Howard Dean talked to Houston Democrats last night, me included

[Bucky]

It was the annual Johnson-Rayburn Dinner fundraiser for the Harris County Democratic Party. Very crowded room at the Westin Galleria hotel; seats went for $125, tables for $1250. The chicken was not rubber. Sheila Jackson-Lee introduced Dr. Dean and got the whole room to welcome him with the "YEEEAAAARRRGHHH!!!" scream from Iowa.

Earlier in the night the emcee introduced all the local elected officials. Everyone got a normal round of applause except for State Senator John Whitmire, the fair-weather patriot who lost heart in New Mexico and caved into the State Lege's (and Tom DeLay's) midcycle redistricting bogusness. He got about eight claps before folks in the crowd realized who'd been introduced.

Then they introduced all the local candidates in attendance. Everyone got a normal round of applause except for Richard Morrison, the guy running against Tom DeLay. Morrison, who says wonderful things about DU, got a riproaring ovation, cause he's our giantkiller this year.

But before any of that went on... me and the kid arrived at our table, ominously numbered #43, about 5 minutes late and had just got to work on the Caesar salad when who should walk right up to our table but Doctor Dean hisownself. He stopped and shook hands with a woman from our table, a local leading Deaniac who'd gone to Boston, I shouted to my kid, "Quick! grab the camera!"

Kid digs thru her purse, yanks out the cheapy digital I've borrowed from the school I teach at, and jumps up right next to the Howard. He's still yakkin' at the local, can probably smell the Clark on us. So I'm all like, "Dr. Dean, can you pose with my daughter?" because all pols are support-the-children suckers. He mugs. She friggin' smirks because all 14 year olds are I-can't-believe-you're-embarrassing-me-like-this smartasses.

Here's the result:

Howard went on to give a barn burner about how it's important for us to do more than just vote. We have to run for office. And if we can't run, we can knock on doors and write $20 dollar checks each month and commit to doing so year after year after year because, realistically, we're not going to win the first or the second or maybe not even the third time we go out there. And he said something else that really endeared him to our crowd: he said "Keep your money in Texas. Give to local candidates. Make Texas a swing state again."

It was damn pragmatic advice. It was the kind of advice you expect from someone who has a long term vision of what this party needs to be and what we need to do in order to make this a better country heading in the right direction.

Bravo, Governor! Job well done.

[Racenut20]

1. Yo, National Party. Listen to this man

Governor Dean could run a better National Party out of his back pocket, than the one we have now. (And I voted for Clark)

The ONLY way Democrats will ever regroup locally or Nationally is what he is doing.

[thebigidea]

2. its great (and occasionally somewhat wistful) to see Dean out and about

he's been great lately. So much more relaxed, and just as straight-talkin'

Nice story!

[Eloriel]

6. Not "occasionally" wistful at all to some of us

Always brings tears to MY eyes. Love that man, just love him.

GREAT write-up!! Thanks.

[thebigidea]

8. well, my tear ducts don't work very well after years of G.W.Bush

otherwise I'd go through too many tissues.

[JNelson6563]

3. Excellent post!

Great report! I loved the "keep your money in Texas"! I am the same here in Michigan but I go a step further, keep it local. Send $ to Lansing and it will nto come back here. The other day a lady was in our office, was going to donate $5 for a lwan sign. Asked if we send it to Lansing. I told her we never send anything to Lansing, not even our membership list. She puts the $5 away and whips out a $20.

Dean rocks, he's my hero. Thanks for the great post Bucky! :toast:

Julie

[SheilaT]

4. Dean has inspired

lots of people to run for local office. Here in Kansas I personally know at least four former Deaniacs now running.

[madfloridian]

5. "Keep your money in Texas" and we send some as well.

Thanks for posting that. I was looking for some coverage of it and only found one article.
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/2751381

We have been donating to Richard Morrison and Van Os because the bug man is dangerous to all of us.

Great pic and write-up. Thanks.

[madfloridian]

7. "40% of Texans would vote for a yellow dog." Like that statement.

Here is a clip from the Houston Chronicle article posted above:
"People think Texas is George W. Bush country," Dean told hundreds packed into the Houston International Theatre School on Saturday. "But right now, 40 percent of Texans would vote for a yellow dog before they place a vote for George W. Bush."

Criticizing the Bush administration for failures in education, health care, job creation and national security, the former Vermont governor said his visit was part of his grass-roots "Democracy For America" campaign to promote progressive activism to challenge Republicans in office.

"This is about ordinary people running for office, because politics is too important to be left to professional politicians," Dean said. "Even in the most conservative county in Texas."