What a year it’s been. I first contacted the Dean campaign in August, 2002 (shortly after writing this post). I swapped e-mails periodically (I still have the e-mail correspondence from September 1 when I was telling them they needed a blog!), and then finally started thinking that there was more to his candidacy than the asterisk in the polls indicated .
One year ago today, I asked —
What other Democrats (a) are confident of their own image, (b) think quickly on their feet, (c) have the support of the press, and (d) can articulate a message sufficiently different from that of the Bush administration?
When I made the decision to get involved, I had no idea I’d be involved. My transition from the sidelines to the playing field mirrors that of literally thousands of others around the country; when Dean says the campaign’s about us, not him, he means it and we know it.
I’ll tell you this: when I wrote those words last year, I had no idea that in less than twelve months, I’d:
- Meet him,
- Spend a weekend at his campaign’s headquarters,
- Be quoted in numerous national publications regarding my involvement (including this week’s Newsweek), and
- Develop friendships with neighbors, colleagues, and people I’ve never met that will unquestionably continue for decades.
To those who disagree with my politics, I encourage you to get as involved in the Bush campaign, or with the Greens, or whomever most closely represents your view of the world. But whatever you do, stand up and fight. The most patriotic thing we can do (despite what John Ashcroft might have us believe) is speak up and fight like hell to shape the country in our image.
We get the government we deserve. Let’s earn it.
Run, Howard, Run.
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