Dean sets new fundraising record for Dem Party....

[Darkhawk32]

According to Donnie Fowler....

Howard Dean Gets It

"The truth came out this week in Washington, DC. Howard Dean is not only keeping his commitment to organize the Democratic Party outside the DC Beltway, he has broken all DNC fundraising records during a non-election year.

Despite a Washington Post article two months ago where the usual anonymous "critics," "aides," and "sources" trashed Governor Dean's fundraising record, the DNC raised $51 million dollars in 2005, a record for a so-called off-year."

snippity snip snip...

"What's even more important is what Governor Dean is doing with the money. The DNC has helped hire talented, experienced, diverse political professionals in 43 states rather than paying for top-down consultants in Washington. He has traveled to every corner of the country, red and blue. And he understands that local folks know best when it comes to determining strategy and tactics. The Governor's commitment to building the party from the bottom up is real."


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/donnie-fowler/howard-dean-gets-it_b_13319.html

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Perfect!

The way to build the party is from the bottom up. Dean is doing a great job.

[Pirate Smile]

2. Kos has a National Journal article up about what Dean is doing as Chair.

It is a very good article.

"DNC: Spreading The Word. And The Boots.

"Howard Dean has turned out to be the biggest surprise of the season. He's a good man. And he truly gets it." Those are the words of Charles Soechting, the TX Dem chair who when Dean announced his bid for DNC chair had Soechting grtting his teeth. At the time, the Texan worried that Dean didn't get the problems parties grappled with and certainly didn't possess the regional sympathy to figure out how to win elections in the South.

But now, closing in on Dean's 1st anniversary as DNC chair, Soechting has seen enough to convince him that Dean "knows what it to makes Texas truly competitive."

Veterans of Dem politics who work on state and local campaigns are eager to praise Dean. In part, that's because Dean has devoted the bulk of the DNC's staff, energy and time to fulfilling his chairman's campaign promise: to revitalize the Dem Party at the precinct level.

Dem strategists in DC often ask their colleagues: "What is Dean good for?" They moan that he's not raising as much as money as they expected or his surrogates promised; that he hasn't been Joe Trippi-like and revolutionized the party's small donor outreach; that he can't shut his liberal mouth. Dean's admirers have ready counter-arguments, but they've lacked something tangible to bat down the critics. But now, they say, the party's investment in states is beginning to pay off.

There are approximately 1,963 election precincts in WV. At the beginning of '05, the state Dem Party could only identify six with active Dem organizers. Twenty years ago, WV Dems abandoned their precinct-level party building operations. Part of the problem was parochial: precinct chairs didn't trust county chairs, who didn't trust the elites running the state party, who certainly didn't trust the effete liberals running the national party. The cycle of neglect desiccated what organization remained.

full article posted at

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/1/5/153738/4426

[William Bloode]

37. Way to go Howard!

As a former, and present Deaniac i am very proud to have been a solid supporter of this man.

Lots don't like him because he speaks whats on his mind. But thats his very appeal to me.

The best way to shut up those critics is results, and he appears to be getting them.

[FreedomAngel82]

47. Isn't it amazing?

I love it. I love how no matter what we are: liberal, conservative, moderate we're all on the same page with grassrooting efforts and Dean is doing a wonderful job. I love how he's connecting with people and taking big money out of our party and still raising a lot of money and he's obviously making connections. Even my mother thinks Dean is perfect as party chairman and she wasn't a fan of him for president. I was so excited and happy when the DNC supported Dean for chairman. :) Now in 2008 I think we're going to do a great job and this year too!

[aquart]

79. We lost the nation at the precinct level.

And the idiots at the DNC didn't even notice.

I remember when my mom told me the local schoolboard had been swamped by rightwing fascists. In Queens. Where did they come from? And why was no one prepared to stop them?

[electropop]

80. "can't shut his liberal mouth."

They say that almost as if it's a bad thing. :crazy:

[Warpy]

3. This is the way the party has always worked!!!

Trying to whore after big corporate contributions while ignoring the party base has not worked in the past, does not work now, and will never work!! It's time to realize that and shift party priorities back toward the kitchen table issues that concern the party base.

[bettyellen]

4. kicking the DLC into irrelevence...

[sweetm2475]

22. AMEN to that!!!!!!!

[JeffR]

5. And of course WaPo

Will be printing a frontpage retraction of their bullshit story. Right?
:sarcasm:

[NoPasaran]

6. Dean is doing exactly what he said he would do

I'm proud to have supported him for DNC chair.

[crispini]

7. Yay, grassroots!

Let's rock and roll! Go Precinct Chairs!:woohoo::woohoo::woohoo:

[spooky3]

8. Dean scares the shit out of the Rethugs and their enablers.

I'm glad he does.

Congratulations on a record-breaking year!

[FreedomAngel82]

48. That's because they know he's a threat

As the Texas democratic party chairman said he's making Texas competable again! So anything is possible with that statement. This should worry the republicans. It would be an amazing victory I think if a democrat was to take Tom DeLay's seat.

[Deep13]

9. So much for contributors deserting us.

:toast:

[HR_Pufnstuf]

10. Raise it from the people and we will take back the party.

Because we won't need the corpses.


Hang tough Howard.

[MoJoWorkin]

11. Praise from a former foe?

I don't know all that much about Fowler-- has he ties to the DLC?
Clue me in, DU'ers.

[FreedomAngel82]

49. I'm not sure

I remember him from the tryouts last year. I believe he campaigned for Kerry didn't he? I'm glad he's supporting Dean. :D

[DinahMoeHum]

12. His brother Jim spoke at our Westchester (NY) DFA meeting last night.

and among those in attendance were 2 of the 5 (so far) declared candidates campaigning for the
Dem nomination in our bid to oust Repuke Sue Kelly (19th CD, NY): Jane Aydelott and John Hall.

Yes, THE John Hall, as in singer-songwriter, who penned songs like "Power" and "Still The One"

Just read a comment from the DailyKos article on this subject:

(snip)
Last Night With Jim Dean (4.00 / 2)
Interesting story from last nights Westchester DFA Meetup...
Jim Dean from DFA spoke, brilliantly, about the neccesity for grassroots organizing and challenging as many races as we can. It was very inspirational.
Before his speech John Hall and I went up to introduce ourselves. As he shook John's hand, Dean got a suprised look on his face. Then exitedly asked, wait, you're not THE John Hall are you? He then asked John for his autograph!!
He said he's interested in the race and in beating Sue Kelly!
Learn more about why John's past made Jim Dean want an autograph at:
http://www.johnhallforcongress.com

DISCLAIMER - Jim Dean, DFA, and Westchester DFA HAVE NOT yet endorsed any candidates in the race, just an interesting anecdote I thought you might enjoy.
(snip)

Aydelott's and Hall's websites can be found at this link:

www.take19.blogspot.com

:kick::kick::kick:

[stickdog]

68. John Hall at his best: Bonnie Raitt's "Takin' My Time"

Both he and Lowell George play their hearts out on this Bonnie Raitt classic:



If you don't have it yet, listen to it today.

[wryter2000]

13. Someone didn't get the memo

Everyone knows Dean is a maniac who will lose all the elections because he's not centrist enough. :sarcasm:

[Zynx]

14. I have a question:

What the hell are the Dean critics talking about when they say he isn't raising money?

[DinahMoeHum]

16. The critics are bitching because Dean is bypassing the usual

corporate fat-cats such as those who contribute to the DLC.

:kick:

[ClintonTyree]

74. He's still getting the corporate fat cat money..........

but more importantly he's getting the thousands upon thousands of donations from the "little people". "People powered Howard" is living up to his name. He crosses all gaps, from the large old money to the small new money, he reaches people, gives them hope and makes everyone feel that they're important to the cause, which they are.
The DLC attacked and attempted to derail his success as DNC Chair at first but I think even they're aboard the Dean train now. You can't argue with success and Howard has always been successful in reaching people.

[Mabus]

18. Way to go Howard

He came through town last year to kick off his Red State tour. He ended up with two SRO crowds - one at a public fundraiser ($5 a ticket - sold out in less than 2 hours) and a private one.

He is inspirational and a great fundraiser. I'm proud that I was a Dean delegate to the DNC in 2004.

[Douglas Carpenter]

20. read those article carefully - they are weasel words.

What those reports say is that contribution from major donors and lobbyist are down. I guess that supposed to be a bad thing?

[sandyd921]

51. Yes!

Contrast that with the repukes and the whole Abramoff scandal! O8)

[Zynx]

76. Major donors and lobbyists can kiss my....

well you get the idea. If we can raise money without them, we shouldn't take their money. It discredits our economic message.

[ginnyinWI]

26. spinning, as usual, I expect

Way to go, governor!! He's the kick in the butt the party's been needing.

[LittleClarkie]

40. I wonder if they're looking at the money he leaves behind in the community

Did they not have all the numbers?

[Pirate Smile]

59. Right. That seems to be a key factor frequently ignored. I've never

seen specific numbers but state and local complaints about the national DNC having fundraisers vacuuming up local money and taking it back to DC were definitely heard by Dean. He does tons of fundraisers but leaves the states and locals with the cash.

That is a huge difference and I've never seen any numbers quantifying what he helps them raise.

[IronLionZion]

43. jealousy rears it's ugly head

Dean is a people's Democrat. He doesn't ride around in limos and visit the usual fat cats, lobbyists, special interests, labor unions, corporations, etc. He goes after small donations from regular people and gets a lot...more than the fat cats could ever give.

[snowbear]

15. Will the national news EVER cover this story?

They love to bash Dean.. so when he has significant success like this, will they ignore it?

[DinahMoeHum]

17. They'll ignore it until it's too late, tee hee.

They ain't gonna know what hit them.

:kick:

[wryter2000]

29. Good point

They won't see it coming. Stealth! :evilgrin:

[Douglas Carpenter]

19. Is the bear catholic? does the Pope shit in the forrest?

[newsguyatl]

21. just think how well he'd be

running our COUNTRY right now.

[Cha]

36. Yeah, that would be

too Easy and Good for the USA!

We have to go through CRAP.

[NCarolinawoman]

23. Good for Howard! He and Wes Clark got me involved in politics!

Dean has been great for the grassroots movement in North Carolina!!!!

[William Bloode]

38. Yes he has.

A big howdy from another Carolina Deaniac. :hi:

[NCarolinawoman]

55. Well Hey there!!!! n/t

[radio4progressives]

24. And this excerpt:

Why, then, is Governor Dean still getting those nasty comments and misleading news articles about fundraising? Well, look at who is saying these things. Most of them are the Democrats who have made the same political and electoral mistakes over and over and over in the last ten to twenty years.Of course, there are many who take issue with Governor Dean's occasional controversial statements that make the Republicans happy and some Democrats fearful. Nonetheless, change is hard to face, so it is understandable that those who now have a smaller voice, less of a decisionmaking role, and lower consulting fees are fighting back.

The public relations problem Governor Dean faces is that his progress is not getting to the ears and pens of the national political press corps in Washington. Why hasn't the Washington Post, for example, written a front page story correcting it's originally incorrect piece in November?That's OK, though. If the Party can make electoral progress in 2006 and 2008, Washington might just embrace the new politics that Dean is helping create.

[radio4progressives]

25. This article puts the Big Lie to the PHONY DLC HYPE promoted by their ops

here on the du forum.

:applause:


So MrBenchely, Wolfy and all you Howard Dean attack dogs, you all have a number of apologies due and payable now.

C'mon pay up now......

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

61. Du'ers In Name Only.

[Dr Fate]

27. Keep it up, Dr. Dean-great job!!! n/t

!!!

[radio4progressives]

28. Considering the Real Story behind the Abramoff Scandal ...

Howard Dean is the poster child of REFORM in action for the party.

Considering the REAL story behind Abramoff, which is one of immense political and government corruption on every level, the smear articles blasting Dean for not pursuing these same donors is really astonishing.

And now that it appears (as naturally it would)that a few Dems have been tainted to various degress by the same scandal, it really is not a good idea for these Big Donor Whores to be out in front wielding their axes and swords on what Dean is attempting to do on behalf of rebuilding and repairing damage that the DLC has caused.

[PleadTheFirst]

30. Kickass. Go, Dr. Dean!

[Pharaoh]

31. If they don't fix the machines

I guess the point is moot..........

[radio4progressives]

33. you're perfectly correct..

have you ever noticed that no matter what very critical issue facing the America people nationally, voting machines, campaign reform, massive corruption in government, total lack of transparency, illegal wars, Big Business give aways, you name it - where the hell are the DLC on any of these issues? sound of crickets.. as they like to say.

[buddysmellgood]

60. Sadly, you are correct. And if we can't vote in new people, we can't vote

the money out of politics. And if we can't vote the money out, nothing will change.

[Rainscents]

69. Dean is working on that too! He is doing it throught local level!!!

Someone here posted tread about this issue yesterday!

[onehandle]

32. Go Howard! Flip Congress in 2006 and Impeach Bush! nt

[DanCa]

34. Howard has a head for numbers -

this role suits him.

[Historic NY]

35. Way to go Dr Dean...........your bedside manner is what this party needs.

[LittleClarkie]

39. Huzzah!

Dat's da Guvnor what did that.

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

41. Hey, hey! We knew you had the energy and ability for this job!!!

Way to go DNC Chair Howard Dean!!!!!

:applause:

[stepnw1f]

42. Great Job Dean... What's Wrong Schultz? (nt)

[xxqqqzme]

44. I hope everyone is supporting Howard

by signing up for a 'Democracy Bond'. It is an automatic monthly contribution 2 The Doctor's efforts. Go sign up now!

[StraightDope]

45. GO DR. DEAN!!!!

That's what I like to see, and let's be honest... Isn't this why most of us wanted the guy in charge of the DLC?

SD

[LittleClarkie]

46. How much of my membership renewal went towards that

Just wondering if I can puff out my chest too.

Maybe I'll go ask the DNC, unless one of youse guys knows.

Just wondering if an increase in memberships would feed into the record fundraising increase.

[jillan]

50. I got a bumper sticker from Dean today :)

As a thank you for contributing monthly to the DNC.

It's great!

Red on top/ BLUE on the bottom

Top line= Enough is enough
bottom= Vote Democratic
democrats.org

:dem:

[BigYawn]

52. GO Dean!!! I hope you will run for prez in 2008, I promise to work

my azz off if you do.

[Gronk Groks]

53. This is why everyone at DU needs to donate to the DNC...

...$10 a month is all it takes. If WE support Dean at the DNC, it won't have to go out and whore for the corporations. With 80,000 subscribers at DU that turns into $800,000 per MONTH!!!! That's $9.6 MILLION per year at the minimum level. They take it directly out of your checking account, you don't have to do anything except have the $10 there each month.

Are you willing to pay $10 a month for DEMOCRACY??? Or are you willing to let the Fascists turn this country into a police state???

Deaniac and contributer to the DNC...Johnny D...that be ME !!!

[Rainscents]

70. I am a proud Democracy Member!!!

[Kurovski]

54. Dean will turn the Democratic Party back into the party of the people

Let no one stop him.

Not the bullshitters, the worriers or most of all...THE DLC! :-)

[mzmolly]

56. And he did it without "Abramoff" and/or Corporate donations.

Dean RAWKS! :toast:

Paging Ed Schultz .............

[roguevalley]

57. Dean is the man. :) GO DEAN!

[Robbins]

58. HAHAHAHA

Despite those pundits who say Dean has been a failure as DNC Chair he had a great first year as Chair.

[texpatriot2004]

62. Go Dean! Howard Dean speaks for me. nt

[Califooyah Operative]

63. Go Howard Dean! nt

[sasquatch]

64. WOOHOO! I want to see some kick ass attack ads in '06

We set the agenda, not the repugs.

[sasquatch]

65. WOOHOO! I want to see some kick ass attack ads in '06

We set the agenda, not the repugs.

[snowbear]

66. I kinda sorta spaced out Anderson Cooper... was Dean on?

Or will he be on later? :pals:

[autorank]

67. I'm very glad to see this. The DC insiders are so jealous of anybody

with real charisma and intelligence, since they have neither (this is the town where Tony Blankley passes as a "pundit." I'm not surprised about the Post being the source of this rumor. It was the ariviste Sally Quinn of the Post who took off after Clinton because he didn't fit in. Yeah, so he's from Arkansas and about 10 times as smart as anybody in this small village of a capitol, deal with it Sally. Well she and the filthy Post did, they smeared him.

That's what the Dean article was about because this contradicts the so-called facts presented. I remember responding to that thread, I believe, by saying that Dean kept his promise on organizing. Well he did both and now we know, thanks to you.

Recommended.

[Andromeda]

72. Yeah, I remember when DC...

turned up their noses at the "hayseeds" from Arkansas. Sally Quinn didn't think they'd fit in at their fancy parties.

I was so burned up at this crowd at the WaPo who thought they were soooo much better than the Clintons. When I think back at how they hounded the Clintons for over eight years and how they printed so many lies to take Bill and Hillary down, I get angry all over again.

They are trying to do the same thing to Howard Dean. Not just the WaPo, but Washington pundits, consultants and everybody else trying to make a name for themselves.

Those people are ruthless and will stop at nothing to bring anybody down who dares to defy the DC power center.

[Andromeda]

71. That should make a few jaws drop...

in Washington.

Maybe one day they'll "get it" and learn to accept the fact that Howard Dean is doing more for the Democratic party than any other DNC Chair has and stop trashing him at every opportunity.

[Vektor]

73. Thank you, Gov. Dean!

Way to go!

:applause:

(I think I'll send him a little donation right now...)

[dogday]

75. The rethugs won't be able to use the excuse

anymore that Dean is not bringing funds into the Democratic Party. Of course they would say and do almost anything to shed a bad light on Dean. He threatens them...

[Le Taz Hot]

77. *crickets*

The sound that you DON'T hear are the perpetual Dean bashers offering up congratulations to Dean for his efforts. Funny, you see them on every other Dean-related thread . . .

[Wilms]

78. "snippity snip snip..."

Cha-Ching

:kick:

[greiner3]

81. Damn, I hate being on a fixed income;

I'd like to add to that total.:cry:

[Darkhawk32]

82. Volunteer your time at your local Dem HQ's. Or write LTTE's. n/t