Dean: Party needs to be rebuilt from the ground up

[Rose Siding]

snip>
Now, to the matter at hand: what Dean is doing to help John Kerry and, through his Democracy for America project, other Demo-cratic candidates from Barack Obama in his U.S. Senate race down to county commissioners and school board candidates around the country.

"I think the Democratic Party needs to be rebuilt from the ground up," Dean said. "We're running candidates in places like Utah. I know we're not going to win Utah in the presidential election. But if we don't start building it now, we'll never win Utah. I'm going to Mississippi. I'm going to Texas, where there's a candidate running against Tom Delay."

Let Kerry concentrate on the more winnable battleground states -- Dean will plant seeds for the future, he said.

Kerry has not asked Dean to be his running mate, and Dean has no comment on the advice he has given the candidate.

"I think he's focusing on jobs, and that's what he should be doing," Dean said. "We did a great couple of days in Portland, Ore., talking about jobs and health care. Iraq is important because it brings into question the credibility of the president. When people worry about whether the president is telling them the truth or not, they tend to vote against him ... But I think people still end up voting bread-and-butter issues, and that's jobs and health care."

Dean is in town for a union health care rally, to do a reading with Studs Terkel and to address a gay rights dinner. Then he is off to Missouri.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/elect/cst-nws-dean20.html

"a reading with Studs Terkel..."- I LOVE Studs Terkel! :party:

[GumboYaYa]

1. I met with the good Dr. yesterday and stood on stage with him

for two hours while he promoted candidates the CFA supports in Missouri. He was instrumental in kicking off a rally for a caandidate I am working with. As a result of his presence we had around 500 people show up for our rally and we raised a good bit of money out of it.

THANK YOU DR. DEAN!

[madfloridian]

4. Did you see the pictures at this site? Of the rally?

http://www.curtisnet.net/

I can't tell if it is just one or several. Good pics.

[GumboYaYa]

5. Hey Cool!!!! Thanks for posting those.

You can see me and my whole family in those pics. I'm on stage at the Jeff Smith rally with my wife and two kids standing right behind Dean.

[madfloridian]

May I? Good-looking bunch.

I will delete if it bothers you. I love it!

[GumboYaYa]

9. No problem.

You can not see my wife (other than a piece of her right leg) in that picture. She is behind Maria.

The four-year old in a Spiderman T-Shirt is Nicholas and that cute little eight-year old girl is Hanna. They are the best things in my life. I'm the goofy looking balding guy clapping til his hands hurt.

[GumboYaYa]

10. Before I took my kids up there we had a talk about the

kid at the Bush rally who ended up on Letterman. :)

Actually, they were complete angels the whole two hours. I was amazed. Even Dean commented on how good our kids acted. That absolutely was the best fathers day present I could have received.

[madfloridian]

12. Two hours? Wow!

I taught 2nd graders for years, and that is an amazing feat! You should be proud of them.

That is a great picture.

[GumboYaYa]

13. They were in awe being so close to Howard.

For months I ran a canvassing effort out of our house. Every Saturday people would show up to go out and canvass. Howard Dean has been a big part of their young lives for the past year. I think they were as excited as I was to meet him.

[madfloridian]

14. Now that's a good way to raise kids! Good for you.

Train them young, and they will be Deaniacs for sure.
:hi:

[no name no slogan]

19. That's a GREAT way to raise kids!

I've been active in the Kucinich campaign here in MN, and there's a couple who have done a heck of a lot for us. They also have two kids (about the same age as yours actually!) and they bring them along to all the meetings and events-- even down to march in a parade in Iowa. The older one was a page at our state party's convention, too.

I wish my own parents would have been involved in politics when I was younger!

:D

[GumboYaYa]

22. Our kids go to rallies, fundraisers, prayer vigils, anti-war marches

and just about anyplace that I go. My daughter made her own protest signs when we marched against the war in Iraq.

I guess the only thing that worries me is that I have to be careful to let them come to decisions on their own and not just indoctrinate them in progressive beliefs "because I said so." The last thing I want is for my kids to react against their upbringing and become Re..Rep...ughhh, I can't say it, but you know what I mean.

[madfloridian]

16. Ok here is a different view....is this her? Good pic.

Jeff Smith is a cute guy. If that is your wife behind Dean, she is very pretty.

[GumboYaYa]

17. Yep, that's my wife.

Thanks so much for posting these. It would have taken me all day to have figured out how to do that.

[GumboYaYa]

18. People say Jeff is Kennedyesque.

He is not real tall so he struggles with that some.

We are going to come out of nowhere and win this race even with the most powerful of MO Dems running against us. I have worked on long shot campaigns before and never had the feel I have in this race. I honestly think we may be able to pull this one off. People are in for a shock over the next few months when they find out some of the support we have gained this last quarter.

[madfloridian]

20. Didn't he have a bike tour or something?

I can't find the link now. I know one thing. I am right now more aware of candidates throughout the country than I have ever been. Before, I hardly knew the ones in my area. This is part of Dean's legacy.
We donate and write to those we choose through the Dean Dozen. For some we keep emailing them all along.

[GumboYaYa]

21. He just finished the bike tour about an hour ago.

I talked to him a few minutes ago. He is wiped out but excited. The event with Dean was a giant success in terms of building energy and finding new supporters. I can not thank Govenor Dean enough for his support and I know Jeff feels the same way.

[Jmeyers130]

2. I think Dean would make a good...

Cabinet member...Definitely one of the higher spots, maybe Secretary of State or Labor.

[Hawkeye-X]

3. Nah.

I'd like to see him as the DNC chair while McAuliffe go back to the Republican Party. He has done a great job of destroying the Democratic Party.

Hawkeye-X

[mzmolly]

6. That would be perfect for him HX..

:hi:

[2Design]

8. he would be good at getting the party fired up and being more

progressive and out there......we need to distance ourselves from RW

[Eurobabe]

15. I totally agree, I think the Dr. has a gift

and we need him in such a position.

[foo_bar]

23. but he's no longer "grassroots" from that position

It would be worse than a Gore endorsement for the choir. I think he should run for Congress on a neoliberal Contract with America, then become Speaker.

[MessiahRp]

7. I agree

And we have to start with courting young voters and doing more party building in off election years.

This is going to be one of my main goals here in WI this year and I am quite likely going to be helping to organize the State Convention here this year and the theme is going to be "Come to our Party". The event will be catered towards more young voters who want to be a part of the process.

Look I've noticed there are a lot of really old Dems out there at our party meetings but it seems as if they talk amongst themselves and are shy to including new people because they feel safe in their element.

But Republicans have been courting young voters since the early 1990s and conning a lot of kids into thinking their agenda is the right one for America.

We have to get them when their minds are still open and their decision is not yet made. It's easier to court an undecided than to try to turn a Republican to our side.

I totally agree, we need to rebuild this party and stock it full of voters and talented individuals for future generations to come.

Rp

[jpgray]

11. Yes, and we could really use his help

Whatever you think of his politics, his campaign was a very impressive organization.

[dansolo]

24. One suggestion for Dean

When he is in an area where a member of the Dean Dozen is running, he should make it a point to mention their names to every reporter who interviews him. He mentioned the one guy who didn't need the publicity, Barack Obama, but he didn't mention Christine Cegelis, who is running against Henry Hyde.

[madfloridian]

25. Did you find that out for sure? Or did you go by just the article?

He knows she's a Dean Dozen, an important one. Why don't you post at the blog and ask. I don't think he would go there and not mention her.

[madfloridian]

26. Look at her schedule. Didn't she appear on 19th for the SEIU rally.

Dean was there, too, with Jackson and Jan Schakowsky. I thought she appeared with him there?
http://www.cegelisforcongress.com/events.html

[IronLionZion]

27. Draft Dean for VP

sign this petition: http://www.draftdeanforvp.org/petition.html

Here's what I put in the Why should Dean be VP field:
Because Dean can light a fire under the asses of the Democratic base and have the largest voter turnout in history. Dean humanizes the ticked because Kerry is very rich and somewhat aloof. Dean is very passionate and his positions on the issues complement Kerry's very well. Because Edwards and Clark are easier to attack, but Dean has already run the gauntlet; everything they can say to attack him has already been said. Because Nader supporters would vote for Dean. Independents would vote for Dean. Fiscal conservatives would vote for Dean. The Red South is not going to go for Kerry no matter who the VP is but the swing states can with Dean as VP.