Transcript of Dean's speech today .

[madfloridian]

From the blog:
http://www.blogforamerica.com/archives/005637.html#more

SNIP..."When some people say we should change direction, in essence they are arguing that our basic or guiding principles can be altered or modified.

They can't.

On issue after issue, we are where the majority of the American people are.

What I want to know is at what point did it become a radical notion to stand up for what we believe?

Over fifty years ago, Harry Truman said, "We are not going to get anywhere by trimming or appeasing. And we don't need to try it."

Yet here we are still making the same mistakes.

Let me tell you something: there's only one thing Republican power brokers want more than for us to lurch to the left -- and that's for us to lurch to the right.

What they fear most is that we may really begin fighting for what we believe -- the fiscally responsible, socially progressive values for which Democrats have always stood and fought.

I'll give this to Republicans. They know the America they want. They want a government so small that, in the words of one prominent Republican, it can be drowned in a bathtub." More at the link.

[XemaSab]

1. I heart Howard

:-)

[hippiechick]

2. Howard is THE MAN !

:yourock: I hope there's a replay available somewhere as I wasn't able to watch it live.


:hippie:

[madfloridian]

3. I like this part. "If you can't beat them, join them."

SNIP.."Here in Washington, it seems that after every losing election, there's a consensus reached among decision-makers in the Democratic Party is that the way to win is to be more like Republicans.

I suppose you could call that philosophy: if you didn't beat 'em, join them.

I'm not one for making predictions -- but if we accept that philosophy this time around, another Democrat will be standing here in four years giving this same speech. we cannot win by being "Republican-lite." We've tried it; it doesn't work.
The question is not whether we move left or right. It's not about our direction. What we need to start focusing on... is the destination."

[Rose Siding]

4. "We have to learn to punch our way off the ropes."

And THIS:

Reform is the hallmark of a strong Democratic Party.

Those who stand in the way of reform cannot be the focus of our attention for only four months out of every four years.

[LTRS]

5. Hail Howard!

What a pity his spinal transplant for the democratic party didn't last very long. Maybe he can revitalize it.

[elshiva]

7. God Bless Howard Dean!

<>

The Reign of God is Near.

[WI_DEM]

6. Can't wait to hear the speech or his speech on Sunday

in Orlando.

[RetroLounge]

8. Ah, like breathe of (honest) fresh air

Good to see a spine...

RL

[demokatgurrl]

9. Gotta love Howard- that's why I dated him...

before I married Karry. Sometimes I wonder whether I should get a divorce.

[Cheswick2.0]

16. I am pretty sure your marriage has been annulled

[XemaSab]

20. Sticker

"Dated Dean, Married Kerry, Still in Love With Dean"

http://www.cafepress.com/all_things_dfa.10268001

[trogdor]

10. It's not a matter of direction...

...it's a matter of definition. Specifically, for too many people, we're known by the cariactures drawn of us by people like Rush Limbaugh. We need a clearer voice, one that will be easily understood even in red America.

After that, it's all strategy. Here's mine. Parts of it sparked a flame war over at Daily Kos last week, but I'm putting it out there anyway.

1. Narrow our focus to a shorter list of issues that affect the largest number of Americans.

2. Refuse to take the bait on wedge issues like gay marriage. This, more than anything, gave the GOP the opening they needed to bring out all the yahoos, both religious or otherwise. This issue is a loser, one of many, and rather than defend issues we didn't bring up, I would prefer to throw them back in the Republicans' faces, calling them on their preference not to discuss things that are actually important.

BTW, this was the subject of the aforementioned flame war on Kos last week. If you are one of those people who think the Democratic Party should adopt this issue as one of its own, please be prepared to explain why doing so is more important than defeating the Republicans and saving the country. Remember, the first step in rendering first aid is to stop the bleeding, not invent new methods of open-heart surgery.

3. Shitcan the Iowa/New Hampshire "first in the nation" system. It allows groups like Club For Growth to very easily choose our candidate for us by providing a small enough battleground for them to do so without spending a lot of money. Not only did they play a pivotal role in sending Howard Dean (who might have won with the right running mate - we'll never know for sure) back to Vermont, they did it without breaking much of a sweat, which meant they could continue pounding on the nominee - "their" Democratic nominee - with impugnity.

I would prefer a national primary in which only those who have been members of the party for at least one year get to participate. No open primaries. If any state insists that "independents" get to vote in OUR primary, it gets cancelled, and the delegates get chosen by caucus, "smoke-filled room", or whatever.

We can do things a LOT better than we have been doing. This would be a good start.

[madfloridian]

13. Yes, I can see why it drew heat.

What you call wedge issues, I call standing for the rights of all people.

Your quote:
". Refuse to take the bait on wedge issues like gay marriage. This, more than anything, gave the GOP the opening they needed to bring out all the yahoos, both religious or otherwise. This issue is a loser, one of many, and rather than defend issues we didn't bring up, I would prefer to throw them back in the Republicans' faces, calling them on their preference not to discuss things that are actually important."

Dean did call them out on using wedge issues, but he had the courage to stand for the rights of a woman and her doctor to make decisions and the rights of gays to have civil unions.

Yeh, I bet this did cause a furor at Kos.

[Radical Activist]

11. Good speech

He said a lot of good things about organizing and campaigning in all 50 states. He could do a lot of good if he gets the party to make an effort outside of 10 swing states.

The DLC has been telling us to campaign on deficit reduction and health care for several years now and that hasn't gone so well. I think Dean has the right idea about organizing so maybe he can pave the way for candidates that are more progressive on economic issues.

[Liberty Belle]

14. He wants Dean followers on every local DEM committee.

I want to run for ours locally. This man is exactly what our party needs! No wonder the REPs tried so hard to discredit him in the primaries.

You go, Howard!

[Cheswick2.0]

18. that's a start

now tell me what your problem is with a balanced budget, healthcare for everyone and relief from huge deficits that are smothering social programs due to huge interest payments that supersede all other spending.
A healthy economy benefits everyone including poor people.

[Radical Activist]

21. No problem with those issues

they are the same issues the DLC moderates have been running on for the past several elections. I think we need something different and more compelling than those issues to start winning again. Specifically, I think we need candidates with economic populist messages in the South and Midwest to redefine the debate like Dean was talking about. Dean comes very close to doing that but then falls short and talks about the same old budget and health care issues we always hear about.

[Cheswick2.0]

22. those are not issues the DLC has been running on

do you blush when you type that kind of nonsense?

Dean is an economic populist. But I do notice you couldn't come up with anything specific just as I knew you would not.

Fact, one of the most liberal states in the country elected him 5 times to the office of governor.

[Radical Activist]

24. What did Lieberman run on?

Balance the budget
health care
morality
strong on defense

You don't get more DLC than that. How many times did you hear about prescription drugs for seniors in 2000 and 2002? That was the DLC/DNC issue du jour for several elections. ALL the presidential candidates had a health care plan in the last primary. That isn't exactly a new direction for the party. Gephardt bragged a lot about how he helped balance the budget too. Those are the top two issue Dean talked about in that speech and I don't think anyone in the DLC would disagree about running on those issues.
Again, I like when Dean argues that we need to appeal to the South on economic issues but I've never heard him do that effectively.

[MsAnthropy]

12. What a gift this man is

He's been a lone beacon of sanity through this entire mess.

[Edgewater_Joe]

15. He's Got My Vote

... and let's kill off the Democratic Losers' Committee A.S.A.P.!

[chocolateeater]

17. Thank you for posting this.

I didn't get to watch the whole thing. I hope they post the video some time today. :toast: It was a great speech.

[madfloridian]

19. C-Span taped it, maybe they will air it?

:shrug:

[killbotfactory]

23. Nah, he's wrong. We lost because Jeneane Garafalo showed her tats

That what I keep hearing over and over from the people on the street.

Also, Michael Moore. He hates America, so why would democrats support him?

No, we need to recruit fine American patriots like Ann Coulter and Sean Hannity. That's how we'll win.

Get with the program, democrats. The Iraq war was the most awesome war ever conveived. To say otherwise is traitorous. And Bush is doing a superb job on everything. That's the message we can win with!

[JNelson6563]

25. Great speech! Real leadership!

Thanks for posting that MF. I devoured every word. How refreshing to see a Dem with a spine.

Julie