Today's Dean News

"For Dean, it's the empowerment," is the CNN story on Dean. Tidbits: "The turning point in Dean's campaign for party chairman came on January 31, when state Democratic chairs endorsed Dean. The Dean takeover is a lot like the takeover of the Republican Party by conservative activists in the 1960s. Conservatives felt disempowered after 30 years in the wilderness. In the short run, the Goldwater takeover looked like a disaster for the GOP. But in the long run, well, look at what happened." From the AP story on the wire now comes, "Democrats set to choose Dean as chairman." "Democrats set to make Dean leader" is from Keralanext.com out of India. They predict: "Chairman Dean can expect his first few weeks in office to be a bruising time." From the Baltimore Sun, "Leaders praise Dean as new DNC chairman." Excerpt: "Top Democrats fell in line behind incoming party Chairman Howard Dean yesterday, muting any doubts they might harbor about his re-emergence on the national scene and what that could mean for their struggling party. Reid drew laughter from members of the DNC when he thanked those who ran for chairman "and all the Democrats I tried to get to run." Remember Iowa? The Des Moines Register story is "Democrats believe Dean is up to task." Appetizer: "To some, Howard Dean will always be known as red-faced and hollering like a football coach at halftime, as he appears in video clips that TV networks have run incessantly since the 2004 caucuses. But Iowa Democrats aren't worried about that lingering image, forged during Dean's concession speech on caucus night. They're more concerned about whether the likely chairman of the Democratic National Committee can yield the spotlight. It will be a task for the outspoken former Vermont governor to curb his tendency to publicly critique the Democratic Party, but Dean has assured supporters he can do it, say Democrats who plan to elect him today in Washington, D.C." If "he is up to task," then why are "Iowa democrats" so concerned? Midwestern skepticism? The Cox News Service story, "Democrats attempt to regroup-Party leaders try to rebuild with Dean as DNC chairman" has this from Bill Clinton: "All that has to happen is you have to have a clear vision, a plan for the future, good campaign tactics and fight like the devil," said Clinton. "We need to brand ourselves better. There were too many people who didn't know why we were Democrats except that we were against President Bush's policies." The Seattle Times has "Is Howard Dean the right choice to revive the Democratic Party?" from Washington Post Beltway insider Dan Balz. He does a review of the conventional political wisdom on Dean's and his new job and the issues it presents for the Democratic party. I hate to link to a lying self-serving traitor who quotes another self-serving traitor, but Novak says Trippi is predicting Dean will break his promise not to run for president in 2008. Wanna hear from a red state? "Kansans weigh in on comeback" quotes Democrats there on Dean's new job. Another story from India, "Dean Aims to Bring a New Style to Democratic Party" offers this quote: "For Joyce Cusack, a Florida delegate, it's time for Democrats to embrace their party's values. "We are trying so hard to be like Republicans and we're not. I think Howard Dean says clearly that we are different," she said. "We are the party of ordinary citizens and not the elite, we are everyday working folk." This story, "Howard Dean, rebel firebrand turned Democratic Party head" is from the Turkish Press. Here's taste: "Ultimately, it was his heavily televised primal scream after one disastrous primary that killed his chances for the nomination. But when the more compromising John Kerry's loss to President George W. Bush in November left the party leadership chastened, Dean discretely lobbied local party branches around the country to support him to be DNC chairman. The move dumbfounded the consultants, bureaucrats and money-men in Washington who normally called the shots at party headquarters." What would a day be without consulting the New York Times? If you read Dean Makes Final Rounds as Party Chairman Race Ends," "you'll have to wait for another to day to find out. They get on the "take a new look at the new Dean" message train. They repeat this zinger from the good Doctor: ""When you think of the New Testament, they get about 2 of the values and we get about 27," he said. "Look, we're not perfect, but at least we know what we're supposed to do," Dr. Dean said. "At least we know that we are supposed to reach out to people who struggle."