I often wonder if Dean ever got fitted for that 3-piece suit he laughed about...

[madfloridian]

3 days before he became DNC chairman. I was thinking about that after reading Kos today. He had an event just before he became chair, not just DFA, but anyone who wanted to be there at that DC brewery. I guess he knew he would have to change, that a lot was riding on what he did.

This part stuck with so many people.

With the selection of Howard Dean as its chairman, the 213-year-old Democratic Party has become something it has not been for a long time: exciting. A measure of that came three days before the 447 members of the Democratic National Committee chose him, at a pre-victory party Dean held in a microbrewery just blocks from DNC headquarters. Hundreds of his mostly young, mostly liberal supporters packed the place to hear Dean declare the Democrats to be the "party of the future." They also got a signal that he remained "their man," not the neutered version of himself that party insiders were still hoping he might become in his new role. When a backer bellowed the updated Harry Truman slogan that became a mantra for Dean's presidential campaign--"Give 'em hell, Howard!"--a wicked grin rippled across Dean's face. "I'm trying to be restrained in my new role," he chirped. "I may be looking for a three-piece suit." Then he burst into laughter and exclaimed, "Fat chance!"

That is from The Nation.
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20050307/nichols

More from the article:

The crowd cheered. Reporters flipped open notebooks. A faint shudder was heard from the offices of Congressional Democratic leaders. And Republicans, recalling the Iowa caucus incident that so damaged Dean's presidential prospects, repeated their tired take on the Vermonter's political resurrection: "It's a scream."

Historically, the DNC has rubber-stamped as chairman the choice of whatever establishment figure was calling the shots--a President, former President, Congressional leader or big contributor. But with Kerry defeated, Bill Clinton retired and Democratic Congressional leaders struggling to remain afloat in the GOP tide, the way was clear for something Democrats hadn't seen in years: a genuine contest. The competition suited Dean and the activists, but it horrified Beltway Democrats. Much of the griping about Dean by the party's Washington elites and their amen corner in that city's punditocracy was rooted in their faith that the DNC chairman was supposed to be someone like them: a DC veteran who knew more about where to grab lunch near K Street than about the best diner in Keokuk, Iowa. Thus, they cheered as House minority leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate minority leader Harry Reid (as well as Kerry) all moved to block Dean's return to the fray. They never quite figured out that Dean was going to win because he'd been to that diner in Keokuk, and he'd met there with beleaguered grassroots Democrats who appreciated his saying, "We need to be proud to be Democrats"--and appreciated even more his suggestion that the way to express that pride is as a genuine opposition party.

Outside the brewery that night.

I doubt he ever really even thought about getting fitted for that 3-piece suit ever again.

His good interview with Wolf this week, still sounding a lot like he did then.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_O1tP2EWBE0

And he shows his respect for the blogosphere in this interview. He know they are the instruments for change.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/552

[napi21]

1. We the Democratic grass roots chose him as our Chairman, and

I think we made a GREAT choice! No matter what happens on Tuesday, under the old McCollough regeim, we wouldn't have even been competitive in many of the toss up seats today!)

It's the first time since I've lived in Ga (since 2000) that the incumbant Pugs have a competitor on the ballot!

Ilove to listen to Dean when he's on a TV interview. He's also gotten good at handling the damn media.

[madfloridian]

3. He said more in 6 minutes today than Cheney did in 25 on ABC

He followed Cheney and got about 6 minutes. Talk about fair and balanced time? But George is like all the others now, spinning. George wanted to pin down taxes and ignore other issues basically.

They dishonestly advertised his appearance was to talk about the Kerry issue....and it was not even mentioned at all. Which is how it should be.

[Infinite Hope]

2. Funny, I always saw him as a modern day Truman. n/t