Home » Users » jane d » Blog » Driving Howard Dean
Democracy for America personal blog for jane d
Driving Howard Dean
Linked to groups: dfaROCHESTER, Livingston County for Democracy, Democracy for New York
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
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chez-pazienza/the-world-i-knew-why-its_b_103486.html
Like a lot of Americans, I've never considered Al Gore to be a particularly dynamic speaker.
That said, I do remember a series of speeches, delivered by then vice presidential candidate Gore and culminating at the 1992 Democratic National Convention, which seemed to hit all the right notes and make for a bold and powerful statement against what at that time were the beginnings of a political dynasty -- one that had clearly lost touch not only with the American people but, quite possibly, with reality. Gore's familiar refrain during the '92 campaign -- those who were ready and willing to usher in a new revolution in U.S. politics will remember it as a sort of battle cry -- was only seven words long, yet spoke volumes: "It is time for them to go."
Bill Clinton made me believe that I mattered; that the course the nation would take depended on me and those my age; that I indeed had a voice and a responsibility to use it; that there was -- dare I say it now -- hope.
It was time for my generation to stand up, be counted and help take charge. It was time for them to go.
And a Clinton would lead the way.
It's almost incomprehensible to me, 16 years later, that the name which was once so closely associated with faith in the future of this country and in the power of those who haven't yet been thoroughly contaminated by the astringency of the process has now become synonymous with the worst kind of Machiavellian, win-at-all-costs cynicism.
Over the past several months, it's true that we've occasionally seen the worst the Clintons have to offer the political landscape. We've witnessed innuendo atop gossip atop baseless accusation atop outright lie atop sickening bedfellow atop jaw-dropping proclamation atop unadulterated bullshit. We've watched Hillary Clinton straddle the sometimes razor-thin line separating admirable tenacity from self-obsessed, destructive folly. By this time, we thought we'd seen it all -- that at the very least her expanding army of skeptics would be deprived of any sort of final Hollywood-esque surprise twist.
Then, through either blatant underhandedness or negligent stupidity, she actually insinuated that her opponent for the Democratic nomination, Barack Obama, just might be felled by an assassins bullet in the coming month. "Hey, you know, anything can happen -- just sayin'," she seemed to be offering up, during last week's interview with a newspaper in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She's since gone on to "apologize" for the galactically ill-advised comment -- something I feel the need to clarify because Clinton didn't, in fact, say she was sorry for even bringing the word "assassination" into the current political discourse as much as she argued semantics, attempting to justify the meaning behind her statement while tossing out an anemically half-assed mea culpa to anyone who may have misconstrued her point. In other words, Hillary Clinton doesn't seem to understand that raising, even for a moment, the specter of that most grisly and epochal of possibilities has zero place within a political campaign, any campaign -- no matter the rationale.
Which is why Hillary Clinton should not be president.
Which is why it is time for her to go.
I honestly can't say whether Barack Obama is the best hope for this country, even though he inspires the new generation the way the Clintons once inspired me. Regardless, I know this: Hillary Clinton absolutely is not. She doesn't even believe in hope anymore.
It is time for her to go.
Guess everyone's at supper. We ate outside so we could keep a close watch on the fire that's reducing the rotten tree trunk to ash. punky wood is not good for the stove. Besides, the spouse loves making fires and plans to sit up with this one most of the night.
Please vote for me in DFA's Netroots Nation scholarship contest!
http://democracyforamerica.com/netroots_nation_scholarships/3-jessica-falker
Thanks!
Just got back from Chincoteague a while ago. Great as usual.
I love it there so quiet. Alth the first nite we were invited for a drink to a friend who has a camper near us.
She brought a friend from Warrenton Va and found out she knew someone I used to fly with. After a few minutes the lady migrated to me, set her chair right in front of me and started talking.
Believe me, I don't talk politics with people I don't know but she started talking about how Barack Obama had No Experience. I said well ok.
Then she said she would mostly vote for McCain. I said "WHY?"
She had no comeback.
Then she said "well , most of the people in WV voted for Hillary, the white people are voting for her"
I said, "Well, they are racist".
She immediatly got up and left. looking Mad
My husband said "what did you say?" I said , she is the one who brought this up.
For posting this Jane. I read it again. At home, it's safely tucked into my Howie memorabilia.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/27/siegelman-on-rove-probabl_n_103682.html
Recently released from prison, Don Siegelman refuses to drift away quietly. The former Alabama governor, whose corruption charge reeked of political motivation, accused former Bush strategist Karl Rove of outright lying for claiming non-involvement in the prosecution.
"Karl Rove saying he's had nothing to do with firing U.S. Attorneys and nothing to do with my case is like President Bush saying he's had nothing to do with the war in Iraq because he hasn't pulled a trigger," said Siegelman.
"I think Rove is probably the most devious and evil political operative who has been trained to come on to the political scene in certainly the last fifty years," he said. "I can't think of anybody in the annals of history who could even rival this man's pernicious thoughts. It is a lifetime's work for him... I think he learned two things from Watergate: you don't need to establish a secret plumbers union at a mid level office in the White House when you can take over Department of Justice and have them do your dirty work for you, and secondly, you don't leave tapes behind, you destroy evidence."
So glad to see Jane's essay about driving Howard as the top post. All of us in Western NY are envious and happy for Jane and her great experience to be able to spend that time with Howard.
I love his saying, "You can't collect rent from the people living in your head." That's a keeper.
We're prepping for a hard frost tonight, of all things. Earlier today I saw an Eastern Bluebird for only the second time in my life (it's our state bird, but rare and shy). Of all places, it was in a large downtown cemetery where I went to put a flag on the grave of my Civil War ancestor/namesake, Volney.
-- volney
She's just as cute as she can be. those little whicker feathers are what add the charm.
Are you on the crushie list and got this in email? It was so good, I asked her to put it here. I'm really glad they did.
We all love hearing about our Howie and it's good to know that he is still the same man that inspired us all in the beginning.
We got 5 baby chickens this week. They're Rhode Island Reds, so they don't look like Mz. Little, but they're very cute too!
Have been reading alot of different blogs today.
There are quite a few people out there who are saying they were told their votes would not count in FL, so they simply did not vote. Now they are angry the votes may count. They say they followed the rules and are being punished.
Even though I disagree with them, they are blaming the DNC.
breaking on Olbermann - Scott McClellan's book rips up the Bush administration - in particular Bush and those involved with national security... propaganda vs news...
wbb with a link of the news.
- here we go - sorry if this hit the blog earlier - but I love it!!
By Jo*in*Vermont on May 27, 2008 8:28 PM EDTAmong the most explosive revelations in the 341-page book, titled “What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington’s Culture of Deception” (Public Affairs, $27.95):
• McClellan charges that Bush relied on “propaganda” to sell the war.
• He says the White House press corps was too easy on the administration during the run-up to the war.
• He admits that some of his own assertions from the briefing room podium turned out to be “badly misguided.”
• The longtime Bush loyalist also suggests that two top aides held a secret West Wing meeting to get their story straight about the CIA leak case at a time when federal prosecutors were after them — and McClellan was continuing to defend them despite mounting evidence they had not given him all the facts.
• McClellan asserts that the aides — Karl Rove, the president’s senior adviser, and I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, the vice president’s chief of staff — “had at best misled” him about their role in the disclosure of former CIA operative Valerie Plame’s identity.
Seriously:
http://www.hillaryclinton.com/action/tshirtvoting/?sc=1879&utm_source=1879&utm_medium=e
Since I don't see one that says, "na na na na, hey hey hey, gooooood-bye", I really don't know how I should vote.
-- volney
yes, and they will be lucky to advance, because their offense isn't up to the playoffs.
The first two series were dog fights, as well, but one day off since the plaoffs began has been stressful.
"Dogfight" is apt, Phil.
and I don't see Detroit as better than either of the last two opponents (I thought Cleveland was the better team).
Believe me, Bostonians are kneeing down and praying at bed-time.
It depends on which Dee-troit team shows up. Now if it's those Auburn Hills elitists, Celtics are toast, but if it's those Detroit lower-income whites over 65, Celtics are in like Flinn!! :o)
+0 Rating
By puddle on May 27, 2008 5:40 PMI would think it would be impossible to be Jewish and NOT consider the possibility. The Jews spent two thousand years trying to "ignore" that Christians wished to kill them all, all the time. Though usually, the Christians just took them out a city at a time. Why would you, or anyone, think that they *ought* to give up that consideration? Ever?
For sixty years, the people they share borders with have been saying, explicitly, the same thing. And these people are willing to sacrifice their own children to accomplish that
=================
Atomic weapons are strategically impossible to use on your next door neighbors without making your own land uninhabitable. The Nuclear Club is strictly a status symbol and political tool and would do nothing to protect Israel. The early Zionist leaders simply got them for status.
The Jewish people have enjoyed several centuries of freedom in the new world with little if any institutional ethnic segregation or prejudice. The United States was the first country to offer them freedom, with all occupations and government position open to them. There is little reason to think this will reverse, since the situation has been improving for the last century.
Since Israelis heavily depended on the U.S.A. for most of its high tech weaponry to maintain its survival, nuclear weapons would also be there to protect them.
If Hitler had conquered the world, the Jews would not be the only ones to suffer the holocaust. The Jews just happen to be the easiest non-Arians for them to exterminate at the time. Others would have followed.
You are wrong puddle. The Christians of the last 2000 years were not trying to exterminate the Jews. It is only the modern times brought the kind of ethnic strife by other ethnic groups, and Jews are not the only victims of ethnic conflict in modern times.
The object of ethnic cleansing, is to wipe out the wipe out the race or group's genetic legacy. The Christian prejudice was classic religious oppression that other religios groups have also experienced. It was different from the Nazis and the Russian pogroms in that it was totally religious in nature, not genetic.
If Jews in the middle ages or dark ages converted to Catholicism, their genetic makeup, their ethnic origin was totally irrelevant to the Christians and the church. They were considered equals in every way. Converting would have not helped the Jews with the Nazis, and I believe Hertzl started thinking about Zionism when he realized the prejudice against him was no longer just religious.
The Moslems and Jews never had many conflicts with each other over the centuries and got along like brothers, not always perfect, but much better than the Christians and Jews. It is only since the Palestinian land grabs for the Zionist movement did bad blood start to develop between them.
there was a new thread...
http://democracyforamerica.com/users/234687-dfa-staff/blog_posts/25398-nothing-to-see-here
Add your comment
(to reply directly to a comment, click the reply icon for that comment)Post closed to commenting
Videos of some of the 64 House Healthcare Heroes standing strong for a public health insurance option
Congressman Emanuel Cleaver
Congressman Lloyd Dogget
Congressman Keith Ellison
Congressman Bob Filner
Congressman Phil Hare
Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey
Congresswoman Maxine Waters
Blog for America
-
1 Turncoat Senator vs. 410,649 Americans
By Mary R on Nov 19, 2009 3:06 PM EST -
Send a message they can't miss
By Mary R on Nov 17, 2009 12:00 PM EST -
Will the real Democrat please stand up?
By Mary R on Nov 11, 2009 2:03 PM EST -
3 Million and Counting
By Mary R on Nov 6, 2009 12:47 PM EST -
Is Sen. Nelson listening to Nebraska?
By Mary R on Nov 6, 2009 12:31 PM EST
Recent Blog Posts
-
ugg boots classic tall 5815
By maike l on Nov 24, 2009 9:01 AM EST -
Tuesday choices
By Gerry Lykins on Nov 24, 2009 6:50 AM EST -
Traditional Wedding Favors Could Very Well Be a Thing of Past Tradition
By dfds d on Nov 24, 2009 5:47 AM EST -
A Guide To Help You Choose A Wedding Photographer
By dfds d on Nov 24, 2009 5:46 AM EST -
Happy Couple With Better Sexual Relationships
By dfds d on Nov 24, 2009 5:44 AM EST
- Howard Dean
By Huron John on May 27, 2008 6:25 PM EDTIs an inspirational leader of the Democratic Party-- as such, he is first in firstiness!