Dean's role
Toolbox
Published: October 31, 2008
Barack Obama is running strong in the polls, with leads in numerous states customarily the domain of Republican candidates. It's worth considering the historic contribution made by Vermont's former governor to this turn of events.
Howard Dean startled the nation four years ago with his insurgent campaign for the presidency. He did not meet with success, but his campaign blazed a path followed assiduously and taken to a new level by Obama. Obama followed Dean's example in many ways.
First, Dean showed the degree to which the war in Iraq would serve to galvanize the vote among Democratic primary voters. As Dean began his 2004 campaign, he sensed that young voters on the college campuses would give him early momentum because of his outspoken opposition to the Iraq war.
Obama used the Iraq war to distinguish himself from Hillary Clinton, who had supported the war in the crucial vote in the Senate. The race between Obama and Clinton remained close, but Obama would never have gained his initial edge without the advantage he enjoyed because of his early opposition to the war.
Second, Dean harnessed the energy of young voters to a greater degree than any of the candidates. He showed that they were a resource waiting to be tapped. Unfortunately, he did not manage his volunteers to his full advantage. Reports from Iowa suggested that some of the youngsters who showed up from out of state to help in the primary were clueless about how to go about their task.
Obama had instant rapport with young people, and he succeeded where Dean failed in using them to build a nearly flawless political organization. Anyone attending an Obama rally has been aware of the unfailingly polite and dedicated ranks of young people who have helped manage events. Young people have provided enormous energy, and they have also helped manage that energy.
Third, Dean showed how the Internet could be a powerful tool in raising money and helping organize a campaign all across the political landscape. Obama's Internet fundraising capacity has been legendary. He has also used the Internet to enlist millions of voters in local events.
After Dean's loss in the presidential race, he won election as chairman of the Democratic National Committee. He did not have the Democratic establishment behind him. Terry McAuliffe, the outgoing chairman, was an ally of the Clintons, and he supposedly held the key to the major funding sources.
But Dean had another idea. It was his 50-state strategy, and it dovetailed perfectly with Obama's plans. Dean wanted a Democratic presence in all states, even those where the Democrats had not fared so well in recent years. It was a way of putting the Republicans on the defensive and generating enthusiasm among the voters.
One result is that Obama is running strong in Virginia, North Carolina, Nevada, Colorado, Missouri, and Ohio. He is even showing strength in Georgia, Montana and North Dakota. Obama has field offices throughout these states, and Dean's strategy of extending the presence of the party apparatus deep into red America appears to be paying off.
Howard Dean, much ridiculed for his famous scream, may have the last laugh after all.
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