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Dean Is Done at DNC

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When his term as chairman of the Democratic National Committee is up, Howard Dean will step aside to make room for a guy or gal of President-elect Barack Obama’s choosing. Dean has received both praise and scorn for his performance as chairman.

His “50-state strategy” for the presidential campaign irked the political establishment, but then again the Democrats just won Indiana and North Carolina.

Washington Post / 44:

“At this point he has said that he doesn’t intend to run again,” said a DNC source granted anonymity in order to speak candidly. “He has said so publicly for a while. He has not said what he will do next.”

Dean’s tenure at the DNC has been marked by a sharp disconnect between the grassroots of the party and political operatives.

Grassroots—and netroots—activists, who propelled Dean’s presidential bid and then helped get him elected as chair of the party in early 2004, love the former Vermont governor and credit his chairmanship of the DNC with the rebirth of the Democrats as a national party. (Dean’s pioneering accomplishment during his four years in office is the 50-state strategy, a plan that put Democratic staff and organizations on the ground in every state in the country.)

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TAGS: 50 state strategy dean democrats dnc fundraising obama party politics vermont

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By Cathy Marciniak, November 11, 2008 at 11:54 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

Howard Dean has been working tirelessly for the Democrats despite being taken down by their silly and stodgy overreaction to his victory whoop and his subsequent marginanlization. He is passionate and dedicated and we love him here in New Hampshire. He understands the grassroots movement well and I daresay he is responsible for making it succeed for Obama. Obama should acknowledge Dean’s efforts, and make use of his skills as a doctor and his dedication to the common man and make him a key figure in the crafting of a universal health care plan, or whatever else Howard may be interested in doing next. Maybe head of Health & Human Services? His spunk and plain talk are a refreshing change from the overly slick Washington elite.

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By Inherit The Wind, November 10, 2008 at 11:24 pm #

I’ve been a “Born-Again” Howard Dean fan since 2006 when he was proved right and the Carville-Begala Clintonistas were proven wrong about the 50 State Plan. Now in 2008, Dean was proven BRILLIANTLY correct in this delicious landslide. I hope Barack Obama has a place for him in the WH—Dean has earned it!

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By sherwoodforest, November 10, 2008 at 10:46 pm #

Thanks to Dean, we won back states that had long been abandoned. Grass roots is always the best strategy for Democrats. His run in ‘04 was a precursor to Obama’s in it’s appeal and energy. I wonder if the big mouths in the Dem Party who USED to run everything, had stepped back, Dean might have won 4 years ago too. But thank our lucky stars that all the pieces fell together this year- and we won thanks to; Dean’s strategy, the internet, bad choices by Republicans, and the best candidate in several decades!

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