Democracy for Virginia

DNC Chairman...and this weekend's training

The cover story of this weekend's Washington Post Magazine was a profile of DNC Chairman Howard Dean.  It's a fascinating piece, and the latter section contains great personal details about Dean that most media profiles have completely ignored.

I think this exchange, which occurred with a group of students at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, is most emblematic of what Dean hopes to achieve as DNC chair as well as what inspires many of us working with Democracy for Virginia:

Also, Democrats must contest races in all states, at all levels, in all years, not just presidential ones. "It is disrespectful not to come to Tennessee and Mississippi and Alabama as well as California and Michigan and Ohio . . . We need to come to Tennessee because what you could think of Democrats by watching [Republican] ads is all you're going to think of us unless we show up and make our case in person."

A young man stood up and asked what he could do to help the party, other than give money, which he didn't have. Dean bobbed on his feet, delighted with the question, because it allowed him to show off his best side -- the side that grew a presidential candidacy from a small Vermont operation with seven employees into a national campaign with 600,000 supporters.

"The number one thing you can do is run for office."

[Class giggles]

"I'm absolutely serious. I am not kidding."

The class grew quiet. Here was Dean as a Johnny Appleseed, sowing civics in the young. While Democrats have conceded parts of the country considered hostile, Republicans have left no office untested, he pointed out. The result is that Dems have no farm system, no ability to find young political talent in red states and groom it.

Run, he urged the students. Run for county road commissioner. Run for city council. "If you don't have people running for offices like county commissioner, who do you think is going to run for Congress a generation from now?

Dean has said that if you can't run for office yourself, the next best thing is to be a leader on someone else's campaign.  Or be an occasional volunteer.  Or give money.  But just voting is the bare minimum of what is required in a democracy.

Democracy for Virginia is working to help train and support a new "farm team" of candidates and campaign leaders in Virginia.  Over 100 grassroots activists were trained in May in Charlottesville.  We've teamed up with Latinos for America, DC for Democracy, and Democracy for America to host another DFA Campaign Training, this time in Falls Church.  Over 150 people have already signed up for this weekend's training.  We hope you'll join us!

Governor Dean Goes to Washington

Join Governor Dean in Washington on March 23. 

Details are in this invitation from Andrew Wright:

Dear Friend,

In Frank Capra's classic "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," an inspired
Jefferson Smith pleads, "Just get up off the ground, that's all I ask
... Great principles don't get lost once they come to light. They're
right here -- you just have to see them again!"

With that energy and passion our new Democratic chairman, Governor
Howard Dean, has come to Washington to build our party from the ground
up and fight for the values we all share.

You can welcome him to Washington at his first event in the nation's
capital since becoming chairman. RSVP now for this major event:

http://www.democrats.org/WelcomeDean

Here are the details:

GOVERNOR HOWARD DEAN GOES TO WASHINGTON

March 23, 2005
7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

VIP Reception (for hosts and VIPs): 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

H20 on the Waterfront
800 Water Street SW
Washington, DC

Metro: Green Line, Waterfront Station (two and a half blocks from the
station, at the end of 7th Street)

$35 FOR STUDENTS (Please bring your college ID)
$50 PER PERSON
VIP Reception: $250
Host Committee: $1,000 (contribute or raise)

For more information or to join the host committee please contact
Melanie Wong at 202-863-7163 or by email at wongm@dnc.org or contact
Andrew Wright at wrighta@dnc.org.

This event is your opportunity to welcome Governor Dean to the nation's
capital and support your Democratic Party. RSVP now:

http://www.democrats.org/WelcomeDean

Thank you, and we'll see you on the 23rd!

Sincerely,
Andrew Wright
Mid-Atlantic Finance Director
Democratic National Committee

DFV celebrates with Gov. Dean and overflow crowd!

Hundreds of supporters from Democracy for Virginia joined an overflow crowd of nearly 2,000 at Capitol City Brewery last night for a grassroots kick-off to this weekend's Democratic National Committee Winter Meeting.  (Great pics of the overflow crowd at Blog for America.)

Nearly 20 DFV volunteers helped to staff the event.  With only one day of advance notice, DFA received a remarkable number of RSVP's.  We actually had to start working crowd control nearly two hours before Gov. Dean was to arrive!  It was a magnificent testament to the grassroots energy that Governor Dean brings to his role in party leadership.  Pics below the jump!

DFV Invites You to Party With Howard Dean on Wednesday Night!

Please join grassroots activists from Democracy for Virginia, Democracy for Maryland, and DC for Democracy as we honor Howard Dean this Wednesday night at a grassroots kickoff party for the DNC Winter Meeting, which we hope and expect will culminate in the election of Howard Dean as DNC Chair!  This is a free event.

We know that this is last minute, but we hope that many of you will join us on Wednesday night to celebrate this milestone in our work together to revitalize the Democratic Party from the ground up.  Let's show Howard Dean the strength and spirit of the Virginia Democratic grassroots with a high Virginia turnout!

Democracy for Virginia, Democracy for Maryland, and DC for Democracy
cordially invite you to this special event:

Grassroots Kick-Off Party With Howard Dean
Wednesday, February 9, 2005
7:00 - 9:00 pm
Cost: FREE

Capitol City Brewery
2 Massachusetts Ave, NE
Washington, DC

Across the street from Union Station (Red Line Metro Station)
Cap City's website: http://www.capcitybrew.com/capitolhill.htm

RSVP online at: http://www.democracyforamerica.com/feb9

Democracy for Virginia still needs volunteers to serve as event leaders to help with logisitics and check-in.  Please email me if you are able to pitch in!

Mame Reiley and Don Beyer Endorse Dean for DNC Chair

Democracy for America announced tonight that Mame Reiley, chair of the DNC Women's Caucus and a DNC voting member from Virginia, has endorsed Howard Dean for DNC Chair.

In the announcement, Reiley explains some of the reasons why she thinks that Howard Dean is the best choice for leading our party:

"I am proud to announce today my support of Howard Dean for DNC Chair. Howard Dean is committed to protecting a woman's fundamental right to choose. Governor Dean supports pay equity for women. He supports quality health care and education for all Americans," Reiley said.

Governor Dean commented on the great honor of having Mame Reiley's support.   "Mame and I agree that if Democrats are going to beat back conservative politicians' attacks on our values, women must have a strong voice in the future of the Democratic Party and a seat at the table in the decision-making process," said Governor Dean. "If I am elected chairman, women will."

Mame Reiley is the Executive Director of Governor Mark Warner's One Virginia PAC and is one of Governor Warner's closest political advisors. 

Reiley's endorsement comes just a day after Governor Dean received another significant Virginia endorsement from Don Beyer, former Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, Chairman of Kerry/Edwards Virginia Victory '04, and best known to most of us at Democracy for Virginia as the National Treasurer of Dean for America and the leader of the Dean campaign here in Virginia.

To learn more about Howard Dean's plans for refoming and revitalizing the Democratic Party, visit Dean for Chair and Blog for America.

Al Weed featured on Blog for America

Based on our suggestion to DFA to harness the anti-Rodney Alexander energy to gain momentum for Al Weed's fight against another turncoat former Democrat, Virgil Goode, DFA Intern Jessica Singleton last night posted a piece entitled Weed vs. Goode: Man of Integrity or Duplicitous Deserter on Blog for America.

We hope this will increase Al Weed's visibility and result in some grassroots donations for him.

A few great comments on the piece were written by Virginians. The first, from CVL:

Meanwhile, Al Weed is doing great work in re-building the Democratic party in Virginia's 5th district. (I have been a volunteer with the campaign since April- Al is great.) It is definitely an uphill battle- I wish that the state dems had the organization to provide better support for such a great candidate. Here we are in the swing district of a semi swing state, but only the official swing states are getting the support!

From JeannieB in Crozet VA:

Al Weed is the real thing -- a true progressive who "gets" democracy and whose vision of what America can and should be is creative, inspiring and innovative, while being utterly pragmatic. Sound familiar?

Like Howard Dean, Al is not one who will say just anything just to get elected. He takes tough, sometimes unpopular positions because they are the right thing to do. He is marvelous at connecting with crowds by cutting through the political claptrap and getting down to basics. He operates on facts and reality, not ideology or political point-making.

Al Weed Chosen for Dean Dozen!!!

Democracy for Virginia is delighted to announce that Al Weed has been chosen for the Democracy for America Dean Dozen this week.

Al Weed is the first candidate from Virginia to be honored with selection to the Dean Dozen.

Grassroots supporters and DFA Meetups throughout Virginia had advocated for the selection of Al Weed to the Dean Dozen, and we are now eager to brainstorm ways in which supporters around the entire state can be of assistance to Al Weed's campaign. Although we will be working for Democratic candidates in our own CD's around the state, this is our first opportunity since the Dean campaign to unify behind one candidate.

We'd like to come up with solid ideas about how we can support Al Weed before the next DFA Meetup on August 4. Please share your ideas in the comments section!

July 14 DFA Fundraiser in DC - Featuring Howard Dean!

Gov. Howard Dean will be the special guest at a fundraising event for Democracy for America in Washington, DC on July 14.

Democracy for America Fundraiser Woman's National Democratic Club 1526 New Hampshire Ave, NW Washington, DC

Wednesday, July 14
6:00pm-8:00pm

Event hosts: Don Beyer, Terry Lierman, Bob Witeck, Tom McMahon, Elizabeth Birch, Julian Potter & Mirian Saize, Bruce Lee, Judith McHale, Mark Glaze, Tufail Ahmad, Lynette Millett, Laura Jones, Janet Young, Melissa Berger, Judy Moats, Ken Hakuta, Karen Hicks, Maida Tryon, Wayne Skinner, Mark Bromley & David Salie, David Mariner, Jerry Clark, John Grimberg, Sam Sussman & Dawn Martin, Craig Hoffman, Linnea Dyer, Donna Goings, David Tseng, Alice & Link Day, Roy Neel, Paul Horning, Bud Russell & David Sausville, Paul Farnan, Emily Wurgaft, Maura Keefe

RSVP online at http://www.democracyforamerica.com/july14.

For more information, contact RSVP TK Cenis at TK@democracyforamerica.com or 202-462-5811.

Dean/Nader Debate July 9 in DC: Need Virginians to Rally!

NPR's "Justice Talking" will host a debate between Gov. Howard Dean and Ralph Nader on Friday, July 9, at the National Press Building in Washington, DC from 2:00 - 3:30PM. (Related news coverage here.)

Plans are in the works for gathering to show our support for Dean before the debate!

Grassroots DFA Delegation at March for Women's Lives

A grassroots Democracy for America Delegation of over 1000 men and women joined together in support of women's reproductive health and freedom at the March for Women's Lives on Sunday, April 25.

Dozens of supporters of Democracy for America and the Dean campaign from throughout Virginia joined the DFA Delegation. Many Virginia supporters of Dean who had known each other for nearly a year through email and the blog met each other for the first time at the March.

If you have photos from the march, please share them in the comments section below. You are welcome to any of the photos in my albums from the march and from the DFA Delegation Social.

If you were at the March and were inspired, as I was, by marching with over a million others in support of reproductive health and freedom, what ideas do you have about how we can use that energy and momentum to protect choice here in Virginia? I've joined NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia. Have you? What other organizations should we be working with to protect choice in Virginia?