side mouse button (not the usual mouse button – the opposite one). This brings up a menu.) Choose “Save target as…” and specify a place on your computer where you wish to save this movie. Allow several minutes to download.
9. Once the movie is downloaded, double-click the file, which is named HowardDeanSeattleQT1.mov and it will open by itself into QuickTime.
10. Enjoy the Governor’s speech!

2003-05-27T18:35:00.000-07:00

I've been busy busy busy. I saw there was a Dean Fundraiser in town and offered the organizer my help as a volunteer. He was so happy to have the offer. Today I completed making a set of calls to a list of people he gave me to remind them of the event. I'm looking forward to meeting more Dean Supporters. If you're in the Seattle area, the fundraiser will be held at The Capitol Club (414 East Pine) in Seattle from 5pm onwards this Thursday, May 29th. Any amount will get you in the door. Should be very fun. A celebrity from a reality show, Danny Roberts from The Real World - New Orleans, will be there as well. And the place looks absolutely lovely. Can't wait!

2003-05-22T13:07:00.000-07:00

Interesting new article about the staging of the Jessica Lynch rescue.

Saving Private Lynch: Take 2
The rescue was pure Hollywood, reportedly a bit of Pentagon fiction. Robert Scheer

May 20, 2003

In the 1998 film "Wag the Dog," political operatives employ special editing
techniques to create phony footage that will engender public sympathy for a
manufactured war. Now we find that in 2003 the real-life Pentagon's ability
and willingness to manipulate the facts make Hollywood's story lines look
tame.

After a thorough investigation, the British Broadcasting Corp. has presented
a shocking dissection of the "heroic" rescue of Pvt. Jessica Lynch, as
reported by the U.S. military and a breathless American press.

"Her story is one of the most stunning pieces of news management ever
conceived," the BBC concluded — the polite British way of saying "liar, liar,
pants on fire."

The rest of the article is on the LA Times Website - registration is free.

2003-05-20T18:17:00.000-07:00

Hey! The next meetup is coming soon - June 4th, 7pm, in your city. Click the logo at left to find out about the Dean Meetups. If you're going already, make a point to get at least one new person to go a month. Look, we're at 25,000+ already, and it's a year before the election!

2003-05-19T16:16:00.000-07:00

Ah, wonderful! I just got to relive Dean's appearance here in Seattle, courtesy of this link: http://ourownmedia.com/copper/HowardDeanSeattleQT1.mov.

If you watch it all the way through, you will certainly understand why I am such a fan and may become one yourself.

Hey - next meetup is coming soon. Make sure you sign up now to either 1) learn about who Dean is, 2) meet other Dean supporters, or 3) plan what your community can do to support Dean. All three things happen, one way or another, at meetups. Go to http://dean2004.meetup.com and get involved!

Btw - the DLC is at it again. They're mad that Dean has usurped their favorite, Lieberman. This just goes to show how far out of touch the DLC is with the rest of the country. The reason people voted for Nader in the last election was that the Dems had sold out too much to the right. Lieberman is a further step in that direction. As badly as I want Bush out of office, I do not believe we have to settle for a candidate so thinly separated from Bush.

2003-05-16T15:46:00.000-07:00

Here's a link to the DLC's memo about "The Soul of the Democratic Party" and its attack on Dean.

Here's a place where you can send in your own comment to the DLC. Speak up! It's your party!

2003-05-15T12:48:00.000-07:00

The Seattle Times published a good article on Dean's appearance in Seattle last night. The Seattle Post Intelligencer had one as well.

One of the things that really hit home was Dean saying Democrats are upset with their own leadership. Evidently, the leadership is lashing back at Dean for this stance. Please go to the Official Dean blog at http://deancalltoaction.blogspot.com to read and respond to the DLC's thinly veiled attack on Dean.

2003-05-14T23:31:00.000-07:00

I was one of about 40 volunteers who showed up to work the Howard Dean event at Town Hall in downtown Seattle tonight. The place holds about 1200 people, but 1500 showed up and the fire department insisted we shut the doors. So 300 people stood outside and listened to Howard Dean?s speech in the cold windy night. A local TV station was there, as was MSNBC.

What did Dean say? That Democrats are nearly as angry at the Democratic party as they are with the Republicans. That health care for everyone is already being done in a host of other countries around the world, so why not us? It's been in the Democratic Platform since Truman's 1948 campaign. When he talked about the importance of balancing the budget, which drew him a standing ovation (one of several during his speech) he had to stop and laugh, noting that it's weird to come talk to a bunch of liberals who cheer a balanced budget. But he also pointed out that historically, only Democrats have ever balanced the budget. He used the phrase "Borrow and spend" Republicans several times.

One of the things that really rings home with me, and something that's already been done in Vermont, is the need to share the wealth (or lack thereof) in the public school system. In Vermont, the richest school districts pay a certain amount into a pool which gets distributed back to the poorer districts. Dean said that we need to realize America is a community, and that we need to take care of ALL children, not just our own children. That we need to ensure all have access to a good public education. He also talked strongly on the problems with our prison system. There was so much cheering I couldn?t hear the rest of what he was saying at that point.

Seattle people are typically a quiet people. At the ballpark, for example, signs flash big and bright to remind fans when to cheer, make noise, etc. So to see a bunch of Seattle people whooping and hollering and shaking noisemakers (little prescription bottles -- Dean's Prescription for America -- filled with two pennies each) was really amazing, startling, and inspiring.

At the end, Dean didn't rush out. He marched straight into the crowd and really took his time talking to people. He took so much time that the people lined up to hear him who had been shut outside due to the crowd had to wait quite a while to hear from him. But he finally made it down to those people as well, saying he wouldn't repeat his whole speech, but reminding them, as he always does, that he isn't the one who's going to win this campaign -- we are. He asked at one point how many were there because of the Meetup.com site. Only about 1/6 of the crowd raised their hands, so somehow the word is getting out in other ways, which is also very cool. He asked a second question -- how many people had not been involved in politics in the last couple of elections. A surprising number -- nearly half, raised their hands. So Dean is drawing in activists that have either long been silent or never involved in politics before. That's also heartening.

You can tell the DLC is getting nervous. Evidently, they issued a memo today saying Dean's activists represent an "elitist" minority, not the "real" democrats. What the %$#$?? I can't wait to write them and tell them what I think of THAT. I've been a lifelong democrat and resent being told that I'm not a "real" democrat. Incredible. No wonder even party members are upset with the party.

Lastly, after greeting, selling buttons, ushering, and in short, standing for nearly six hours straight, I ended by sitting with fellow volunteers for another ½ hour as we waited for Dean to finish up his last few press interviews and to drop in and say hello to us. And bless his heart, despite his having been up for 20 hours straight and looking totally beat, he came out to thank us volunteers, which was really classy. I know from past campaigns how rare that can be.

This guy is truly exciting. I just hope others get to hear of him and his positions. One thing that brought people to their feet was when he said, you may not always agree with my positions, but you?ll never leave a room wondering what my position WAS.

Anyway -- off to bed. I'm exhausted and revitalized at once...!

2003-05-13T17:02:00.000-07:00

Please get a hold of the commentary by Jim Farrell, former spokesperson for Senator Paul Wellstone, in the latest issue of The Nation and then write The Nation a response. Farrell picks out specific instances of Dean's record (and I don't know if they're even correctly represented) that show Dean is not a Progressive worthy of Wellstone's shoes. But Farrell misses the point. Dean doesn't pretend to be a progressive. Dean promises to be a Democrat, and there is a broad range there. His anti-this-war stance has made him a hero to some progressives, but that in itself does not make him a progressive. And a progressive will not get elected in this country at this point in time. Farrell's stand is one-sided and does not show a balanced view of Dean. Write The Nation at letters@thenation.com and let them know what you think of Farrell's assessment of Dean.

2003-05-12T10:15:00.000-07:00

I just read in Howard Fineman's latest article that the Democratic party officials fear Dean's stance on the Iraq war makes him look like McGovern. I couldn't disagree more, so I decided to write the Democratic party and let them know how I felt. Here's the text of the short note I sent:

Please don't fear that Dean will be the next McGovern. These are different times, and the war is not on anymore. Dean is the only candidate to come along in years who is mixed enough in views to draw the support of liberals and to impress some entrenched conservatives with his fiscal responsibility and plans that don't overthrow the system, but make smart readjustments.

There is a huge groundswell out in America, as demonstrated by the over 22000 people who signed up to hear more about Dean at Meetups all over the country last Wednesday.

I've stopped contributing to the DNC and will give all my money to Dean. He represents the leadership this country needs.

Btw - I don't mean to imply I've stopped supporting other Democrats. I just don't trust the party to pick the people I want in office, and would rather, for the short term, give my money directly to those I feel most passionate about.

2003-05-12T00:36:00.000-07:00

I'm very excited about Dean's pending visit to Seattle this coming week. He'll be at Town Hall Wednesday, May 14, speaking to the public at 7:30pm. I'll be volunteering for the entire day's worth of events and can't wait to see this candidate in the flesh for the first time! I'm looking forward to hearing his speech. And I'm also looking forward to meeting more fellow Dean supporters.

I worked on Jerry Brown's 1992 Presidential Campaign, and I recognize the same symptoms. Getting excited about a candidate is very similar to falling in love. There's an initial rush that just makes you smile everytime you think about the candidate. But it's not love in the romantic sense - it's love in the sense of sharing a special connection, realizing that there's someone out there who thinks like you do, cares about he same issues you do, is willing to fight for them like you do, etc.

If you've never participated in a campaign before, I encourage you to find a way to get involved. There's just nothing like working shoulder to shoulder with people who share your beliefs and are passionate enough to do something about them. I didn't play many group sports but I imagine it's like going to the World Series together as part of a team. It's like putting together the opening of a sure-to-be-award-winning Broadway show. It's just a rush, any way you look at it. I can't wait to jump in and get to work!

After the last meetup, I bought a Dean t-shirt and promptly wore it to a highly attended Mariners-Yankees baseball game. As I walked all over the stadium, I got surprised and pleased responses in recognition - "Hey, great shirt!" "Go Dean!" and "You have good taste in candidates." It seemed if people knew who Dean was, they supported him. There was not one person who had anything negative to say. It was really fun to see that already he has a certain level of visibility, a pretty amazing feat given the earliness in the campaign cycle.

Trust me. The next year and a half of your life can be your most exciting yet. Get on board early and enjoy the wild ride!!! You'll never regret it and will cherish the memories of the work you did and the people you met for the rest of your life. I know. I've been there. Can't wait to be there again!

2003-05-10T01:04:00.000-07:00

Good sites/news articles if you are new to Dean:

Join other people interested in learning about Dean at a Meetup - see http://dean2004.meetup.com/.
"The Unlikely Rise of Howard Dean" - http://www.newyorkmetro.com/nymetro/news/politics/national/n_8376/.
"Why Dean is Still the Democrat to Watch" - http://www.msnbc.com/news/910162.asp?0cv=CB20&cp1=1.

2003-05-09T23:19:00.000-07:00

There's a new wind blowing across the grassroots of the Democratic party. People who are frustrated with not only the actions of the Bush administration, but the cowardice of the Democratic Party and its failure to stand up to Bush on the Iraq war, have found a new hope. His name is Howard Dean.

Dean was, until recently, the governor of Vermont. A doctor by training (who blew through medical school in only three years instead of the usual four), Dean was serving as Lieutenant Governor in Vermont when suddenly he was thrust into the Governorship when that officeholder suddenly died. Dean successfully worked the state out of an inherited $70 million deficit. He brought health care to unprecedented numbers in his state. He cut income taxes and presided over two raises of the minimum wage. He helped protect lands from development while increasing the number of jobs in his state.

Most importantly, to many of his grassroots supporters, Dean was the lone voice on the Left challenging President Bush's decision to go to war without the support of the United Nations in Iraq. And after war began, when other Democrats were saying now was the time to support the President, Dean staunchly defended his anti-this-war stance.

Dean's campaign is leveraging the Internet in a way that hasn't been done before. Through a site called "Meetup.com", Dean supporters can hook up with others around the country. Meetup allows people to enter a ZIP code and then find events in their area. Members of this free service can then vote on a venue for an upcoming meeting. In Seattle this month, there were so many people signed up that two venues were proposed, and people had the choice of going to either. Once you sign up, you are notified a few days in advance that the meeting is about to occur, and asked to RSVP so the venues have an idea of how many people will be attending.

The beauty of meetups is that they are ultimately democratic. These are not hosted by the campaign, but rather hosted by supporters who want to help get the word out about the candidate.

Thousands of people attended meetups around the country last Wednesday. I attended a "meetup" at Piecora's Pizza on Capitol Hill, above downtown Seattle. In a large room that might normally hold restaurant overflow traffic, early Dean supporters and those interested in learning about Dean sat on chairs and the floor, or stood at the room's edges to hear a local leader and avid Dean supporter discuss Dean's positions on a variety of issues.

Here's a candidate that combines a host of interesting stances, defending them all fiercely, even though they don't fit into a nice little mold. For example, Dean is pro-choice, a traditionally Democratic stand. But he says gun control should be legislated at the state level. He's for the death penalty in certain cases, which will upset some on the Left. But he's got an excellent record on providing health care coverage to record numbers in Vermont. He cut income taxes in his state, something the Republicans are fond of doing. But he managed to add jobs in his state, something the Republicans can't seem to master. He's for civil rights for all, including the right of two people of the same sex to join together in a legally binding civil union, although he says this too should be decided on a state-by-state basis.

Most of the people drawn to Dean share one thing in common. In a day and age where most candidates offer equivocal responses that leave them free to maneuver between positions, Dean forthrightly states what he thinks and defends his positions in plain English. He's not afraid to state an unpopular viewpoint and hold to it. After war broke out in Iraq, many from the Left scrambled to say they supported the war. Not Dean. He even spoke out to correct a paper that had incorrectly claimed he had changed his position to support the war.

As the Democratic contenders vie for position, Dean is one to watch. His candidacy promises to uproot established norms and to bring healthy debate to the process.