I just found a diary floridagal linked a while ago, which includes a link to Howard Dean’s famous “What I wanna know…” speech. Here’s the direct link to download the Quicktime movie.
From the diary…
“Howard Dean speaks at the California Democratic Convention in Sacramento, CA on March 15, 2003. This speech was videotaped and edited by Eric Predoehl with the help of an anonymous camera operator.
March 15, 2003. Just over four years ago. At the time, I hadn’t even heard of Howard Dean, and would only gradually learn enough to become excited about his campaign over the next couple months. The Sleepless Summer tour was still months away.
I’m posting this for two reasons. First, it’s always good to have an opporutunity to hear Howard Dean speaking those words so many of us were longing to hear from our elected leaders. But secondly, it puts into perspective just how far away the primaries for the 2008 presidential election are at this point. Anything can happen between now and then. Maybe Al Gore will decide to throw his hat in the ring after all. Or maybe someone previously unknown, or not well known, will surface and capture our imagination.
It really is too soon to tell what the political landscape will look like as we approach primary season. I know that, with 24 hour news channels, the media outlets feel compelled to try to build up the whole “horse race” of it. But I can choose not to let them define my reality.
The trick is–how on earth do we get the rest of the country to stop letting these people define their reality?
Hi Renee,
I just finished listening to Edwards DNC speech and thought it would be nice to hear Dean’s Winter DNC speech again. But I couldn’t find it at YouTube.
So this is great — Thank you so much!
Ah, the sleepless summer tour. The tour coincided with my move from Seattle to Vermont to work on Dean’s campaign. (I was one of the lucky ones to have a job waiting for me in VT before I left!)
I saw the tour in two different places. I drove like crazy to make a stop in the midwest, and then made it to the Bryant Park celebration as well. Joining the bloggers at laptops behind the stage in the open air behind the New York Public Library was really great.
Most fun of all was when I finally made it into the office. It was my first or second day there, when who walks in but Howard Dean himself. Alone. Just a regular guy heading into the office. He walked by, I looked up, and I said, “Oh, it’s you!” We chatted for a bit – he was just so normal, so nice.
Yeah. Sleepless summer indeed. We all worked so hard. The devastation on people’s faces the night Dean lost Iowa, and the double devastation when we lost NH in the wake of “the scream.” But nothing was lost. A new generation of activists was born of that campaign, the likes of which I’ve never seen in my lifetime. For that, I’ll be forever grateful to Howard.
I listened to some of the speeches at the DNC today, also. It was great to see Howard on the podium, but hard, too. His speech 4 years ago set off a firestorm that’s just gotten bigger over time.
It was great to meet Howard when he came to Michigan early in the primary campaign, and then later on. Got to represent his campaign a few times at area events, too, which was lots of fun.
Such hard work – Lisa, and Katie, I know you both were so active in his campaign (Renee, that goes for you without saying!!). It was a hard lesson to see him done in through a combination of things.
But look at what he has accomplished since then. His effect on the Democratic party is going to be felt long, long after this. He’s a great man.