The Nation's John Nichols speaks at Dean Meetup in Madison, Wi

[CMT]

Tonight John Nichols the Washington correspondent for The Nation magazine and editorial page editor of the Wisconsin Capital Times spoke at the Dean Meetup in Madison, Wisconsin. First of all he said he wasn't there to endorse Dean "or anybody else" but was invited to give his observations of the campaign. I took some notes of what he said:

"This campaign has done some amazing stuff over the past year and it could change the country and world in another year and a half."

He said that every successful campaign has to have the "ability to anticipate the center of gravity". Dean understood that Democrats in this country were furious at their party because they have lost too many elections because they didn't fight for their fundamental ideas. In short, they caved in to the GOP too much. For instance in 2002 the Democrats didn't give the party any real reason to get out and vote. The core GOP vote in that election was up 4% while the core Democratic vote was down 2%. Rank and file Democrats were mad and Dean got it.

He said that contrary to popular belief Dean's real strong point isn't his stand on Iraq but that he "talked agressively about what Democrats should do" and was willing to agressively take on Bush. This is what Democrats want--a real opposition party.

He said that Dean has done a good job of reaching out to white, middle class, progressives and Democrats and said the challenge for all of us is to bring in people of color (there were more there tonight than other Dean meetups I've been to) and unions. He said that to his credit the Dean campaign recognizes it and has begun major out reaches to the minority community and has begun a major initiative to reach out to unions. He commented that when he went to the Communications Workers Of America Convention in Chicago a couple of weeks ago he heard both Gephardt and Dean speak. Gep made a good impression but it was Dean who really roused the audience and he senses that Labor is looking for a winner to back in 2004 and they are leary of endorsing someone like Gep who, though, strong with unions doesn't have a lock on the rank and file and many labor leaders and Nichols pointed out the major labor activists in Iowa who last weekend endorsed Dean.

He asked for a show of hands of people who have never worked on a campaign before and about half raised their hands and he said that this is a major reason why Dean can't be underestimated. He told the story of a state senator from Minnesota who he knows well who told him he knows that the Dean phenomenon is real because, "when I go to a political event and there are hundreds of people I don't know--I take notice."

He said that part of Dean's appeal is that he doesn't speak down to people: "People try to figure out what John Kerry and John Edwards say but with Dean people nod and understand."

He said the Dean's campaign biggest assets are 1) technical savvy and 2) an innocent appeal to America's better nature."

The 220 people who were at Meetup thouroughly enjoyed this speech.

incidentally, he also spoke with and took questions afterwards for quite a while and said that he wouldn't be surprised if George McGovern endorsed the Dean campaign. One person said, "I don't know if that would be so great", Nichols said that with rank and file and activist Democrats it would be a positive. That McGovern will support the eventual nominee anyway and in the primaries it would be a net plus.

[Cha]

1. I love reading John Nichols! I respect his writing! Nice Notes

you took on his talk, CMT! Thanks!

IMO..What a Coup!

[huckleberry]

2. Thanks for the report!

I agree with everything thing Mr. Nichols said. I first became interested in Gov. Dean due to his anti-war stance, but I was really won over by his not being afraid to take on bush and his policies. This is the first campaign to which I've donated money and purchased t-shirts, bumper stickers, mugs and window signs! I haven't been to a meet-up yet, but have been to a house party and an outreach meeting. I'm looking forward to the next house party and also plan to see Gov. Dean in College Park, MD!

[CMT]

3. Maryland is looking good for Dean!!

A new poll gives him a 3-point lead in the state over Lieberman who had been leading in the statewide polls.

[tedoll78]

4. Nichols hits on something I've been dwelling on for a while.

Dean is bringing TONS of new voters into the process. I seriously wonder if the polling data is calculating this factor into the numbers.

[Cha]

5. Probably not!

I don't trust the polls! Oh well ..it's just going to be a Big Surprise!

[DrFunkenstein]

6. I Highly Respect Nichols

Praise coming from him is never a bad thing.

And , personally, I love George McGovern. He writes some fanstastic stuff in The Nation. From a PR point of view, I'm not sure how it will play, but Dean seems to be re-writing alot of rules lately.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

7. McGovern article in Harpers

Several months ago, called "The Case for Liberalism", was brilliant. He's a great writer.

[CMT]

8. he also said he just did a cover story for The Nation

on Dean--which will be a balanced look at the man.

[CWebster]

9. This genuinely impresses me

because John Nichols genuinely impresses me.

It would be such an asset if these gatherings could continue past the elections and be a feature of grassroots town meetings.