|
Howard Dean and Al Gore
These were the two men who dared to stand up in the party, and were beaten back. They both dared to disagree with the Iraq War. The party establishment fought them back. They both railed against the Bush Administration - the party called them angry and fought them back.
They were mocked from within and especially by the Republicans. Karl Rove was supposedly giddy at the opportunity to face Howard Dean or Al Gore.
First they laugh at you,
Al Gore fought for us. For over a month. You might remember that. The party told him to quit, but he fought on until it was in the hands of the Supreme Court. When he lost there, he conceded - and the party establishment abandoned him. He was called a sore loser even after winning the popular vote. In defeat he graciously handed an olive branch to President Bush. Republicans have never been nice to Al Gore. Ever. Al Gore continues to fight for us. The Party establishment continues to fight against him.
Howard Dean fought for us. He stood up and shouted for us when no one else would listen. His success scared them so much that they worked together to defeat him. He dared to have a different strategy: a southern strategy for Democrats. He said Republicans win because they use guns, God and gays as wedge issues. They divide us and we do not fight against it. Democrats scoffed at him when he said he wanted to remind people who have confederate flags on the back of their pickup trucks that they should be voting their economic interests. Maybe that was key to getting better education and healthcare passed.
John Edwards told him:
"Coming to the South during the church hour on a Sunday morning to tell Southerners what they should believe is not the way to reach out to Southern Democratic voters"
No John, that is exactly what you do - to reach out to all voters. Just ask Karl Rove.
then they fight you,
Dean and Gore lost the faith of the party establishment, but still they continued to fight. Dean noticing candidates like Barack Obama and helping get them some attention. Many of the Democrats that actually won in this election were Democrats inspired by Dean's campaign to make a difference themselves.
Gore continues to rail against the war.
Now the country agrees with him.
He is building a media organization that will put the "integrity" back in journalism, and hopefully capture the imagination of more of this country's youth.
Slowly and methodically they continue to work. These are the people that know how to make change happen. We should help them however we can.
then you win.
|