All But Official: Dean to Head DNC

He's got a load of work to do - but he's up to the task. More so than any of his competition, the last of whom stepped aside today.

Thank you so much

I want you to know how grateful I am for all of your support during these weeks. I have seen many of you at events all around the country and your energy helped us enormously.

I have been talking to individual members of the DNC for weeks now. This has been one of the most public races for party chairman in a long time. But it's still been a campaign of person-to-person contact. It reminds me of campaigning in Vermont. You talk to people where they live, attend town meetings and respect their role in our democratic process. This race has been very different from the type of national campaign where TV ads and pundits do the talking, leaving real problems and real people on the side.

That's one of the things we need to change. We will do a better job understanding people's problems and a better job communicating solutions that reflect our values if we talk directly to the people. That is what all of you have done so well and that's what we need to keep doing. Growing our party from the ground up in every neighborhood.

Many of you have asked me in person and in email about the future of DFA. I just want to say that I am committed to making sure that the impact you have had continues. Again, DFA will continue -- it will continue to grow and continue to be a force for change. I'll be in touch with you soon about more details.

I want you to know how proud I am of what you have accomplished so far with DFA. Your hard work has changed politics and we have only just begun. Keep watching the blog and as always I look forward to hearing what you have to say.

Thank you,
Howard

Thank YOU, Governor Dean.

In the days ahead, we'll see and hear the predictable prattle of the madman taking over the desperate party. There's just one problem here: Dean is no madman. Here - FINALLY - is someone who will define the differences between Democrats and Republicans - not attempt to roll over show how much we're alike.

We're NOT alike. You've seen the darkness, death, destruction, depression and deficits the GOP stands for. If you live to be a thousand years old, you simply cannot make declarations of how Democrats want the same thing. If you do, rip the donkey off your lapel and change your name to Joe Lieberman.

We happen to be AGAINST the five "D"s above. We happen to be against rewarding deadly incompetence (and the first order of business is to shut the GOP's piehole about how we're racists because we fight against Condi Rice's lethal errors or Alberto Gonzales' torturous law-bending). We also happen to be for helping Americans, not taking away programs which enrich our lives so we can pay for more war.

We've proven ourselves to be light years ahead of the current White House cracksmokers when it comes to fiscal responsibility, compassion, diplomacy, environment and homeland protection - on the local and federal levels.

We had the lockbox. Bush flung it open and pissed everything we had away on the wrong battle against the wrong bad guy, using lie after lie after lie. $300,000,000,000 so far. 1500 broken-hearted families of U.S. soldiers. Tens of thousands of the very people we were trying to liberate. Imagine how much good those lives and dollars could have done. Instead, he spent it all on phantom WMDs, one dictator and endless devastation. And he wants to do it again.

The lines were drawn by the GOP. We're now in a battle for the heart and soul of not just America, but the other countries we share the planet with. Howard Dean knows this. So ignore the predictable "screaming Dean" editorial cartoons and wingnut pundit sewage which we're carved-in-stone going to be pounded over with this news. Make no mistake - this is the first step up the right path for our party.

That path will be ours and ours alone. We can't falter on the message. We can't allow this White House to go unchecked for another four full years. Let's get to work, Governor Dean. We have a country to take back - starting with the 2006 midterms. Let's kick some ass.

Comments

[spearNmagicHelmet]

This scares the piss out of rove co.

[donna]

Dems will be getting a nice check from me in response to Dean's first letter. Heck, if they start to deliver, I might even become one!

[John]

Deans victory is the best piece of news out of American politics for a VERY VERY long time. Finally, someone who knows how to articulate an effective, truthful opposition to the republican menace. Maybe theres still hope in the embers.

[Jeany]

I am really thankful. Check that; relieved. I've just read through the comments on Atrios' post about Professor Cole's latest smackdown of Jonah Goldberg, and I'm really exhausted. I've heard enough unchallenged Republican gobshitery to last me a lifetime. I'm not looking for miracles from Dr. Dean; I'm just looking for him to make Goldberg's ilk look like the unqualified fools and tools they are. The free ride is over.

[Lewis]

Watching from AUSTRALIA, I honestly hope Howard Dean can bring the Democrats back, because the Republicans have really frightened the world.

One of th emost important things dean needs to estab. in my humble opinion is MESSAGE DISCIPLINE. Although they've started using Lakoff a little bit, its not at all in every thing they say, which it is with the Repubs thanks to their framer Frank Luntz.

Apart from that the ECHO CHAMBER of the Repubs also needs to be addressed. It seems that people like Nancy Pelosi don't realise that giving in on ideas like ABORTION or GAY MARRIAGE will only help temporarily, because they'll just find some other new cultural wedge issue to replace them. A book called "What's the matter with Kansas" I think gives an excellent understanding of how the Repubs don't just take these issues like Abortion and run with them - they're the ones who keep bringing them up and putting them in the media to begin with - through the incredibly well disciplined ECHO CHAMBER. The reason they never solve the issues (as bush is now saying he may not propose a ban on gay marriage after all), is because they need to re-use them next time.

You may think i'm just some Australian and what would I know, but I've lived in the US, and I follow the politics fairly close.

[Hoffmania!]

On the contrary, Lewis - we're not hearing enough of the world. The wingnuts couldn't care less what the world thinks in their selfish lock-down minds.

We do. We need to hear from you and everyone else who's suffering at the feet of these cracksmoking humanitarian midgets.

[merl]

I seem to remember Chicken George promising to never touch the Social Security lockbox back in 2000. Did I just dream that?

[darms]

1500 broken-hearted families of U.S. soldiers
Make that 1500 plus, there's a lot of severely injured soldiers out there, too. As for Howard Dean, I supported him for president and think he's the best thing that could happen to the dems right now - give 'em hell, Howard!

[montieg]

YOU ROCK,HOFFMANIA!!! Your 'thank you' reply to Dean's letter reads like a manifesto for populist Democrats. ROCK ON!!!

[happy dem]

I haven't felt this happy about being a Dem. since I met the good doctor in Plains, Ga. just before the Iowa primary. Give 'em hell, Howard.

[Julie]

Yes!!!!! Thank God. Now we have someone who's not afraid to stand up to what David Brock calls "The Republican Noise Machine."

I have confidence that Dean will strengthen the Democratic Party by clearly showing the DIFFERENCE between Dems and Repugs. I know many will urge him to "reach out" to these people, but that's how Hitler won, against all odds, because moderates in Germany "reached out" and tried to accommodate thugs.

This is war, people. Yes, try to have a conversation with conservative moderates, but don't think we can reach any kind of meeting of the minds with the wingnuts now in control of the Republican Party. They don't want compromise, or "bipartisanship." Nothing less than total agreement will satisfy them.

Remember Tom Daschle. Enough said.

[trucker bob]

As a Canadian who is affected, albeit indirectly, by Shrub's idiocy, all I can say is thankfully there is a Howard Dean out there. He may not be able to stop the moronic monkey, but he can provide the opposition needed while people come to realize the terrible mistake they've made. A good start would be to wipe the smirk off the Lieberwhore's face.

[Troy]

Hello folks. I used to live in vermont for 15 years and Howard Dean was the Governor. I live in florida now and what I would not give to have him
Governor of this state. NOOOOOO we have Jeb Bush.
:-(

[Julius]

Give'em Hell Howie!

[katherine brightwell]

Happy in Indiana . there are lots and lots of us deanies. go Dean .

[Janet]

I was about to change from lifelong Democrat to Independent after the election last fall, but now I have HOPE that my party will finally be a party of opposition, and take this current Administration to task!!! Go Gov. Dean, you've restored one Senior's faith in the process!!

[Daughter of Viet Vet]

Dear Dr. Dean:

It was a privilege to work on your presidential campaign, and it will be a pleasure to step up my activism in the Democratic party with you at the reins. I'm not the only Dem who feels this way by a long shot. All things happen for a reason. Who knows...in the long run, you heading up the DNC may make for a greater and more lasting good than a presidency. You've given millions of Dems hope again.

[duffmon]

Hoooray for Howard Dean; a real American Patriot. The Right-wing warmongering Repug's knew that if Howard would have won the Presidency there war plans to steal would have failed, and they wouldn't have been able to steal the Middle East’s resources (remember, Iraq and I Iran also have huge natural gas deposits. Where have the billions of dollars missing in Iraq gone? This is the biggest bank robbery in the history of the world. Tomorrow, the world will start to wakeup and see the truth. Will American be seen as a Modern day Germany? Or the true America; that stops injustice were ever it rears its ugly head, even if its in our own county!

[Brian de Ford]

If I remember correctly, and if the reports I read were not wrong, merl is mistaken about George Wanker Bush promising not to touch the social security lockbox in 2000. In fact it was President Gore (the guy who won the 2000 election) who said in 1998 that he would not touch the lockbox except in the case of war, recession or national emergency. It was only in 2001 that Bush's sick "trifecta" joke emerged where he claimed to have made the promise that was actually made by Gore.

Brazen lies are the hallmark of the Bush administration. Don't believe a word the man says, unless it's about stealing from the poor to reward the rich.

[Steve]

Dean's choice as DNC Chair kept a lot of us in the Democratic Party. If Dean hadn't been selected, I know a great number of people (and not all of them progressive), who were ready to bolt the Democratic Party because it has been so roundly ineffective and incompetent the past five or six elections cycles. This past cycle was typical: Bin Laden shows up five days before the election and basically proves Kerry's main talking points, but instead of going after that event and capitalizing on it, Kerry sits on his $15 million dollars and then blames bin Laden for his defeat. He, along with the DNC, also runs an eighteen state campaign and gives up on Missouri, Colorado and Virginia, and lets the right wing echo chamber crow unabated in the other 32 states. Think of this: there's no Democrat who didn't hear every one of George Bush's talking points over and over, but how many Red Staters NEVER heard a word of Kerry's platform? How many Red Staters still believe that Iraq and Hussein had something to do with 9/11? This can never be allowed to happen again. We need to be on every right wing talk show and in every small town in America so that those in rural America who are Democrats still know that there is a party they can vote for--and farmers and laborers in small towns need to know that there is a local Democratic presence to fight for them and for their livelihoods. Looking at the numbers from rural Ohio and Florida, small town Democrats obviously didn't know it in 2004 and that is what lost this election for the Democrats.

[Cole...]

Ignore the predictable "Dean Scream" editorials?

May be that I am a member of those other few who have an alternate view of that event. I think we should have embraced that scream----! On the other side of the isle there was george who lied, and lies and lies and the domestic economy tanks, and we go into a foreign country costing many dead, many maimed and bundles of money spent and looted for the benefit of george's friends in an immoral and illegal War.

The question is not 'Dean's Scream' the question is why was he the only one? We should all have been screaming and we should not have stopped.
Scream on!!!!
Scream on, NOW!!!

[Tim Adams]

Howard is the man. I think this is the best thing to happen in our Party for for so long, it seems to be forever. This man frightens the Repugs and Zell Miller like Dems in our Party. That alone would be enough for me to support him. However I belive we can expect great things. He has the know how to get the Democratic Party back on top where we belong. These Repugs that we are up against are capable of anything. I keep thinking about Senator Wellstone. I urge all my fellow Democrats to pray for his safety.

[alyce larkin]

it's wonderful that someone with the energy and smarts of dr. dean will head the party. i think one reason he didn't do well was because the party leaders are out of touch and didn't support him. something needs to be done about the pundits on cable who love controvery and do everything they can to promote it. i don't know how one would do it but better heads than mine prevail. good luck, dr. dean. i will support you.

[stream meadows]

Dear Doctor Dean,

I think youre the perfect answer to the republican trash machine.When you ran for the
democratic nomination for the president you
showed great vision in challenging george bush
and his born again crusade babble,while the rest of the democrats stood in line signing up on his idiotic adventures like pigs in a slaughterhouse.
we need to replace also a lot of dead wood democrats in the congress like nancy pelosi.
You need to fight fire with fire,not some i am
better than you nonsense elitist deocrats,where john kerry could not call bush a liar to his face.
its time for the democrats under youre leadership to gather and start a grassroots revolution and take our country back from these greedy unpatriotic corporations.its time for smash mouth politics and the fight to take back the house the senate and presidency begin.

[Shirley]

Howard Dean is what us Democrats and ALL the people of this country need (even though they might not know it)to become a great and civil country again. These times are desperate with the current administration and getting worse by the day. Dean is giving me hope that there is a way to break through the Bush and Co. wall. Give it all you got, Howard Dean!