digamma.net - notes

So, about the Dean opening this morning.

Just to reiterate, it was the official opening of Dean's Upper Valley headquarters in Lebanon, NH. And looking at the official blog, you wouldn't know it happened.

So here are my observations, each in its own nutshell:

• It seemed to be a crowd of your average person with an interest in politics - very little spiked hair, and no Che Guevara T-shirts. It was about as racially diverse as any political event in the North Country gets. (What was it Dusty Baker said about New Hampshire?)
  
• Minor technicality: I noticed he opened his criticisms of Bush by referring to him as "The President". And he didn't pronounce it as if it had quotes around it. I call that classy - saying things like "the so-called President" won't get you anywhere.
  
• Dean's discussion of the need for an international peacekeeping force also took a fair tone. Responding to questions of postwar Iraq with "we shouldn't have been there in the first place" accomplishes nothing.
  
• He said flat out, "Republicans can't handle money." If this becomes a meme (whatever the hell that is) it could be a winner.
  
• "Borrow and spend - Bush must have been a Democrat in the 1960's." Heh, as they say.
  
• "A balanced budget is necessary for social justice." I like it.
  
• "Bush's model is apparently Argentina - we can do better than that."
  
• Dean actually used the phrase "fiscally conservative, socially progressive". I suspect that line will get dropped from the routine before long."
  
• "We won't promise everything to everybody." Gutsy.
  

As I've said before, I'm not endorsing the guy, or anyone else. But I have to say I am extremely impressed by the professionalism of his campaign.

UPDATE: It's on the blog now.

Posted by digamma at July 22, 2003 06:39 PM | TrackBack