How did Dean surge to the front?

[killbotfactory]

Nice article.

Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean and four advisers huddled in his room at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill hotel in Washington, D.C.

It was Feb. 21. In 20 minutes, Dean had to go downstairs and appear before 370 delegates attending the Democratic National Committee's winter meeting, the last of four party presidential prospects to speak that day.

Dean had flown into the nation's capital from California the night before and had had only two hours' sleep. He had no prepared speech, and there was uncertainty among his staff over what he ought to say.

Dean knew he could go after President Bush, as his predecessors to the podium had done; but another, more risky strategy tugged at him. Even if it was a meeting of party bigwigs, why not go into that ballroom and attack his own party's leadership for failing to stand up to Bush on the looming Iraq invasion, his tax cut and other issues?

Good question. At that moment, Dean was barely a blip on the nation's political radar, an ex-governor from a tiny state with nothing to lose. Dean started jotting his thoughts on the back of an envelope.

The result was a 12-minute speech that would transform the face of the 2004 Democratic presidential race. For anyone who wonders how Dean turned himself from dark horse to frontrunner for the party's nomination in eight short months, this is where it started.

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/bfpnews/news/1000h.htm

[alexwcovington]

1. woot

[mandyky]

2. Yep, brought me to tears...

I could not let Joe Trippi tear up alone!!

[Cha]

3. By saying what he thinks and Not wrapping it around

some "political correct" hankie.


Thanks for this...need something positive on Dean Right Now! :D

[Cha]

4. After reading the article....

I got a wee bit emotional myself!

"Congratulations on the blog!" wrote one respondent that night. "Hopefully you will continue your blog through eight years in the White House. Al Gore may have invented the Internet, but you, my friend, have mastered it."



"Looking back, three factors probably caused financial floodwaters to break Dean's way: a high-powered formal announcement speech in Burlington on June 23, a first place showing in June 22-26 Internet-based MoveOn.org electronic primary and, of all things, a lackluster performance on NBC's "Meet the Press" show June 22.

According to Trippi, online donations to the campaign skyrocketed in the hours after the show aired. His explanation: People thought host Tim Russert was unfair to Dean and voted their disapproval with their dollars."

[blm]

5. He had been attacking the others for 4 weeks at that point.

Why act like it was a big leap for him?

What he did was portray himself as a populist fighter when his record, which few people knew of at that time, was one of a longtime compromising centrist who aligned most often with the GOP and AGAINST Democrats.

Funny, isn't it, that Dean can spend his entire career as governor attacking the Democrats in his state from the right, and then turn around and get people to believe that his attacks on the Democrats are from the left?

[Upfront]

12. Dang

He must be smart.

[blm]

14. Clever, yes...honest, no.

It shows a disdain for your audience when you use rhetoric knowing most of them will believe what you say and not question the truth of what you have done.

[polpilot]

6. Honest, direct converse. Waffle free directives that have bamboozled

the other camps. Brilliance that has the opposition seething and his opponents are now committing error after error as they race to the precipice!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dean '04...

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

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[Pavlovs DiOgie]

8. I was just going to post this!

This is probably the best article explaining Dean's success I've read to date. It made me reminisce to the time I started paying attention to Dean, and the things he said that hooked me, and the way I got so excited when he'd succeed one small step at a time.

I just spent brunch with Zephyr Teachout, who is on the Dean beast (scary bus they are driving across country). She and her companions are meeting with supporters in 30 states over 2 months to find out what's on their minds locally and nationally, and to offer support and help on organizing locally. She reminded us that WE are the campaign, that they are not trying to control the way we get the message out. She's the most down to earth and energetic person! Exactly who I'd expect to be representing Governor Dean.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

11. Brunch with Zephyr?

Very cool!

[Egnever]

13. Zephyr rocks!

If you get a chance to meet her on the bus tour I highly recomend it!

[Egnever]

9. Add me to the teared eye club

Dean, who had just arrived, was stunned. His campaign hadn't organized this event. Instead, the crowd of 500 was there because they had tapped into a Meetup site on the Internet that told them he would be there.

"I guess people pay attention to the Net around here," he joked as he made his way inside.

Brian Schaitkin, a Columbia University junior who was at the Essex that night, said the feeling in the bar was electric.

"There was the feeling that 'Hey, we are capable of building a movement that can successfully compete with traditional campaign tactics on any level,'" Schaitkin said. He said that he's since spotted many of those who were at the Essex at other Dean events around New York City.



We WIL be taking our country back!

[Maccagirl]

10. Five words: I want my country back!

My head says "Clark" and my heart says "Kucinich"-but I will vote for Howard Dean on November 2, 2004, if he wins the nomination.

[Padraig18]

15. My heart and my head say:

Dean/Clark in '04! :hi:

[DrFunkenstein]

16. Very Well Written

I'll temporarily forget that the campaign was ceaselessly nasty to one of the most bedrock members of the Senate, and just say it makes for a moving story.