And other Dems as well!

that he got Pres. Obama elected and then was kicked out of the DNC chair.

That's the way I'm remembering it. Am I wrong?

Senate Candidate Obama was one of the original 'Dean Dozen' but for some reason people only remember John Kerry as Obama's 'champion'.

Howard is a personal friend, so I have this from the man himself. Howard explained that when a party is in opposition without a clear presidential candidate frontrunner (rare right after a lost election), its party chairman is THE head of the party, charged with getting the party back into power. In 2004, Howard ran for DNC chairman, and was not a lock to be elected. But he was, and worked tirelessly (and well!!). His 50 state strategy may seem obvious now, but at the time, it was considered risky, especially given the Democratic Party's limited financial resources. Rahm Emmanuel had screaming sessions with Howard telling him the party had to concentrate its efforts on those areas that were lock wins. Howard said that what we lacked in money, we made up for in people, and told Rahm he was going ahead with the 50 state strategy no matter what. Howard was right (Rahm never forgave him for it, either), and 2006 was a minor miracle while 2008 was a major triumph.

But then---what? When a party has its own man in the Oval Office, their President is the head of the party, not the National Committee Chair. Howard would have stayed on if asked, but only reluctantly, as he would no longer have had free rein to do whatever he wanted (notice how Priebus is in the news far more than DWS?). So he stepped down. Sure, he expected to be asked to join the Obama government. But he wasn't, and he took it like a man. I asked him straight out what he would do in 2009 if Rahm shut him out. He said he would lend his name to some law firm for their prestige and for some steady income for himself, and then (his exact words here) "spend the rest of the time raising hell for causes I care about."

For now, this is what he cares about. So do I, and I intend to back him to the extent I can from this far away.

Howard Dean is one of my personal heroes.

He hasn't really changed much, either. When I got sick at the Senate ten weeks ago, I told Howard what had happened. I got a call the next Monday morning, and when I picked up the phone, a familiar voice came on saying "this is the Washington DC ambulance service and I have a bill here for you for nine billion dollars." It was Howard, of course.

He is dead serious about progressive causes, but he is the same guy who stopped by a hotel lobby near midnight to jam with me on the guitar (we are both huge fans of Leo Kottke). The same guy you see on Rachel Maddow is the guy you could talk to, completely uninhibited, all night long. He's the real thing.

I fell in love with Dr. Dean's positions and passion the moment he came forward at one of the Democratic debates and boldly said, "I represent the Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party". The man has courage and he's tough. He isn't afraid to kick a few shins here and there in order to get things going. A true Scorpio male down to the bone.

Last edited Tue Mar 26, 2013, 06:42 PM - Edit history (1)

I have no clue what makes a Scorpio male (although Howard's birthday is the same as that of my father-in-law and everyone in his unit except him was killed in one of the most gruesome battles of World War II). I'm a Pisces, myself, so what do I know?

A long time ago, on a continent far, far away, a friend introduced me to the Governor of Vermont and said he was thinking of running for president some day. I said, umm, sure, OK, but listened to what he had to say, and wow, did he have something to say! It was a wild ride after that. Suddenly this guy I know is on the covers of Time and Newsweek. Huh? Howard? Wow! But during it all, the period where he had Secret Service protection to the time when it was all over to his stint as DNC Chairman to the time after 2008, he has remained my very dedicated, but very down to earth guitar-playing friend who is very jealous of his private family life--no small trick for a guy who travels more miles than Haley's Comet and is not exactly unknown.

We were working a phone bank for Howard in Wausau, WI with his brother Jim. I asked Jim to call my daughter who was sick at home. He graciously called her. Several months later I was in the hospital with serious back surgery. Jane contacted Jim to see if he would have Howard call me. I got the call from Howard and that is one call I will never forget.

He was never "too important" to get on the phone and call someone. One of the VERY few, let me tell you!

Jim is a good guy, too. At the 2008 Denver convention, I was talking to a guy in a T-shirt and shorts, and was thinking, wow, if I closed my eyes, he almost sounds like Howard. No wonder! It was my fist encounter with brother Jim.

if I'm wrong about him being 'kicked out', I stand corrected.

At any rate, I embrace the thought of backing him in every way.

Once he won the White House for us in 2008, the position of DNC chair lost a lot of its clout. His term was up, and he never intended to stay on playing second fiddle to his own president in what by definition became a subsidiary position once he accomplished his main goal. He would have loved to have been picked for HHS Secretary, but Rahm hated his guts, and Rahm had Obama's ear. Ergo, no Howard in the Obama cabinet. He wasn't about to be ambassador to Bulgaria, either, and Judy would never have gone for that anyway.

Definitely stick to the thought of standing behind him. If ANYONE has proved their sincerity and their dedication at this point, it's Howard.

he wasn't 'kicked' out, but he was shut out. I'm fine with either characterization. All I know is this: WE LOST THE CONGRESS and now we've got this current mess. Too bad Gov. Dean wasn't running things. That's my take.

Gov. Dean is a right guy, and that goes far with me. I will 'stick to the thought' as you say.

If you're a friend of his, please tell him how much we all love him.

Andy Tobias, who is still DNC Treasurer after all these years, used to get regular links to Howard-related (or just DNC-related) DU threads from me, and I know he passed some of them on to Howard. This was when Howard was still DNC chair. He never had a free second in those days, and never would have posted here. No sense in the DNC chair posting his every thought for the Republicans to cut and paste during an election campaign.

by the way, Howard is a firm believer that younger blood needs to be stepping up and running for public office. He said Obama was just barely young enough to be the new president. Howard will be 65 this year (a very young 65, I think, but he DEFINITELY doesn't like to be reminded that he'll be eligible for medicare this fall), and thinks he is way too old to run again. If Hillary and O'Malley don't run, however, I don't know how long he'll be able to resist what will be the inevitable cry from the Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party for him to take up the reins again.

Then again anyone would. That is one fierce liberal.

The only reason Howard was less visible during the 2012 was that after the Republicans nominated Rolls-Ryan, it was almost impossible for Obama to lose, and he didn't need to exhaust himself to help us win.

Our nominee in 2016 will have all the support Howard can provide, although I suspect that if Hillary runs after all, she'll want to keep him at a distance as a precautionary measure. Howard is one VERY dynamic voice, and although he was an important help in getting Obama elected, Hillary knows the ropes VERY well, and might not want him too close. On the other hand, she got SUCH bad advice in 2008, maybe she will want him VERY close. Maybe closer than Howard wants to be. Either way, the nominee in 2016 will NOT be a sitting president (or, probably vice-president), so count on Howard to be out there as a very vocal advocate for us.

how I wish he were president, then, now, or in the future.

I know I'd be playing a few guitar concerts in the White House, and probably would have accepted his offer to be our Ambassador to Germany, France or Spain (I speak German, French, Spanish and Catalan).

Don't hold your breath, though. We all have to undergo our 50,000 mile reality checks at some point.

Here's a pic from a couple of years ago when I introduced him to an old friend of mine who also became an instant fan of his:

[IMG][/IMG]

thanks. I have great respect for both Helen and Howard. You must be awesome yourself. At least you keep good company. Thanks again.

I'm not very awesome, but I DO get to keep some awesome company. An unlikely set of circumstances including cool parents, meeting people who knew people, geography, coincidences, and voilà, a list of friends and acquaintances, half of whom make the "oh, sure, no way" category.

2010 would NEVER have happened under Howard's watch.

The guy is a snake.

I didn't actually meet him, but saw him up close speaking at an event I was at in DC in 2006. This was right after the famous shouting match with Howard. He was beet red, and so wired, I thought he was going to burst like an overripe tomato. When I heard, after the 2008 election, that Obama was going to make him chief of staff, I thought, this is NOT off to a good start.

Fund raising event in my state. He was there with handlers "preening" (seriously...only way I can describe him) at the door where we were signing in and engaged in a conversation where he was rocking back and forth on his feet and glad handling and what you say "looking like he was going to burst like an overripe tomato." His speech was nothing to inspire...it was all about him.

Thanks for your posting on here. I was looking to see if you would show up on this thread and you did! So glad that Dean is back.

Hope you are well after your Senate Experience... You seem to be in good spirits and this news should be a boost to all of us.

Still running myself ragged over here, although forced 4 day inactivity starting Friday due to Easter holidays here in Europe. To me, all that means is I have to run around harder the first 11 days of April since I'm going to the States for 10 days. But in the last month, my wife accompanied me on work trips to Spain, Belgium and Paris, and THAT makes the traveling a LOT easier to bear. She like to explore places, and she understands enough Flemish and French to get around on her own in Brussels and Paris, but she speaks no Catalan, so she was at my mercy in Barcelona.

This new initiative of Howard's is reminiscent of his old 50 State Strategy, and though I haven't discussed it with him on the phone yet, it sounds to me like a subtle hint on his part to the DNC that there is still work to do and he thinks they could be just a little more diligent in getting to it. We were sitting together on a train from DC to New York when we got the news that Debbie Wasserman-Schultz was named DNC chairwoman, and he was pretty happy with the choice, but like I said before, the party chairmanship when you have the White House is nominally the president, and the Party Chair becomes more of a subsidiary post. But that doesn't mean it's a ceremonial post!! Howard may be taking this opportunity to not only get things going, but send a message to DWS that there's stuff that needs immediate attention, and shouldn't wait until the opening of the 2014 campaign season.

"a thorn in the side" is often a good thing as a reminder.

I think the Party has some serious trouble ahead if it doesn't recognize some of the issues that have become important since 2008 with the path it's chosen. Odds are statistically that we won't have another Dem President in 2016 so the most important thing we can do is concentrate on taking control of our State Governments and trying to push back the ALEC legislation that has been pushed through in so many states that were formerly Democrat or Democratically leaning. I'm in NC and what is going on is horrendous. Between gerrymandering and Dem Party scandals we lost control of both State Houses and Repugs are ramming through what would have been unthinkable legislation just a few years ago.. The Obama team did nothing to help us with gerrymandering (NAACP and others tried to get Holder to do something...but went nowhere) and the "troops on the ground" from OFA were not in the tradition of Dean/Kucinich activists in 2004. Their agenda was not inclusive is the complaint from former activists who felt shut out.

So...it's important that grassroots work begin again. Otherwise some of us will be working third party. Lots of unhappy progressives here and across the country, plus "out of wars & occupation" folks are very angry.

Glad you are doing well and that you and wife had some time to enjoy the work situation.

Before that, I was all gaga for Obama. That sat me on my butt hard and I've had many hard knocks from our centrist President, but that was definitely the first I remember.

Chicago is as Chicago does.

But, like you, I was VERY disappointed all the same, as Rahm's appointment as COS instantly meant Howard was going to get the short end of the stick. It turned out worse, even. All Howard got was the stick in his eye. Not even a "thanks, you did great!" He sure got that from a lot of VERY grateful Democrats, though. He knows we never forgot him.

OTOH, I would love to purge Rahm from my memory. He's a slimy rat bastard, who likely, according to the descriptions here, will blow a gasket soon. I have nothing, absolutely nothing good, to say about him.

I'll say it since Howard Dean is too polite to. Rahm Emanuel is a sociopathic dickhead who doesn't deserve a D after his name. Sure we're a big tent but he doesn't play well with others. I call him our Karl Rove. We don't need a Karl Rove nor should we want one.

I think he would have been great to have on board for the midterms. Maybe the Dems would have held on to the house, if they'd listened to him. Discouraging.

He was on top of the Hit List, which is why the bogus "scream scene" got 600 replays in 3 days or whatever it was.

Then of course in the General they Swiftboated Kerry by running the ads as news stories over & over & over…

The media was used to accomplish it.

Can't imagine why the timing was so coincidental.

Are a period when the "corporate left" uses its influence to select the more corporate, more compliant candidate for the Democratic corporate party.

Like someone else pointed out, they suddenly realized Howard Dean was a threat, when he mentioned breaking up the media into hundreds of pieces. The next day, about two weeks before the scream made infamous by the same media, he was suddenly attacked ferociously by them, driving his increasing numbers, from first, to third.

Hell, you can say it was that scream that did him in, but you'd be wrong. They had knocked him off the path weeks before it happened.

My Dean group in Mobile Alabama went from close to a 100, to 12 people. Don't ever think you aren't subject to brainwashing just because you are a democrat. Interestingly, the 12 that showed up were the original twelve that came in the first place, before the media had steered everyone toward Dean, BEFORE, they herded them away. Democrats are sheep too. Being aware is the first step to not being herded over the cliff.

Even had he lost, I would have much rather lost with him--at least we would have had a more liberal guy, campaigning on some actual principled things, rather than a Democrat dancing around the third-rails of politics that need addressing.

And I think a lot of his supporters that allowed the media to drive him away, realize that at this point, and that he had a much better shot than fellow Skull and Bonesman, Kerry.

If Howard Dean is involved, it's probably going to work. I just wish he was still head of the DNC--I think they might have kicked him out because he was too successful. Getting so close to 60 in the Senate, put them close to being in the embarrassing position of being able to do anything, which would then upset their corporate paymasters.

...and I am encouraged by this!

or gerrymander it our way

If we can take back a few state houses by 2020 we can get this country to turn back to the left, and stay there for at least 10 years

We can do a lot of good in 10 years. . .

50 state strategy.

if I had any money.

He's proven he knows what he's doing! Recall his '50 State' project, which garnered so much snark from rahm??? This effort will get my money!

No filibuster reform, and I left the building. But maybe there's still hope yet.

Go Dean!

I've too have been involved. Minimally. Several years of unspeakable experiences. But it dint do me in, thanx be. This new initiative of his is re-energizing me and giving me hope that was getting deflated so to speak.

Conveying love to Dr. Dean. He IS the real deal. Sadly, there are few & far between like him.

P_P

With a few good folks fighting the good fight, it's not totally hopeless.

If it weren't for them, I probably would have given up on the political process years ago. I've been waiting for Warren to run for office, so it's fun to see her there now.

I wish the media and the general idiocy of our population ran Dr. Dean out of the process.

Glad to see this.

Whatever I can donate to Dr. Dean and the "Purple to Blue" project, I will.


He is THE right guy at the right time, I think. Love the guy!

Howard Dean has the right idea and I am all for it. What he wants to do is the only way to make a change in the current sift towards the extreme right. Everyone reading this should make a contribution to his PAC. Texas is an example of the right wing nut jobs and how they can screw the poor and line the pockets of the rich, especially when you add Rick Perry to the mix. I felt so good when I read the Dallas Morning News today. In a article about the new leader for Dallas county republicans, the writer said that the republicans haven't won a contested election in Dallas County since 2004.

our party is a mess.

He has more ideas than the Kochs have bank accounts.

In 2009, he was at the Davos gathering in Switzerland--not as a politician, but as an environmentalist! How many people know Howard for being an environmentalist? My guess is not many.

I know Dean always said he got into politics in Vermont at first because he wanted a trail to bike on in Burlington, plue he was a ski bum. So at his heart, he's a greenie.

Here we go gang. Let's not let this guy down this time. Let's put our money were our mouth is and get this movement going. You can be damn sure the media is going to do a major hit job on Mr. Dean. The 1%ers are not liking this,and,they will do their damnest to create another microphone thingee to happen.

This is Occupy Part new.

No more Gerrymandered safe GOP seats.

Bye bye douchebags

yup

Since 2003, when I became a full-fledged Deaniac. Howard Dean is right. Again. Still.

He is right on target, this is exactly what is needed.

Charge em!

I'm proud to be a Deaniac. Of course agreed with posters above who remember the media lynching of his 04 speech.

Yargh!

We need all the help we can get to get rid of the teabaggers in Pa.

I live in York County (unfortunately).

I have never been able to understand why he was criticized for that. I thought it was very honest and down to earth. It should be our war cry.

when I saw your post. Sorta like the ol' Rebel Yell from the Civil War.

PLEASE PLEASE Dr. Dean come and do it in Michigan. We yearn to return to normalcy.

He pulled it off once. He can do it again, and again.

They're done.

Unless your name is Judith?

Delusions can be so wonderful.

Just say "Oh! how nice for you both!"

He only calls me "Judith" when we quarrel. "Dr. Judith" to be precise.

Howard Dean rocks, and is responsible for Obama's first win.

... a reality series called "Flip This House -- and Senate" for MSNBC's weekend lineup!

Although I admit it would sure as hell prove more watchable than any episode of "Lockup" (except for "Lockup: Tom DeLay&quot .

Every 2004 Dem candidate saw firsthand how badly the Dem party infrastructure was allowed to collapse in so many states crucial to every election. I was proud to support him as chair and will look to support his current efforts here in NC.

as I read him this post.

Unfortunately it sounds like the, same old same old.

"Purple" states, or, "swing states" never have a shortage of money and pandering being thrown at them while others get shafted and reduced to red state hell holes.

Go back to the fifty state strategy. We are getting tired of sending our money and time to out of state ventures while we get a big FU in return.

Count me in, Governor Dean.

Says what he means and mean what he says. One of the most principled people in politics.

Three years ago, I invited the two of them to join me for lunch in Washington, as they had never really met. Afterwards, Helen was bubbling over with admiration. She paid him what (for her) is one of her highest compliments: "He's not a politician."

Howard was my first choice in '04, oh how I wanted him to win.
He truly does care for our country, no fake in that man.

or is this just a "Howard Dean is liberal and Centrists don't like him so they want him to fail" speculation?

So there goes your theory.

But maybe next time you could ask in a non smartass way.

to make this happen. He ran an effective organization in 2008 and I'd love to see him in a national leadership position again. I'd love to see him run with Sec. Hillary Clinton. Or run himself again.

I was furious and still am furious. He is one hell of a man, for sure. I don't think he would run again for President, but he would get my vote. He reminds me of Harry Truman. I knew him, you know? (Just kidding)

see Dean as President.

Or should I say, "yeeeaaargh to that!"

Put Missouri on the list!

If i was the RNC I woiuld be worried right now because they know exactly what Howard Dean can and will do. What Rahm Emmauel forgets is that Deans 50 State Strategy caused the Republicans to spend money in states that they normally wouldnt have had to. I live in Virginia and Webb beat Allenn in 2006 and nobody outside of Northern Virginina knew who Webb was prior to August of 2006. Virginia has now gone Democaratic nationally for 2 straight elections after not voting for a Democrat since Johnson in 1964. What this does is it causes the Republicans to make a choice as to where to spend thier money and even with Citizens United you can only target certain campaigns. This is a smart move and I am so glad he is going after the Virginia House of Delegates first.

Candidates. We have the best platform and are not inclined to sharia law. There was a reason Congress was Democrat for forty years. We have been accused of tax and spend but are far behind the Bush Administration and repub Congress, they dropped taxes, started two unfunded wars and spent like drunken sailors. It will take Democrats in federal, state and local governments to clean up the trash left. Go, Howard Dean.

We in Canada will take note. We must get rid of harper.

With a Conservative like Harper, if Canada ever had a terrorist attack, Harper would use it to maintain his power and
change the Canadian system in any ways he and his cronies could, to fit their Conservative views.

That is what Corporate Conservatives do.

Don't think it can't happen there.

Get him out of there as soon as you can, eh?

Trouble is, he is well over 60 now, and was in the Canadian foreign service for decades (his uncle was way higher up in the government). He has had enough. I wish I could have kidnapped him and persuaded him to work for us, as he was THE best foreign service officer I have ever met of ANY country. The consummate diplomat, but not afraid to get his hands dirty and go work in troubled areas if he thought it was productive. You have some great people up there. I hope one of them becomes PM again soon.

They hate Gov Dean but fear him even more.

So many write MI as a Dem state because we go blue for the WH & Senate. Otherwise this state is blood red.

The fascists are winning here, send help!

Julie

Would love to chuck the GOP out of our statehouse here for the next 20 years. Would take that long just to undo so much of the damage they have done.

. DemocracyForAmerica ?@DFAaction 10h Looking ahead we hope to expand #Purpletoblue to #MI, #PA, #Iowa, and return to #VA in 2015


http://democracyforamerica.com/pages/745-purple-to-blue-project

I have a lot of respect for Howard Dean and think he can make a real difference.

I worked for his cause in Santa Barbara and San Francisco back when He was running for President.

this campaign would be if Dean had the backing of the Establishment Dems and the Administration instead of being EXILED for the temerity to run against The Electable One in 2004.

I still like the guy even though he's moved somewhat to the center since his 2004 bid. At least he's doing something with his time other than lobbying for the oligarchy.

Our state is not red!!! It's a lie!

where attention is most needed.

Mr. Dean is a hell of a man.

Glad you're here! And I couldn't agree more. I totally LOVE Dr. Dean! The Doctor is STILL In!

We should be spending some real money and doing strong outreach in Virginia, Te-Has and Arizona, and keep pushing ahead in Nevada.

We will keep pushing the extremist, anti-American GOP into smaller and smaller areas, where they will increase
their signature anti-voting rights efforts and vote-controlling maneuvers in a futile effort to retain power, which will just
upset minority voters even more, and turn the National tide even more strongly against the hideous, disgusting GOP, which hates them.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE make North Carolina one of the States you take back from the crazies!!!! The Koch brothers financed the take-over of NC by the tea party starting in 2010. It has turned into a nightmare in just a few short years!!

...and....

if successful could have far-reaching beneficial effects.

Thanks for the thread, brooklynite.