Liveblogging a speech AND taking pictures is tough when you really want to pay close attention to what the speaker is saying, but I managed to catch some of the highlights of Governor Dean's speech just minutes ago. Here's an excerpt from the NPI Advocate:
National Democratic Chairman Howard Dean, champion of people powered politics and a resolute believer in a fifty state strategy, has just climbed the stairs up to the podium to a thundering welcome, waving to thousands of cheering activists and bloggers armed with Change We Can Believe In signs.
Dean began by thanking the Netroots Nation team and explained that he had just been to Crawford, Texas for the first time in his life earlier that day.
"We want real change in America and Crawford, Texas wants real change in America," Dean told attendees.
"If it wasn't for the netroots nation, we would not have a majority in the House of Representatives," Dean said, crediting the community for the sweeping 2006 midterm election victories that the party enjoyed.
Find more from the speech at our blog...
Another excerpt:
Moving on to talk about the fifty state strategy, Dean declared, "We can win everywhere. And that's why we're doing this."
He received a standing ovation when he mentioned Texas state legislative races - the Democrats will have a majority in the state House if they can pick up five more seats, a majority that can undo the Republicans' crooked schemes.
"When your average campaign contribution is sixty eight dollars, you're owned by no one but the American people," Dean said, referring to Obama's campaign.
"Millions of people have been registered to vote," Dean added.
He proudly reviewed the changes he's made since becoming the Democratic Party's chief executive, noting: "As you know, when we came to Washington, D.C. we fired all the consultants who had been paid money over the years to tell us how to lose."
He went on to describe the success of the VoteBuilder application, available to Democratic campaigns at every level.
What did you think of the speech?
