Silicon Valley for Howard Dean

Tapestry in Talent

By Tracy Dale

I just wanted to say what a fantastic time I had at Tapestry in Talent on Sunday morning. The leafletting seemed to go very well (we had a few separate groups of people.) For my part, I saw no real negative reactions a some fairly positive ones. My only interaction with a Tapestry in Talent staff member was early in the day. He checked with his boss to make sure it was ok for us to be there (which it was) and reminded us not to be overly aggressive. Other than that, they seemed to have no problem with us. It seemed like things were going fairly well for the booth, too.

Thanks to everyone volunteered, and to Bruce for organizing this. As usual, the people I've met helping out on the Dean campaign have been wonderful.

Watch the photo gallery for pics of Sunday's event, and here's hoping Monday goes very well.

Could It Be...Howard Dean's Perspicacity?

By John Meyer

My introduction to Howard Dean occurred many years ago in Plattsburgh, N.Y. He was Governor of Vermont but had come across Lake Champlain to help us with a democrat rally on the steps of City Hall. Our mayor, Clyde Rabideau, had extended an initiation to Howard Dean to this small North Country town where Burlington, Vermont’s television coverage often dominated ours.

I remember being greatly impressed by Hoard Dean’s friendly but intense, no-nonsense, nonverbal, interpersonal communication. He seemed at ease and confidant. His eye contact was so direct that it seemed to say, “I’m interested in you – who are you, where you have been and where you would like to go.” My impression then was that Dean had great depth perception.

Needless to say, I was favorably impressed with him and still am. I had no idea at the time that he had political aspirations beyond his successful governorship.

Today, I read the August 11, 2003 cover stories in both Time and Newsweek magazines. Dr. Dean was characterized as a “bare-knuckled, feisty shrill New Englander" with a “brusque political bedside manner” who is anti-war and pro-gay union.”

Could it be that it’s not “brusqueness,” but what I perceive as an intense, no-nonsense, nonverbal, interpersonal communication style? Could it be that both magazines failed to perceive Dean’s perspicacity to see in us as we are, where we've been and where we are going --- far, far better than the leadership in the present administration?

I like Howard Dean’s intense, no-nonsense, nonverbal, interpersonal style and his perspicacity and depth perception. That’s why I’m supporting Howard Dean for America!

Numbers, Numbers, Numbers; What Do They All Mean?

From August 22 to August 26, 2003 Howard Dean’s campaign for president challenged his supporters to match the funds George Bush was planning to raise.

George Bush raised $1,000,000 from 500 donors at an invitation only, $2,000 donation affair in Portland.

The Dean campaign raised $1,032,903.94, from 17,717 supporters with an average contribution of $58.30. 10,138 of these were first time contributors.

So what is so important about all this? Numbers.

We all know that elections are won with numbers. Or are they? Whoever gets the most votes wins - and to get the most votes in elections - candidates must do campaigns. Successful campaigns needs two major ingredients where numbers count, money and supporters.

Comparing Governor Dean and President Bush’s recent million dollar fund raising efforts, the dollars raised are about the same, but look at the difference in the number of supporters.

Prior to Election Day, November 2, 2004, there will be a series of primaries. As we know, primaries are held in the states prior to the party conventions in 2004. However, there are important primaries being held in 2003 and three have already been held.

Each quarter, the Federal Election Commission requires candidates to file their contributions. John Edwards won the first quarter primary and Howard Dean won the second quarter, with $7.6 million raised. He also had the highest number of contributors.

We are presently in the third quarter primary and will have one more to go this year. No candidate can successfully prepare to compete in an election without sufficient funds, so these primaries are very important. Best of all you can give as much as you like, as often as you like, just as long as you don’t exceed a total for all contributions of $2,000.

Moveon.org held the first on-line primary earlier this year. A total of 317,647 moveon.org members voted. This was more than all the votes cast in the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries combined in 2000. Dean won moveon.org vote with a whopping 44% of the vote.

Moveon.org is planning to have another primary, open to members only. Moveon.org will endorse the candidate that gets over 50% of the votes. Membership is free, but does require advanced registration.

This is a powerful endorsement from an organization of approximately two million members.

The Dean campaign is reporting that as of today, (8/27/03) 333,009 people have signed up. Many have made contributions and are volunteering. Another 92,117 are signed up at meetup.com as of this morning.

There will be 538 Electoral College votes cast for the next President of the United States, 270 are needed to win. The number of Electoral College votes is the sum of number of Representatives and the Number of Senators is the United State Congress. That is what all we are all about - wining 270 or more Electoral College votes.

We as individuals do matter in all this! We are the numbers! We are the power!

The meetup.com groups meet the first Wednesday of each month at 7 PM. Howard Dean volunteers are a wonderful active group!

Ralph Wheeler

In a Long Presidential Race, Dean Sprints

Howard Dean is still surprising everyone. Great article in New York Times posted on The Drudge Report :

Crisscrossing the country this week with Howard Dean, the underdog turned top dog who has surged toward the front of the Democratic presidential primary field, you would almost think there was an election coming up.

Five months before the first ballot is cast and 15 months before the last will be counted, Dr. Dean, the former governor of Vermont, spent the past four days being ferried from rally to rally in a chartered jet as though in the heat of a head-to-head national campaign rather than in the nascent chapter of a long-shot bid in a crowded field.

The staggering, seemingly spontaneous crowds turning up to meet him — about 10,000 in Seattle on Sunday and a similar number in Bryant Park in Manhattan last night — are unheard of in the days of the race when most candidates concentrate on the early-voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire and would seem formidable even in October 2004.

"We have to be in the president's face to win," Dr. Dean, 54, said aboard the ancient Boeing 737 his staff dubbed the Grassroots Express.

By JODI WILGOREN

Drudge Report

Million Dollar Momentum

Just before Governor Dean took the stage in NY on his Sleepless Summer Tour, the Million Dollar Challenge was fulfilled in less than 5 days by 17,115 people contributing $1,003,620.00 as of 6:58 PST.

The groundswell of financial support has led the campaing to set a significant goal of $10 million by the end of the quarter:

While on the road, the campaign has been relentlessly appealing to its Internet supporters, raising more than $700,000 from 11,000 people over three days. That, coupled with success at $100-to-$1,000-a-plate fund-raisers on the ground, convinced the campaign it could top the $10 million mark by the end of September.

[NY Times, Dean Readies Ad Blitz More Than Year Ahead of Election NY Times]

Recall this fundraising challenge was initiated when Campaign Manager Joe Trippi wrote:

"The only way to compete with Bush’s ability to raise so much money from so few is if millions of Americans come together and contribute what they can to Howard Dean. When Dick Cheney raised $250,000 last month from 125 people at a fundraiser in South Carolina, you responded—and raised more than $508,000 for Howard Dean. You showed the nation that the grassroots has the power to take on the special interests. But there are still people who doubt the staying power of the grassroots, and whether you really have the power to change politics in this country.

We have 38 days to prove that the grassroots do have that power. Beginning with the Sleepless Summer Tour, the remainder of August and the entire month of September are critical. We have 38 days to prove that the grassroots have the staying power—that we aren’t going away. 38 days to return to politics of meaning in America. We have 38 days for all of us to pull together in order to reach our goal of 450,000 supporters for Howard Dean by September 30th. Then, in the final days of September, we will make a final push toward a fundraising goal that rivals what you achieved in June—and we will prove not only that the grassroots have the power to win the Democratic nomination, but that you have the power to defeat George W. Bush and his special interests in the general election. "

Dean has demonstrated that using the Internet for grassroots fundraising has become competitive reality in American politics. The McCain-Feingold bill allows for individual contributions to be matched up to $250 by government funds. The result is not only more participatory, but enables exponential momentum.

35 days and your contribution can take our country back.

Second New York Congressional Endorsement!

NEW YORK--As Governor Howard Dean flies into New York today for a rally at Bryant Park at 9pm*, he is being greeted by his second Congressional endorsement from a New Yorker this week. U.S. Representative Major Owens (D-Brooklyn) announced his endorsement today, the Dean campaign said.

Said Rep. Owens, "To win in November 2004 we need a real Democrat. Howard Dean will arouse the complacent and energize the weary.

Governor Dean is the long awaited champion for working families because Governor Dean understands that a government that can spend one billion dollars a week in Iraq can certainly appropriate the funds necessary to fund adequate schools and provide health care for all families.

*the webcast and CSPAN start at 9:30; the Governor speakes at 10 pm; New Yorkers should plan on arriving before 9.

Continue reading "Second New York Congressional Endorsement!"

Posted by Mathew Gross at 04:32 PM

Blog for America

Grassroots Express Lands in New York!

The Grassroots Express has touched down in New York! As of 5 pm, 15,599 Americans have contributed $919,482.38 to our effort to Raise a Million against Bush.

Let's reach our goal before Howard Dean takes the stage here in New York at 10 pm ET!

As of 6 pm, 15,905 Americans have raised an incredible $933,753.81!

Posted by Mathew Gross at 05:56 PM

Blog for America

Democrat Committee Call to Action Meeting

The committees will meet again as a large group at our 3rd Call to Action on September 6th at the County Government Cafeteria at 70 West Hedding Street in San Jose 9:00am - 11:00am.

Please join us!

Once again we will provide coffee and bagels and stimulating ideas. Don't be concerned if you have not joined a specific committee yet or have not even attended the previous meetings, this 3rd Call to Action is for all Democrats who want to get involved!

Please RSVP to Steve by September 4th so that we may provide the proper amount of food and supplies.

Zoe Lofgren Garden Party

Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren & John Marshall Collins and Co-Hosts Dianne & Regis McKenna · Susan & Phil Hammer · Reed Hastings Supervisor Blanca Alvarado · Supervisor Liz Kniss · Supervisor Pete McHugh
Councilwoman Cindy Chavez · Councilman Forrest Williams Councilman Ken Yeager · Vic & Joan Corsiglia · Stawsh & Marta Coriglia Murawski Jude Barry · Dave Hennessy · SteveKirsch

Cordially invite you to a reception to meet and hear from
Governor Howard Dean, M.D

Sunday, September 7, 2003
5:00 p.m. ~ 6:30 p.m.
(followed by a Garden Party with Dean for America supporters)
at the home of Zoe Lofgren & John Marshall Collins
San Jose, California

$1000/person for inside the house
$100/person for garden

Click here to contribute and RSVP for the Party

(or go to the below site)
HERE
(We will reply with the event address)

Please use this link to forward this message to your friends.
Tell a Friend

For more information on the RECEPTION, please contact A.J. Goodman
or call (415)-440-DEAN or fax (415) 440-1332

THE NEXT WAVE.....TOWN HALL MEETINGS USING THE INTERNET

I just got back from the Los Gatos Town Hall meeting with Congressman, Mike Honda. I am glad I attended because I did not know that Congressman Honda was such a caring man. All I knew about him was what I had heard or read in the press. When will I learn?

He started the meeting with a slide presentation on the Economy, Medicare and Education.

I wish everyone in this nation could have heard the information he presented today. Most disturbing were the slides on America’s deficit since Bush has gotten into office and a slide comparing job growth under presidents going back to Truman.

No one reading this will be surprised that the two presidents that have had the least number of jobs created while they were in office were Bush I and now Bush II. Not since WWII has our nation experienced such a huge job loss.

Congressman Honda said that the unemployment rate is 10% in the Silicon Valley and 6.3% in the rest of the country.

Some people would argue that presidents don’t have influence over job creation and therefore, can’t be blamed for downturns in the economy or unemployment. However, anyone that has worked in a corporation will tell you, everything starts at the TOP and SLIDES DOWNHILL.

Congressman Honda ended the meeting saying that he hoped that someday there would be a better way to help people become more informed and get involved.

I foresee a time - in the not so distant future - that we will attend town hall meetings using the Internet. Our representatives could ask for our help on an important bill or issue in the morning - and by the afternoon we would have inundated Washington with phone calls, faxes and emails.

Can you imagine what we would accomplish if President Howard Dean held weekly “people/press briefings” using the Internet? WOW!

In the mean time, if you haven’t attended a town hall meeting, I recommend it. Go meet your representative and let them your supporting them.