We surpassed 250,000! GREAT job everyone!--- Keep the donations coming!

THE DOCTOR IS IN! BUSH IS OUT! WE ARE TAKING BACK AMERICA!

So much, much, more to remind them that they're greedy frauds with. GO, TOP SECRET, GO, BUSH FAREWELL PARTY!

I hope the campaign releases some sort of press release about this.

Lets now aim for 500,000, then for a million! Show Bush! And instead of hitting it out of the ballpark, lets hit it so hard into Cheneys house! LOL Bush is out the doc is in!
Weathercoins@aol.com

As Lucy says on my rally poster, "SAVE OUR COUNTRY, TIME FOR THE DOCTOR TO BE IN"
Had a poster painting get together for Dean over the weekend and we came up with some good ones. Baked over 500 cookies for the take back our country Tualatin house party too.
What great news to return to the blog and see all the money that has been collected. I sent out a new email to folks I have invited to the event telling them to make contributions now for this event cuz they also get counted towards the bat. We are on a winning streak and I sense victory ahead :-)))))

Thank you Nicco!!!! for keeping us Insomniacs for Dean informed. I hope they're keeping you in Coke or whatever your night bev of choice is.

Very cool!

The Bush administration is: 62.77 percent over!!!

Remarkable.

Gov. Dean's words at his Burlington announcement echo in my head tonight, and I'm paraphrashing:

How did we get to this point: our votes disallowed in 2000; a government bringing us closer to one-person, one-party rule; the nullifying of a century of progress in civil rights and care for our young and elderly; government of the monied interests over the democratic process; a government that brutilizes the world rather than leads it.

This is our moment. This is our candidate. We cannot stop. We have a candidate who is idealistic and practical, appealing and charismatic, and a candidate who can undo the painful damage of the radical right wing idealogues to this great country.

Suggestion:

Bring out the bat more often, but make it for specific projects that the campaign needs funding for.

For example, the Dems in South Carolina need 300,000 to pay for the primary there. Start a bat to collect say $50k or $100k for it. Say you need to open up a HQ in California (just an example), but you need another $80k to pay for that... bring out the bat again.

You should always have it up there, but not necessarily always promote it like you would for special events (with email alerts, blog updates etc). I think the way you handled the Dean Nation drive would be a good way to do it for smaller drives. Mention it once and just leave it up there.

I have a sneaking suspicious that the money slows down a great deal when there isn't a goal that's set, and maybe always having small, achievable goals on the blog could help.

You could even keep those seperate from other campaign donations, if you need to keep your donation totals secret from your rivals.

Just a thought that I had..

I'm glad the $250K was raised early - me, I was waiting to donate till Monday just to get Cheney on his own special day. At last my day is here. Hope there are a bunch of others like me! Go secret bat go!

Yay! I'm so happy we finished off the bat one day early! I wonder if we can double the bat tomorrow? I'm looking forward to seeing the People Meter top 220,000 tomorrow as well!

I don't mind the "top secret" aspect of the second bat at all. But the bloggers here are so clever, I'll bet my bottom dollar that someone guesses what the money will be used for before they tell us. Oh wait, I already donated my bottom dollar to Dean...

at our house party in milford ct. today many people had policy questions.i told them most could be answered on the website.if they still had questions that they should click on the official blog and the people there would be glad to help them.i know you guys won't let them down.

I hope we can get some national press on this tomorrow. Sample headline--- New 2004 Presidential Campaign Fundraising Math. how do you raise $250,000 5,000 regular citizens or 250 special interests.

On a side note.
What has happened to Edwards numbers. If they are that bad. He may decide to drop out early and use all that cash he has for his Senate run. That could leave a real opportunity for Dean in the south.

John

Story time.

To be sure, Rudy Boschwitz laughed at Paul Wellstone back in 1990. Wellstone and his old-fashioned campaign, going from town to town in a battered green bus, walking from house to house shaking hands and getting to know people. But you know what? That campaign style *won Wellstone the election,* because it got people feeling like they were personally involved with the campaign. And when Boschwitz made his return trip against Wellstone in 1996, he did it with angry television ads that accused Wellstone of being "too liberal," "super-liberal" and "embarrassingly liberal" - _instead of dealing with the issues._ As a result, Boschwitz lost his election bid in a minor landslide.

Fast forward to 2003. Paul Wellstone is dead (and more's the pity), but the style of his campaign lives on in Howard Dean's campaign - only Dean has taken the campaign to the next logical level, and he's getting the word out on the Internet - the province of the young and the idealistic. And instead of calling him "embarrassingly liberal," Karl Rove and associates are calling Dean "unelectable" - but they're making the same mistake as Boschwitz did in 1996, and attacking the man instead of debating the issues.

And that's why Bush will lose.

I'd like to see extra money put into a pot that grassroots supporters can request funds from to fund ideas generated at the grassroots levels.

The ideas may be national in scope or local. Anything from paying for bumper stickers to be included in every USA Today around the globe to funding donuts at a Dean 4 Donuts breakfast event in Podunk.

Set up a commmitee of volunteers. Have the committee accept funding requests. Fund those ideas that provide the broadest impact per dollar spent. Demand results -- and you'll get them. You'll get results far beyond what you could imagine. This is similar to how the United Way distributes the funds it collects.

The grass roots supporters are head and shoulders *above any other campaign in history* in one important respect: *Innovation*.

I work in the software industry and am very tuned in to the open source community. The open source software community is the closest thing around to the kind of self-organizing 'community' we are building here. These people have been building self-organizing groups on the Internet for 20 years. Look to them for role models.

And the key differentiator in the open source community is *innovation*. Much of the most innovative work in the industry is being done *for free by volunteers* working on open source software projects. Throw me an e-mail and I can give you a number of great examples.

I'll bet that the people that join this community *for free* in the next 12 months will contain some of the most innovative political thinkers on earth. These people will be able to think, plan and innovate circles around the 'political establishment'.

I've seen this in the open source community over and over. Literally -- the greatest innovation comes from large groups of self-organizing volunteers. These people move much faster and respond quicker than others in the more traditional power structures.

By setting up a fund and a method for distributing the funds that encourages leverage and innovation by 'the community', you'll surface ideas that can likely be funded cheaply and be replicated over and over in each district.

You've got the greatest grass roots campaign in history -- if you can harvest and organize all the creativity and innovation from this group, you'll steam-roller everyone else.

Contact me at my e-mail address if you want to talk about this more.

Kevin
The NH Idea Guy
http://www.fightingdems.com

This is just wonderful! I am proud to be part of this - we're making history!

Now, to sleep and then up and at 'em on Monday to turn that Top Secret bat all red! I will be back in the morning with credit card in hand.

Way to go, everyone!

I'm hoping the secret would be a campaign bus the "Dean for America Cruiser" With all the travel the govenor and his staff are doing, they can ride in safety and comfort. Plus get a few winks which I'm sure they are going to need even more as the campaign shifts in to over drive.

John

The 'top secret' suspense is killing me. I'm trying to guess what it could be but I have no idea...what could suprise everyone??? Making a large donation in our name for Americorps? A national tv ad campaign? Expanding the sleepless summer tour???

NH IDea Guy -- great post and great idea! We've already seen a wealth of creativity in the grassroots efforts, and your post only emphasizes the potential for even more. Add a little funding, that offers not only more power, but also a tad bit more ability for organization. Not too much, just a little. GREAT post.

Congratulations, everyone! Well done for meeting the mark early. Let's go on to an even bigger, more exciting and energizing victory and the big Top Secret surprise. Can't wait.

IT'S MORNING IN AMERICA!!

Mark,
I think you have a good point on the level of running a campaign to connect with voters. But I think there is more to it. Read again through these quotes from the blog of the last few days. Notice the emotions behind them. This will be no mere 'election' in Nov, 2004. This will be no simple 'mandate'of a majority, judging from these emotions I think it will be more akin to 'The Storming of the Bastille'. The president and his crew are genuinely hated by a great many people for many profoundly felt reasons. I think this is the true meaning of this campaign and what it will be remembered for. We will take our country back!

Watch the comments as they come in tomorrow. I'd be willing to bet that there will be many more like them.

We're taking our country back! Thank you Howard, and special thanks to all the campaign staff for being so energetic and so creative. -Jim in Berkeley

I'm currently unemployed and really didn't feel like I could give, but the more I read on this Blog, the more I felt I had to do something. I'm glad I did. I've never been involved in a campaign before, but I plan on getting involved in this one. I'm ready for a change and what better change that to get BushCo out and move the good Doctor in!!! Three cheers for Dean!!!!! -Jeanie

I know the Dean campaign folks won't forget that these are the hard-earned funds of Americans that don't have unlimited funds. We feel it but we give anyway to demonstrate our hope and our determination to take our country back. So use our money wisely - we know you will. And you think you're stunned now? Trippi, wait till you see what we do on Monday....
-Don

I think it's hilarious that the core contributor pool helping Dean surpass BigDollar Cheney includes alot of unemployed people. What does that say about the power of the people, if the people with no money & no wealth can buoy Dean past multi-millionaire Cheney donors? -Chris

The most powerful statement this campaign can make is that lots of people, each doing what they can, adds up to a powerful force. In fact, it adds up to democracy. -Chris

You have people who in many cases are actually (God forbid!) sacrificing in order to be able to donate and make a difference for what they feel is right and good, not just right and good for them. We are a different animal altogether from traditional campaign fundraising sources. And with luck, heart and spirit, we will continue to stun Mr. Trippi, Gov. Dean, and the rest of the country until (and beyond) the day President Dean finally takes his first step into the Oval Office. -Karl NC

It's so wonderful to have a candidacy that inspires the citizens of our country to participate again, and a candidate that instills fear in cynical people of our country, be they big-moneyed corporations, narrow-minded hate-mongers, or any other folk who don't understand what this country was founded by the people, for the people (not the moneyed and powerful).

Bush and the neocons' days are numbered (460 and counting); their autocratic ideals are being dismissed, their lies are being brought in to the light, their 'victorious' war is becoming a quagmire, and their trickle-down economic policy is failing, as usual. -Dyeworks

I want to be able to face my children and proudly say that their mother and father, average hardworking people stood up and said" WE WILL NOT LET THIS HAPPEN"
-Vicki

I will be giving the money as a person who has never claimed either the Democratic or the Republican party, who has felt disenfranchised by both (although far less by the Democratic party, to be sure) and in honor of all those millions of Americans who feel the same way. In Howard Dean, Democrat or not, we may have found a way.

I will donate that $35 with a raised, shaking fist. -Kathy

It's for the cause. It's like when you first asked us to sign the petition calling for administration resignations over war lies, I thought at first it was a little radical, but because Dr. Dean asked me to, I signed. The comment I wrote on the petition unleashed a deep anger in me on behalf of our soldiers dying for a lie and the suffering of Iraqi civilians. In the days to come, the country caught up with Dr. Dean and his leadership. So I recognized it as Dr. Dean calling for hands on deck.

That's the level the bat is at. When you need us, Dr. Dean, we will be there. I don't know the best decision re: upping the goal. I want this bat to speak for the people and always meet its goal. When Dr. Dean says its time for the people to show their force, that's what this bat is about. -Sharon in NM

"I Want My Country Back"
.mp3 file from www.--rant/songs.html
- Pat in CA

Dean can and will win this election on the energy of this unbelievable "No" growing against the increasingly insulting sales pitch of Bush 2004. Lie about the cost, side-effects, pre-payment plans, and unrefundale deposits on your product once, kind RNC, and now each time your delusional salesmen come knocking, I give money to Dean R&D. Yes, I'd rather see the next presidency be created from scratch than buy anything that comes out of the toxic Bush-Cheney factory again, no matter how much more it cost them to make it.

Go Dean!
-maria nyc

I want America for Americans not America for the highest bidder. Putting in our 2 cents worth (or $50) added up will show politicians that the time has come for a Revolutionary approach -- A Government OF the people, FOR the people and BY the people!

Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed -- no where does is say they derive their powers from corporate America!

GO DEAN!
-Darkeyes

Emphasize this information: If Dean's already doing this well against BushCo, fundraising-wise, imagine how much BETTER he'll do with the full weight of the Democratic Party and their allies behind him? - Phoenix Woman

Vicki!

Thanks for posting that article. It's obvious the DLC is now Dean-Lite too!!!!

Howard Dean leads and EVERYONE HAS TO FOLLOW cause he just makes too much sense!

xoxoxox
Solaria

hmmm, bout what the top secret thing is. Donno, sure it will be good. So far with the Dean campaign, whatever they're for, I'm for.

It makes me think of my (former) bitterness towards Bushit's $200 mil fundraising projection, and their pattern of praising a program in a speech right before putting the knife through the heart of something good that helps people.

Laura Bush went to Africa, read a book to a group of kids at an HIV orphanage and gave them that book. (I read the story from an African story that Salon posted.) Gave. them. one. book. Went back to the airplane to eat their own food so they would not have to contribute to the local economy. one. iota.

Laura Bush had a photo-op with some kids from Headstart. This was a group of immigrant's children, the poorest of the poor. The Bushit campaign built a fake classroom backdrop, complete with an open book graphic that said, "Ready to learn." Bussed a group of the "poor little immigrant children" in to their staged environment so she could read to them for the op. Didn't pay a visit to the classroom. Guess it wasn't safe to mix it up with real people. Hell, they could have just given the money for the backdrop to the teachers running that Headstart. But nooooo. The thing that really sent me over the edge was she had a campaign appearance in the same place that raised a few $100,000 bucks. Not one penny of THAT went to the kids, or to the Headstart program, which they are robbing as we speak. On top of all that, taxpayers paid for their trip, the photo-op...everthing. While the bounds of their greed continued to confound and horrify.

*******s.

Anyway, I know the Dean people have a campaign to run, and I know that's what this is for. It would go a long way to making me feel right about everything, if we just gave the money to every family who has lost a soldier in Iraq in W's war, whether the US Govt added their total to the "combat casualty" list or not. Total deaths are over 200, official count is below that, because if you wreck your hummer fleeing an attack its not a combat death.

Anyway. I vote we give the money to every family, who are having their death benefits cut by this administration, and tell them thanks from the American people. Tell them that even though they lost their family member for a lie, the American people care about their sacrifice and appreciate it and haven't forgotten about them.

Thank you.

Dean's latest comments on the deaths of sons of Saddam show Dean to be a small timer and unable to deal with reality. Keep supporting him if you want, but the man is a loser. Even Sen. McCain doesn't want to be compared with him at this point. Loser.
On the other hand, when folks like you back a loser like this, it makes it easier for the middle of the road candidate to get ahead, so keep up the good work!

John from Seattle and Deanizens of the Blogosphere:

A DEAN-Bus is a great idea! Completely painted in "People-Powered Howard" and "The Doctor is In" advertising [don't forget Dr. Dean's face!]. This worked VERY well for Governor Ed Rendell here in Pennsylvania. Everywhere Rendell went, people knew because of the bus! It was a fantastic idea and was much written about and talked about by the press. And the nice thing about it is it is "free" advertising that never quits, is always on, and always getting attention.

Go DEAN-Bus!

re: Dean-Bus.
From a few days ago
We have traded in our normal mode of transporation - the mini van - for a very snazzy mini-camper kind of vehicle. We were all excited the first day, but that changed a bit today when we realized that the shock absorbers need to be replaced, the whole vehicle shakes if we go over 40 mph, and anything that isn't tied down flies all over the place when we start moving!

Maybe with the extra cash we've raised the good Gov. can even spring for a new set of shock absorbers.

Marvin, Marvin, Marvin--

You REALLY want to see that other bat filled up with red, don't you?

Thanks!

Lisa in San Diego

Yay, a reason to pay the Troll Goal in the middle of the night!

Marvin, it sounds like you may have read the article in which Dean was quoted out of context. A pity. But hey, welcome - hang around and keep reading...*

* and if you want to grump - go ahead - I do love paying that Troll Goal

Valerie

Love reading the enthusiastic comments--but in case anybody is wondering, not all of Dean's supporters are young. Some of us out here are fifty-ish and networking with our baby boomer buddies who share our disgust with the present administration. A democrat with a backbone, eh? What a concept!!!

So, Marvin, why do you think you bothered to write that post? I smell fear on you.

By the way, Dean has won every election he has ever entered, and he is the only candidate (including Bush) who's support has been growing for the last three months. Do you have a prediction for when his "loserish" qualities will emerge?

Give me a prediction, and I'll bet you on it.
Or are you too much of a coward to bet against Howard?

Hey, I know! I've figured out the surprise ... I know what the Dean campaign is going to spend the "second bat" money on!

I think they're going to buy something for Bush, something he really, really needs ...

The Dean campaign is going to use the money to buy George Bush a CLUE!

I don't think there's enough money in all the world to buy Shrub a CLUE! ;-)

mjf: True, but maybe the Dean campaign could at least make a down payment. Hee Hee ... : )


In reference to:

I don't think there's enough money in all the world to buy Shrub a CLUE! ;-)

Posted by mjf at July 28, 2003 03:23 AM

Marvin, Marvin, Marvin........
You've made my morning! I'll give double today, Troll and Secret Bat. Also, Marvins post is at 1:26am (my time) I think we have a closet Dean supporter in our midst or.....afraid to let the wife know that he's surfing the Dean sites (and others I'm sure ie: xxx)