So what do you think of Howard Dean and the DNC now?

[last1standing]

"They" said Dean couldn't pull it off.

"They" said that the DNC would have to cut corners and possibly even a day off of the convention because of a lack of funds.

"They" said that Dean couldn't bring us all together under one roof and have us unite.

"They" said a lot of things and once again they were proved wrong by the greatest leader the DNC has seen in my lifetime.

Thank you Howard!

Thank you DNC!


Edited to add: As some suggested below, let's show the good doctor some love and help our Democrats get elected at the same time!
https://www.democrats.org/page/contribute?source=NETA454

[cliffordu]

1. K&R

[Arugula Latte]

2. I love the Good Doctor!

I'll always be grateful to Howard Dean. I hate to think where we'd be with out him ... :toast:

[DeanDem10]

32. Less Than Two Weeks Ago I Spoke Briefly with HD

I thanked him for contesting my state (Virginia) and for transforming the Democratic party.

And this week he has done this! I couldn't be more thankful or more proud to have supported Howard Dean for Pres and his effort to rebuild the Democratic party. I was there at GWU in Washington DC when he announced he was running for DNC chair. And now, his 50 strategy is a first step to a permanent Democratic majority. But that's not where his ideas end. There are numerous other things he's done to improve voter lists (though there is still progress to be made), automation (McCauliff brought us out of the stone age, but Dean really brought true innovation to the party, its website, its canvassing and house party tools, etc.)

Obama is the success the he is in part because of the way the Dean campaign led the way on internet funding, database management, ideas for individual involvement and more. As a US Senate candidate, Obama was the very first "Dean Dozen" Nominee to be funded by Democracy for America (DFA2). Many Dems didn't or wouldn't believe us that Howard Dean was something special and someone with ideas to transform us. But Barack Obama knew.

Obama has taken this nomination and run with it, made it his own. But more than that, Dean Democrat Barack Obama is a candidate for the ages. He's a once in a lifetime candidate.

[Arugula Latte]

33. Agree totally. You put into words what I was too lazy to type.

:) :toast:

[Frances]

3. I thank Dean for all he did for the convention

but also for his 50 state strategy

[XemaSab]

4. *I* was just heading here to ask

"What do y'all make of Obama giving the VERY FIRST shout-out to Howard?" :o

Clearly Obama feels that he owes a debt to the man.

I would LOVE to see Howard as health czar or some other position in an Obama administration.

[last1standing]

9. It's a symbiotic relationship.

Without Dean I don't think Obama could have developed the fundraising or the 50 state strategies, but it took Obama to realize what Dean sought to do in 2004.

If either of them had not given the other the respect and support the other needed we wouldn't have just watched one of the defining moments in history tonight.

[XemaSab]

11. Exactly

:fistbump:

[HardWorkingDem]

5. Howard is the unsung hero....

God, who would have thought how things would have turned out with what was going on during the primaries?

Thank goodness for the foresight of people like Dean.

[Cosmocat]

23. Every now and then, some brain dead repuke ...

makes a comment about Dean - the usual talking point about the "sceam" or whatever.

I then say that it was a shame that the country lost the chance to have an intelligent, passionate and decent man like him as president, that the "scream" was what it was, a genuine moment of emotion that everyone SAYS they want from their pols, and that he got ran out of his campaign for it.

They then say something stupid and condending, he is an idiot or whatever.

I then, say, as much as it was a shame for the country, it worked out for the democrats, because:

When he took over as DNC head, the republicans had the presidency, a majority in both the senate and house, a majority of governorships and a majority in the majority of state chambers ...
Now, the Ds have a majority in both the Senate and House, a majority of Governorships and a majority of majorities in state chambers ...

That kind of shuts them up.

[madfloridian]

6. Also they said he couldn't raise money.....he outraised McAuliffe.

And they kept it sort of secret, pretended he didn't. Not even the bloggers took up for him.

Aha, I was right. Dean did indeed outraise McAuliffe.

From Jan. 1, 2001, when Terence R. McAuliffe took over the committee, through March 31, 2004, the DNC raised approximately $127 million in funds that could be spent directly on campaign activities. Between Jan. 1, 2005, and March 2008, the DNC raised $190 million, considerably more.

[last1standing]

13. The difference is that Dean didn't hoard the cash to spend on his friends.

He sent it out to all 50 states to build infrastructures and to ask everyone for their votes. That takes cash but we saw the results in 2006. Soon we'll see it again.

[lapfog_1]

7. Everyone, if you loved this convention...

Donate to the DNC. Even $20 would help.

I'm donating $50 next Friday... I just donated $50 tonight to Obama (now over $250 personally, but tonight's donation was under the DU umbrella. We have another $24,000 to go to meet the DU goal of $50K...)

[knixphan]

8. Big ups for the Deaniacs

We got it goin' now.

Onward!

[scarletwoman]

10. Very happy to give your post the 5th rec. Dean has been the best thing to happen to the Democratic

party in DECADES! Mad props to Howard Dean! :applause:

sw

[Fleshdancer]

12. I knew he was a perfect for leading the DNC

We took back the House and Senate and soon we'll have the WH. You would have to be nuts to think Dean had nothing to do with our progress over the past 4 years.

I know people were worried about this convention but I thought it was incredible. Thank you Dr. Dean and thank you DNC!

[Ian David]

14. Howard Dean GOOD! Nancy Pelosi and Harold Ford BAD! n/t

[last1standing]

15. I can't argue that.

Especially Ford. I'd be happy to see him disappear from the political scene.

[avaistheone1]

17. I'll drink to that.

:beer:

[orleans]

20. agree. dean did a great job. pelosi got TOO MUCH air time

i had to turn off the sound or change the channel every time she showed up. (but, i doubt it was howard's fault. it's that damn camera operator who couldn't just cut to the audience for five or ten minutes)

cnn cracked me up the first day of the convention when they didn't bother showing her speech or whatever the hell she was saying (the cnn "panel" just kept yakking away--but they did show jesse jackson jr. when he came out after nancy! HA!)

[kaygore]

16. To honor Dean, we should all donate to the DNC!

[last1standing]

19. Very good idea from you and others.

I've added a link to the OP.

:hi:

[kaygore]

31. Thank you

[lojasmo]

22. I have been ever since he was elected chair. !11eleventy111!!

[Indiana_Dem]

18. Yes. I've been contributing to the Obama campaign but the DNC

needs a little love tonight! I've gotta help pay for those fireworks!

[eridani]

21. You know what's really amazing?

Four years ago very few politically active average people even knew or cared who the chair of the DNC was. I had no clue who my state DNC reps were. I found out in order to lobby them to elect Dean as the chair, and it certainly isn't the last issue I've lobbied them about.

[blm]

24. And now time to concentrate on SECURING the election process - stop the PURGE of Dem votes.

Convention is over - SECURE the VOTES.

[WA98296]

25. Thank YOU Howard Dean!

[ladjf]

26. We thank you Dr.Dean. You were just what we needed.

[jakem]

27. HOWARD DEAN ROCKS!!!!

[apnu]

28. I've always backed Dean, and knew he would do this.

He started the revolution, Obama is going to finish it.

[Mad_Dem_X]

29. I love him.

Howard is beyond awesome.

[harun]

30. He's our secret weapon