Driving Howard Dean

Written by: jane d on May 27, 2008 2:27 PM EDT

Through a series of happy coincidences, I was recently given the opportunity to volunteer as a driver for Governor Howard Dean, during a trip which included fundraisers for our excellent Congressional candidates Eric Massa and Dan Maffei.  I actually live in Jon Powers’ district,  and am working on his primary campaign too.   

Here’s what I learned:

Howard Dean is every bit as dedicated, focused, witty, insightful and human as his media persona.    He is also very kind,  and he laughs a lot.  

His dedication to his job as Chairman of the Democratic National Committee exemplifies his commitment to the party, through which we all benefit from his overarching commitment to the Common Good.   He knows we can do better, and wants to make it happen.

The job is endless.   The barrage of input, requests for his attention, appointments, schedules, phone calls, photographers, fans, press ….  it’s daunting.   And he appears to relish it.    When he speaks to a group or a crowd, the passion is real.   But the thing he really enjoys is the Q&A - he wants to hear what his audience is thinking about,  our concerns, what challenges  we face at the local level.  When it’s over, he reviews those concerns with his staff to make sure that we all learn how we can do better.    His intellectual curiosity and appetite for knowledge are infectious.    Many of us were initially hooked when we heard him say  “What I want to know….”    These days, we’re more likely to hear him saying  “Let me tell you what we’ve learned …..”

Watching him in action, I was reminded that there are bright lines and rules everywhere.  There are public meetings and private interactions.    National issues and State matters.   Elected officials and aspiring politicians.  DNC and DFA.    Agreements, and agreements to disagree.  Endorsed candidates and primary contenders.   Races he can comment on, and races he cannot.   Wingnuts,  and the Democratic wing. 

People keep asking how I got this job.    Short answer:  I showed up.

Long answer:  Five years ago, I went to a Dean Meetup.  I met some amazing people, who continue to do amazing work.  Some of us paid a few bucks to attend a weekend meeting, which included discussions about Democrats in rural New York.  I volunteered with my town committee, then the county committee, then the Democratic Rural Conference.  Along the way, I connected with folks in new ways.  People I had met through  Boy Scouts  and high school musicals shared ideas and experiences.     I volunteered  with the Medical Group Management Association, developing education and training programs.  I worked, I learned, I listened.   I made myself useful.  Apparently I did something right, because I was in the right place at the right time and answered the phone when it rang.    I said “yes”.

On the last leg of the trip,  we listened to music.   I had some Knopfler  – he recognized James Taylor, Van Morrison and Emmylou Harris on the collaborations.   We talked about campaign music. We talked about campaigns.  He showed me shortcuts through rural New York.  We talked about the past, and the future.   His attitude is unflinchingly positive, wasting no energy on things that might have been.  He said  “You can’t collect rent from the people living in your head”.  Learn from it, move on.    

When we arrived at his destination, he thanked me again,  (as if he still didn’t understand that I was the one who felt like I won the lottery).  It was late, he had explained directions back to my route, the sky was clear and the moon was bright.   He said “Hey, if you want to see something, instead of going back the way we came you can take the road around there – it’ll take about thirty seconds extra, but it’s worth it.”    I went in the direction he pointed, and I was treated to a spectacular view of moonlight on a mountain lake.   Yes, Governor, it was worth it.  It was all worth it.  Thank you.

Jane

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Location: Lima, NY 14485