I feel the same way.
John Kerry is probably my second choice at this point, but he doesn't get me fired up the way Dean does. Neither did Al Gore. More than anything, he reminds me of Bob Dole. It's "his turn" to run, and the party may very well let him.
Nice to see you posting here Ezra. I read your blog from time to time and I enjoy it.
If this is the level of writing we'll see in Ezra's posts, then I say welcome and keep 'em coming! Ezra, thank you for encapsulating my own thoughts so well!
Ezra, talk about a message from the unexpected...I read your post, and could find no words -- none -- and then only the words welcome and thanks came to me. Gary Hart has made a huge difference by touching you and so many other Americans -- like me -- that he has touched in the past. Now somehow that inspiration to reclaim our ideals as a nation is left in our hands.
Someone posted here in comments a day or so ago about a meeting of a handful of people -- and the hope that the handfuls of people across the country would add up to something much larger and powerful than we could possibly imagine.
I learned that that was possible from Gary Hart. And in 2004 more than any other time in my lifetime, I know we need to make it so.
It is time to believe again. And I know how hard it is to do that -- to even think of grabbing the torch and carrying on when a candidate you believe in like Gary Hart has withdrawn from a race for the Presidency. I know, I've been there -- and so I am back to the only words I can find -- Welcome -- and thanks.
Joe Trippi
Campaign Manager
Dean for America
Joe - as always, I can't tell you what it means to see you posting to these blogs. Unlike any other campaign in history, the Dean campaign's supporters feel immediately connected by these actions of yours that, while they only take a moment of your time and energy, mean the world to us. Thank you for bringing us into your world.
Ezra, I want to confess that I've already cut and pasted your post (with minor edits for expediency) into a letter to the editor. I was unable to find better words, and decided to use the good words you've given us. Thanks!
This is exactly, exactly right.
Between the anger and disillusionment created by the endgame of the 2000 election; and the desire to see some good, any good come out of the tragedy on 9/11; only to see it exploited by the worst administration in recent memory as the economy falls apart and the world starts to hate us; and our party runs and hides; and one of the few who didn't run and hide is killed in a plane crash; and we lose the Senate partly as a result of his death....there is a lot of emotion among Democrats. And Governor Dean seems to be the only candidate (among those left in the race) tapping into it.
For a little over a year and a half now, I've felt, for the first time in my life, that I was living in History-with-a-capital-H. But this campaign is the first time I've felt that in a good way.
Anyway, you said it perfectly and I'm much less coherent. Keep posting! You too Joe Trippi.
I'll second these words and emotions...
wow, well said Katherine. The state of the Democratic party is so pathetic and disgusting, indicative of that was Lieberman's dismissal of Gephardt's health program "as those failed old big spending Democratic ways." Yeah, that Medicare sure was a failure. we can't even take pride in the accomplishments we HAVE done while the GOP runs around trying to name everything it can after Ronald Reagan. meanwhile, we treat our last ex-prez like a leper and don't let him campaign for our candidates. Sigh.
I found it pretty damn funny Dems want their own talk radio and think tanks. hey dudes, you need some *ideas* to build institutions. not the other way around. They should get Gary Hart to head one up. and i'd love it if he became the Dem's Kissinger. I wish he had won in 88 or 84. Our country would have been better off.
Kudos also to Katherine. Dean is the first person who has inspired me as well. I've thought in the past about getting involved in retail politicking, but just never felt the urge to overcome my nervousness about doing something that new.
And here I am RUNNING a Meetup!
Katherine, we're not just living in History. We're making it.
Thanks to Ezra, Eileen and her handfuls, Katherine and Joe Trippi for all of their good words.
my name's Ezra Klein and I'm from the Democratic wing of the Democratic par-err, I mean, I'll be posting here some from now on
Another sinner saved!!!!
Just kidding. But seriously, I think it goes back even further than 2000. As much as I respected Bill Clinton, he also made me slightly ashamed of his behavior. He was sometimes a great man, but he often failed being a good one. Howard Dean makes people PROUD of being a Democrat. He says the things that should be said, and he acts the way people should act. He is a good person, a down-to-earth guy. He can take the time to get a homeless man a meal, or take a Band-Aid out of an old and worn wallet for someone who needs it. This quality is so lacking in our national political life that when people sense it in Howard (and, as a guy who's known him as a politician for years, it's real), well, it's just such a RELIEF to feel like you can support someone without cynicism. And support without the veneer of cynicism is a remarkably powerful thing.
Wow. Great writing from all, inspiring posts.
I really love that Joe T. has mentioned again Eileen's 'handfuls' post from the Meetup reports thread. I found Eileen's report incredibly moving and I'd love to see it given more exposure on this site or over at the official blog. I'm a Brit and I've been following Governor Dean since last summer when he was the first candidate to declare and the Guardian ran an article about it. Since I started reading up about the Governor on the Vermont website and eventually this blog, I've been boring my friends silly talking about him. Me and my girlfriend were the founder members of the London chapter of Meetup for Dean - we meet up in 'Dean's Bar' in Holborn, and I bore her silly about what I've read on the blog that day! I grew up adoring America, I was fascinated by FDR and RFK and the Civil Rights movement before I'd ever woken up to British politics, and it means so much to see the likes of Eileen and Katherine working so hard and feeling so inspired to get the Governor elected. I have a dream about being in a crowd of thousands waving American flags in London's Whitehall as President Dean arrives in his motorcade. I think all the people around the world who love America and hate what Bush is doing to its ideals will love Dean more than any other President for being the man who restores those ideals. It's hard supporting someone so much from overseas when you're unable to donate or vote or stand on a street with a sign. I just keep writing to British newspaper editors telling them to do profiles on Dean. And I keep boring my friends silly! So please everyone over there, keep up the good work: there are more of us relying on it than you know!
Davis, great to hear Dean has support "across the pond." I've been thinking for a long time how much more important the 2004 U.S. Pres. election is for people all around the world more than any election in memory. I hope the national and international media profiles the support that Dean will eventually have around the world.
I bet none of the other candidates has meetups outside the US.
Ezra -- you and I have clashed before about the relative merits of Dean, Hart, and the inspiration factor. But I want to thank you for being such a graceful loser. I've been reading your posts on your blog, and while I can't say I respect Gary Hart, I have nothing but the greatest respect for your devotion to him. You are a great heart in politics, and we need more people like you involved if we want to take our country back.
Welcome to the blog -- oh, and PLEASE don't feel that as an official poster on the blog you shouldn't continue your criticism of Dean's foreign policy credentials. We NEED to hear things like that so we can work to shore up the weaknesses of our candidate. Dissent and debate are a good thing -- and are what Democrats have stood for for years, the essence of democracy. Go Ezra -- and give 'em hell, Howard!
Are foreigners not allowed to contribute to US candidates? you figure any anti-Bush candidate would raise billions if they could. 
Ezra, damn good post! I've had the same thoughts, I think it could even be termed the "passion primary" rather than merely inspiration, because that's what really drives this campaign. You don't even need to be a Dean supporter to feel that passion, and its impact on the 2004 race as w whole, even if Dean doesn't ultimately win the Dem nod.
It's been a long time since a candidate for office can give me goosebumps and tears of joy at the same time. Howard Dean is doing that everytime I see him on televison or hear him on the internet.
Dean is right...this is a movement which will transform this nation and future generations.
To call it the inspiration primary is so exactly right. Here in Iowa, I saw motivation similar to this, but not on the scale, with Bill Bradley. From the amazing crowds packed into tiny restaurants for a MeetUp, and the cheers that break up Dean's speeches, Dean motivates people in a way I have never seen before. Our MeetUps have young and old, high school kids, and retired folks. Our last one also had a few that admitted to being registered Republicans. Our steering committee has professors, lawyers, students, and a gas station attendant.
These varied backgrounds, the uniting of all these different people for a common cause, is what makes Dean the strongest candidate for 2004, including Bush. It makes me realize that we can win. We can redirect this country for the better. We can make it so we are proud of our country, our party, and our future.
It gives me hope.
Davis -- I can't believe people in London are meeting up for Dean. That's so damn cute it almost brings tears to my eyes. Thanks for posting that.