Dean didn't even need to speak last night...The ovation he was given

[ScreamingMeemie]

was enough for me. This man has done so much for his party. He has said enough, and done enough...now it's time for all of us to run with those ideas.

I saw what I hoped to see last night. And it gave me goosebumps. :hi:

[wryter2000]

1. It was amazing

Goosebumps, for sure. He's the best!

[kaitykaity]

2. Me too also.

That ovation was outstanding. It's what I feel about him,
I know that much.

If not for him, who knows where we would be? Would the
mainstream Democrats have grown a spine on their own?
I don't think so. I really don't.

:hi:

[janx]

6. I don't think so either. And it wasn't a very pleasant thing

for him to have to do. It pissed off one heck of a lot of Democrats when he did it.

But when they realized what he was actually doing, what it was all about, they loved and respected him for it.

[kaitykaity]

8. To use a war metaphor,

Dean plowed the road by taking the fire and saying the things
the mainstreamers couldn't say.

Once Howard Dean stood up and screamed, "The emperor has no
clothes!", it was okay for John Kerry to take the rhetoric and
the message.

(There was a story about that on DU during the campaign, but
I'm damned if I can find it.)

[ScreamingMeemie]

7. For me, it has always been about accountability. And he gave us that...

and continues to help us ask for it. We are better for having him in our party. I was at a house party last night for DFA and listened in on the conference call...and it was like old times.

He wants us all to run for office by 2006!!! :hi:

[kaitykaity]

We may get the Senate back this time, thanks to

candidates like Barak Obama.

With Dean's help, the House is next. Oh, that sounds
soooo good.

:)

[ScreamingMeemie]

12. He made me want to move to Illinois last night!

From the inside out...and it's working! It's really working!! :hi:

[kaitykaity]

16. Can you say "Kerry coat tails"?

When I hear Randi say, "Kerry in a landslide," I'm nodding
"Yes, yes." I really believe it. The Thugs have NOTHING
except "Kerry is a terrorist." I don't think it's going
to be close.

:D

[janx]

17. I don't think it's going to be very close either.

The right wing has nothing, nothing! The last three and a half years have been nothing but disaster for our country, and there's no way they can spin their way out of that.

[sallyseven]

3. Did anyone but me see Joe

Trippe say that Dean never thought he would be nominated. 
That he was really concerned that he might?  That is why he
changed leaders in the middle of the Iowa caucus?  I hope not.

[madfloridian]

5. Trippi is the only one who claims to have heard that. Dean denies.

Trippi failed to handle Iowa correctly. He was the manager.

[ScreamingMeemie]

18. Exactly, and it's easy to try and wriggle out from under blame...take

Bush for instance. :hi:

[janx]

4. People adore Howard Dean, unless they're up against

him for whatever reason.

He gives people hope!

[ewagner]

9. Just some opinions

Yes! I agree Howard Dean showed the Democratic Party that it is GOOD to have spine. He deserves much credit for that and our deepest gratitude.

Second, I think he pulled his punches (so-to-speak) last night in deference to party unity. I know that Dr Dean is passionate in his beliefs and his restraint for the common good was admirable.

Third, I think Howard Dean has to continue an active role in the campaign. There isn't one of us here who doesn't believe that things are going to get nasty....REALLY NASTY, before November 2. Having Howard Dean out there for Kerry is sort of like having a blunt object in your pocket when walking through a tough neighborhood. Howard's passion and willingness to take on the tough guys is another "arrow in the quiver" for the Kerry Campaign.

[ScreamingMeemie]

19. Agreed. that's a great analogy by the way, ewagner.

It can only get better, and it will get better. :hi:

[lukasahero]

10. I was very moved

by the the ovation for him and by his speech. I confess, I was a 'Clarkie' and not exactly a 'Deaniac' but I had goosebumps and felt like crying watching him last night. I have tremendous respect and admiration for Dr. Dean for what he has done for this party and this country.

[WI_DEM]

11. I agree, he got an ovation almost as enthusiastic as

Clinton. It was amazing. I wish he had been allowed to give more of his old stump speech though--along with endorsing Kerry.

[janx]

13. I wish the same thing.

He could have garnered even more support for Kerry had he been permitted to write his own speech.

[Cha]

14. I agree! I was very happily surprised when the delegates

gave Dean such a long, heartfelt, standing Ovation.

They really appreciated what he's done and is doing for Democracy.

[realFedUp]

15. His run made us feel empowered, because we were the campaign

Dean and Trippi will both say it was about us,
not them. We ran the campaign....starting with
little groups outside our Dem party leadership
in towns and cities...making it up as we went,
sending in money, gathering more people interested
in Dean's anti-war message through Meetups.com.
It was a bottom-up campaign, not the traditional
top-down and it felt great. I hope the lessons
were learned by the big Dems or a third party will
surely be formed next time.

Trippi's book is a good read and lays out how and
why at this time, this campaign worked the way it
did. (The Revolution Will Not Be Televised)

[Generator]

20. There was an air of sadness to it

But, my I have such R E S P E C T for that man. It feels good to know there are good guys in the world, doesn't it? Some of them even run for President.

[ScreamingMeemie]

21. I was a little heartbroken watching him walk off the stage. But I keep

in mind that we have not heard the last from Governor Dean! :hi:

[madfloridian]

22. Definitely not the last.

He is going to be around.
:hi: