Dean's bat: $12.5 million. Only a little under $2.5 million to reach goal!

[w4rma]

It's In Your Hands

You did it. You put the second bat to bed.

Howard Dean called on Americans to step forward and participate in the political process -- and the response has been overwhelming.

As Joe Trippi wrote last night, we've been working hard to get a handle on how much you've raised. The bats have become unstoppable because you are unstoppable. Checks mailed the old fashioned way, donations by phone, and even totals from house parties all come in with the same instructions: put this on the bat.

So now it's all up there. You have raised more than $12.5 million this quarter. We've still got three bats to go, each worth $1 million, but now you can see the magnitude of what you've done. Tens of thousands of Americans have made it known that they are tired of politics as usual. You are proving that small donations can compete with big-money special interests.

Our goal is $15 million. That's $15 million to spread the message that we can bring back a sense of responsibility for each other. That's $15 million to help make the case for fiscal sanity, a real commitment to homeland security, and affordable health care that can never be taken away. That's $15 million in small contributions to show certain people in Washington that the era when money buys influence and special interests write our laws is coming to an end.

We will make our stand for all these things during these three days. If you're ever going to contribute, now is the time. You can make it happen.

Posted by Joe Rospars at 12:20 PM
http://blog.deanforamerica.com/archives/001614.html

[Pavlovs DiOgie]

1. Yowza!!

:toast:

[Rose Siding]

6. 146,629 contributions

Amazing

[wryter2000]

2. This is astonishing!

Our candidate needs mega-bucks to beat Whistle Ass. Dean can do it.

[Rose Siding]

3. Making history

and I'm a part of it. Whether the Bigs can be whipped or not, I'll always be proud to have been a part of this. I'll vote for the Dem but if it isn't Dean, there will be an enduring resentment that more people didn't grab control from the aristocracy when they had the chance.

Dean heard this as the people's core worry and adapted his campaign to revolutionize the process. He began his run with good ideas, took them to the people, then listened. From his announcement:

I believed that, by running for President, I could raise the issues of health care for every American and the need to focus on early childhood development. I wanted to bring those issues to the forefront of the national debate. And I wanted to balance the budget to bring financial stability and jobs back to America.

Most importantly, I have wanted my party to stand up for what we believe in again.

But something changed along the way as I listened to Americans around this country. On my first trip to Iowa I heard people speak of a profound fear and distrust of multi-national corporations. From New Hampshire to Texas I met Americans doubting the words of our leaders and our government in Washington. Every where I go people are asking fundamental questions: Who can we trust? Is the media reporting the truth? What is happening to our country?

The Americans I have met love their country. They believe deeply in its promise, our values and our principles. But they know something is wrong and they want to take action. They want to do something to right our path. But they feel Washington isn't listening. And as individuals, they lack the power to change the course those in Washington have put us on.

What they know is that somehow 7 trillion dollars of our country's wealth disappeared. Nearly 1 in 10 retired people have had to return to the workforce because they have lost their pensions. Young people are returning to live at home after graduating because they cannot find work.

Companies are leaving the country to avoid paying taxes, or to avoid paying people livable wages. And corporations are doing this with the support of the government and a political process in Washington that they rent -- if not own.

This was the fear that James Madison and Thomas Jefferson spoke of -- the fear that economic power would one day try to seize political power.

http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=6455&security=1&news_iv_ctrl=1321

[expatriot]

4. OK, the wife'll be pissed but the credit card bill won't come for a month.

Another $50 for Dean...

[gully]

5. I contributed a wee bit more.. Thanks!

:kick:

[w4rma]

7. kick for history in the making!

:kick:

[w4rma]

8. GD needs more positive threads!

:kick:

[RetroLounge]

9. OK, I just donated again.

:kick:

Kick for the biggest bat on the block!

[deutsey]

10. Yea!

:bounce:

This is amazing...

[w4rma]

11. Lots of visitors to GD today! Threads are falling off quick!

:kick:

[Jacobin]

12. Sending him my October $100 a couple of days early

:-)

:bounce:

:bounce:

[w4rma]

13. More positive threads in extremely fast moving GD!

:kick:

[JNelson6563]

14. Go Dean!!

Incredible numbers! Amazing campaign--quite a thing we are witnessing here.

Julie

[w4rma]

15. Positive GD threads!

:kick:

[w4rma]

16. Go bat!

:kick: