I just returned from a breakfast meeting of the California Democratic Club, in conjunction with the caucuses now going on across the country for the DNC. It was attended by several DNC representatives who will later vote for the new chairman of the DNC. It was, as advertised, our chance to speak to them personally.
The energy, enthusiasm, and grassroots democracy shown by the event and its attendees was phenomenal. People from all over came to participate in the future of the DNC and, by extension, the future of our country.
California state senator Joe Dunn, a champion in the Enron fight and a great progressive voice, gave an insightful and inspiring speech on the balance between liberty and justice.
Al Sharpton endorsed vice chair candidate Marjorie Fields-Harris with a rousing speech (his best line: "Condoleeza Rice is my color, but Barbara Boxer is my kind!"), and as you might expect, he got the room jumping.
Next came a a full hour devoted to 90-second speeches by regular folks in support of their candidate for DNC chair.
There wasn't time for everyone to speak (there were hundreds of us). But even though I didn't get picked to deliver my views to the group, my opinion was eloquently and passionately expressed by the many ordinary, hardworking Democrats who did get 90 seconds of the DNC voters' attention.
If the DNC voters take action based on the endorsements from the rank and file I heard today, it's going to be Howard Dean in a landslide.
100% -- every single one -- of the endorsements from the folks who came out to Sacramento at their own expense and effort, just to speak for 90 seconds to the decision makers, went to Howard Dean.
The room was packed with Dean supporters. We weren't the media's version of Dean people. We were the folks I saw on the campaign trail last year in the freezing rain in Iowa and the deep snows of New Hapshire: professionals, old-school Democratic party stalwarts, people of color, young people, seniors, union guys...in short, we were ordinary Americans.
Nearly every speaker talked about exactly why we need Dean. Time after time, the speakers told of how they had never been politically active before, and now they were. How they were still active, even after Dean lost in the primaries, and even after the general election loss. Old-schoolers talked about how they had never seen this level of innovation, energy, and devotion in the party before. Grassroots people talked about how Howard Dean's Democracy for America efforts had helped Democrats win races all over the country, at the local level, right where we needed the help most.
One speaker near the end, fellow Kossack Malacandra, really summed it up well:
"Some of you in the DNC may see us as barbarians at the gate. Some of us see ourselves as the cavalry. The truth is, we are fresh horses."
It was invigorating and encouraging. I'm excited about where we can go with the expertise and enthusiasm I saw there today.
Dear DNC: LISTEN TO WHAT YOU HEARD TODAY. We need Dean. Harness these fresh horses, and we will go farther and faster than anyone has dreamed.