Dean: "Unfortunately, 'I Told You So,' Is An Incredibly Unsuccessful Campaign Slogan."

[babylonsister]

His Meteoric Days Gone, Quiet Dean Leads Party

By JEFF ZELENY
Published: October 21, 2007

ST. PAUL, Oct. 16 — There has never been a Democratic chairman with as much firsthand knowledge about running for president as Howard Dean.

Four years ago, at this stage in the race, he was flying high. Now, Mr. Dean is being sued by Democrats in Florida and second-guessed over how he is spending the party’s money. He seldom receives so much as a call seeking advice from this year’s candidates.

The rise and abrupt fall of his campaign now seems to hold lessons for some of the current contenders, from what it means to assume an air of inevitability to the dangers of counting on grass-roots energy to translate into votes. But Mr. Dean also sees ways in which the field has adopted elements of his candidacy, like its strong opposition to the war in Iraq.

“I often find myself ahead of the curve,” he said, a satisfied smile falling over his face. “Unfortunately, ‘I told you so,’ is an incredibly unsuccessful campaign slogan.”

For Mr. Dean, this could be a moment of great prominence, a chance to tower over the party at a buoyant moment. But most days, he conducts business in near obscurity, rarely appearing on television or at public events. It is a sharp departure from chairmen like Ronald H. Brown, a power broker known for firing off strategy memorandums in 1992, or Terry McAuliffe, a highly visible figure and one of the party’s most successful fund-raisers, who stepped down in 2005.

Mr. Dean travels the country without an entourage, often stopping in state capitals like here in Minnesota, inspecting the progress of projects like a door-knocking program that encourages people to stop by 25 houses three times before Election Day. To a room filled with activists, he declares, “We need to knock on most of the doors in America in the next year!”

more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/21/us/politics/21dean.html?pagewanted=1&ei=5088&en=9e192fe5bcac15f8&ex=1350619200&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

[Hissyspit]

1. It shouldn't be.

[midnight]

2. I listen to him and voted for him in the primary. He is just so

darn smart, and doesn't talk so much politics as he does solutions.

[Beelzebud]

3. I don't see why Dean isn't running again... I'd vote for him in an instant.

[cali]

8. Because he gave his word that he wouldn't

when he took the DNC position. And as someone who lived in VT the entire time he was Gov, I can say that he is someone who hews to his word.

[Beelzebud]

9. Ah I didn't know that factoid. Thanks.

Makes a lot of sense, in context.

Thats the thing about honorable people. They actually honor their word. :D

[muriel_volestrangler]

42. Did he say he'll never run? Or just not run from the position of being chairman?

From across the pond, he looked like a good candidate.

[rug]

4. "I Told You So" would be a great campaign slogan.

[Peregrine Took]

5. I don't think HD has given up on another run for something. He is young,

vital and incredibly popular.

"Deaniacs" would spring into action again if he gave us the "go ahead."

[madfloridian]

6. Amen to that.

.

[Critters2]

16. This Deaniac would.

In a heartbeat! :patriot:

[Zenlitened]

20. Absolutely!

[Lugnut]

34. You bet I would

I think "I told you so." is a great slogan.

[mondo joe]

7. Dean is still the most inspiring Dem candidate of my adult life. He taught me

what it meant to be truly willing to follow a leader.

[RufusTFirefly]

10. Yes. Being a leader makes all the difference

I definitely agreed with Dean on some key issues (like the illegal invasion), but truth be told, he's more conservative than I am and there were a number of issues where we didn't see eye to eye. But that didn't matter. When there's a candidate you trust and respect, the differences tend to melt away. As a result, I was a Deaniac.

I for one will never believe the official story of his campaign's demise. Just not plausible. It was an appalling MSM/DLC hit-job, retribution for his thumbing his nose at the powers that be.

[regnaD kciN]

11. How quickly people forget...if they want to...

Remember that it was Dean's 50-state strategy and decentralizing of campaign structures that was instrumental in turning the defeat of 2004 into the triumph of 2006. Remember, also, that he did it against the wishes of the established Beltway leaders atop the Democratic Party. Of course, the minute we recaptured Congress, those same leaders (specifically Rahm Emmanuel and Chuck Schumer) were quick to spin the meme that they, not Dean, were responsible for the victory, even though they fought the electoral strategy every step of the way.

Now, we are told that Howard Dean is working "in near obscurity," unconsulted by candidates and sued by other Democrats. Why such a negative portrayal? Could it have anything to do with it coming from the New York Times, from the home of Chuck Schumer and Hillary Clinton (whose main campaign advisor, James Carville, suggested that Dean be "rewarded" for the 2006 results by being dismissed mid-term so that he could be replaced by failed Senate candidate and charter DLCer Harold Ford)?

Yep, that's the way it is. When you have no solutions to the mess you're in, bring in an outsider like Dean. Then, when they succeed, toss them to the wolves so the "big boys" (i.e. the ones running our current Congressional agenda of caving on everything and proclaiming Hillary the predestined nominee) can take the reins again. Is there any further evidence needed of the pathetic state of the entrenched "old boy" (even when the "boy" is a "girl") Democratic Party leadership? :grr:

[truedelphi]

32. Yep another victory for our good ol' gal

Hillary, The Throw Kerry Under the Train Lady who had Carville Whisper In his Ear on Nov 5th
that he didn't have the needed votes for a victory in Ohio.

I mean, Never mind that a total of 93,000 votes in Ohio have been proven to be stolen and given to Bush, also never mind that 250,000 ballots were then left uncounted - with Kerry only really needing the grand total of 43,000 votes. (I arrive at that number from 136,000 minus 93,000 or 43,000)

Hill's the Lady who also tried to hush hush Edwards as to his "grandstanding" about the need to count every vote.

When I say that Hillary is not really a Democrat, I also mean that she is not even into democracy.

[madfloridian]

12. Be sure to read the last paragraph.

.

[illinoisprogressive]

13. Howard Dean saved this party from the screw ups of our last chairman

[Neshanic]

14. He's a great guy.

[RufusTFirefly]

15. But, but, he's just sooo angry!!! And what about that horrible scream???

:sarcasm:

[EFerrari]

21. What wouldn't we give to hear it again?

[ellisonz]

17. Howard rules.

:woohoo:

[Pastiche423]

18. I heart Dean

He was the 1st candidate to get me excited about the presidential race since George McGovern.

[druidity33]

19. oh my...

what an excellent line!:

“I’d say there are more people who don’t like me,” he said, “than there are skeptics.”
-Dean

:)

[napi21]

22. That's Howard's MO. WORK silently behind the scenes, but get the

job DONE! He doesn't believe in showing off on TV shows that really serve no purpose, other than to appease the media! Howard works damn hard for US, and he's accomplished more in the last several years than Brown or McCauliffe did with all their fan fare!

[cali]

24. I'll be really sad to see him go a few months from now. n/t

[napi21]

27. Why does he have to go? Terry was around for a LONG TIME.

Can't he be re-elected?

[madfloridian]

28. Terry was Bill Clinton's pick.

Dean is not.

[mzmolly]

40. Oh me too, and if his strategy is overturned, that would be beyond ignorant.

sigh

[maine_raptor]

44. Sad, yes............But

He's been a damn fine Chair and I'd like to see him continue, but if because of "politics" and procedure he has to leave the post:

He'd make a damn fine Senator when the time comes!

Hmmmm, think he'd move to Maine and run against Olympia! some day?

[pscot]

23. He's a better man

than anybody now running.

[OzarkDem]

25. Power of grassroots Dems is very disturbing to corporate US

They were very alarmed, as were the DLC, at the growing financial influence of rank and file Dem voters during the last two elections and the power the grassroots exerted in getting progressive Dems elected to take back Congress. Dean's successful 50 state strategy has threatened their grip on power.

They've dealt with the problem by smearing Dean and the DNC and pumping virtually all corporate money through the DLC into Dem presidential campaigns. This money is now holding Dem leadership in the House and Senate hostage, effectively neutralizing the Dem legislative agenda.

Rather surprising to see the NYT running these hit pieces to further the agenda.

Grassroots Dems have to stick with Dean and the 50 state strategy and get the job done.

[Froward69]

26. I think Dean is great

I also think he will let the candidates scream on their own. allow a front runner to truly emerge. then give advice.

[OHdem10]

29. If the Democratic Party had a lot more Howard Deans

the party would be on fire with enthusiasm.

[pennylane100]

30. I remember the excitement of my Deanic Days.

I met people from all walks of life who had never been involved in political campaigns before. The level of enthusiasm was a once in a lifetime experience. While on one level, at the beginning, I thought he would win, I knew that this quality of leadership and honesty would be brought down by less honest people.

I hope he runs again. However, if a democrat takes the white house, it will probably never happen. If he does, I will definitely be there with bells on to make sure he wins.

[travelingtypist]

31. Remember this?

I love what he's doing for us and I don't care what
the Corporate Democrats say about him. He's going to
do what he does for us, no matter what.

Yeah, I'm also a Deaniac who would return to duty if
called.

[NastyRiffraff]

33. Can you imagine if we had President Dean?

I truly believe that had he won the nomination, he would have won the presidency, despite all the Republican vote-stealing. The party would have been on fire.

Instead look what we have :puke:

oh, why go into it? What might have been.... :-(

[frustrated_lefty]

35. Remember the talk shows after the "scream?"

His wife was such a soft-spoken, smart lady. They would have brought honor back to the White House.

[Tatiana]

36. “Chance favors the prepared mind. Never forget it.”

That's a quote from a smart, truly visionary leader.

[jpgray]

37. Dean is -so- much better than McAuliffe. Night and day.

[riverdeep]

38. That is just a wierd article.

Is it normal to go into such detail about what someone is eating?

"After 26 seconds of silence, he changes the subject and asks his lunch guests, 'Coffee, strawberry shortcake, anybody?'"

"...pushing his fork through a platter of Caesar salad."

"With that, he ordered a decaf cappuccino and the waitress brought the check."

Maybe he's trying to establish some kind of theme to the story, but the other detail's included make him sound irrelevant, like not traveling with an entourage, not getting candidates to place calls to him. Does his job NEED an entourage, apparently it doesn't. So isn't it good he's saving expenses? The other candidates have paid advisers, they don't need to talk to the chair very often, at this stage.

It's easy for people like McAuliffe to raise money when the corporate troth is wide open. But there's a price for feeding time. The lions of the DLC were willing to pay it, he's less inclined. That's why he's supposedly irrelevant.

[madfloridian]

39. It's mostly a hit piece.

There will be more of them. You should read some of the Florida media. Nothing but hit pieces.

[OzarkDem]

41. Looks like a hit piece

thinly disguised as a news story.

Since the story contains nothing really newsworthy, it appears someone pulled some strings to get the story done and give it a particular anti-Dean slant.

My message to anyone wanting to get Dean out of his leadership role - good luck. You'll have a really big fight on your hands.

[DFW]

43. The MSM always had a hard time with Howard

He always was straightforward about what he thought, even when
what he had to say didn't fit in with what they were expecting
to write. Get him on a one-on-one, and you'll find he has exactly
the same things to say as he does when addressing a big crowd.
He's a realist, an optimist, and smarter than so many of the others
it hurts. Also--his word IS good. His run in 2003-2004 scared the
living shit out of the party establishment, which is why they were
willing to let him take the DNC chairmanship in exchange for not running
this time. What they were NOT expecting was for him to lead us to taking
back both houses of Congress last fall. Talk about the upper echelons
getting caught with their pants down.

If Howard is not on every Sunday talk show, it is because without a LOT
of groundwork, we will not reap the crop that is out there for the
harvesting in 2008. Ask him and he'll tell you that the reason that his
campaign fizzled in 2004 is that he had no one with him who really knew
the nuts and bolts about running a national campaign. He won't blame
anyone but himself and his own lack of preparedness. He may only be partially
right, there, but that's the way he sees it. There are times, even today, when
the DNC is running "on fumes (in the words of the DNC treasury)" financially,
and so Howard is forced to be out there begging for contributions all the
time. While he is out there in the provinces, he also looks to shore up the
nuts and bolts that he lacked when he ran, and that he now knows are vital for
electoral success.

I have to run over to North America in a month or so, and will be seeing Howard
in December. It's probably a neck-and-neck race as to who has the most punishing
schedule, but he probably has me beat hands down, time zones not withstanding. His
dedication to the DNC job is nothing short of superhuman, and if we lose him as a
national figure, we'll be a much poorer party. If his energy doesn't diminish, he'll
be a viable candidate in 2016 if we manage to get and keep the White House, and in 2012
if we lose in 2008, or we win but the winner sells his or her soul (many foresee that,
but I'm not so sure, call me a starry-eyed optimist if you must).