Having my morning coffee in my brand new Obama Java mug and this is the headline in the Burlington Free Press:
Vermonter of the Year
Howard Dean
Former governor's 50 - state strategy helped Democrats win White House
Here is the link to the article:
Howard Dean Vermonter of the Year
Like many of you I was one of those energized and excited in 2004 by Howard Dean's run for president. I gave money to a political campaign for the first time. I sent emails to friends. I mailed actual physical letters to people in Iowa. (I don't even correspond very well with my friends - so that was a big deal.) If you remember some of the web tools-- such as the one I used to get the addresses of those Iowans- some of those web tools were genuine predecessors of the fantastic internet implements of victory that brought us the upcoming inauguration of Barack Obama.
You all know this story… and it will be one for the history books – but Green Mountain pride requires repeating:
Our tiny state of Vermont cheered as Howard Dean found a new role on the national stage as the chairman of the Democratic Party. Party insiders gave Howard grief for the 50 state strategy. They wanted to focus money on key races and abandon the party in places they thought were hopeless. Howard persisted and the Democratic outposts in red states cheered and the party was built from the ground up.
Our family lived for a time in Indiana and we still have many dear friends there. On election night we talked back and forth with a retired school teacher who had gone door to door and more for Barack Obama. He thought it was hopeless to think that Indiana could go blue – but wanted to do his part. He had not volunteered in a political campaign since McGovern. We all savored the moment, well after the election had been called nationwide, when Indiana went blue on the map. Thank you Howard Dean. Thank you Barack Obama.
Happy New Year. Ring out the old. Ring in the new!!
Cheers, joy, and good health to all in 2009!