Dean said the Democrats got 75% of the Hispanic vote. 12:02 C-Span 2.

[madfloridian]

The press conference re-airs at 12:02 on C-Span 2 tonight.

I was surprised at that figure. He said although there was a problem with illegal immigration, the president overplayed it, made it the wedge issue.

Also the Democrats got 1/3 of the white evangelical vote. A reporter, I think from the Financial Times, asked if it was a third of evangelicals or of white evangelicals. The pollster said white evangelical.

He gave great credit to the unions and the progressives and bloggers for the get out the vote efforts. Made it clear the staff paid for by the DNC would stay there in each state, not leave.

And just as an aside....with all the talk about honoring primaries that has gone on here at DU tonight...I want to say this.

One reason so many of us support what Dean is doing is his philosophy about primaries being vital to the health of our party. Trust me, many in the party do not feel that way.

He believes that we make our choice in the primary, and vote with the party in the general, that the primary is vital to our Democratic process. Yet here some of us who feel strongly about the primary'e role are often put down for it.

Anyway it was a good conference. There is a replay going on now of all the press conferences today. Sadly they stuck the Bill Richardson one about the governorship wins in early morning.

[jwirr]

1. I for one welcome them into out party and thank them for their help.

We have some issues that we will need to take very seriously in the coming years and this will insure that we seek a fair solution.

[madfloridian]

2. I agree.

Of course there are problems, but Bush has demonized them. It is terrible in South Florida, they are scared to death. Kids who were born here are losing health care it's getting so bad.

There are sensible ways, and that is what he was saying.

[noahmijo]

3. Latino here (but I look like a Greek I'm told) voted straight Dem

I am accepting any thank yous in the form of beer, cupcakes and hugs :)

Serious Note: I am thrilled that my latino brothers and sisters did not fall for the bullshit religious trap republicans have been playing on us for far too long.

[madfloridian]

4. Major thanks to you. Here's a drink for ya.

:beer:

I will pretend it's coke and join you.

[madfloridian]

5. He compares Bush as governor and as president.

Dean said he served with president Bush for 6 years as governor. He was very different than he has been as president. He was willing to compromise, and he worked with the Democratic majority in the TX house and senate. And then someone he didn't know became president. Moving to the far right, demeaning of people who disagree with him. Said it will be interesting to see if the president can adjust to the new reality that he is going to have to share power with those who don't share his desire to placate the extreme wing in his party.

Will be a challenge for the president, a challenge for us.