Howard Dean: We're all in this together

[mojogeorgo]

On August 15, Howard Dean gave a speech to the Iron Workers International Convention, and it was aired on C-SPAN. I was able to record most of it, and have posted the first part of the transcript here.

What I share below is the conclusion of that speech.

So we are going to take this country back to the direction where everybody matters. We've talked about the deficits and the misadventures in foreign policy, and the Republicans wanting to run on fear. And we've had enough of fear, and we've had enough of corruption in this country. This time we're going to stand up for who we are. For positive idears. For a new direction for America.

But, the greatest damage that the Republicans and this president have done to America is not the war in Iraq, it's not the enormous deficit, it's not the incompetence with which they responded to Katrina. The most damage that this Republican administration has done to us, is they've divided us. They've turned us into "us" and "those people". There are no "those people"--they're just Americans. They are working Americans of every size, shape, and color. They're just Americans.

The biggest mistake this president has made out of a long litany of mistakes, is that he fundamentally turned his back on anybody who disagreed with him. Now, when I was governor, I used to say, publicly and loudly, that everybody was my boss. If you were a conservative Republican and you'd voted against me, you were still my boss, because you participated in the process, and some of your taxpayer money went to pay my salary and the salary of the administration.

To have a president who goes to a town meeting and exclude anybody who has a bumper sticker or who has given any money to a Democrat, anybody who might disagree with him, is a president of only half the nation. We need a president and a party that believes in everybody. That believes that everybody's got something good to say, regardless of whether they're a Republican or a Democrat, or a conservative or a liberal--that we're all in this together again.

And so the most important new direction that America can take, is not only a strong defense backed by telling the truth, and American jobs that will stay here in America, and to fix the healthcare mess and to stop the war on the middle class. The most important new direction that we can lead in, is a new direction which includes everybody, including those people who did not agree with us. The fact of the matter is, the greatest times for America have been those times when we're all in it together.

And this time, we really are going to take back this country for the people who built it, and that is you. Thanks very much. (Applause).

[thepurpose]

1. Thank you Howard. Well said. Bravo.

[Olney Blue]

2. United States... United States....united- a concept long lost.

This speech moved me to tears. We have lost so much. Thank you for this post. K and R.

Edited to say: If anyone ever doubted that Dean should be our leader, this speech proves he was the right person for the job.

[pretzel4gore]

3. howard is wrong. the busheviks staged 911. they must be punished

otherwise, why argue about it? criminality (based upon the mood of local nazipooh) is defined each day, subject to changes along the way, with eye on the prize. the drug dealer fights the war on drugs versus his competetors- public money is used for it, and public jails are to warehouse those competitors. howard dean is a nice guy (in french, nice=naive) though he's known as very tough when dealing with liberals and progressives - takes no prisoners. maybe howard dean should get a real job not involving kissing nazipooh arse(?)
the one thing the rightwinger xianiacs are rooting for that might be a good idea is this apocalypse idea: if it takes an apocalypse to rid the world of rightwingers and their mediawhore sukkholes, then let's GO FOR IT!

[MasonJar]

4. Great post. Thank you.

[madfloridian]

5. Glad you are getting responses.

I posted parts of your transcript the other night plus the video, and it got no responses. I am recommending your post and keeping it kicked.

Thanks for your hard work on this.

[SaveElmer]

6. I've said it before...and I will say it again...

Howard Dean is a visionary...

And in ten years when the Democratic Party is again the true majority party in this country, we will have Howard Dean to thank for it!

[bleever]

9. I agree.

Well said.

[calimary]

10. That's a great way to put it! He IS a visionary.

My heart STILL belongs to "Hollerin' Howard"!

[CrushTheDLC]

12. It's too bad more people didn't realize this fact in early 2004

...instead of listening to the DLC/Mediawhore/Rove slander machine. Imagine where this country would be right now after a year and a half of a Dean administration.

BTW C-SPAN re-running this event NOW!! 11:00 PM Pacific

[DeepModem Mom]

7. K&R!

[focusfan]

8. I agree with him totally

i just hope the democrates will get back in office so maybe we can be rid of Bush

[Olney Blue]

17. Welcome to DU, focusfan!

:hi:

[madfloridian]

11. I was impressed with Phil Murphy, the new finance chair.

He is a larger donor person, and he travels around. He says he sees support in all areas around the country for Dean's strategy. He was quite impressive.

[threadkillaz]

13. The republicans are a state within a state.

We, the people, means all.

Go Howard!

[jwdeviant]

14. Uhhh, Mr. Dean

What about those Democrat Senators who support Lieberman?

[cali]

15. Just what do

you expect him to do about it? He's not responsible for everything- or every Senator in the party.

[jwdeviant]

23. Well of course he's not.

As much as I like what he says I wish he was a stronger driving force for the Party. When things matter as much as they do there needs to be a united front against the real opponents, not this childish "follow your heart" crap that I've been seeing.

Even the backstabbing, hypocritical, warmongering Repubs can put out a strong face to the public (helped by their puppies in the liberal media) in this war as to whether the Constitution is a sacred document or just a "goddamned piece of paper".

As much as I hate advocating taking a play out of the Repub playbook it seems a lesser evil to me than the centrist shifting that means a move to the right. Wouldn't it be better to keep the faith?

Woah, that's a bit of vitriol, it wasn't directed at you though.

I'm just pissed.

[madfloridian]

24. Now I am sure you don't know what is going on in the "Democratic" party.

You seem unaware that twice Dean has said on national TV for Lieberman to step down. You seem unaware that the congressional leaders are really the ones who must take charge of this.

[jwdeviant]

26. I am unaware.

That's a big part of the reason I'm here, to learn.

I don't have television, so I haven't seen Dean say that.

Isn't the DNC the Party leadership? I guess not. I clearly have more reading to do.

[Surya Gayatri]

16. Please use the right terminology

when speaking of the party that you supposedly espouse--that's DemocratIC

Senators. Perhaps you're unaware of it, but using the foreshortened word

"Democrat" as an adjective is not only grammatically incorrect, but also a

sly Repub and Corporate Media tactic to denigrate Democrats. Giving you the

benefit of the doubt here--I'm sure that's not at all what you intended. SG

:eyes:

[jwdeviant]

22. I appreciate that.

Grammar has never been my forte.

Please forgive my ignorance, but how does that usage degrade Democrats?

[madfloridian]

25. Pulling our legs, are you?

Thought so.

[Surya Gayatri]

29. It's a question of perception

and pronunciation--the emphasis always being put on the RAT at the end.

Surprised you didn't know this--"Democrat" used as an adjective is a

relatively recent deformation formulated by the "right-wing" talkers. 10

or 15 years ago this intentional "error" was never heard in public

discourse. SG

[jwdeviant]

30. Thank you!

Maybe it's because I live so near wacko San Francisco that I've never heard that? It makes complete sense now. I will not make that error in the future.

[Surya Gayatri]

31. Glad to be of help... n/t

[liberalmike27]

28. Ahhh

were that the only "sly" way in which republicans and the corporate media denegrated democrats. My favorite is "are the democrats just playing politics." Do they ever, ever call Republicans "playing"?

[Vidar]

18. Bravo, Howard.

[agentkgb]

19. Go Dean.

I heard the Bush took off the plates on the car that took him to his inauguration because it supported DC statehood. And about 90% of people in DC voted against him. What a coincidence.

[kentuck]

20. A very strong message...

imo...

[Antiwardude]

21. Dean

Dean was the best man running. If he had won the primaries he would have taken the Presidency too.

The Democratic Party was foolish to turn its back on Dean.

[NCarolinawoman]

27. Outstanding!!!

:patriot: :kick: