Colby Cosh on Obama's victory: 'Howard Dean, thou art avenged'
This is an interesting article from a Canadian blogger. He points out that in Iowa last time the experienced folks ruled the caucuses, and the enthusiastic young people for Dean were lost because of the lack of experience in how to caucus. This is a pretty decent post.
Colby Cosh on Obama's victory: 'Howard Dean, thou art avenged'
I had thought of this aspect myself, but not sure how to word it.
"While the gray-headed members of other candidates' voting blocs wheedled with each other and struggled for county delegates, the Obama kids massed soberly in their corners and waited for the results. They came to the polls in astonishing numbers, helping to nearly double the old record for statewide Democratic caucus turnout.
It was impossible not to notice these young people, and very hard not to see them as the regretful ghosts of the missing insurgents who had failed to match the pre-caucus polling numbers for Howard Dean in the state in 2004. "Dr. Dean," their presence almost seemed to be saying, "thou art avenged." Back then, Dean was the Democrats' energizing, inspiring outsider candidate with the gift of gab. But the greater organizing ability of the other teams ruled the day in the trial by ordeal that is the Iowa caucuses. They are nothing like an ordinary election, and can barely even be described as democratic. To support a candidate for presidential nomination in Iowa, one needs to be willing to brave winter roads and spend an hour or more milling about and being counted and courted in a stockyard-like environment, listening to grannies talk about jam recipes and measles outbreaks. It is not an exercise for the shallow or the weak."
The blogger is right in some ways. Dean started it all, the rest of the story is not told. If you missed his speech last night go to this link at C-Span.
C-Span recent programs.
Look for the New Hampshire Dinner under recent programs, and go about one hour and 3 minutes in.
He visited the final state of the 50 this last month, Hawaii. His travel miles have been enormous in number.
Howard Dean's 528,468-Mile Journey
