This one paragraph says it all.

I posted this early today but it dropped quickly. Cotterell is a well-known columnist at the Tallahassee Democrat, and this is an excellent article overall about Dean and the influence he has on the party.

http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/tallahassee/news/local/10424727.htm

SNIP.."Whether they want Howard Dean as their national committee chairman or not, the state Democratic Party leaders from across the nation who listened to him and seven other candidates last weekend should have given him an apology.

It was little more than a year ago that some of the party elite, frantic to blunt the former Vermont governor's surprise surge to the head of the pre-Iowa presidential pack, feigned horror when Dean said he wanted to be "the candidate for the guys with Confederate flags in their pickup trucks." To hear some of the righteous indignation erupting from Democratic leaders, including Sen. John Kerry, you might have thought Dean wanted the South to rise again.

But since Nov. 2, the Democrats have been whistling a different tune - one that sounds like "Dixie."

This paragraph is just great, and very typical.

SNIP..."Dean pioneered the Internet thing, the fund-raising and "meet-ups" that made him the front-runner among regular voters before the party bosses and major media even noticed him. While the other seven would-be DNC chairmen went around introducing themselves, or waited for someone to approach them at the state chairmen's association meeting, Dean was mobbed by "Deaniacs" wearing faded campaign T-shirts and lapel buttons - all of them ready to work for him again...."

Speaking with Howard over this, he figures that the DNC as a party is probably two, maybe three years behind DFA in infrastructure.

Our friends said tonight that their day with Dean started very early on with a breakfast which I gather was for Dean supporters throughout the state. Then he meet with Meet-Up hosts at another hotel. Then a reception that night. Not sure who that was with.

That is so rare, that he would care enough to plan the day that way.

They are still so impressed with the down to earth nature and friendliness of the staff as well.

Once again Howard Dean appears to be defining the issues, where the others say they agree with him or not. There has been surprisingly little coverage of this event in our Republican state. Guess we have to make our own news. This is a great entry.

http://www.democracyforamerica.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2521

SNIP.."Dean *was* surrounded by supporters every time he got down off the stage during a break. Additionally, it was standing room only in there; the entire back wall of the place was lined with Dean supporters......I had to wedge myself into a little nook in the middle while avoiding standing on powercords.

The good part of that was that I had a very clear view of the stage! It was pretty cool to see Howard looking over at us every once in awhile.

As to the question and answer session, the most telling thing was how many times the other panelists said "I agree with Howard Dean, blah blah blah, 50 state strategy, blah blah, stand by our convictions, blah blah blah".

Which only made me want to shout "Can we just have our REAL LEADER in charge, please?!?" but Howard had asked us to behave in there and not get too rowdy, so I kept my peace..."

"...but Howard had asked us to behave in there and not get too rowdy, so I kept my peace..."

She put a smiley face at the end.