"Democrat of the Year" :

[Cuban_Liberal]

I'm just gojng to post some prominent names and leave an 'other' space for others I don't list, but who you believe should receive this honor. Feel free to shout out whoever it is that you think should be our party's "Democrat of the Year", if they're not on the list.

:hi:

[firebee]

1. Where's the newcomer... Barack Obama

[Cuban_Liberal]

2. My new Senator?

He'd be under 'other (specify)'.

:)

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[LittleClarkie]

26. Dem dam darkies is gettin' uppity agin

Time ta get ta the back of da forum.

The Dems can't let the Republicans be better at recognizing minorities than they are. The Repubs are already better at putting minorities into prominent positions. Too bad they're asshats, but still.

We don't need Republicans bogarting a voting block that they want to exploit, not help, as evidenced by this last election. We don't need any more people voting against their best interests.

This is why I don't quite get Al Sharpton and Donna Brazille getting all excited over Condi. It's as if they're being drawn to this party, ignoring the suppression of minorities. Weird, weird, weird.

[ChairOne]

27. LOL - I'm not racist - I have a black maid! - You don't have any! LOL /eom

[ChairOne]

30. I counted 5 Obama votes in this thread...

... which puts him in alone 4th place (so far) out of 11...

But he's just an "other"...

(In case anyone thinks of the defense "We can't list every tom, dick, and harry, because the list would be too long")

It also seems pretty slick to leave Gephardt and Lieberman off the list... lest the questions get too pointed... but now I'm just tinfoiling, I suppose.....

[jonnyblitz]

35. too soon to tell about him IMHO. n/t

[johnfunk]

52. Obama! Obama! OBAMA!

... and all the hard-working grass-roots Democrats who helped take back state legislatures in "red" states!

[Padraig18]

56. Obama's great!

But his speech at the convention isn't enough to qualify him for Democrat of the Year, I don'tthink.

:)

[jmowreader]

82. I'm going with Obama too

I really don't think he could have lost the election, especially after what the cat dragged in up there, but he is an exciting new face.

[cry baby]

3. John Conyers for taking up the voter issues

[POAS]

24. Seconded.......n/t

[Cha]

40. 3rd! Conyers is the Man!

Who is sticking their neck out for us on these voting fraud issues?

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Moderator]

6. Got him, folks. n/t

[Pirate Smile]

9. He really wanted to be around for a while, huh? I wonder if it was a race

to see how quickly you could get booted as a freeper?

[Moderator]

11. *grin* n/t

[Pirate Smile]

5. Dean's year was 2003. Kerry's year was 2004.

Dean's momentum was starting to fall by New Years Day 2004 and Kerry's was taking off.

[JNelson6563]

22. Just think if he's lost all momentum!

Zowie! For a guy who lost his steam by "New Year's Day 2004" he sure accomplished a lot!

At the local and state level, Democracy for America and Gov. Howard Dean have reason to celebrate this year's election results. Many DFA-endorsed Dean Dozen and DFA-supported candidates won elections at all levels of government, throughout the country.

• One of the two new Democratic United States senators was a "Dean Dozen" candidate--Barack Obama (D-Ill.). Obama and the other new Democratic senator, Ken Salazar (D-Colo.), received contributions from DFA.

• One "Dean Dozen" candidate won her race for Congress, Allyson Schwartz (D-PA) and DFA contributed to five of the fourteen incoming freshman Democratic Members of Congress.

• Some of the notable non-federal success stories include:

• Both of the new Democratic governors are "Dean Dozen" candidates: John Lynch (D-NH) and Brian Schweitzer (D-Mont.)

• Two "Dean Dozen" candidates won their mayoral race: Peter Corroon was elected as mayor of Salt Lake County, Utah and Tom Potter was elected as mayor of Portland, Ore.

• Democracy for America contributed more than $600,000 to 634 candidates for non-federal office. 319 of those candidates won--a 50% win-loss record.

• "Dean Dozen" candidates were elected to state legislatures in 16 states. Candidates for legislature who received Democracy for America contributions, but were not part of the "Dean Dozen," were elected in an additional 12 states.

• Democracy for America played a large role in regaining several legislative chambers for the Democrats, including: the Colorado House and Senate, the North Carolina House, the Oregon Senate, the Vermont House and the Washington Senate. DFA also helped secure a tie in the Iowa Senate.

• "Dean Dozen" candidates were elected to the bench in Alabama and Georgia.

• "Dean Dozen" candidates also won races for soil & water commission, supervisor of elections, township clerk, county commission and constable.

Governor Dean commented on the election results:

"The Dean Dozen candidates and the hundreds of other candidates that Democracy for America supported are the future of the Democratic Party. Win or lose, these fiscally responsible, socially progressive citizens fought to take our country back and helped spread the message that to change America, Democrats must compete everywhere, including the red states."

Throughout the months leading up to the election, Governor Dean attended press conferences, fundraisers and campaign rallies, to help spread the DFA message and raise campaign funds for 50 candidates in 26 states. Many of you--our supporters--volunteered and financially supported these candidates as well and your actions were invaluable.

DFA has raised over $5 million since we became an organization in March 2004. We have donated money to 748 candidates throughout the country--in 46 states and at every level of government. We believe that Democrats will return to national prominence very soon. DFA will continue to endorse and support candidates and train campaign workers and volunteers in 2005 and beyond.

http://democracyforamerica.com/dd_returns.php

:toast:

Julie

[Pirate Smile]

25. I meant for the Nomination, of course. I voted for Dean in that caucus

in January.

Why does everything have to turn into a contest between those two men?

I supported BOTH - with votes and money I really couldn't afford to donate.

I feel a loyalty to both men and I think we need BOTH to be strong Democratic leaders in the future.

[JNelson6563]

61. I was disagree with you on the momentum point

but decided to do it by providing evidence contrary to your point. Sorry you saw it as a pissing match.

Julie

[Pirate Smile]

64. Hey, I meant to respond to you but replied to a different post instead on

accident.

My response was post 60 below.

I appreciated your evidence and it even made me rethink my vote.

The pissing match stuff (which I recognize that you didn't do) has been irritating the hell out of me lately and my other response was more of a general response about the continuing bickering between the different factions.

Dean wants to be a consensus candidate for the DNC and continuing old battles doesn't help Dean, Kerry, the DNC, DU or anybody.

[JNelson6563]

68. Aye Pirate

You are so right matey. :-)

Julie

[Cha]

41. Why are so many DUers voting for

him then? Just because he didn't win the Dem Primary doesn't mean he lost momentum on his impact on our cause of overturning fascists.

[Pirate Smile]

60. True and his impact will hopefully last much longer if he gets the DNC

Chair and multiplies exponentially what he did through DFA by implementing it at the DNC.

Dean was just a little more under the radar in 2004 then in 2003 because Kerry was in the spotlight.

[stray cat]

7. Obama

Dean united us in our anger.

Kerry led the fight

Obama gave us hope and unites Americans with a new message of responsibility, community and unity.

[fortyfeetunder]

16. I second Obana too

He is one that Newsweek is saying a person to watch in 2005. I think we have to look forward than backward and he will be a person to be reckoned with in the Senate.

[pamela]

8. John Kerry!!!

He should have been Time's "Man of the Year". He fought honorably for his country as a young man in Vietnam and then helped bring that war to an end. This year, he was able to get more votes than any other candidate in history while running against an incumbent during a time of war. He fought gallantly amidst some of the dirtiest political smears I've ever seen.

[LittleClarkie]

29. Right on!

And he would have gotten even more, I'm convinced, if not for suppression and fraud and such.

He's a good man, that's all.

[Desert Liberal]

46. pamela, I agree

and I love your quote! All those guys back when knew how to get a point across, didn't they?

[pamela]

57. Thanks aundria!

I like your quote, too.

Welcome to DU!:hi:

[frustrated_lefty]

10. Notice

us Dean folks are pretty much hard-liners. Dean wouldn't have wimped out on election night. Dean opened a door for us. We chose to not walk through and effectively castrated ourselves.

[Royal Observer]

12. Where is...

Michael Moore?

[Cuban_Liberal]

14. He would be under 'other (specify)'. n/t

[iamjoy]

18. Is He A Democrat?

I'm not sure. Moore was for Nader in 2000 & has for years felt there was little difference between Dems & Republicans.

This year he wasn't so much pro-Kerry as anti-Bush.

[Royal Observer]

21. At the Dem Convention

he sat in box where the most distinguished Dems sat. People who were at the Convention told me that he was the most influential person there with respect to the delegates.
Don't forget, TV shows you only what they want to.
I would say that Moore was the Dem of the year.

[iamjoy]

65. Because The Carters Invited Him

and I bet he would have gone to the Repub convention if he'd been invited, although he would not have been as "well behaved"

[proud2BlibKansan]

77. MM was at the Repub convention

He was reporting for USA Today.

[iamjoy]

80. I Stand Corrected

but my point was, he is not really a true, loyal Democrat.

He is a true, loyal progressive.

[proud2BlibKansan]

85. Agreed

n/t

[Vidar]

15. Jesse Jackson and John Conyers

[patdem]

17. I find it hard to pick between Kerry and Dean...

Dean did so much for the party itself in reinventing how to raise money and attention that I want to vote for him, but Kerry did run for president and won the debates and ran a damn good campaign, which was largly ignored by the MSM that I just can's pick one or the other! :shrug:

[Deja Q]

19. How do you 'define' Democrat? To me, only Kucinich utterly complies.

And unless those who voted Kerry know something I don't, I'm still not over how quickly he flip-flopped on his campaign promise to fight.

[Stinky The Clown]

20. I have to go with Dr. Dean ... and as to Obama ....

Dean did more for the party as a whole than anyone this past year. Sure, Kerry wound up the standard bearer, but there were other forces at work that made that happen. Dean was the one who worked across the party spectrum to inject some life, some real passion, into the party. Even in defeat he gave us real hope and he will continue to be a force. Even as Kerry goes back to the comfortable life of a beige senate member, the good doctor will keep the party red (yes, red!) with passion and fire.

Obama is clearly one to watch. His convention keynote was what it needed to be .... an upbeat and hopeful note that is the key to the future. But therein lies why he should not be the nominee for Dem of the Year. It was one speech, albeit a great one. His time, however, is in the future.

[SteveIrving1]

32. Howard Dean...

He really did allot and even managed to rattle the republicans and even the most loyal of republicans were left questioning.

[mark414]

23. Another vote for Obama

even though he IS a flatlander...

oh i kid

love,

your neighbor to the north

[Mabeline]

28. I really think you should

have included Hillary Clinton. Guess that would be a vote for "other" :-)

[Cha]

42. Please tell us what Hillary has done

this year to further our cause to get the fascists out of power?

[imenja]

31. 1) Spitzer 2) Obama

They are the future of the party. Spitzer did the hard work the SEC didn't have the courage to do. Obama has great potential. For this year, I given it to Spitzer.

[zacho]

33. Brian Scweitzer

Salazaar gets second
John Lynch gets third

[Placebo]

34. John Kerry

Kerry/Edwards all the way!

[Moloch]

36. Obama!

NT

[liberalcanuck]

37. Howard Dean -- for being unafraid to to speak for many of us who

seem to be the silent majority in this party.

[SOteric]

38. Jim McDermott.

:hi:

[patricia92243]

39. Dean is my ideal of what a Democrat is - or should be!

[Cha]

43. I went all the way with working for Kerry after he got the

nomination..but I find myself voting for Dean right now.

I'm like you..Dean rings true of what a Democrat should be, ideally speaking. Not perfect..just willing to fight for our rights. And he damn well better stay out of small airplanes!

[Swamp Rat]

44. Dean AND Obama

[Eurobabe]

45. Dean, for speaking up when others went silent

And for the record, my candidate of choice was Wesley Clark in 2004. But I have a newfound respect for the good Doctor.

[Padraig18]

47. Love him or hate him, no one had a greater impact than Gov. Dean

Howard Dean, 'Democrat of the Year'!

:yourock:

[Disturbed]

48. Joe Trippi..

He should at least be on the list.

[Withywindle]

49. I picked...

...Kerry, for fighting the good fight for a very long time.


(#2: Dean, for everything he's done and will do to energize, organize, and motivate. Yes, there are those of us who respect and support both him and Kerry immensely. I gave money to both at different times and don't regret a penny of either.)

(#3: Obama, for his brilliance, charisma, and grace--and for running the only race this year that Democrats all over could look at for a bracing shot of uplifting entertainment. And for having a book to read that is neither ghost-written nor dull as dirt.)

[NightOwwl]

50. I can't believe I'm the first to say this!

Jon Stewart!

[Guaranteed]

69. My Second, for sure.

:)

[Edgewater_Joe]

51. OBAMA OBAMA OBAMA OBAMA OBAMA

You gotta be kidding not even listing him.

What are you, a Repunk troll or something?!?!

[imenja]

53. Spitzer, Spitzer, Spitzer, Spitzer

Anyone second that?

[kerry-is-my-prez]

54. You forgot Ted Kennedy.

n/t

[sybil]

55. Kerry who?!?

[phylny]

58. Barack Obama n/t

[Mr.Green93]

59. Bill Clinton

[XemaSab]

62. If this was TIME

and I wanted to be vague, I'd say it was the year of the Door-to-Door volunteers.

The Deaniacs, ACT, PDA....even the two unemployed steelworkers I met who had come to Iowa for Gephardt.

On edit: Even onliners, like bloggers, donors, DU'ers.

The Activist Democratic Proletariat.

[Bread and Circus]

63. Howard Dean and Wes Clark

[Phoebe_in_Sydney]

66. Can't think of a better way to make my DU debut

than by registering a vote for Wes Clark, the Demcocrat who spoke most authoratively against the Iraq war. When I heard a 4-star general speak out against the invasion of Iraq I knew all my misgivings were well founded. It wasn't just morally wrong, but strategically stupid as well.

I do agree, though, with all the enthusiasm expressed about Obama.

[Sara Beverley]

67. Cynthia McKinney for coming back against the most evil political machine

in America's history! And for not being AFRAID to do so.

[NoPasaran]

70. What? No one's voting for Al From?

Me neither.

One more scream for Dean!

[Tom Rinaldo]

71. Howard Dean, and I'm a Clarkie

I would put Clark second and Michael Moore third. Dean first because he woke up a punch drunk Party, stood firm against Bush when those around him wouldn't, mobilized a new generation of activists for the Party, showed that it is possible for the Democrats to match the Republicans fund raising without having to depend on fat cat Corporate money, and has shown a continuing commitment to revitalize the Party from the grass roots up.

Clark second because he threw the weight of his powerful military credentials full force behind the Democrats at a time when it was critical that someone do so, and because Clark relentlessly attacked Bush as "Commander in Chief" even when other Democrats were soft peddling it (he held Bush accountable for not being on the job prior to 9/11, openly warned about PNAC's plans, repeatedly stressed that the Buck (and blame) stopped with GWB, not lesser evil flunkies like Rumsfeld and Ashcroft, he never shut up about Iraq being a massive "strategic blunder" etc.) Also because Clark devastatingly went on offense against Republicans trying to dominate traditional American themes like flag god patriotism and values, while remaining faithfully progressive on the issues. A winning combination for our future.

Moore third because he dared to say openly what many only whisper about. Because he continually fights for working class Americans, because, as an ex Nader voter, he directly took on Nader this time and rallied the disaffected to the Democratic Party, and because he worked tirelessly to defeat Bush though he knew full well that the Democratic Party would never "reward him" in any way.

[donjo]

73. Wes Clark: Now more than ever

I second all the things said in post #71 about WES, plus he did all this despite being virtually shut out by the media and the DNC. Probably did more to help Kerry get his head out of his ass than anybody else, but, unfortunately, (maybe) K didn't get it all the way out.

[MODemocrat]

72. I'll stick with Howard Dean

There's not one thing I don't like about him.

[sweetheart]

74. David Allen (skinner)

Dude, you have played a pivotal role in this past year's democratic
march, and have earned sweetheart's invisible medal of freedom.

It will stop all bullets and give you 3 wishes if you ask. :-)

Happy solstice to you skinner. Beyond all machinacions of words,
you have done an extroadinary job, along with elad and the other
heros of DU... and this collective has made more of a difference in
the political scene in america than any single candidate.

:toast:

[Totally Committed]

75. Wesley Clark....

... forever.

TC

[ElementaryPenguin]

76. Dean! No doubt about it!

[LandOLincoln]

78. Wes. n/t

[geniph]

79. No one energized the electorate the way Dean did,

and his whole DFA movement brought a new paradigm of grassroots involvement to politics and political awareness. He showed that it's possible to finance a major campaign with primarily small donations from ordinary folks. I can't overemphasize how important that is.

There were hundreds of thousands of people who would not have voted this year if not for Governor Dean getting them fired up about politics in the first place, and doing everything possible to keep them involved even after he wasn't in the race any longer.

I wasn't one of the Deaniacs, but I certainly recognize and applaud the impact his campaign had and is still having.

[Rockerdem]

83. This is like the Coach of the Year Award

I'll always give it to the coach that took the overachieving team that was 2-9 last year to the brink of the big Bowl. Never to the guy that was the consensus pre-season champ, but who won it by going a shaky 10-1.

Gov. Dean. He brought in new energy and showed that money could be raised cleanly. Mr. Grassroots Goes to Washington.

[New Earth]

81. ugh

:puke:

[RBHam]

84. Cynthia McKinney

nt