One Father For Dean

David Broder on The Dean Legacy

2004-02-22T09:38:00.000-08:00

So much to do, so little time...The legacy will live on.

With the nomination now off the table for Governor Dean, there are new possibilities and new efforts for others involved in the campaign.

Don't be surprised to hear of a few new faces coming out from inside the ranks this fall....

Eventual URL

2004-02-17T00:52:00.000-08:00

Nothing there yet, but anticipate a move to http://www.onefatherfor.com at some point in the next few months (this is for transfer to new blog software, NOT a wavering of my endorsement of Governor Dean for the nomination)....plus some new blogroll enities as we look to November and beyond....

2004-02-10T10:34:00.000-08:00

I was on site for Joe Trippi's keynote to the Digital Democracy Teach-In portion of the O'Reilly Emerging Technology Conference yesterday. Reporters at the event included the San Jose Mercury News' Dan Gillmor, Toronto's The Globe and Mail, and Noah Schactman from Wired Magazine (hmmmm...did I really say that? I know I meant it; thanks NS), plus several other bloggers.

Later on yesterday a small consortium of volunteer technologists associated with the grassroots of several Democratic campaigns started the conversation I'd anticipated: how do projects like DeanSpace, Clark Community, et al. take their next steps in developing movement / campaign / emergent project cycles toward a further re-invigorated democratic process. It was a good first share....

(to be continued)

Presidential Politics as a Yacht Race

2004-02-09T09:07:00.000-08:00

This mornings dazy hazy revelation: that presidential politics is very similar to a yacht race....

- it takes a LOT of money, often a syndicate, to make an initial go of it based simply on the infrastructure needs
- with the money, you need world-class expertise to develop high performance tools: hulls, sails, etc.
- with the money, you need a world-class skipper and crew

....but despite all this...

- one tack, one start, can often win a day's race and subsequently the cup
- the weather, the environment, the wind, sometimes contrary to the typical, can often decide the cup

The Dean campaign has showed the way for all Democrats to tack in prepration for racing with George Bush...
The Dean campaign has showed how to match a syndicate in money...
The Dean campaign has showed that the media weather can influence an election...
The Dean campaign has showed that the electorate weather is often local and subject to change...

Great Days Ahead

2004-02-08T20:22:00.000-08:00

As I sit in the lobby of the Westin in downtown San Diego, eagerly awaiting tomorrow's chance to meet many of the Dean technology folks, including Joe Trippi himself, I'm a firm believer that there are great days ahead....

Governor Dean started a wave that all Democrats are riding right now...and only one gets to be the Big Kahuna, riding the pipe toward Boston this summer.

There are lessons to mull over, progress to be planned and new ideas to push. Call it rose-colored glasses, but I truly think that Candidate 1.0 will be much better than the Beta...

If It Comes To This....

2004-02-02T16:31:00.000-08:00

TomPaine.com's Steven Rosenfeld warns off thoughts of symbolic fights within the context of Convention Politics.

I have to say, I completely agree. With a few caveats...

If/when Governor Dean is mathematically eliminated from contention for the nomination, I would hope to see his supporters move on in two paths, neither mutually exclusive. One is to support the nominee of the party and his team's girding up for the November election. But, as is seen in the article, this support will likely come at arm's length because the the platform and organization will be that of the winner, not those of the next best finisher(s).

Advice and advocacy from the Dean grassroots, in this case, would need to be re-directed in a positive / parallel coalition with the nominee - the primary goal of a non-GWBush White House is still a short term target.

So I'd assume that this second path is to drive toward the formation of a 527-style organization that would perform grassroots issue, organizational and media advocacy, similar to MoveOn.org but working from the local Dean teams / Meetup structure to continue the political change communities beyond this year's elections. No longer a one time affair like Jerry Brown's shadow convention, but a long term, local organizing force with the interest in continuing to press for real results and change: within the Democratic Party, with new Democratic primary challengers in Congress, with the Congress and Presidency as a whole.

Would it work? It all depends what the Deanroots think and want to do.....

All Politics is Local

2004-02-02T00:02:00.000-08:00

Michael Cudahy and Jock Gill at GreaterDemocracy write up another analysis of the structural problems of Governor Dean's local campaigns in IA and NH, and why the Perfect Storm turned into passing cloud-cover....

Riding the Waves, A Patriot's Call To Arms

2004-01-31T01:34:00.000-08:00

David Brooks in the NYTimes (reg. required) points to the cycles of the Democratic nomination process, and who's the Big Kahuna now (yet again)....

Positive feedback loops (like those driving the progression from Kerry to Dean to Clark to Dean to Kerry) always seem to end in chaos, but the resulting transformation into a new state can be a net positive. Governor Dean is back to his original position as outsider, critical of go-along-get-along leadership in Washington Dems, running on his record of success in VT, still outraising all but Kerry from the citizen patriots of the Dean Brigade.... This and yet: 1) he knows the lead position, 2) he's proven his mettle to come back from loss, and 3) he's still still standing. Pretty good selling points for electability, if you ask me....

The current Dean strategy is very "Revolutionary" indeed: snipe from behind the fences, trees and stone walls of Feb. 3 states at a well formed column of Kerry Regulars, picking off a few delegates here and there, taking a surprise finish here and there, and preparing for the longer more meaningful battles looming ahead (interesting that at the time of Lexington and Concord, only 1/3 of the population believed in breaking from Britain; coincidence that a Dean's portion of upstart Dems has been similar?)....Tested by the snows of Valley Forge, another leader and President made headway under difficult circumstances, too....

Despite the unheralded media pressure, despite losing the "mo" of IA and NH while swinging for the fences, despite rumors of push-polling by someone (foe or compatriot), despite the tendency in 2004 to "go with the flow of current electability"....the Governor continues to engender fortitude and courage within his base (to the tune of $1.35 million in just one week), while honing his depth of message to close the deal with the Great Democratic Unfaithful of this election season....

If the media does its "job", they'll be back....

Inspired

2004-01-28T10:51:00.000-08:00

That's about all I can say after last night's speech by Governor Dean to the ground troops in New Hamsphire.

Vision.
Emotion.
Belief.
Strength.
Character.

This is good. Very good.

New Bat, Same As The Old Bat

2004-01-24T20:40:00.000-08:00

If you like what I do (or what I've done) for the Governor, please use my mini-bat to contribute - it'll end up on the main bat, regardless....

A View From the Crowd

2004-01-24T13:39:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Idiomstudio.com and Webmasters For America, the IA caucus speech from a slightly different angle....

Includes a second video for....comparison.

A NH Voter Picks Dean

2004-01-24T11:10:00.000-08:00

...and a pretty good analysis of the reasons why...

See Judy. See Howard. See Next First Couple.

2004-01-24T10:05:00.000-08:00

Blog for America has Diane Sawyer's Primetime Thursday interview (right column, in various file formats).

If you still doubt the sincerity and/or sanity of Governor Dean and the basis for his vision, please watch this....

Who's The Populist Now?

2004-01-24T09:58:00.000-08:00

David Corn at The Nation shows there's now more than one populist in the race for New Hampshire....

Latest Dean Dance Remix

2004-01-24T09:55:00.000-08:00

...is a good one (link downloads .mp3 file - need RealPlayer or another player to hear).

Thanks to Atrios at Eschaton for our morning yawp....

For more remixes, see Anatopia's list and the master Compiler at DeanGoesNuts.com (there's a link to the crowd view video, for the true context of the Rockne / Lombardi impression)...

We Mock What We Don't Understand

2004-01-23T01:30:00.000-08:00

How fitting that strange surgical techniques form the basis for this post's title....Tom Paine's Russ Baker talks about candor and reality losing to false senses of strength / safety / goodness.

If you support a different Dem candidate, you may not understand why Dean engenders the passion and support that he does in his supporters; you may not understand how the Dean grassroots feels truly a part of his campaign; and you may not understand that you cannot simply assume our support (if/when) without giving us what we ask for and receive every day from Governor Dean.

If you think electability is decided by someone else (pundits, Southerners, Swing States, Independents, Reagan Dems, etc.), you may not understand why Governor Dean is truly the most electable (issues, record, character, support).

If you are voting day decision-maker, you may not understand that you are predisposed to vote for a "safe" candidate than one that "seems" to challenge your perceptions...unless you start thinking and looking earlier than not.

If you are a media maven, you may not understand that it's okay to actually tell a story, investigate facts, validate sources...instead of commenting on commentary, keeping it light, avoiding the hard issues, describing only two sides to every story....when the future of our country continues to be abrogated in your deference to power.

If you are a political wonk, you may not understand that a confluence of reality television and re-invigorated community organizing has possibly changed what it means to be anything, including "hockey dad" or "presidential".

If you are not of the Web, you may not understand that the "Yeaaaaaaaghhh Heard Round The 'Net" is much more a playful tweak and an admiring homage than a horrific snub....a creative commons, indeed.

My Own Bat

2004-01-22T14:00:00.000-08:00

I've brought out the bat - I'm going for a $2000 goal, in honor of never backing down when things look tough. That's what we want in a nominee, that's what we expect in a President....and the Doctor will Deliver.

This campaign is bigger than each of us, and bigger than one or two states: I have no doubt the Doctor will do his part for us tonight (per Joe Trippi):

"1) Tonight, Howard Dean will appear at the Democratic candidates' debate in Manchester, New Hampshire. The debate will air live nationally on the Fox News Channel at 8 pm ET, with a one-hour summary on ABC News' Nightline at 11:35 pm ET. FOX News Radio and ABC News Radio networks will also carry the debate.

2) Governor Dean and his wife Judy sit down with Diane Sawyer tonight on Prime Time Thursday on ABC. The program airs at 10 pm ET.

3) Howard Dean will appear on Late Night with David Letterman on CBS tonight. Check local listings."

Crossing the Chasm: Gov Dean as New Product

2004-01-21T19:07:00.000-08:00

"You can't have buyer's remorse if you don't go shopping until the last minute on Christmas Eve....And especially if you decide to give them something you know they'll like, instead of something new."

Crossing The Chasm - review

If a successful entrepreneur learns any one thing, it is to keep trying to refine their product for the right target markets, yielding a "self-marketing" trend that outstrips competitors...

I would posit (in hindsight) a chain of events for Gov. Dean, something like:
- insurgent campaign reaches front-runner in an open market (first-mover advantage), with an early adopter product suite
- insurgent-leader marketing copied by market leaders("Bush as miserable failure"), eliminating "the message gap" while still selling same product
- insurgent-leader moves to pre-validate in overall marketplace through big customer deals (endorsements) without Early Majority product launched for Early Majority targets (IA - * see below)
- market leaders make it comfortable for customers to "come home" (keep negative off radar, drive negatives up for insurgent, etc.)

...occurred since last Fall....

I remember someone's DailyKos diary today mentioning the Dean high point as just before Gore, when an extension to Early Majority product would have been best timed. I think that the launch was occurring, but got drowned out in the insane negatives, then echoed by the media. Taken off one's game, a half-hearted launch (I also remember Dean saying something to the effect, "It's hard to move to the center when you're getting hit from all sides") is never followed through....

So,...what next?

You re-package from your base for the Early Majority. The base is still with the Governor, the product is still sitting on the shelf, and the only question is how much time it takes to re-launch...

Detractors and followers-on can be re-captured. An entrepreneur doesn't quit and neither should we Dean Supporters....

* (Maybe IA is actually Late Majority, despite being early by date)

No Risk, No Reward

2004-01-20T09:59:00.000-08:00

We are neither blind, nor stupid - constructive criticism of Gov Dean needs to be utilized, just as it has been in the past. We may be down, but we are not out in the least...

But....the drafting, "nice", photogenic candidates who took a battle in IA by not engaging in one on the radar are still not risking enough of their political capital to make things happen, in one case within the Senate, in another case within the greater Democratic Party. They have co-opted the current leader's message, but the larger mechanics are not there (yet).

I respect John Kerry - he's obviously looking better than at any point since he lost his presumptive status many months ago; I like John Edwards - he's got something that rural Democrats obviously listened to and chose over both the old (Gep) and the new (Dean). Clark can also end up being the nominee with many positives for ABB.

Maybe that's the path to the nomination, to follow the leader, play it safe, know which way the wind blows before you set your sail; and maybe Dean will end up being the hare for the greyhounds (too many analogies right there, I know). Point being, there is a real hunger for true spine, true grit, true belief, true change in this country and the party. You can flip undecideds in one week, or you can build networks for the future - which one is going to have the greater effect on our democracy and our party?

Winning the White House is a priority - that can either be about putting a stop to the negative of GWB or about jump-starting the positives that we all know need to happen to create a better America for everyone. The Dean actives who have provided more money and support than to any other Dem candidate in history, who see the larger picture and how to start to fix it,...they won't take another round of "Republicans won't let us do health care", "Republicans made us give those tax cuts", "The President REALLY promised to be compassionate, and go to the UN"... History tells us all this has been the case - they have/had the power to be a Paul Wellstone every day, and we've exepected it since 2000...without much in return.

Governor Dean - first in the hearts and minds of his followers, whether they know it (Deaniacs) or not (Kerry / Edwards / Clark).

A Dean-er World

2004-01-12T20:15:00.000-08:00

From the UK's Guardian, Jay Parini's take on "the real Howard Dean"...

Starting Line In Sight

2004-01-11T12:34:00.000-08:00

With just about a week to go until the Iowa Caucus, it's fun to think what a year it's been - a surge from seemingly nowhere has lifted Governor Dean from Montpelier / Burlington, VT to national prominence as a presidential candidate, and purported frontleader....

It's now that the race truly begins - with over 550K supporters and plenty of energy, the compressed primary schedule will likely give us a nominee within the next two months or so.

Assumptions that Dean will be there at a minimum, possibly locked in contention with a strong second of Clark / Edwards / Gephardt, is still too much for me to call. Anything can happen, but the strength of support (Bradley / Gore / Harkin / etc.) across the party, the fundraising $$, the multi-state coverage of eager volunteers makes it more than likely Governor Dean can race successfully until the end, wherever that finish line may be....

Jonathan Cohn, Dissenting View

2004-01-08T10:44:00.000-08:00

Although the purportedly liberal, actually center-left/center-right, magazine The New Republic has endorsed Joe Lieberman for the Democratic nomination in 2004, they also ran several other analyses of candidates, including Governor Dean.... Fairly balanced, I'd say.

New Q4 Record

2003-12-31T13:34:00.000-08:00

As of 4:30 pm EDT, we're through the $15 million barrier with over 7 hours to go....

New Year's Double-Header

2003-12-29T15:43:00.000-08:00

Good shot to repeat or beat in Q4....

More Linux / Napster Dean

2003-12-21T20:54:00.000-08:00

A post by Aldon Hynes on Greater Democracy explores how providing good organizing tools to everyone, regardless of party, benefits us all....

Who are the Dean Republicans?

2003-12-21T09:30:00.000-08:00

This post at Daily Kos seems to hit it right on the head....

Dean as Napster

2003-12-21T09:23:00.000-08:00

I like the analogy...

Despite the RIAA lawsuits, file-sharing continues to change the state of the music industry (Wal-Mart as an on-line music retailer? you bet...).

Despite the squeal from both political establishments, grassroots organizing augmented and amplified by weblogs et al. continue to change the Campaign of 2004 (NYTimes reg. required)....

The Corrections

2003-12-20T22:48:00.000-08:00

Governor Dean's response to a Washington Post editorial framing his foreign policy outline speech in Los Angeles last week as "out of the mainstream"....

"I've got a (Democratic) backbone....and I'm not afraid to use it!...."

Dungeons and Dean

2003-12-15T18:08:00.000-08:00

Courtesy of Miles at North Bay for Dean....Just in time for a Christmas general release....

Ward Sutton Cartoon from The Village Voice

2003-12-13T15:15:00.000-08:00

We need everyone on board, whichever candidate's ship is sailing....

An "Unelectable" cartoon, from a month back, too...

Maps, Maps and More Maps

2003-12-13T11:38:00.000-08:00

From CommonWealth Magazine (Boston, MA), an interesting 10-region breakout of American voting / demographics / geography.

Some over at Daily Kos have minor critiques of the breakout, but there is also mention of a book (Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways In America) that looks interesting, for the political demographics of initial British immigration to America.... I wonder if it meshes somewhat with my thoughts on Mountain Men, Minutemen, Grange Men and Union Men?...

The Color of Money

2003-12-12T14:58:00.000-08:00

Another useful tool with insight on who is contributing to political campaigns....

Positive Feedback From The Black Commentator

2003-12-11T21:02:00.000-08:00

Both the full content and commentary on Governor Dean's December 7th address regarding race, Republicans and their decades long "Southern Strategy".

I wrote my note to ABC News on the belittlement of Sharpton, Braun and Kucinich during the New Hampshire debate the other night; and I completely agree that Governor Dean benefits for their inclusion in the process. He (and we) need the strong liberal outliers to drive pragmatic solutions (and solvers) into the middle of the electorate. That most assuredly includes addressing matters of race by going to the heart of matters for everyone: jobs, healthcare and education....

Somewhere Out There (A Thousand Points of "Here"), Lies My Democratic Heart

2003-12-10T13:52:00.000-08:00

Jay Rosen at the PressThink weblog has a very good entry in response to the most recent NYT Magazine article on the Dean Connection.

This comes very close to explaining the "why now, why Dean?" question that we all get very often - to quote James Carville, "It's the freedom to change, stupid".

FundRace 2004

2003-11-26T14:02:00.000-08:00

A cool little site with a depth of information based on Federal Election Commission filings - check out the money map....

New Bat - RNC In the Game

2003-11-21T12:14:00.000-08:00

New post from the main Dean blog describing the RNC's first wave of advertising and the response (talk about a troll goal)....

Mountain Men, Minutemen, Grange Men and Union Men: Where Is the Common Cause?

2003-11-12T21:02:00.000-08:00

This is an idea that I've percolated for awhile...

If you map the (male-oriented) matrix:

         |   Independent   |   Communal
-----------------------------------------------
Urban  |   Minutemen   |  Guild / Union Men
-----------------------------------------------
Rural    |  Mountain Men  |  Farming / Grange Men

...I think this tells a tale...

As the agricultural and manufacturing waves have swept and receded across our country , the independent archetype has taken hold in the mind of the majority... as there has been no directly obvious communal economic hierarchy to replace those of the past. It has become "every person for themselves", instead of a balance between this and "everyone for the good of the community".

Now, if you have plenty of land to hunt and are adept at survival...or are a small business owner in a growing community...then the Mountain Men / Minutemen can thrive. We as a society labor under a partial delusion that we are all Bill Gates - possible? yes. are we all capable? not currently....and we don't all need to be to reap the benefits of the risk taker.

As you increase the size of a community (in the years of America's founding), communal forces start to build, so that the growth of the settler and worker archetypes eventually takes a lead from initial independent archetypes. This became the hotbed of populism and social democratic forces, which now are in decline since the switch to a service-based economy (and, only recently, the service unions who organize them).

The continuing great liberal movements (women's rights, civil rights, etc.) have created some longstanding communal structures, but they have not been based on economics per se (equal wages aside). I think it nothing short of prescient that service and white-collar unions coming to the forefront in the near term are establishing a revival of the concept of communal economic self-interest...with which the other liberal communal structures can be bridged...and re-start the conversation of moral community (as opposed to a community of morals) in America.

Meetup Referrals

2003-11-11T11:14:00.000-08:00

From the Meetup website, the latest statistics on Meetup referrals:

"Meetup Topic --- # of "Tell-A-Friend" emails sent -- (Systemwide Rank)

dean2004 --- 38,752 -- (1)
clark2004 --- 6,255 -- (2)
kerry2004 --- 3,035 -- (5)
kucinich2004 --- 2,977 -- (7)
edwards2004 --- 510 -- (51)
bush2004 --- 279 -- (100)
moseleybraun2004 --- 229 -- (116)
gephard2004 --- 103 -- (217)
lieberman2004 --- 51 -- (351)
sharpton04 --- 23 -- (593)"

As a total of Meetup membership for the top four, you find a referral percentage of:

Dean - 27.6% (140,244)
Clark - 14.3% (43,753)
Kerry - 19.9% (15,347)
Kucinich - 17.0% (17,554)

Interesting to note that three of these candidates (Clark, Dean, Kucinich) also have the lowest average contribution to date, per the FEC (thanks to Atrios).

Dean On-Line @ Washington Post

2003-11-06T09:54:00.000-08:00

Transcript of Governor Dean's Washington Post On-Line Forum from this morning...

Political Transformation

2003-11-06T00:53:00.000-08:00

Christopher Lydon asks: "Who's going to decode the Internet transformation of American politics?"

Looks like he is....

Micah Sifry commented and also wrote an article: "....But the thing was still tightly controlled and the candidates -- none of them -- found a way to not pander to their audience."

"Pander" can be the oh-so-slick-feel-your-pain of our overblown Television Anchor Age...or it can be a well-worn, enticing, common comfort channel of a multi-channel conversation, not solely contingent upon broadcast performance for ratings (i.e. syndicated repeats aren't always "great", but people still seem to watch them...and end up discussing them around the water cooler the next day)....

Even if feedback looping is not yet ubiquitous across all elder media, the back channels of blogs, Meetups, local organizing groups, mail-lists, etc. are starting to become 90% of the political iceberg to the 10% showing above the broadcast line...

It's the shark in the water....

Your Foreign Policy

2003-11-01T00:19:00.000-08:00

With an outcome similar to the Myers-Briggs Personality Assessment, e.thePeople, PBS and the Hewlett Foundation offer a new foreign policy quiz - 12 questions between the opposites:

Military vs. Diplomacy
Sovereignty vs. Human Rights
Protections vs. Global Markets
National Interest vs. Cooperations

...and worth the time....

Soylent Dean

2003-10-21T00:27:00.000-07:00

Love it: "The Democracy Strain" and "Howard's Run" are sure to follow....

Q3 Fundraising Details

2003-10-15T23:18:00.000-07:00

The results are in from last quarter's fundraising for Governor Dean - over 160,000 individual donors in the quarter at an average of almost $75 / donor, of whom almost 80% (128,000) are new.

The Governor's statement is here. And Kos at DailyKos has a breakdown of the Democratic field in Q3, for which I calculated an Efficiency Factor (on hand / total raised to date).

And of the over 230,000 donors to date, less than 1% (2300 donors) have given the maximum of $2000 for the primary season. That's (hopefully) a lot of room left for donations from the current base....

With the Bush war chest growing by the day ($80 million toward a goal of $200 million), I believe that Governor Dean is fully justified in moving beyond Federal Matching funds, as long as the focus is on small donations and individual donors: to do anything less is not fighting fire with fire....

Misperceptions and the Media

2003-10-10T11:52:00.000-07:00

Here is empirical evidence of the media power to drive message, according to a study from the University of Maryland's Program on International Policy Attitudes analysis of the War in Iraq....

A New Restoration

2003-09-29T00:29:00.000-07:00

Michael Cudahy and Len Vickers have a new post on Greater Democracy that bears mentioning - without a re-energized purpose for the Great Center of our country, a Dean Presidency will not be the seachange of politics of which it is capable....

$12.5+ Million Dollar People

2003-09-28T23:28:00.000-07:00

A Democratic Presidental Fundraising record already (as announced on Saturday), the push for $2.5 million in three days is on....Average looks to be around $85 per contribution so far, almost 150,000 contributions.

The Parable of The Diner and The (Four-Star) Restaurant

2003-09-23T22:01:00.000-07:00

Every single Democrat should be able to insert their favorite candidate here....

----------------------------------------

A Parable of The Diner and The (4-Star) Restaurant:

You show up in town, the first day of college / work / the rest of your life. You're hungry - starving - feels like you haven't had anything to eat in weeks, months. Maybe it's actually true.

As you walk down the well-worn street in what was formerly the hive of this guilded city, you see people heading into a bell-rung door with a hand re-painted neon sign overhead - could have been done by the patrons, you think. You're intrigued. The door never seems to close. Those entering and exiting wear t-shirts and buttons extolling the diner's name. What is this?

Upon jumping into the commotion of an entrance, you a greeted by an overwhelmingly earnest warmth and the bracing sound of....people. Everywhere: people at the counter, people waiting in line, people chatting, people in booths. The din reminds you of a Greek wedding. They are upscale and downscale; gray, raven and bleach blond; men, women, and children. Colors shapes and sizes abound.

The space isn't large; the furniture is spartan luncheonette. The waitstaff in parts looks all of slightly less than college age and all of more than a lifetime pushing the lunch special and making tips with the stub of a pencil behind the left ear.

The owners, as they stand behind the counter, are immigrants. Maybe they started bussing tables down the street; maybe they swept the floors at night or collected garbage. Or maybe it was their parents or grandparents or great-grandparents....But then, who in this place isn't an immigrant? They speak with loud voices to the regulars and their short order staff, chiming a smile to their favorites and grimacing for those who ask how it's really going - they don't pull punches. And you can appreciate that.

Eventually you grab a corner stool and tuck into your food - honest, filling, simple...and with a twist of difference. It's the meal you knew your grandmother or grandfather to make, only updated....and amazingly....better. Maybe you haven't had something like this sustenance in such a long time, that it is more a reminiscence than replica, more heart and soul than carbon copy.

In a booth across the way, you overhear a heated discussion above clanking silverware: a new restaurant opening review. A stellar chef with an impressive resume, prime real estate on the growing side of town, dignitaries galore sitting on a waitlist just to get in the door....This is the echelon of eating, or so the story goes. Some say, "sounds wonderful"; others, "I'll wait to see how it pans out".

One gentleman, taking his time to sip his coffee thoughtfully, slowly reminds his table that this is the same restaurant that seems to open every 4-8 years, in exactly the same spot, with exactly the same patrons, only the restaurant name and the owners have changed. "It always gets great reviews," he says, "always lights up the hearts of many with the hope that this time, somehow, it'll last more than just a year or so."

But it doesn't.

As you wipe your mouth of the last pie crumbs and gulp your water, take a breath and survey the scene, it amazes you: that in the midst of being jostled, babies screaming and parents scolding, lovers crying and tempers flaring in the kitchen...you know you are home.

And that will you be back.

The Digital Domain

2003-09-21T22:07:00.000-07:00

Anya Kamenetz at the Village Voice writes on the blog-ocracy's views of Howard Dean, his campaign and digital rights issues...

Dollars For Democracy

2003-09-21T21:57:00.000-07:00

NTodd from Dohiyi Mir has an article in OpenSourcePolitics about reading his credit card bill and finding Howard Dean as a line item....

As Team Dean swings for the fences, and the Supremes re-consider money, politics and advocacy, it's a timely topic to consider.

The Bat is Back - Q3 World Series

2003-09-21T01:37:00.000-07:00

The next 10 days will tell the story....

Billmon Endorsement

2003-09-09T14:50:00.000-07:00

Billmon at WhiskeyBar has been one of my favorite bloggers since I started doing One Father For Dean - always insightful, deeply analytical...and funny as well.

He joins the Dean camp as of today...

Flash Mobs For Dean

2003-09-08T10:22:00.000-07:00

A new Doonesbury...

Pledge To Restore America

2003-09-05T21:35:00.000-07:00

Ezra Klein at Not Geniuses proposes to bring focus to the 2004 Congressional Races as well as the Presidential Campaign through a Democratic Vision for America....

If the Democratic Party plans to get in the game next year, this is a good start.

Passionate Democrats, And The Passionate Passions They Impassion

2003-09-05T13:24:00.000-07:00

From TomPaine.com, Richard Blow's new article points to the combination of passion and intelligence being more formidable (and inspiring) than intelligence alone...

#1 on Amazon and #1 in New Hampshire/Iowa - coincidence?

Krugman From The LiberalOasis

2003-09-03T14:10:00.000-07:00

Paul Krugman, Princeton economist and NYTimes columnist, is interviewed by LiberalOasis, ahead of this month's release of his new book....

Join My DeanLink

2003-09-03T01:54:00.000-07:00

Dean For America has recently unveiled a new social software tool portion of their web site, both to assist local organizing of the grassroots and also to start putting names with faces.

With functionality very similar to Ryze, a business networking website, DeanLink is one step up in involvement from MeetUp...and also looks to be another basic part of the fun (finding out people you know who now support Dean, meeting those you don't know - all that good stuff)....

Back to School

2003-09-02T14:56:00.000-07:00

I'll have something new today....promise....

1 Million, With Flash

2003-08-22T15:14:00.000-07:00

A new grassroots fundraising push for $1 million this weekend to match the President's take in Portland last night.

Running total below left, the bat ends next Tuesday night at midnight. Click on the graphic to contribute...

And below right is a new Flash animation announcing the Governor's Sleepless Summer Tour: click to start (opens new browser window)....

check it out->

Local Politics

2003-08-16T09:05:00.000-07:00

An important side note to 2004, the California Recall moves forward.... And...

...I place my bet.

Dean FAQ

2003-08-11T12:58:00.000-07:00

DeanDefense.Org has just unveiled a re-designed web site that includes a citation index for Frequently Asked Questions regarding Governor Dean.

Dan Gillmor's Write-Up

2003-08-10T04:30:00.000-07:00

As promised, the San Jose Mercury News has an article today from Dan Gillmor's trip to Governor Dean's Burlington HQ.

An Open Letter To Andrew Sullivan

2003-08-09T19:03:00.000-07:00

Andrew,

A true eagle can do a lot to break through the clutter of misconception between "anti-war" and "Anti-War", if you choose....

I must admit that I have not read you regularly enough to know the full nuance of your concerns with Howard Dean's Defense, nor your spirited backing of the President's Offense (pre-emptive military action theory, that is...)

Most Americans continue to "support" the war in Iraq. I read in this polling an optimistic public belief that, despite grave concerns of an ill-prepared reconstruction plan and overtly propagandized war, American Democracy is an exportable good. Howard Dean believes the same.

Forging an early alliance with those who say no bomb is too small, no bullet too slow to "Keep the Peace" was not a dove-only pretense by the Governor. Process and honesty do count.

The President disregarded the maturity and ability of the American public to make an informed choice. True Leadership (tm) would have provided a detailed case on Iraq's tangential relationship to the War on Terrorism and the costs involved at home and abroad to enable True Security (tm) . In this case, it is only the greater American electorate who have been left in the dark and unsecured.

As a Vermonter during four years of the Dean Administration, I feel strongly that this country can benefit from Governor Dean's pragmatic approach to government budgets, public services and civil rights. Dean's re-invigoration of political action in American life through on-line and off-line organizing is surely a good thing.

As you take time this month, know that many Dean supporters are at the ready and waiting to work with you, should you decide from your time of reflection to work with us.

Social Security As A Social Good

2003-08-09T14:48:00.000-07:00

Social Security was originally put in place to eliminate the poverty of elder Americans; and its success is proven....

So, working to ensure it for the future as a social (not market) good will take pragmatic choices like some of those discussed here....

Dean Is....

2003-08-09T14:24:00.000-07:00

....Everyone....

Social Morality and The Judiciary

2003-08-07T18:35:00.000-07:00

The Senate Judiciary Committee flap over only 4 of 140 nominees being held in committee has heated up to the point where claims of anti-religious bias have been leveled by a Conservative Coalition.

But, looking more closely at the process -- where Presidents historically vetted candidates prior even to committee introduction -- and the nominees denied introduction in the past proves this false....

As an "Apostolic Automat-er" myself, I would deem them Cafeteria Conservatives....

Another View

2003-08-06T23:21:00.000-07:00

Dana Blankenhorn's take on the why of Howard Dean's candidacy....

Local Reporter On The Dean Beat

2003-08-05T09:47:00.000-07:00

Dan Gillmor, technology reporter for the San Jose Mercury News, is heading North to Burlington, VT to see the Dean Machine in action.

Time For His Close-Up...

2003-08-04T13:06:00.000-07:00

Per the Official Dean Blog:

"Tonight (Monday, 8/4) at 9 pm EDT, Dean will be on Larry King Live on CNN. The Governor will be on during the first half of the show, and live calls will be taken after the second commercial break, approximately 20 minutes into the show.

Tomorrow morning (Tuesday, 8/5), Dean will be interviewed on NBC's Today Show during the first half hour of the broadcast (between 7 am and 7:30 EDT). Check local listings for air times near you.

And tomorrow night (Tuesday, 8/5) CSPAN will broadcast live the AFL-CIO's Presidential Candidates Forum in Chicago, begining at 8 pm EDT."

Looking Good

2003-08-04T11:09:00.000-07:00

Iowa Results (past Saturday),
70K Meetup (yesterday),
Texas TV (today),
Larry King (tonight),
US News, Newsweek and Time (this week)

From The Left Coaster

2003-08-01T15:52:00.000-07:00

From a quality blogger who has questioned Governor Dean's electability in the past comes a very good analysis of what Howard Dean is doing to move his candidacy forward.

A big thanks to you, Steve, for keeping an open mind...

Economics Homework

2003-08-01T08:44:00.000-07:00

Alternet has an interesting article which includes a map of incomes in the United States.... plotted against I-70.

Based on this, where do you live?

My First Mention on NPR

2003-07-28T23:11:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Matt Gross at Dean Headquarters, my 2 seconds of fame have arrived in the middle of an NPR piece on Howard Dean and the Internet....And thanks to N.Todd at Dohiyi Mir for noticing the mention....

Very cool. Oh, and the $500K+ is a nice win...

Show Me The Money

2003-07-28T12:36:00.000-07:00

As an interface to public data on campaign finances at the FEC, Political Money Line gives you access to donor information for those contributing over $250 per candidate in each part of the election cycle.

And today, Governor Dean wraps up a 4-day fundraising weekend to meet or exceed the amount Vice President Cheney is slated to raise tonight in South Carolina.... the Bat is Back.

Braveheart

2003-07-28T01:32:00.000-07:00

As usual, Billmon does an exemplary job going under the covers of Mr. Dean's Army...and although the outcome he foresees for the Governor is not mine, most Dean supporters are realistic to know this is a possibility among many for our candidate of choice...

But, "...the movement's the thing": as long as those energized by Howard Dean, his campaign, the 2004 election or politics in general keep involved moving forward, then we will have won....

Know Thine Opposite

2003-07-24T23:30:00.000-07:00

Conservative political psychology is like....

Digital Downplay

2003-07-24T15:43:00.000-07:00

Timely for my post mentioning Dean and the Digital Divide, is an article from the Christian Science Monitor dateline Costa Rica that seems to confirm the idea that broadband access in iteself does not drive use or acceptance.

Maslow's Hierarchy would seem to have deep gap between it's second and third levels ("Maslow's Hierarchy and the Internet" - now there's a scientific paper that needs writing...)

This Message Brought To You By...

2003-07-24T02:06:00.000-07:00

The kickback is a mere trifle...but nonetheless, full disclosure is required...

I added an Amazon search and some book links on the right margin (hissss, booo!!!!), but more for encouraging folks to read up on topics related to this blog, than to buy books through my referral.

You can always go directly to Amazon and bypass my cut....I won't be hurt in the least...

More Than Intellectual, Less Than Property

2003-07-24T01:55:00.000-07:00

Besides driving another blog into shape this past week, I've been trying to coalesce my thoughts on the results of our Candidate Blogger and his sit-dive into the shark tank of Intellectual Property (IP)...

Doc Searles has a wonderful article that includes the Internet, Software, File Sharing (aka: P2P, Napster, et al.), Copyright and closes with the point that Howard Dean the "Now-Front-Tier-Candidate" would not exist were it not for the current state of the Internet, something that is under fire from all angles.

If there were ever a "significant non-infringing use" to be made of the Internet, then Nodal Politics is it.

As the Internet goes, so goes Democracy in its newest incarnations....a Greater Democracy.

But Howard Dean's action on these seemingly technical issues is not just about whether or not I get to send you a digital copy of my mix tape, or even make it in the first place. It's also about greater possibilities of civic participation, governmental clarity, improved education and growth economics - as I posted to the Governor's question re: the infamous Digital Divide within our own country, much less the world...

"Governor -

To second [another comment]’s points, with an important analogy back to one of you current positions.…

Just as gun control may cap gun access / content / demand but does not eliminate gun violence root causes, deploying broadband infrastructure “everywhere to everyone” ensures neither access, nor content nor demand.

Policy encouraging:
- open access over both current and new open source infrastructures;
- more content to the public domain and strengthened digital fair use; and
- increased demand through better basic/civic education, more open government data and processes
…will be of greater benefit to driving the desired infrastructure availability.

Augmenting “Universal Net Tone” will also be enormously cheaper after these policies give entrepreneurs the tools to create more, new and cheaper markets in hardware, software and services."

This bundle of ideas is one to which I'm glad to subscribe...

Presidential Access

2003-07-19T13:27:00.000-07:00

Compare and contrast:

Howard Dean writes his own blog entries,...

While the current Administration drives those who email the President through hoops (NYT Reg. req.)...

Who is more user friendly?

Dean Doonesbury Wk. 3, No. 5

2003-07-18T14:33:00.000-07:00

Even Sasha can help spread the word...

Dean Doonesbury Wk. 3, No. 4

2003-07-17T11:24:00.000-07:00

That's near Ifghanistan, right?

Dean Doonesbury Wk. 3, No. 3

2003-07-16T10:52:00.000-07:00

"According to the script..."

It's Like....

2003-07-16T02:31:00.000-07:00

...well, I'm not sure exactly what it's like....

As a relative newbie to the blogosphere (under a year), I think I "get" the concept of finding (or at least trying to find) one's voice, one's niche, one's rhythm in this medium. I studied hard from my A-List (bottom left column) and the rest of the Top n-hundred on BlogStreet, DayPop, or wherever for what seemed months before I had the guts to get my first web site up and running, despite the fact I already had old posts and content to transfer into the archives.

And that one still doesn't run on any blog software....yet... (am I more "core" for it all? So much to do, so little time).

I see the diversity in approach and also the development of well-known Blog Brands (tm) that beget imitation -- similar to novelists riffing off of their Hemingway or Faulkner, poets their Frost or Whitman. And I realize all it takes is time and effort - learning your instrument, refining your foul shot: there are scads of analogies....

So what is the equivalent to guest-blogging by a presidential candidate? When the blog owner is actually gone for a stretch? And you've not blogged extensively to date?

Is it like having a house party, where you show up to host in the later stages: everyone knows each other, people are flirting in the corners, loose as geese....and you turn off the dance music to say "Hello, it's nice to be here"?

Is it like running a professional meeting out of your own discipline: you don't know the history and your every word makes it obvious to those who wish (or think) they run the show that they've got you cornered, despite your good intentions?

Or is it like being substitute teacher, perhaps?

Governor Dean was invited to guest-blog on Stanford Law Professor Larry Lessig's blog this week, with mixed reviews about post content, but no doubt that the attempt is news in itself.

The Governor wants to listen and many have partaken in the opportunity: Fair Use, Copyright / Public Domain, Software / Business Patents, Peer 2 Peer File Sharing / Digital Rights Management, et al. may seem niche issues, but for creators and new enterprises they are at the heart of the matter.

This is the heart of the matter of possible futures for our knowledge-based economy.

....How did you treat your substitute teachers, anyway?....

Dean Doonesbury Wk. 3, No. 2

2003-07-15T23:09:00.000-07:00

Gotcha....

Dean Doonesbury Wk. 3, No. 1

2003-07-14T16:21:00.000-07:00

Political newbies....

What Liberal Media?

2003-07-14T16:18:00.000-07:00

Doonesbury's Sunday strip....

Dean Doonesbury Week 2, No. 6

2003-07-12T21:47:00.000-07:00

Losers Unite!....

That's the Way the Yellowcake Crumbles....

2003-07-12T21:43:00.000-07:00

Where to start?....

Howard Dean calls for resignations, as George Tenet falls on his sword....

The UK Independent lists 20 L**s About the War, as Tony Blair fights for his political life....

Maureen Dowd sees waffling (NYT registration required), as the CIA seems to have actually done the right thing back in October (so why not in January?)....

An updated yellowcake timeline from The Left Coaster....

Howard Dean Haiku

2003-07-11T15:50:00.000-07:00

The Dean Team released a haiku today in response to Vermont Poet Laureate Grace Paley's endorsement of Dennis Kucinich.

"The campaign goes on
We will one vote at a time
Take our country back"

(Just wondering: did they make ice cream when Ben Cohen did the same?)

I was inspired to play with the original, plus write some new haiku, poetry geek that I am...

"Campaign moving on
One vote at a time we will
Take our country back"

"Democrats For Dean
The center is no longer
Where it used to be"

"Dean Republicans
Know the Right's gone much too far
See a better way."

"Pragmatism rules
A coalescing movement
Greens For Dean Are One"

"Join us in the fray
Independents wait no more
Dean will make you proud"

"Who protects our rights?
Libertarians unite
Cast your votes for Dean"

"Grassroots catching fire
Making all the difference
Dean for President"

"Iowa is first
New Hampshire's date is second
Dean's Team never stops"

"Who can lead us now
To victory next Autumn?
Dean 2004"

"Healthy, happy, sound,
Growing, civil, common, right:
We believe in Dean"

Dean Doonesbury Week 2 - No. 5

2003-07-11T12:19:00.000-07:00

Keep those spirits up....

Contest Rules

2003-07-11T12:16:00.000-07:00

I entered a "new blog" contest at The Truth Laid Bear for greater exposure, more than winning; anyone with a blog can vote for One Father For Dean by linking to the entry I posted there.

For my choices within this week's contest, I'd pick Priorities and Frivolities, Pundit Mania and Dohiyi Mir as "Blogs to Watch"....

You Think You Know A Guy, (A Letter To The Editor)...

2003-07-11T00:45:00.000-07:00

...and then you realize you don't.

For my post comparing Beltway Democrat candidates' recent moves toward opposition to Al Gore perceived moves during Election 2000 not being "that genuine", I got the following email from someone who seems to (know):

"Dear Father for Dean

Rush Limbaughtomy here. I am a native Tennessean who lived in Vermont for many years. I am a Dean supporter this year and was a strong Gore supporter in 04.

I was Al Gore Sr. senate page in 1961 and his appointee to West Point and the Air Force Academy.
Al Jr is a long time family friend.
Al came from 17 points behind Bush in Jan of 99 to win the popular vote despite the worst bias of a free press in an election since the beginning of time.
Your characterization of Gore is unfair and your statement about how he should have won going away is inaccurate.

I don't think it behooves us dems to infight or to denigrate former candidates online. That is my opinion.

Barry Bozeman"

Since I don't have comments enabled on my blog, and rarely get complaints based on my...uh,...niche appeal,..I slapped on my One Father For Dean Ombudsman's hat to see what I could do.

So, I went back to check some facts before I checked my inferences: Al and Tipper Gore's personal assets prior to the 2000 Election were even less than Howard Dean's right now. Does that make Al's efforts to drive his progressive highlights to the forefront (in native garb, no less) somehow less valid than Howard Dean's, based on the reality of his bank account? The genuineness and timing of Al's delivery seemed disjoint at the time, as played in the press. "Ah-ha,..." I say, slightly hoisted....

I think Al Gore is a smart person, a "geek and proud of it", not unlike this author (and not that I belong in such esteemed company as the Vice President). A technocrat in the best sense of the word. The person I assumed hands-down best suited to the Presidency in 2000.

And, I realize I can't claim to have ever seen the Gores more up close and personal, only that the slap dash kiss was so out of my aforementioned characterization of Al Gore, that it was jarring to me. Forgetting that for the Vice President and candidate, the nerves of doing something off-the-cuff in his penultimate political solo spotlight would likely have been something fierce.

Of course, seeing "The Kiss" time after time after time after time (unlike Air Force Reserve records, DWI arrests, et al.), likely amplified my initial reaction. Oooooo....oooooo.....ouch.

I also have to admit, come to think of it, of having had a very public "Kiss" of my own: elementary school age, my uncle's wedding, as ring bearer, the flower girl and I being urged forward by clinking glasses, eyes closed as I attempted a quick peck to sate the growing din....and missing by at least 3 inches. Failure to me, embarrassment for my partner in procession, but to hear the crowd (many of whom swear they never realized I missed) I'd scored the final shot in the CYO basketball championship.

But, I digress....

My clarification for Barry?: "Al Gore should have won going away (if not for the Perception Gap that was never properly closed by his campaign in the face of overt media critique, while then-Governor Bush was lightly handled), of that there is no doubt...." As I have posted on other blogs, if Democrats had simply energized their own instead of crossing the aisle for compassion, all else would likely have been a non-issue.

To contrast directly with the Senators and Representatives instead, Howard Dean is a populist because we are with him, not because he's decided to give away his $4+ million in assets; Dean is energizing because we believe him more honest than most politicians on most issues, not because we believe in every position he takes; Dean is a progressive because a community-based political center of financial stability and social civility looks pretty good right now, not because he'll deliver a socialist utopia in 2005.

How do I know? I lived in VT. For four years. From 1992-1996. I guess I never did run into the Governor. Nor know anyone who had directly met him. Ummm...

Well,...never mind....

Dean Doonesbury Week 2 - No. 4

2003-07-10T00:33:00.000-07:00

It has been too long - I'd nearly forgotten about Zeke....

Media Information Awareness

2003-07-10T00:28:00.000-07:00

(Slightly off-topic of Howard Dean, but on-topic of his current willingness to allow for more information and exchange with his supporters)

With C-Span feeds and governmental regulations surrounding election funding, it should in theory be easier to collate basic information about government officials and their relationships with the world-at-large,...more so than other people in the public spotlight...

...but, (and I know I'm not the first to suggest or envision this) I assume someone should be taking the next logical steps to duplicate this Government Information Awareness meme and apply it both to corporation and media / think tank / pundit leaders, possibly through collation of current watchdog databases and other new technologies...

I can see it now: Chris Matthews shown on an MSNBC streaming video feed brings up a side list of the top 50 words he's used to describe Democrats and Republicans in the last year....Every unknown think tank pundit's comments within an on-line article are co-detailed in a pop-up with the tank's 501-(c)3 filings of financial support and the industries who would benefit should the legislation they're advocating to pass....And for good measure, every candidate debate becomes a more serious version of VH-1's Pop-Up Video.

Now THERE's a public interest model for Google and Gator to participate in, as our New Media....

Throw in the SEC's Edgar database, and GIA and I think we'd get a much clearer picture of the world as it actually is....

"Welcome to The Matrix".

Dean Doonesbury Week 2 - No. 3

2003-07-09T14:05:00.000-07:00

Clean-for-Dean? Can't wait to see who actually shows up....

Dean Doonesbury Week 2 - No. 2

2003-07-08T22:35:00.000-07:00

Coasters: don't forget the coasters....

CA for Kerry?

2003-07-07T12:41:00.000-07:00

"California dreamin'
That Democrat Howard Dean is the flavor of the month doesn't bother Sen. John Kerry, the other "top tier" candidate in the presidential race, because it's allowing him to stealthily build his base. We learn that Kerry is making California the state where he hopes to halt any competitors. How? He has lined up state political, elected, minority, and financial bigwigs. "If the race gets to California," says an insider, "no one will have money left, so it will be based on organization, which Kerry is locking down." Also: Kerry's trying to pluck off backers of Rep. Dick Gephardt and Sen. Joe Lieberman, claiming they don't have the slightest chance of pulling it out."

As a Californian for Dean, I see bigwigs as superdelegates and a small handful of votes: the fire and participation is still rising within the Dean camp here at a far greater rate than Kerry has shown to date....

Paging Marshall McLuhan

2003-07-07T12:28:00.000-07:00

Maybe it's not just the political demographics of radio listeners and Internet users (LA Times reg required) - maybe it's the way certain people process information that is driving the blogging boom for Election 2004.

McCluhan on Radio...and McLuhan on the Computer... Thanks to John Plaice....

Dean Doonesbury Week 2 - No. 1

2003-07-07T11:23:00.000-07:00

A dad hacking his daughter's work? Pray tell....

For some reason, it seems like a crystal ball to me: thinking about a Wi-Fi enabled laptop for my little one....

Moonlight In VT

2003-07-07T00:27:00.000-07:00

...is the distinct opposite of Bowling Alone...

Jon Lebkowsky makes the superb point on Greater Democracy this past week, that Howard Dean has looped (i.e. participated in a feedback loop) with a greater community via the Internet in a way no recent politician has:

"The Dean Campaign creates, embraces, enhances, validates, and rewards intimacy. The Dean Campaign gives people something they have lost, not just in politics but in life. A responder on the June 30 'campaign telethon' at the Dean Web site understood this – 'Does anyone else here feel like an extra in a Frank Capra movie?' he asked."

It's all there for the taking: every single candidate and politician in the world should be performing this role, energizing and rewarding supporters by allowing a close connection, a fast response, an ease of access, a feeling of participation, an actuality of the same. We all crave this.

As Jon says, "...we will see whether we [have the power]."