On February 12, 2005 the Democratic Party selected Governor Howard Dean to captain a ship sorely in need of a new direction.
You've given me enormous responsibility, but it's a responsibility that we share. We can change the party, but only by working together and competing in all 50 states and territories. We can change the party, but only by working together and becoming a national party again. We can change this party, but only by working together at the local level, because if we want to win nationally we have to start by winning locally. -- Chairman Howard Dean 2/12/2005
And what a long way we have come in changing the course over the past year.
Before I get into the "Annual Report to the Grassroots," Governor Dean wanted to take a moment to personally thank you, the bloggers and online activists who made his chairmanship possible and "took his back when he needed your help with the inside the beltway folks."
Video: Governor Dean Thanks You (click image to play)
Inside the States
From day one, the top priority has been building organization in each of the fifty states and multiple U.S. teritories. For the past two days on the DNC Blog, we have shown video clips from various state party chairs talking about how the new organizational structure has had an impact in their backyard.
Maine & Alaska
Mississippi
Arkansas
Wyoming & Colorado
Annual Report to the Grassroots
As part of the one-year anniversary, Governor Dean wanted to give a heads up to those that have made the successes over the past year possible -- those of us who make the phone calls, knock on doors, and are constantly doing the dirty work of democracy. Today, the Democratic National Committee released its first ever "Annual Report to the Grassroots." You'll find selected quotes in the blockquote below, but the whole report can be read here
One year ago today... Governor Howard Dean launched his plan for building a new Democratic Party. The members of the Democratic National Committee endorsed that plan unanimously when they elected
him chairman, and hundreds of thousands of Democrats signed on to that plan during his first week on the job. Below are the points of that plan, and the results so far.
The Plan:
* Show Up Everywhere
* Strengthen State Parties and the Grassroots
* Focus On Our Core Values
* Take Advantage of Cutting-Edge Technologies
* Train Tomorrow's Leaders
The Results So Far (click for more)
Be sure to keep checking in at the DNC Blog (and add the feed for pete's sake) for more information over the next several days, along with other goodies you might have missed (ie. video of Governor Dean on Face the Nation yesterday).
Until then, fill up the comments!
Tim