Dean opens new office in Virginia---Virginia IS Dean Country!

[slinkerwink]

Virgina is Dean Country

"It was supposed to be a ribbon-cutting ceremony. A few words of welcome, a toast or two, maybe a tour of our 20-phone-line Virginia HQ. Dean Corps got into the action and urged attendees to bring donations for local shelters.

Within half an hour, though, the crowd was spilling out of the office onto the street outside. More than 400 sign-wielding enthusiastic Dean supporters crammed the front steps and sidewalk.

We're talking a full-blown, all-out rally -- and Governor Dean wasn't even there.

Don Beyer, the former state lieutenant governor and our campaign's national treasurer was shaking his head in disbelief. "Just like everything else in this campaign," he shouted over the chants of an enthusiastic, sign-waving crowd, "I've never seen anything like this before."

Alexandria Mayor and early Dean supporter Bill Euille was on hand -- you may remember his introduction of Gov. Dean at the kick-off rally of the Sleepless Summer Tour. So were State Sen. Leslie Byrne and Meredith Richards, the vice mayor of Charlottesville.

Inside, people packed the office -- mingling and visiting tables spread around the office where they could sign up to phone bank, travel to Iowa or New Hampshire, write letters for Victory Days or attend New Year for America House Parties.

After the opening, Dean Corps volunteers delivered two pickup truckloads -- check out the pictures -- of Thanksgiving food donations to local homeless shelters.

The Virginia Headquarters will be open from 9 to 9 (at least), seven days a week, from now until the February 10 primary."

Ben Stanfield, Joe Ross & Pam Mueller
Dean for Virginia HQ link: http://blog.deanforamerica.com

[JohnKleeb]

1. Its also my state

Big rally in Falls Church when I was on vacation I remember they had. IIRC Dean got Jim Moran's endorsement right? I think he also got that of the woman Moran was facing a primary challenge from. Moran isnt my congressman though, Wolf is. I dont know how the polls are lookin though.

[slinkerwink]

2. I think 400 people having a rally without Dean is pretty impressive......

;-)

[JohnKleeb]

9. Virginia is changing I think politically

Still though I wanna get out of the state, I want somethin new. I've seen a few Dean stickers out on the roads, hasnt been a topic at school but hey people aint that political I guess.

[pruner]

3. yeah… Moran endorsed him Monday night I believe

:)

[JohnKleeb]

7. Hes like a few districts away, nice pick up

[Scott Lee]

15. I used to live in Fairfax - went to GMU. Is it really changing?

When I was there in the early 80s it was conservative as hell. Is it that much different now?

[JohnKleeb]

19. I'd say so

Its moving more to the center not to the left but its better.

[caledesi]

25. Hey Scott Lee. Me too. Lived in Alexandria and went to GMU

1980-1982 then my husband I moved backed to our home state of RI. The people we hung around w/ was a "tennis crowd" and I have to say at that time I was not that political and all the friends we had neve even talked politics, but you could tell they were liberal-types.

[Scott Lee]

39. Hello caledesi!

Tennis crowd....not from the Westwood Country Club by chance (my folks had a membership there for awhile)?

As for GMU, I really had a great time there even though I changed majors. I was in the RussianStudies/PoliSci program but went to Art when I got disgusted with politics.

[Bombtrack]

16. Isn't Moran worried about Dean's family?

Those PEOPLE, after all are who Moran blamed the decision to go to war on, the jews.

[JohnKleeb]

20. Moran isnt my congressman bombtrack

Wolf is. So I dont know :shrug:

[Rose Siding]

4. This should give local pols so much courage

They are just blown away at the level of support

[slinkerwink]

5. that's why they should hitch their wagon to the Dean train!!!

:hi:

[bluestateguy]

6. 3 way race between Edwards, Dean and Clark

eom

[pruner]

8. if, in fact, it's a 3 man race…

I'd say it's Dean, Clark & Gephardt.

Edwards is not leading anywhere except his home state of North Carolina… where he loses to Bush.

[slinkerwink]

10. Edwards isn't leading in North Carolina

only in South Carolina.

[Hep]

12. Edwards is leading NC

Dean is in second. This is last I saw, a few weeks ago.

[pruner]

14. …

latest SC poll showed Clark in the lead.

latest NC poll showed Edwards in the lead (38%) and Dean in 2nd (25%)… they're the only two in double digits.

[slinkerwink]

17. thanks for the correction

I'm sure Dean will gobble up the lead in NC...

[Bombtrack]

22. NC doesn't even have a primary

at least not until mid to late spring, when it will almost certainly be all over.

[Bombtrack]

21. Atleast 2/3rds of the last 5-6 SC polls put Edwards in front

. You have to look at them in a group, not alone

[Bombtrack]

18. Edwards is leading in both Carolinas , plus Oklahoma

And he could also win Virginia and Tennessee, were he's been establishing parts of his campaign for months.

And these are just the early primaries we're talking about. Victories in these places could very well lead to victories in Georgia, Texas, and Florida.

[HFishbine]

23. Edwards leads among democrats in NC

43% to Dean's 25%. Trust me though, it's early here and with the primary not until May 4th, not much attention is being paid. Dean has huge meet-up attendence in NC and is raising more money in the state than any dem, including Edwards. Edwards by no means has a lock on NC.

If the race for the nomination goes down to the wire, NC may come into play and Edwards, no doubt, is the man to beat. But I have a feeling NC will be irrelevent for the nomination.

http://www.newsobserver.com/edwards/coverage/story/3025576p-2770984c.html

[Hep]

11. FUCKING SOUTH CAROLINA

What the hell? Sorry, but this is nuts. He HAS to open an office in SC.

[slinkerwink]

13. I think he already did

[SahaleArm]

24. Nope - Still no official SC office *nm*

[tsipple]

26. Info on Dean's South Carolina Offices

The Columbia office is on Gervais Street. I think there's a Charleston office, too, but I don't have the info on that.

Granted, of any campaign Dean's doesn't need the offices as badly, but they're opening (and have opened) a lot of them around the country.

[SahaleArm]

27. Offices will open in the next two weeks

The Dean advantages evident in other states are not as apparent in South Carolina. He is the only major candidate without a headquarters, though a campaign official said offices in Columbia and Charleston will open in the next two weeks.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2003/11/22/gephardt_sees_sc_as_spark_in_campaign/

[Hep]

38. It's about damn time.

n/t

[Michael Harrington]

28. If you want to win Virginia as a Democrat...

You have to concentrate on certain areas. You have to look to: the northern VA suburbs around DC, the areas around Richmond and Portsmouth and Newport News and back here in and west of the Blue Ridge in Coal Country.

Actually, although Southside is usually solidly Republican, they (and this is true of a lot of typically conservative areas of both Carolinas) have been hit really, really hard by manufacturing job losses in the last few years and I think maybe, with the right salesman (like Dean), they might see that those people standing behind them ramming the 2x4's up their asses aren't really their pals, after all.

[Zech Marquis]

29. Portsmouth is where I am

the Churchland area actually, and yes we vote Democrat in big, big numbers. So if Dean or anyone in the Dean camp is reading his, just give me a ring and I'll start up a local HQ right here :evilgrin:

[Zomby Woof]

31. they'll allow the 2x4's

The 2x4's have pictures of Saddam on them and quotes by Bush about "The War on Terra" and other fear motivators. Plus, they all too deeply buy into the social conservative bullshit that rails against abortion, gay rights, and the Pledge of Allegiance. Take away their jobs? Sure! But don't take away their flags and bibles.

The Republicans will keep winning Virginia for the foreseeable future.

[Zomby Woof]

30. that isn't too flattering for Dean

Virginia is a Republican pit. I lived there for many, many years. You can be assured they will go with Bush in 2004, as they have voted Republican in every presidential race save one since 1952.

It's bible-belt America at its worst. Backwards, Republican to the extreme, and home to Falwell and Robertson.

Dean will not win Virginia. I will say that with 99.9% certainty. I am doubtful any of the Dems running will win Virginia.

[Gin]

32. Gov. Mark Warner (a Dem. ) won.....sooo....it's very possible.

If we go to touchscreen voting machines with no paper audit, and wireless modems inside...we can kiss all races goodbye.

I'm am in Va Beach..we all need to contact the Va. Congressmen and women to co-sponsor HR 2239. Go to verifiedvoting.org to find out who is on board.

Take action...remember what happened to Cleland in Georgia!

[slinkerwink]

33. yeo....

:-)

[Zomby Woof]

35. BIG differences between the state and national races

As I told the other poster, Mark Warner was running against someone even most Republicans wouldn't touch. But most Dem governors in Virginia were centrists/conservatives and shysters, like Robb and Wilder. Warner may be better, who knows?

But look at the 2 Repub jerkwads VA has in the Senate. The perpetually stupid (I am talking brick stupid) and perpetually re-elected John Warner, and George Allen.

If I were you, I'd be real cautious with your optimism. Dean is conservative enough to do well in Virginia, but not conservative enough to win.

[Zomby Woof]

34. Warner ran against a fruitcake

It was no surprise he won.

Virginia always alternates between Dem and Repub governors, and you have the worst of both parties (Robb was governor the last time I lived there, but I saw later after I left that Wilder was even worse, and all the Repubs were the bottom of the barrel).

I am talking strictly presidential races. I lived in Va Beach too, for over 12 years, so you have my condolences.

[janx]

36. How sweet! I love the pics.

Go Virginia!

[slinkerwink]

37. thanks!:hi: