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By Mark Orth...me :)
"Some people are what the times demand and life without them seems impossible...But it is possible. He made it possible." So begins the movie Michael Collins about the Irish rebel of the same name, arguably the architect of the Irish Republican Army. And yet, as I watched the first moments of this fine film recently, I had to think of how apropos these words were of another, more recent rebel, Howard Dean. On Monday January 19th 2004 millions of people loyal to the candidacy of the former Vermont Governor were forced to accept the mortality of his campaign and the fallibility of Joe Trippi. They were forced to deal with the unpleasant possibility that Howard Dean's name might not be on the ballot this November and they would have to choose between what they see as the lesser of two evils...again. Something had gone horribly wrong. What was it? Thousands of these millions of these loyals were slapped with the reality that devotion does not equal results in the world of politics. Was it the orange hats? Were there too many letters? phone calls? door knocks? Were the volunteers not properly trained? How, with all the time and money, was the campaign not prepared for the caucus process? Did someone in the campaign actually tell Howard to go out there and get the troops fired up on that fateful night of the primal scream?
Regardless of what happened, the New Hampshire primaries loom like so many snow laden clouds and, unless Joe Trippi can make a lot more people forget about that scream and remember why they were interested in Dean in the first place the greatest political movement in the US since Gene McCarthy and Bobby Kennedy might be headed for a brick wall. And while even thinking of this moment would, no doubt, reduce even the machoest of Deaniacs to tears there is consolation. Even if the hopes of Howard Dean as Aragorn facing off against George W. Bush's Sauron die tomorrow Howard Dean has radically altered this year's race for the Presidency. Howard Dean took a race that was shaping up to be Bush vs. Bush-lite and a cast of impossibles and called all of the Bush enablers in the race on the carpet.
"What I want to know is what in the world so many Democrats are doing supporting the President's unilateral intervention in Iraq? What I want to know is what in the world so many Democrats are doing supporting tax cuts, which have bankrupted this country and given us the largest deficit in the history of the United States?" This is how Howard Dean started his address to the California State Democratic Convention on March 15th 2003 and the heads of half of America turned. With those 2 questions Governor Dean may have saved the Democratic party, which may or may not turn out to be a good thing. Tens, nay, hundreds of thousands of idealists ready to give up on a laughable opposition party decided to take a second, or third, look. Here was a man calling, not just for opposition to the war in Iraq, but for universal health care. Here was someone saying not only that we should have these things, but that it's OK to demand them, because, he reminded us, they've been on the party platform since Harry Truman and, since they were not yet realized, that someone has been dropping the ball.
As these people continued to watch the short man from Vermont, and as they told their friends and family about him, they realized they weren't just getting someone who could raise his voice. Here was a man that was attractive, had a solid record, and, most importantly, sounded nothing at all like a politician. Time and again as the national media said "he's done it this time, no way he survives" the loyal masses grew more devoted to him, breaking bat after donation bat, realizing the uniqueness of the opportunity they had in front of them. So great was this devotion that they responded to the challenge of the establishment democrats and the Heinz fortune by raising more money, Seventy-seven dollars at a time, than any democrat ever, including Bill Clinton.
As time went on and the rest of the field realized they were not going to be able to easily bring this man down they decided to adapt. Indeed, support for Bush's war seemed like it wasn't such a great thing all of a sudden. Tax cuts seemed irresponsible. Candidate after candidate came out with a plan to give all americans access to health care. Most importantly, they all started going after Dubya. The man who once seemed so popular that no one should utter a negative word about him was painted as what he is, public enemy number one. Dean told the truth about what Bush was doing and what the establishment dems were letting him get away with.
This election is a whole different race now. It's not going to be "we're like him, but with less balls". It's going to be "that man is your enemy and we have to stop him". Howard Dean made this happen and don't kid yourself, neither Dennis Kucinich nor Ralph Nader could have done the same thing.
The Tuesday after the Iowa debacle I, like many other Dean supporters received something in our e-mail inboxes from Clark supporter Michael Moore. An excerpt reads:
"You inspired an entire nation to stand up to George W. Bush. Your impact on this election will be felt for years to come. Every bit of energy you put into Dr. Dean's candidacy was -- and is -- worth it. He took on Bush when others wouldn't. He put corporate America on notice that he is coming after them. And he called the Democrats out for what they truly are: a bunch of spineless, wishy-washy appeasers who have sold out the working people of America. Everyone in every campaign owes you and your candidate a huge debt of thanks."
Now, while that will be small consolation to us Dean supporters if we cannot watch Howard Dean take on George Bush head to head it may have to be enough, and it should not be minimized, especially by our harshest critics, ourselves.
Ironically, if Dean bows out, the greatest threats to the democrats may not be George Bush, but DLC gurus Al Fromm and Bruce Reed. For it is they that decided early on that Howard Dean, and not George W. Bush needed to be stopped. Indeed, perusing though the DLC's web site you might be surprised if you tried to figure out who was on what side. And criticism is OK. It's a free country, for now, after all. The only problem is that Mr. Fromm and Reed seem to have learned neither from 2000 nor 2002. And while Al Gore's loss can be blamed on any number of factors, the votes for Ralph Nader require some consideration. For, if say, John Kerry or John Edwards, are able to send Dr. Dean back to Burlington, the DNC will be coming to us millions of Dean supporters, hat in hand, and saying something like "all's fair in love and war".
I still hope that Howard Dean will be on the ticket in some manner come November. That is why I sent him more money today. That is why I took time away from my family to walk through snow in sub-zero weather in Newark, Delaware this past weekend. That said, someone, somewhere had better figure out a way to make peace between the various factions within the democratic party because bad as we know George Bush is, sometimes the most painful wounds come from those the closest to you and revenge, still, is a dish best served...cold.
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