One way i've been convincing people to vote for Dean is the because of the very last point made in this post. Dean isn't playing the money game. Why? Because Bush will beat any Democrat into the ground with advertising and more money money money. That is why I truly believe Kerry, Lieberman, Edwards, and Gephardt will lose the GE if any of them gets the nom. They're playing by rules set by Bush. Dean isn't, he's playing to win and you can't beat Republicans with money (although Dean hopefully will have a decent amount of cash, still nothing like Bush's 200 mil. warchest).

This point about maximizing resources through grassroots and the internet is exactly how I've sold my family and my friends that Dean is the ONLY candidate that can beat Bush.

The point that Fineman makes about the issues being mainly about Dean is another point that makes Dean a clear cut choice to take on Bush. If Dean can force everyone to talk about what hes says and what he wants then he can win. The trick is to get the Republicans to do the same. They are masters at framing the debate. Bush individually would probably succumb to Dean if Dean frames the debate, but the rest of the party might scream loud enough to do it for Bush in 2004. Message is key next year. It will bring out voters and cash. That's all there is to it.
WVU Democrat | Email | Homepage | 05.07.03 - 5:26 pm | #

I think one of the key points that the article pointed out (and that we have been saying for a while), is that all of the candidates are now trying to define themselves on terms set not by their own campaign agendas but on those set by Howard Dean. This is really great news.
Ziggy | Email | Homepage | 05.07.03 - 5:29 pm | #

I actually agree with the comment that the Dean boomlet died out several weeks ago, although I don't think it died, I think it simply went into hibernation. The sense I've gotten from crawling along the floor of the web is that people stopped what they were doing and took a "wait and see" approach in the aftermath of Iraq. People don't believe yet that Dean can or can't win based on the Iraq issue, but they want to see what damage will or won't be done to him before they throw in all their cards.

I think the real test comes in the next few weeks. We've already seen an uptick in his numbers, the Meetup explosion post-debate is really saying something, and I can tell you that after a brief hiatus in which I couldn't beg people to post to our groups in Washington, it only took my posting a realistic assessment of the debate (Dean didn't win, but he didn't suck either) to get people talking again. People have been waiting for someone to say something, waiting to see if they're on the right team. I think decisions are beginning to be made.

The job now is beginning to move from sheer recruitment to recruitment and retention, and hands-on work, visits from Dean, and getting the message out to people is going to make the difference.
Ray Minchew | Email | Homepage | 05.07.03 - 5:46 pm | #

Hmmm. It's interesting that you say that Ray. I don't know any Deanizen who gave glowing reviews to Dean's performance in the first debate. Yet, if your experience is any indication, the fact that we haven't gone gushing all over the internet afterward may actually ENCOURAGE people to pay more attention to Dean.

Prior to the debate there has already been a few online discussions about the furvor of some Deaniacs (the more obsessed version of the Deanizen) and how it was pissing some people off. Maybe the little cold water in the face that came with this debate will make Dean supporters a little more down-to-earth.
Chris Andersen | Email | Homepage | 05.07.03 - 6:33 pm | #

ever met any kerryiacs? Lieberacs?? i haven't yet. when i meet people who support them, it's like "he's the best who can beat bush." that's their reason. meet a Dean supporter and it's out and out enthusiasm and passion. i think it's good for the Deaniacs to keep a cool head about these things and not obsess (look 99.8% of the country didn't watch or care about the SC debate, so quit worrying).

kerry's folks must all be a bunch of washington lobbyists insiders--the ones that ran Al gore's campaign and somehow managed to blow it.
IHL | Email | Homepage | 05.07.03 - 8:19 pm | #

Oh, Howard, you are doing it again.

Check out the official blog at www.deanforamerica.com. First off, he has seconded John Kerry's call to Bush to include Syria on a list of "money laundering" countries because of the billions Saddam's son stole and the likelihood the cash is in Syria. A double hit - getting "tough" and AGREEING with Kerry, therebye diffusing the "feud", and showing not only solidarity but a willingness to come out and say when he agrees. Now I'm sure it was not strictly a political move, but it's brilliant anyway. Next ABC Note - "Dean supports Kerry's call"

Second thing. . .at the meetup Dean attended in N.H., he addressed (again) the need to get a multinational force into Iraq. The quote. . .""Morals and world opinion matter in foreign policy," he says, which is why he's arguing for a multinational reconstruction process [in Iraq].

"We need to internationalize the administration of Iraq as soon as we can," he says, if only for the very practical reason that he thinks Americans won't want to hang in alone for the 10 years he believes reconstruction will take.

"If Bush really believes we can be out of there in two years," says Dean, "he's smoking something a lot stronger than he smoked at Yale."

He just made up (for me anyway) for his lacklustre debate appearance.

Give 'im hell, Howard!

eileen
Eileen | Email | Homepage | 05.07.03 - 9:34 pm | #

Check out The New York Observer article - http://www.newyorkobserver.com/p.../ frontpage1.asp
The title "Big Gay Activist Managing State for Howard Dean" sets the tone for this twisted, funny, flawed and interesting article. Enjoy.
Ken L | Email | Homepage | 05.07.03 - 9:39 pm | #

Does Larouche really have more people on the ground than Dean? I'd like to see some non-Larouche sponsored numbers before I'll believe that he can top the 22,000-and-climbing following for Dean.
Nonpartisan for Dean | Email | Homepage | 05.08.03 - 9:03 am | #

The Larouche line was a throw-away joke. That's all.
Matthew Singer | Email | Homepage | 05.08.03 - 5:33 pm | #

George W. keeps linking 911 to Iraq.
Mute your TV when he is speaking and look at his facial expressions and see what you think. This area of the world is unsafe and has been for a hundred years. My idea is not to pull out altogether but to leave and keep our forces in the area where at a minutes notice we can be there.
Kenneth J Williams | Email | Homepage | 11.03.03 - 11:43 am | #