It was 2003, and Howard Dean was attending the Jefferson Jackson dinner in Iowa. It was the biggest of big political events. Thousand of people packed into an arena, and Hillary Clinton was the MC of the event. There were signs everywhere and a banner draped from the upper level. The signs said "A New Day for Democrats." It was, of course, Dean supporters who unfurled it. There was tremendous hope then, a little more than a year ago. But that hope was given an almost fatal blow in Iowa in January 2004.
But it did not die. The hope for a new day lived on in the hearts of loyal Deaniacs across the country through Dean's new political organization, Democracy for America. And as for Dean, he is what kept us going. I have never known someone so dedicated, so real and so passionate. Dean never gave up on the belief that ordinary Americans could take back their government. And we all stuck with him.
The dedication we showed led to "Dean Dozen" candidates (candidates Dean endorsed)ÿwinning races all across America. While the Republicans took the presidency, House and Senate, Democrats won local elections. It led to the first black female judge in Montgomery, Ala. It led to a Democrat winning the largest municipal office in Salt Lake City, Utah. It led to electing judges in Alabama and Georgia. It led to more than 800 Dean-inspired candidates running for office. OUR Campaign was real empowerment, and now we can see the true results.
The party needs to learn that the way to win elections is not to be in the center, but to offer yourself as an alternative. After Bill Clinton was elected to the presidency and then re-elected, the Democratic Party was convinced it was for a couple reasons.ÿIt thought he was successful because he was centrist and he was a Southerner. Actually, Clinton won campaigns because he was an incredible campaigner. He won because he was charming. He won because if Bill Clinton winks at you, you are going to vote for him. It had nothing to do with him being a centrist or a Southerner.
This became a strategy of the Democratic Party and the new Democratic Leadership Council (DLC).ÿThe strategy was that if we as Democrats became a little bit more like Republicans, we would have a better chance of winning.ÿThe Democrats thought that since the Republicans were not willing to compromise their basic conservative principles, we should be the ones who compromise.ÿIf the Democrats move to the center and the Republicans don't, we have Republicans running against Democrats pretending to be Republican.ÿAnd as Harry Truman said, when that happens, the real Republican always wins.
The Democrats need to be an alternative, not an echo. The Democrats have lost election after election by trying to be more like Republicans. Americans will only vote for a person with their own vision and their own message.
We realized that it isn't about being centrist or liberal or conservative. It is about being principled or not. It is about being people of conviction or not. It is about believing what we say and saying what we believe. It is about being who we are. And we have started to win locally. And now, finally, the insiders hear you. Next weekend Dean will become the chair of the Democratic National Committee.
I heard Bill Richardson describe on Larry King Live that something happened in this DNC election, "the grass-roots had their way." And because of that, the insiders have begun to listen. They realize our value and our strengths. Next week we take back the Democratic Party because this country is about fundamental things. Are we principled people? What are our most basic values? Do we fight for what we believe in? I can feel the first real vindication coming. Our work has begun to pay off. We really are becoming Democrats again. Democrats with a soul and a heart. Democrats who will take back America.
Scott Goldstein is a sophomore in the School of International Service.
