Rev. Maloney: "Dean represents spirit of Democracy" Great tribute.

[madfloridian]

http://miva.sctimes.com/miva/cgi-bin/miva?CMN/Opinion/read.mv+20040819041828+2+5
SNIP..."What a trip! During the last week in July I had a once-in-a-lifetime experience as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in Boston. It was fun being part of the pageantry, seeing and meeting celebrities, and especially getting to know the members of the highly diverse Minnesota delegation. Most of the delegates were attending their first convention, as was I.

There is a special spirit of excitement and grass-roots involvement in both parties this year, and the person directly or indirectly responsible for that is the one I was happiest to see in Boston, to whom I dedicate this column: former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, M.D."

SNIP..."Howard Dean is not your garden-variety liberal. He used to tell the Vermont Legislature: "You've got your nuts on the left, your nuts on the right, and you've got me." He is liberal on social issues, but fiscally conservative. As governor of Vermont he balanced the budget 11 straight years, even though the Vermont constitution does not require it. He even paid down the state's debt, but when a tax surcharge was due to "sunset," he made sure it did."

SNIP..."And in his book on the civil unions battle, "Civil Wars," David Moats writes that when legislators wanted to delay passage of the bill, Dean got really angry. He told the senators: "Every once in a while you have an opportunity to change history and do the right thing. And that's what we're going to do."

Dean brought that passion back into national politics. He is regularly criticized for saying "the wrong thing," which usually turns out to be (a) true and (b) what a lot of us were thinking. Those of us who lack a national voice are grateful to him. Truly, we all owe him -- Democrats who want to be themselves, Republicans who are worried about huge budget deficits, and everyone who cares about the democratic process and wants to see people get involved, argue, campaign and vote....."

[realFedUp]

1. I'll second that. n/t

[Larkspur]

2. Ditto

Dean is the man to pump new life back into the Dem Party.

[hansolsen]

3. Yes but it will be a cold day in Hell before another Dem primary candidate

feels free to speak his mind, tell the plain truth, and exhibit political courage. The run of the mill sheep candidates watched carefully what happened to Howard Dean, took notes, and made resolutions. I hope I'm wrong.

But I feel something good died in the snows of Iowa in 2004. There is no mistaking that. The silver lining in this black cloud is that 600,000 Deaniac supporters watched every move, learned a little about politics and politicians, grew a little cynical, and made some resolutions of our own.

I'm not sure about Howard Dean -- he may have had his day in the sun, and that may well be his last, but as to the rest of us -- his loyal supporters -- we're still here, and we will be back.