There has been much talk and debate about Howard Dean replacing Terry McCauliffe as the chairman of the DNC.
Some say Dean is too polarizing and unsuitable for such a high profile position, citing his now infamous "I have a Scream" speech following his loss in Iowa during the Democratic primaries. At a post-caucus rally in Iowa, Dean gave an animated speech intended to cheer up those in attendance. However, many in the television audience criticized the speech as loud, peculiar, and unpresidential.
Still others claim that while Dean was instrumental in the new wave of Internet usage in campaigning, and especially in fundraising, his efforts did not pay off, and thus, must be ineffective.
Let's take a closer look at the real Howard Dean.
Dean's presidential campaign was remarkable at the time for its extensive use of the Internet
The candidate's staff, and occasionally even the candidate, frequently "blogged" while on the campaign trail and even sought advice on important campaign-related decisions -- in at least two instances even making decisions through online polls of supporters. By soliciting contributions online, the campaign shattered previous fundraising records for the Democratic presidential primary. Dean has been credited with being the first national candidate to play to the strengths of the Internet, in particular by engaging the American public directly in the political process.
Personal background
Howard Dean was born in New York City to Andree Dean, art appraiser, and Howard Brush Dean, Jr. (deceased), former Dean Witter Reynolds executive. He graduated from Yale University
in 1971 and spent the next few years working as a stock broker
Dean received his medical degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 1978 and practiced as a physician until he became Governor of Vermont upon the death of Richard A. Snelling.
Political Career
1980 Volunteer:: Jimmy Carters reelection campaign
1983-1987 Served in the Vermont House of Representatives
Elected assistant minority leader in 1985
1986 Elected : Vermont Lieutenant Governor
1988 re-elected
1990 re-elected
August 14, 1991 -- Assumed governorship after Governor Richard A. Snelling died of a heart attack
Dean revolutionalized the use of the internet for political campaigning and raised record money and awareness for the DNC which was able to raise more money than the RNC in the 2004 election, something that has not happened in recent memory.
Dean seems to understand the plight of the DNC and has big plans to bring the party back to life as a competitive party. He believes that candidates from the lowest to the hightest offices need support and that only this effort will bring the Democratic Party back to national prominence. It is his belief that the Democrats need to stop being afraid to compete in every race, in every district, and in every state and rebuild the party fromt the ground up.
He also understands that the DNC has become a deteriorating institution in recent years, and needs new life and a new understanding of the American people. Dean has stated that Democrats have the right beliefs to win but have a poor public relations plan. He is absolutely right. Too long the Democratic leadership has been allowing the Republican party to frame the debate in whatever terms they see fit. The Republicans, in turn, have blinded the American people to real political issues by constantly throwing so-called "moral values" issues at them, blunting criticism by playing the "Patriotism" card, and the Democrats have not done anything effective to counter that--at least not on a national level.
One of the most poignant statement made by Dean is that Democrats can win by simply being Democrats. He believes that reinventing themselves as Republicans is the death knell of the party. That the Democrats need to get back to basics and start listening to people from outside of Washington. Dean's insistence on including the actual feelings of everyday Americans is one of the things that made him so enormously popular during his bid for the Democratic nomination. Also, the fact that he understands the futility of moving further and further to the right after every lost election is not only a rare quality in Democratic leaders, but one that all Democrats, liberals, and progressives should be demanding from the party that purports to represent them.
Dean also warns against the centrist tendencies he saw coming from the Democratic leadership and feels the Democratic party needs an overhaul. They will never win by trying to be 'Republican-lite'." He also spoke to the lack of guts in the current Democratic leadership, saying, "If you want to win, you have to fight, and you have to stand for something." and reiterated, "When some people say we should change direction, in essence they are arguing that our basic or guiding principles can be altered or modified. They can't." Amen to that.
Dean clearly stands for something. He stands for a return to a traditional Democratic platform--one of everyman populist principles and fiscal responsibility. He stands for running intense, nation-wide campaigns for the White House, rather than battling only for swing states and leaving those states designated as "blue states" in the automatic win column, saying, "We cannot be the party that seeks to win the presidency by running an 18-state campaign. We cannot be the party that cedes a single state, a single district, a single precinct, nor should we cede a single voter"
To those who say that Howard Dean is too polarizing, think about this: the Republicans have now twice won elections with one of the most polarizing candidates this country has ever seen. While George W. Bush maintains a popular majority in this country, the other half of the country is in direct opposition to him. Can we do any worse than that? I don't think so. I think that Dean can provide this party with the leadership it desperately needs, overhaul fundraising to the point where corporate influence is nil, and most of all, inspire energy and passion again in the Democratic leadership. He is strong, intelligent, experienced, and truly believes that we can take back America. That is exactly the kind of person we need to replace all of the wishy-washy, spineless Democrats currently running the show. Why continue to support centrism when it isn't what we really want?
The Democrats should take Dean's advice--stand up for something.
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