The kids are all right

Here is a little message of hope about the next generation.

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=10746315&BRD=2271&PAG=461&dept_id=462946&rfi=6

The Dean kids are that good - smart, dedicated, and incredibly hard-working. They're also having the time of their lives. Unless you've seen it for yourself, I'm not sure I can do it justice. But let's try. Picture the common area of a college dorm during exam week - except that everyone has showered and is wearing clean clothes. Add the energy of high-school drama kids at final dress rehearsal - but add four years of maturity and subtract the inevitable "diva" character. Then add the younger staffers on The West Wing - subtracting five years of sophistication and the upscale wardrobes. Put all that together, and you'll begin to get it.

What I'm trying to convey is that these kids are great. They're serious. They have great values and a strong work ethic. They care passionately about their country - and their planet. But they are not radicals. In a week among them, I never heard one wild, way-out idea. If they are more "liberal" than the Baby Boomers now running the country, they are nothing like the radicals we thought we were at their age.


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In time, a new generation will take our places. They aren't perfect. Please understand that I've described the best of them. I know the rising generation has its slackers, whiners, ditzes and jerks. Remember, I teach school.

But right now, I'm focused on the kids I met in New Hampshire. While they will certainly make mistakes of their own, I believe they have what it takes to fix most of the mess we seem determined to leave them. The kids I met are the vanguard of a generation worthy to lead the greatest nation in the world. Our future is in good hands.

My daughter and I went to Manchester, New Hampshire in September, along with the "Texas Rangers". She is 15 and was beginning to regret agreeing to go because she was afraid it would be a bunch of "gray haired, old people". But we noticed, as soon as we arrived to board the plane, that most of the people there looked like they were college age or younger.

And they were wonderful examples for my daughter to look up to. Very hard working, dedicated kids that got on well with all age groups. And the (almost all) kids that were running the campaign office in Manchester were amazing. And very focused on getting the job done. The organization it must have taken to take care of all of us volunteers housing, food and transportation, as well as routes for block-walking and phone banks and other materials used - well, all of it was just very impressive.

Right now I am trying to decide wether to go to Iowa this month. I know it will be exhausting and I'm just not used to that kind of cold, but I also know it would be a lot of fun.

It doesn't matter what the cause, they are all energetic, good, smart, and very dedicated.

I've been a coordinator and have yet to find a stinker in the lot. This isn't the least but unique to Dean.

Old news and probably should go to GDcrunchy.

candidate.