Dear Kindred Spirits of the Progressive Community,
Below is a June 15th Call to Action email from my local DFA group, (Sonoma County Democracy for America - SCDFA) in defense and support of Howard Dean.
Background information on the recent brouhaha regarding his recent remarks and attacks not only from the reactionary right wing, but most egregious are the attacks from establishment "Leadership" of the Democratic party inside Washington. OpEd peices and other articles are appended below, but I'd like to add to the list of action items, the one that's as important, and that is contacting mainstream media - and most especially mainstream Radio talk show hosts, including Air America - (specifically Ed Schultz)- and let them know that Howard Dean is doing exactly what WE (grassroots activists and concerned progressives who campaigned hard to have him elected in the first place) want him to do, and that he SPEAKS for US, and that it is the Washington Democratic "leadership" who need to "check in" with the GRASSROOTS regarding their own public remarks and policiy positions.
Sonoma County Democracy for America (SCDFA)website:
http://www.northbaydfa.com/Here is the emailer:
DNC Howard Dean is under attack. A few of his comments have been taken out of context and used to discredit him... and by doing so, keep Democrats and progressives down.
No one can stand the kind of critical scrutiny given to Dean: he's under a microscope where every pore and mole is made to look like a disfigurement... while the President of the United States is viewed through reverse binoculars with vasoline on the lens.
But the worst part... the worst part is that Democrats have been adding fuel to the fire, criticizing Dean when we need to stand together. Our elected officials are fiddling about Howard Dean while the Republican party burns America.
We at Sonoma County DFA are proposing an outreach effort to all Democratic activists to make a big splash to enhance our visibility and demonstrate our fund-raising and organizational capabilities: Support Howard Dean Day - June 15th.
Between now and June 15th, we’re encouraging our fellow activists to do whatever we can to enlist support and participation not only from our core activist lists, but also our extended communities of sympathetic - but less engaged - friends and family.
Because frankly we don't have any time to waste. The 2006 elections will be upon us sooner than we think, and we want to make sure that the party is with the program:
Together we need to move away from the special interest fundraising of the Republicans... and Democratic Washington insiders... towards building a party that represents the interests of the American citizen.
Together we need to move the center of gravity of the party away from Washington and towards the states, the counties, and the precincts.
And just as importantly, together we need to aggressively challenge the Republican talking points and have the courage of our convictions to unapologetically champion the traditional Democratic values which have been under unremitting attack for the past few decades.
So lets do the following... and encourage others to do likewise on or before June 15th:
Give money to the DNC:
http://www.actblue.com/list/dnc or go to Democrats.org . It doesn’t matter how you give... they’re getting the message.
Call Your Democratic Elected Officials. Let them know that Democrats are tired of making jokes about "the circular firing squad": we stand behind Chairman Howard Dean and expect them to refrain from ripping into him in public. If they disagree with him on strategy or tactics, tell it to Dean directly: don't air it to a hostile media.
Sign the Dean Speaks for Us Petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/Dean/petition.html Write Letters to the Editor
Spread the word to your network of friends and family
Here are some good articles that point out the ways that Howard Dean is doing a great job as DNC Chairman:
William Rivers Pitt: Dean Was Right
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/061105Z.shtmlReuters Article: Democratic Leaders Back Dean, don't want 'wimp'
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=politicsNews&storyID=2005-06-11T185639Z_01_N11690898_RTRIDST_0_POLITICS-DEAN-DC.XMLDana Blankenhorn: A Master Politician At Work
http://www.corante.com/mooreslore/archives/2005/06/10/a_master_politician_at_work.php#moreThom Hartmann: Dean Just Told Them The Truth and They Thought It Was Hell
http://www.opednews.com/hartmann_061105_dean.htmRob Kall: Dean is Doing What We Hired Him To Do
http://www.opednews.com/kall_061105_dean.htmAll these opinions showcase the great job Howard is actually doing... but we also need to address the problem: Democrats who really are making gaffes - by turning on our own. The following articles starkly illustrate how our own elected officials are giving talking points to our adversaries. And that has to stop.
Senator Obama Says Dean Using 'Religion to Divide'
http://www.townhall.com/news/politics/200506/POL20050609b.shtmlHoward Dean: Does He Speak for the Democrats?
http://www.nationalledger.com/commentary/article_1517.shtmlWill Rogers famously said: "I'm not a member of an organized political party. I'm a Democrat".
Well, that ship has sailed. If we don't become an organized political party right now, this nation is finished. In fact, it's past due. And Dr. Howard Dean is giving the party CPR. We shouldn't stand by while he's being undercut by the very folks who haven't been speaking up for us against the Republican juggernaut.
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I added this call to action:
Call in to Talk Radio Shows in your community - especially those that are portend to be Liberal or "Moderate" who are actually shills or mouth pieces for the establishment.
In the San Francisco Bay Area - Please be sure to include KGO Radio talk show hosts - Ronn Owens and Pete Wilson :
Ronn Owens -
[email protected] (morning)
Pete Wilson -
[email protected] (afternoon)
Rosie Allen -
[email protected] (late afternoon/early eve. drive-time)
Gene Burns -
[email protected] (evening)
Call in to KGO:
415-808-0810, 510-808-0810, 408-808-0810, 650-808-0810, 707-808-0810
ON-AIR FAX
415-362-5827
THE KGO COMMENT LINE
415-954-7439
KGO late night hosts are progressive and only need to be made aware that the campaign to defend Dean is indeed gathering momentum and to thank them for their support.
Bernie Ward -
[email protected]Ray Taliaferro -
[email protected] John Rothmann -
[email protected] -- (weekend graveyard host - tends to be much more mainstream than Bernie and Ray - but can be reasoned with.
Ed Schultz of Air America needs to know that we are dead serious and take offense for his joining the chorus on attacking Howard Dean -
He can only be emailed at this website - so go to:
http://www.bigeddieradio.com/emailed.html and post your message there.
Btw - I see on the website that Schultz will be broadcasting live from Seattle tomorrow - so it's really important for the progressive community in Seattle to turn out in support of Howard Dean.
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