I think it goes without saying the other 8 candidates won't be sending any of their potential supporters to meetup from now on. It's great that we have the highest participation there among the candidates (20,000+) but the rest would be foolish to put links on their home sites for fear they would see Dean's overwhelmingly huge following.

The 20,000+ Dean supporters at Meetup is great, shows the extent of his incredible grassroots support and is worth celebrating, but let's not get head over heels about this. It means much more that the "anointed one" (lol) Kerry is paying such close attention to Dean because Kerry knows if Dean takes NH, he is DONE.
Scott G. Medford, MA | Email | Homepage | 05.06.03 - 7:46 am | #

20,000 is no small feat. This kind of organization will only help, but I hope that all who attend this meetup, come to it with definite ideas as to promoting Howard Dean and his ideas. Now is the time to act!

As for you Howard, don't let another issue opportunity go bye. You are supposed to be the Health Care Apostle. How could you let Gephart usurp your message? From now on his plan will be the first mentioned and yours will be "an also ran."

This is exactly what I've been writing about the last few days. This campaigne season is unlike any before and you can not afford to get behind the curve.

Gephardt was dead in the water. Then with much fanfare he jumped started his campaigne with a bold health care proposal. It didn't matter that it's also a bad one, the headlines read "bold, large, new thinking"

He STOLE your headlines.

In the past candidates did not want to reveal their policy hand this early. No one wants to make an irreparable mistake. You need to throw caution to the wind when it comes to policy.

First present you health care plan with a flurish(sp) now.

Second come out with an economic plan.

Third detail a national security plan.

And so on down the line. They can be a little fuzzy on specifics, but not too much. You need to stir it up on policy!

Articulate a better vision for America. People want leadership and now is when you need to show it. Don't let another candidate come forward and steal your thunder. Don't play it too safe.

Playing the game very well is no consolation if you end up losing the game
Robert Deeble | Email | Homepage | 05.06.03 - 8:56 am | #

Agree, agree and agree Robert on Dean's need to put out 3 policy plans in these areas, the electorate needs something to chew on. Dean policy setting will clearly show he is not the super-liberal he is painted to be.(this really is the ultimate in lazy and fatuous media stereotyping)
Scott G. Medford, MA | Email | Homepage | 05.06.03 - 9:03 am | #

I am a Dean supporter, but let's not inflate irrelevant facts-- the other candidates don't have high Meetup numbers because Meetup is a relatively unknown service and their campaigns haven't been pushing people to join. I think the Dean campaign, and his supporters, need to tout Dean's true strengths, not push off out-of-context "achievements" that just make them look silly.
Melissa | Email | Homepage | 05.06.03 - 11:36 am | #

well, i think it's great to tout the meetup.com numbers because it shows that this campaign and politics in general, isn't simply about FUNDRAISING ability, who has the most money, or who's the most well known. it's about getting people excited and interested in participating in a democracy. the elite media can't see outside their FEC sheets to notice the real story.
IHL | Email | Homepage | 05.06.03 - 12:31 pm | #

Hmmm. I think that Kerry took down his meetup link. Ha ha. his meetup page is running (1,090 members strong. frontrunner, huh?) but I can't find the link, anyway.... - Indy
Indy Baby | Email | Homepage | 05.07.03 - 1:46 am | #