Howard Dean - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Honus · #1 01-22-2009, 04:31 PM

Governor Dean is stepping down as DNC chair. Those of us who favor the Democratic party owe him a huge debt of gratitude. He totally kicked butt during his 4 years running the DNC.

Here are his parting remarks:

Quote:

Four years ago, I became chairman with a mandate for bottom-up reform -- grow the Democratic Party in your neighborhood and every other community in America.

We promised to compete in every state, for every level of office. And we demanded a party that would stand up for itself and fight for an agenda that reflects our values.

When the 447 members of the Democratic National Committee elected me, it wasn't because they thought I could accomplish these things.

They elected me because I knew that only you could.

I believed then -- and I believe now -- that every single one of us must take responsibility for building our party. It's not enough to simply vote for Democrats -- in order to win, every one of us must deliver our message and values into our own communities. We must organize.

Four years later, we have more Democratic state legislators and governors. We expanded the electoral map, regained a majority in both houses of Congress, and put a Democratic president in the White House.

We did it by rebuilding the party infrastructure from the ground up, creating a truly national voter database, and developing 21st century campaign tools that merged traditional organizing with new technology.

I said on my first day on the job that this wouldn't be my chairmanship -- it would be ours together. And you reshaped the political landscape over these four years.

Next week, I will step down after four years as chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

I'd like to congratulate Governor Tim Kaine of Virginia, who will take my place as Chairman on January 21st. He will be an excellent leader in the years ahead.

I know a lot of people are wondering what to expect as we move forward. I can assure you that Governor Kaine will continue the grassroots approach that has made our party and Barack Obama's campaign so successful.

Governor Kaine knows first-hand what a commitment to fighting everywhere means -- Virginia is a prime example of what can happen when we refuse to concede any part of this country and build our organization everywhere.

Democrats have made great gains over the past four years, but we still have a lot of work to do to get this country back on course.

Governor Kaine knows that the strength of our party comes from the bottom up, and he will need your support as we take the next steps to grow our party and elect Democrats everywhere.

You've done a lot over the last six months, and over the last four years. You've donated money, talked to friends, knocked on doors. You've invested yourself in the political process. And it's tempting to take it easy after a big victory.

But these are not short-term investments. We will only create lasting change if that sense of obligation to one another and responsibility for the common good becomes a permanent part of our lives.

Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."

We cannot be silent. We cannot leave it to others to see this through.

Thank you for everything you did for our cause in this election and over the last four years.

But we are not stopping here. And even though my term as chairman is ending, I will be with you -- and with our new chairman -- every step of the way.

Thank you again.

Way to go, Gov. Job very well done.

Botnst · #2 01-22-2009, 06:11 PM

AAAAaaarrrrrrgghhhhghghhhhhgggggghhhhh!!!!

Pete Geither · #3 01-22-2009, 06:21 PM

Only the DEMOCRATS can get this country back on course ? I will sleep much better tonight with that knowledge.

Honus · #4 01-22-2009, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Botnst

AAAAaaarrrrrrgghhhhghghhhhhgggggghhhhh!!!!

Ah, I see that you are a Dean aficionado. You have selected one of my favorite quotes from Governor Dean, but you really should have put it quotes.

LUVMBDiesels · #5 01-22-2009, 08:34 PM

Dr. Dean was the last Dem to get $$ from me

I figured he would shake things up and he has...

"AAAARRRRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!!!"

MTI · #6 01-22-2009, 08:52 PM

Being the DNC chair . . . talk about herding cats . . .

Honus · #7 01-22-2009, 09:33 PM

Managing Democrats used to be like herding cats, but for some reason they seem to have discovered the virtue of discipline. I went to a meet-and-greet yesterday for Jody Wagner who is running for the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. She is just an incredibly impressive person. Afterwards, another lady who was there commented on how many Democrats in Virginia these days are of such high quality - Jim Webb, Mark Warner, and Tim Kaine are just the three most prominent examples. It's encouraging.

Check out Jody Wagner's website http://jodyforva.com/welcome

Very impressive.

Emmerich · #8 01-22-2009, 10:14 PM

Dean is patting himself on the back when the Republicans turned liberal and handed COngress away in 2006 and the election this year. His enemy surrendered while he did nothing.

tankdriver · #9 01-23-2009, 09:03 AM

Man, one Yeeehaaa away from being President of the United States. How tough that must be to live with.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emmerich

Dean is patting himself on the back when the Republicans turned liberal and handed COngress away in 2006 and the election this year. His enemy surrendered while he did nothing.

Republicans have had much better organization on the local level before Dean took over the DNC. Much ado was made of how Reps got the vote out in Ohio and other states last time around. This time the Dems were more organized.

Dee8go · #10 01-23-2009, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Botnst

AAAAaaarrrrrrgghhhhghghhhhhgggggghhhhh!!!!

That's it, Bot. Your political career is OVER, you maniac.

Dee8go · #11 01-23-2009, 09:59 AM

I wish Obama and the Democrats well, they'll need it. I would have to say that if they couldn't beat the Republicans this time, they should just throw in the towel. I think the Republicans did more to get Obama in the White house than Howard Dean and Co.

Honus · #12 01-23-2009, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emmerich

...His enemy surrendered while he did nothing.

Good grief, would it kill you to give credit where credit is due? Sure, the GOP fell apart in 2006, but the Democrats' gains in fund raising and voter turnout didn't happen by accident. You should try saying something nice about a Democrat now and then. It really isn't that difficult.

mgburg · #13 01-23-2009, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dculkin

Managing Democrats used to be like herding cats, but for some reason they seem to have discovered the virtue of discipline. ... Very impressive.

Disciplining cats?

My guess would be that they managed to get the "happy gas" cloud just enough north of the group and THEN, turned on the Southward-facing fan and the rest is history...

My guess is that Hillary was as VIABLE a candidate ALONG with "O" - the youth vote did as much, if not more for the Democrats than anything else...

Combining those two items, when "H" acquiesced her votes to "O" - it was a simple matter of convincing any Democrat to vote against a Democrat was not in their best interest...

I didn't hear alot about unhappy "H"ers coming over to the "'dark side" so either way, the Democrats managed to have the bodies needed, how ever fractured, to pull together and win one for the "O" - and congratulations to that team...

May "O" lead as he should, but be humble in that leadership...and ALWAYS remember that it wasn't him that got himself where he's at...it was the little folks, the people of the USA, that did it for him...and for that, he should be saying a prayer, each and every morning...

mwood · #14 01-23-2009, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dee8go

I wish Obama and the Democrats well, they'll need it. I would have to say that if they couldn't beat the Republicans this time, they should just throw in the towel. I think the Republicans did more to get Obama in the White house than Howard Dean and Co.

+1 I could have gotten elected on the Demo ticket; this one was a gimme. That's why it was the time to get a woman and a black man in the top spot. I'm not saying that was a bad thing, just it was the best opportunity.

Brian Carlton · #15 01-23-2009, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mwood

+1 I could have gotten elected on the Demo ticket;

I could have landed that jetliner on the Hudson River..........yep, I definitely could have..........in fact, I could have turned it around and landed in LGA on 13.