Howard Dean was a hell-raiser back in the last presidential election. He called the Iraq war what it was: one of the worst and most costly foreign policy mistakes this nation has ever made.
He said the media monopolies needed to be broken up for the good of the country.
He said Democrats needed to "build a bench" of local and statewide office holders in all 50 states in order to compete with the bench the Republicans had created for themselves.
He noted that Democrats needed to focus on winning governorships and secretary of state offices across the country to prevent Republicans from pulling the kind of election shenanigans they pulled in Florida in 2000 and in Ohio and elsewhere in 2004.
He argued for competing in all 50 states; for building stronger state parties even in states that the old-guard, DLC "brain trust" the Clintons had assembled had written off in favor of focusing on "races we can win" and on the same old swing states.
Howard built the model for running a campaign from the bottom up, both in money donors and volunteers, rather than top-down like the campaigns being run by the same, old, tired Beltway consultants.
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And he championed young voters and disaffected voters, arguing that we needed to engage more Americans in the political process at a time when conventional wisdom had written often the young and the disinterested.
In short, Howard Dean laid the groundwork for what we are now witnessing with a once-in-lifetime candidate, Barack Obama.
Personally, I cannot thank Howard enough. Back in the late summer of 2003 when I was saddened and disillusioned by the war and the Cheney-Bush reign of terror, I went hunting around for someone -- anyone -- who would call these criminals and their war what is was: a giant power grab by misguided fanatics. I found Howard and found Daily Kos in the process.
Howard Dean had the absolute gall to say that "We are no safer," after Saddam Hussein was found in a hole in Iraq.
And I loved him for it.
He re-engaged me in Democratic Party politics after some years away from being an active participant on anything more than a very local level.
I worked hard for Howard in Iowa in a losing cause. But I remained engaged and worked hard to elect Kerry. I haven't stopped working since.
Howard, I thank you. From the very bottom of my heart. You are an inspiration, in your own, plodding, head-down way. One foot ahead of the of the other, one step at a time. It makes a difference.
We're reaping what you've sown. Thanks for getting us started.
Update [2008-10-22 13:59:33 by Bob Johnson]:
DONATE TO THE DNC IN HOWARD'S NAME
shpilk made a good point downthread. The DNC needs donations. So stop in and give a few bucks in Howard's name as a way of showing your gratitude for all he has done:
Donate to the DNC
(And, yes, that's the DNC site. They are promoting Obama.)