Dean Team: Thanks and please stick around

[TXvote]

February 19, 2004
An Open Letter to the Dean Team and Awesome Volunteers,

You have just made history with the biggest, earliest, youngest, most passionate campaign in a long time. The grassroots and internet strategies the Dean campaign implemented raised the bar for everyone. Today you will grieve the end of a movement determined to change a system and take back our country. Tomorrow I hope you find the time to reflect on the awesome powerful work you manifested supporting your candidate in the primaries.

The Dean campaign erupted with a message that we needed to take back America. And America stood up and followed Howard Dean faithfully because his message of accountability, affordable health care, and opportunity resonated in our hearts. A passionate orator, Dean rallies were electric. Dean brought the issues of Iraq and gay rights to the forefront of the national dialogue. He sincerely reached out to the young voters. Joe Trippi revolutionized e-organizing and brought another generation into the campaign. Everywhere in cities across the nation Dean meet-ups were filled with citizens willing and ready to participate. Beautiful grassroots groups like DeanCorps served communities through events like food drives. Dean appeared and America rose up.

Some will need to vent and be heard today and they are rightfully mad. For some of you this is your first political heartbreak. The Dean campaign was targeted from many directions and it got dirty early for you. You ran one heck of a large national campaign like a fine racehorse on a winning streak. It was inspiring. Sometimes you can do everything possible to battle the people that are working solely to bring you down and still they win that round. This kind of experience can make you bitter for years (trust me I know). The end of Howard Dean's campaign today should not be the end of the passion Dean supports have for a better America. Your great work cannot be measured by the end result alone. The hours and thoughtfulness, individual contributions and community actions, the dialogue and the planning for a better tomorrow, these will never be lost because that kind of gift is forever. I thank you for offering your passion to America. You have set a new ideal for community involvement. I beg you please, this year, because things could really get a lot worse, to work on the 2004 election. Maybe you can't "do" another candidate, but there are other issues that deserve your wholehearted support. Electronic voting comes to mind. Accountability is a task you are already versed in. I hope you can resist allowing your pain to keep you from participating. It will be interesting to see how Dean activists stay involved, just please stay involved.

That said, you have also just witnessed the brutal assault of a man you loved. Naturally you are traumatized and need time to heal. I want you to know I respect the battle you have just been in and most of us outside the campaign do not expect you to fall in easily behind another hopeful. Clearly the Dean camp is noted for being a thoughtful passionate crowd. I hope after the wounds begin to heal you will bring your voices and your dreams back to the 2004 election. Losing your presence would be a tragedy upon tragedy in an already tragic tale of a country lost on its path to a better tomorrow. Show up, we need you.

Be proud of what you have done. You have my gratitude and respect. Salut.

Peace,
Teresa
Austin, TX

PS I have seen some emerging ideas and strategies from the Dean camp already, this open letter is mostly for those who are still trying to figure out what they will do next.

[benddem]

1. The Deaners here continue

Today we cleaned the road we adopted as the "Friends of Howard Dean" and we plan on continuing to energize, recruit and point out the the lies of the current resident.:bounce:

[surfermaw]

2. Way to go Deanies

Dean is going to be something for Bush to reckon with yet, and you young people keep posting, especially about our blue Collar kids getting killed every day...don't let that slack, I am getting on in years and come here to find interesting informative information to post on other boards...

[Mr_X]

3. Dean

I wish dean didn't drop out. Well, at least he can still cause problems.