Dean: "We have been here before in this country"

Yes, I know. I am doing it again. Posting something Dean said. But I am in a real funk right now with my vote not counting because our Florida Democrats tried to be Big Shots. And to make matters worse, the party leaders here are insulting, the press is obnoxious, and the Florida bloggers are mostly silent. So it is an irritating time for hubby and me.

To make matters even more annoying the attacks on him in Florida will get worse as the primary nears on January 29. I dread it.

And besides his words still give me hope. It was a time of hope for many of us...we thought we could make a real difference. The time was not right then, and the country continues on its sharp right turn.

Dean's speech when he left the race...February 18, 2004, in Burlington

DEAN: Change is difficult. You cannot expect people with great privileges taken at the expense of ordinary working people to surrender them lightly. But the history of humanity is that determined people will overcome obstacles.

And we will overcome the problems that this country is facing as a result of George W. Bush and as a result of a Washington establishment that has forgotten who sent them there.

(APPLAUSE)

Some of you have been on the road with me or have seen the speeches have heard this before, but it's true. We have been here before in this country. When William McKinley was president, enormous trusts were put together which made it impossible for ordinary Americans to start their own business, make any money without enormous pressure from those trusts, which destroyed their business.

Teddy Roosevelt came along, busted up the trusts and made it possible to earn a living for ordinary Americans and small businesses again.

Under Harding and Coolidge and Hoover, Calvin Coolidge said, The business of America is business, but (he) forgot that human beings are not meant to be cogs in an enormous government corporate machine; that we are spiritual people who need connections and have to have community again.

Franklin Roosevelt came along and took America back for ordinary working people again.

A great part of that speech that day, which unfortunately was not to come to pass that year...still is funny.

My favorite, however, is this one. In 1824, John Quincy Adams, the son of a one-term president, John Adams...

(LAUGHTER)

... beat Andrew Jackson of Tennessee in an election where Andrew Jackson received more votes.

It was decided in Congress by one vote, electing John Quincy Adams as president.

In 1828, four years later, John Quincy Adams became the one-term son of a one-term president.

(APPLAUSE)

Unfortunately, the Little Emperor Bush was a two term guy.

Ah, what might have been.



The full speech in Burlington that day.

Announcement of end of campaign

Haloscan comment thread