The Return of Howard Dean

[babylonsister]

The Return of Howard Dean

June 01, 2009 11:36 AM


Klein ABC News’ Rick Klein reports: Attendees at this week’s gathering for progressive activists in Washington, the “America’s Future Now” conference, aren’t getting an appearance from President Obama.

But they are hearing from Howard Dean.

As Congress prepares to take up health care reform efforts in earnest, Dr. Dean is reemerging as a major voice inside the Democratic Party -- playing an inside-outside game that’s might make him to health care what former Vice President Al Gore is to the environment.

Suddenly, Dean is everywhere, talking up the issue that first animated his presidential candidacy in 2004 (though would later become subsumed by the war in Iraq).

He’s out with a new e-book next week offering his “prescription” for health reform. He’s just been named chairman of the Progressive Book Club, a new idea factory for the political left.

Through the Democracy For America network that grew out of his campaign, he’s traveling the country to tout health care reform, with today’s appearance at the progressive conference the latest attempt to fire up the grassroots.

Last week alone, he appeared at town-hall style meetings in Denver, Des Moines, and Wilmington, Del., to talk about the importance of major health care reform. That's on top of Web chats, robo-calls, and conference calls with key constituency groups.

“This is Dean's latest crusade, prodding Congress -- and prodding Americans to prod Congress – to pass the type of health care reform President Obama proposed last year on the campaign trail,” Jill Lawrence writes for Politics Daily.

more...

http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2009/06/the-return-of-howard-dean.html

[dionysus]

1. go Howard!

:woohoo:

[Iwillnevergiveup]

2. K&R

Must be something awfully good in the water in Vermont - Howard Dean & Bernie Sanders. Fighters!:yourock:

[Justitia]

3. One guy I can always trust to fight for us. He's heroic on this issue.

Once again, Doc, all these years later, thanks again for speaking for me.

You are still top of the hill in my book.

[janx]

4. It's because of Howard Dean that I'm a registered Dem.

I was always an Indie before that. President Obama was one of the original "Dean Dozen" when Dean first started Democracy for America. I know that Dean knows best when it comes to health care reform.

[OhioChick]

5. K&R

Dean Rocks. :)

[Iwillnevergiveup]

6. This post needs

many more recs and kicks. Here's one.:kick:

[worthlesscitizen]

8. I got the K...

...but I'm too new to R, it seems.

[worthlesscitizen]

9. Or not--nevermind (nt)

[Vidar]

7. Thank you, Howard.

[Cha]

10. I knew Dr Dean would land

on his feet quite well..and this is what he's meant to do.

My faves..Gore, Dean, and Obama.

[janx]

19. We still think alike!

:hug:

[Cha]

22. We chose

well. :hug:

I may not have always made the right decisions in my life but going for our leaders wasn't one of them. :) I love Kerry, too.:patriot:

[mzmolly]

11. I always enjoy hearing from the good Dr.

:toast: I hope the White House will heed his visionary advice.

[cali]

12. this is dean's passion- healthcare reform

we need his voice.

[PassingFair]

13. Go Howard!

I'm flapping my gums at anyone who will
listen that we NEED a PUBLIC option or
"reform" will NOT happen.

[Missy Vixen]

14. One more time -- People-Powered Howard!

Just another guy who wants to see Americans with the best health care coverage possible.

He still screams for me! :woohoo:

[XemaSab]

15. Did he ever go away?

Not in this house! :D

[rucky]

16. Joining him is our best shot at the healthcare system we deserve.

This I'm sure of.

[tan guera]

17. I also love the good doctor

OT..yesterday there were 3 threads on which we were discussing the possibility of creating a viable third party. The threads have disappeared. They were very close to the top too. Is this normal for threads to go away so fast?

[rucky]

18. That's a DU rule.

To preserve the "Democratic" in DU.

[tan guera]

20. What exactly are you saying?

That *certain* subjects can't be discussed here? Were they removed becuz of content?

[madfloridian]

21. DU does not allow discussing third party formation.

[tan guera]

25. Why is that?

This seems very strange to me, since we live in a democracy.

[madfloridian]

27. I do not ever argue with admins or mods

So I guess there is a reason for it.

[rucky]

24. Yep.

It preserves what little accord we have here.

[Cha]

23. Surely you all can find another board

to get your 3rd party goin' on?

[babylonsister]

26. :). I didn't even notice. Dr. Dean rocking, he deserves

praise. :thumbsup:

[Cha]

30. I love Dean..got pics all over

my entertainment room like he's freakin' Rock Star..him, Obama, Biden, Kerry, Gore..oh, there's Jim Jeffords:patriot::patriot:

[emsimon33]

28. God bless Howard Dean!

[MattSh]

29. I, for one,

have always been ecstatic that Dr. Dean was NOT selected for the cabinet. Do you think he'd be allowed to push for this kind of change from *inside* the system?