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What potentially makes this scene quite different is that the campaign volunteers, dubbed the Dean Corps, encouraged and inspired by Ross Wilburn, have made a commitment to return each and every week to the food bank. Dean legitimately boasted that his local volunteers had brought 320 pounds of groceries, this week alone, to the food bank. The governor gives credit for the Dean Corps idea to "the young people." He sees it as a way to show that "campaigns are not just about votes, but, more importantly, are about people."
The Dean Corps has already been involved in environmental cleanups, which given the popular image of the Vermonter's following, is not surprising. But if a presidential campaign actually does perform valuable human and social service and helps to restore a fraying sense of community, that could potentially change the entire dynamic of the caucus turnout next Jan. 19.
Imagine the profound contrast between the Dean campaign volunteers feeding the hungry and comforting the lonely with the Bush pioneer/rangers corralling their $200 million swag for a primary in which the president is unopposed.
Later, in the Copper Lantern Restaurant in the rural town of Sigourney, Dean answers questions from 50 undecided Democrats. He is confident, articulate and direct. He does not bob or weave.
His stump performances have even impressed conservative columnist Robert Novak. He reminds Republicans (many of whom are salivating at the prospect of running against the man who legalized civil unions in Vermont) that Democrats - in California in 1966 and nationally in 1980 - had been certain they would win in November if the GOP would only nominate the eminently beatable Ronald Reagan.
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http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_np=0&u_pg=609&u_sid=807810Photos from the Road: Iowa
http://blog.deanforamerica.com/archives/000782.html
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