So I Just Got Back From My First DEAN Meet-Up...(you all should read this)

[THUNDER HANDS]

Yes, DEAN meet-up.

(so for all you who say I'm a Dean-basher, nanny nanny)

It was pretty damn cool, I have to admit. It was held in Nassau County, Long Island (there was also one in Suffolk) at a Starbucks coffee shop.

I have to say, I think they'll be changing the venues to a slightly larger place next time.

Over 40 people showed up!

Starbucks actually KICKED US OUT for having too many people there. We were jam-packed in there, with more than half the people just standing up, blocking traffic. They actually had the Distric Manager come down to remove us!

So we went to one of the participants' houses and held it in his backyard. Very cool guy, I told him about this site, so he might stop by. :)

We talked about why we're supporting Dean and I leveled with everyone and told them I'm supporting both Dean and Kerry (didn't mention the leaning towards Kerry part though) and that I felt it was important to support whomever the Dem nominee is.

Mostly everyone agreed, except a few die-hards who said they refused to support Kerry over the war vote.

Overall I'd have to say it was an interesting experience. There was quite the demographic mix there. Of the 40 who showed up, about 10 were senior citizens, 10 were middle-aged folk, 10 were people in their 20's and 30's and 10 were high school (yes, HIGH SCHOOL) and college kids.

Unfortunately, we were all white (with one asian guy). But otherwise it was a very impressive showing.

This event didn't change my mind about choosing Dean over Kerry - basically I support them both equally, but lean towards Kerry because I think he's more qualified. But I heard some rumblings and some rumors of a MAJOR Dean event happening in NYC in August.

Dean...might...and I have to stress MIGHT....be taking over Times Square for a rally.

I'll keep you all posted if I hear anything more about it.

Plus, he's having a free..and I mean FREE AS IN NO MONEY...rally at Irving Plaza sometime soon.

This Dean thing is gonna get really big, really fast.

They know what they're doing. I'm damn impressed.

on edit - I forgot to mention that we wrote letters to voters in New Hampsire, they hope to get 40,000 of them.

I also heard Dean got 8,000 new meet-upers based on his performance last night at the candidate forum...wow.

[Christian73]

1. That sounds great!

Dean is my first choice, with Kerry being second.

I'm a New Yorker, so if Dean does do something at Times Square or Irving Plaza, maybe we could round up some DUers for a get together before or after.

[THUNDER HANDS]

2. definately

He's also going to have a paid fundraiser too. $75 general admission and $1000 VIP (where you get to meet Dean in person).

[realFedUp]

3. It is a real back to grassroots feeling.

Community if you haven't felt it in awhile...

[THUNDER HANDS]

4. well...i didn't with Gore

and this had shades of the Nader rallies I remember going to.

But it's waaaaaay more organized than anything Ralph Nader could have come up with.

[union_maid]

6. Just got back from the Suffolk one

Very interesting. Will be going back to more. The people who were running it were very responsive. John Hoke from the NY office thought that at least one of those NYC events would be at the Avalon Ballroom on the 26th, although he didn't sound sure yet.

[THUNDER HANDS]

8. how many people showed?

I know the one in Suffolk was all the way out in the boonies.

[Ilsa]

5. 100 degrees out here, but Man this is so cool, I have chills.

I checked to see if there was a meetup coming my way, but I haven't seen that they have one scheduled yet.

I wish I could go. I'll have to keep watching for it.

[searchingforlight]

7. Couldn't go tonight. Had to work.

I am convinced he is playing this grassroots thing very well. If he can get one person to commit some time or some money or both, if he can make them feel a part of the whole, he has them. They will vote because they're invested.

These fat cat repugs don't seem to get it. It is not going to be about the dollars. It is going to be about the number of people who give (dollars, time, whatever).

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

9. My girlfriend's parents are part of the Los Angeles Meet-Up crew.

They started in Long Beach and got co-opted by the L.A. chapter.

The venues keep getting too small. :shrug:


It's cool that you took the time to keep an open mind. Waiting for Kerry to show up in Washington. I'll return the favor.

[THUNDER HANDS]

10. hey

My thing is to get a Dem in office. If Kerry ever has a meetup I'll go to that too.

:)

[BushHasGotToGo]

11. We had 10 at ours

In the heart of Central Texas.

[AmyStrange]

18. !!! Welcome to the DU !!!

Someone should hold a meetup outside Bush's Ranch.

By the way, here's a DU slang Dictionary for you to catch up on all the Acronyms and secret sign language stuff they have here in the DU:

DU (slang/ folklore) Glossary (Dictionary): http://DUG.SeattleActivist.org/






Dave (AmyStrange.com)
http://www.SeattleActivist.org/MyLifeStory.html
DU (slang/ folklore) Glossary (Dictionary): http://DUG.SeattleActivist.org/
Index of WMD Articles: http://WMD.SeattleActivist.org/

Here are some excellent resources and timelines of quotes and interviews and newspaper article quotes documenting the different things Bush and Co did and said for the last two plus years concerning the war in Iraq and WMDs (and other fun things) from the Howard Dean Website---even if you're not a Dean Fan, these are still excellent resources:

The Bush Administration And WMDs: Then And Now:
http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/PageServer?pagename=bush_wmd_summary

Niger-Uranium Timeline:
http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/PageServer?pagename=niger_timeline

Bush and WMD: Assumptions vs. Reality:
http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/DocServer/TikTok_-_Bush_-_Iraq_-_Side_by_Side.pdf?docID=781

The Bush Administration and WMD: What did they know and when did they know it?:
http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/DocServer/TikTok_-_Administration_-_Iraq_Deception.pdf?docID=762

[janx]

24. Dave, who is the author of the DUG? I ask because I noticed

a typo in an unfortunate place. The entry was "Moran"--the first entry under that heading. The word "protester" was mistyped "protester," and I think that since the entry itself evolved around a hilarious freeper misspelling, that "potester" typo ought to be corrected.

[ninkasi]

31. Where in Central Texas are you?

I'm in South Central Texas, right in the heart of enemy territory.

[CMT]

12. over 100 again at the meetup in Madison Wi

wrote letters to undecided New Hampshirites.

[MGKrebs]

13. We had 25 in south Atlanta.

They've divided ATL up into 3 groups now. They had something like 180 rsvp's for the midtown meeting.

Time to branch out and bring in the non-internet folks. Letters/flyers etc.

[MrJones]

14. Albany, NY

We had ~70 at each of two venues tonight. I was at the first Dean meetup in Albany six months ago. There were 17 of us, including my 4- and 7-year-old kids. The group in Albany was all ages, but mostly white.

[MrJones]

17. Tokyo!!?!!!??

I just got an email from someone who said he attended a Dean meetup in Tokyo (yes, Japan), and there were 20 people there.

[arcos]

25. the list of countries with Dean Meetups is impressive...

Lebanon, Indonesia, China, Mexico... a lot!

[mandyky]

33. The Brits also had a great show

with UK and VT press attending!

The world's for Dean!!

[Corgigal]

15. My meet up held in Charleston SC

Was in a meeting room at the downtown public library. I was amazed, over 40 people and all colors of the rainbow. Young, middle aged and elderly. Several had on Dean tee-shirts. I didn't even know they were available. We have started our own website and the SC Dem's understand the importance of working hard because we will factor largely in picking the Democratic nomination due to being I think, the 3rd primary for the Democratic ticket.
The man who "runs" our meetup is a black statewide congressman and he says 53 percent of the democrats here are black. He also feels that the black vote of SC is very supportive of Dean.
We had a nice time and we have to look for a bigger place next month. We are also going to be opening up an office for Dean, hopefully in the downtown Charleston area.
I think we rock.
Also in the mail today an invitation to meet Edwards on Saturday in my hometown. Might just stop by to see what he has to say.

[MiddleRiverRefugee]

16. In Greenbelt MD, there was a Meetup tonight...

I'm not sure how official it was, but about 35-40 packed our little New Deal Cafe. I dod not hear much as I had a 2-year old Daughter in tow, but my wife stayed through most of it, and continues to be impressed with the Doctor. We had a good converatsion with one of the local Green party members who said he hoped that the Dems could get it together on a candidate the Greens could support.

Maybe a Dean administration could appoint Ralph Nader as Attorney General, an idea which is not as funny as some may think IMHO.

Dean will be in Falls Gulch (aka Falls Church) VA at a rally on August 23. I plan to try and attend.

[SayitAintSo]

19. I just went to my first Dean Meet-up - Columbia SC

I have been a Kerry fan all along, but I am also very intrigued with Dean. Even more so after tonight. This was the 2nd meetup in Columbia as I understand it. There were 12 people at the first one, about 30-35 at this one. Steady growing. I heard that Dean doesn't plan to open a campaign office in Columbia which surprised me, especially with the February primary coming up. If anyome understands that logic please share ! Edwards just opened his office last week. I am very concerned about how the DLC and democratic party leadership may be under estimating the Dean phenomenon. He has clearly tapped into a message that the others have not be able to match yet. There were folks of all ages AND race at this meet up (yes, Columbia SC ). I plan to keep going, if for no other reason than to help me make up my mind.

[MoonGod]

20. Speaking of Dean, what was the 2nd bat all about?

Have they said yet?

[arcos]

26. Running ads in Austin, TX. n/t

[MoonGod]

28. Oh.

*yawn*

[Orangepeel]

41. also the toll free number

1-866-DEAN-4-USA

[Southsideirish]

21. Four Dean Meet-Ups in Chicago - ours needed a bigger room!

Very large crowd - biggest I've seen for a Meet Up. We wrote a lot of letters and 'are really looking forward to our rally with Governor Dean on 8/26 at Navy Pier.

[GumboYaYa]

22. We had a great Meetup in St. Louis tonight.

There were around 200 people there. It was very exciting. Everyone cheered anytime someone mentioned getting rid of Bush.

[janx]

23. Good news! I'm mad at myself because I forgot to take some

extra names and addresses home. I wrote two letters at the MeetUp. But last time (letter writing to Iowans) I wrote three and the MeetUp and six more at home!

So I'm going to have to send an email and go back to Boulder tomorrow to get some more names.

I actually enjoy writing the letters because we are encouraged to write them the way we see fit--to avoid a form letter format. This is honest, and it's great.

Magic Rat, I'm proud of you for keeping a critical outlook on things, no matter what you decide. Many people are incapable of real critical thinking.

[trogdor]

27. Central New York here!

I'm also a Dean Meetup virgin. I think they want me to run for Congress against Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY 24th). I'd do it just to make the bastard come home and campaign and spend money. Your thoughts?

[lastliberalintexas]

44. Go for it!

I think that would be awesome! And you of course have built-in volunteers and donors right here. :-)

[CWebster]

29. I watched Kerry last night

and try as I might...I just can't see it. He has less natural political talent than Gore had in his most awkward moments. He just doesn't connect, and his constant use of "ladies and gentlemen" is out of sync and sort of creepy. I listened to him make a case for going to the UN, but he never discussed the obvious contrived case for war, or the fact that he had the opportunity to sign on to a second resolution intended to nullify the first one.

I am sorry, but all things considered, aside from his conventional insider status, he just doesn't strike me as having the spirit to rally the numbers to him...it would more likely be limited to the ABB choice alone to gain support.

And that is a lost opportunity to really inject life back into the D party again.

[GalleryGod]

40. I disagree 100%

"Creepy" ? You seem like a very learned individual-why that word?
"Less natural politcal talent"? Ask any Mass Dems who've watched him for 25 years now.

I'm sorry that you're sorry,however, from a very proud "coventional insider" your reaction to Kerry's Town Meeting last night is in the micro minority,here.

[CWebster]

45. GalleryGod, in the utmost sincerity,

I tried. I really did.

[DagmarK]

30. understatement: "This Dean thing is gonna get really big, really fast."

It already has.

It's gonna get bigger, faster........

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

32. what classes were represented?

It sounds like there was quite a mix of ages, not so much diversity in the ethnic background department :) Maybe that's just a function of the location, and not a indication that Dean's base is almost all white. Were these mostly professionals or the children of professionals? Middle class? Anyone poor?

[THUNDER HANDS]

35. I'm not sure, but on long island

you're basically either upper class or upper middle class.

At least those who have time to attend political meet-ups.

The house we were at was awesome, big beautiful backyard and the hosts were the nicest people you'd ever want to meet. I'll try to find photos from it and post it later.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

36. so, mostly white, most upper class or upper middle class?

Perhaps pollster Weinburg's description of Dean's base was right.

[THUNDER HANDS]

39. probably

Like I said, this seems to be a much more organized version of the green party meetings I attended prior to the 2000 elections.

[trogdor]

42. Utica (NY) Observer-Dispatch's description of our Dean group.

Wednesday was the Utica group's fifth meeting since April. About 20 people -- mostly white, mostly middle aged -- showed up to discuss ways to reach senior citizens, start Dean groups at local colleges and conduct a voter registration drive.

It was a definite improvement over the five people who attended the Utica group's first informal discussion sessions, host David Jones said.

http://www.uticaod.com/archive/2003/08/07/news/12352.html

[ret5hd]

34. went to the ft. worth, tx meet-up...

105 in attendance (up from 39 last month).

we also did the letter writing to voters in new hampshire.

[THUNDER HANDS]

37. here's a photo

with just some of the participants....



by the way...I'm the guy in the light blue shirt standing behind the cute old lady holding the piece of paper.

:)

[Kolesar]

38. 40 Clevelanders spent a beautiful evening indoors to attend the DeanMeetup

They could have been enjoying a summer evening having fun, but instead they dedicated their evening to the Dean candidacy. That is enthusiasm! Mr. Bush, you have a major problem brewing here.

[bleedingheart]

43. Over 100 in Pittsburgh's Homestead Meetup

it was amazing! Absolutely amazing!
I have never seen such a good mix of people...a great demographic...he appeals across the age range as well as the economic groups!