''We've got Dean's back''

Kos, himself, rises to the occasion. Thanks to Susan Hu for making it so easy for me post this. She posted as Susan in Port Angeles. He already has 175 comments from this post at noon today.

''Thank you so much ''

Howard Dean sent this note to some of his supporters and the blogger known as Hoffmania has a response.

''Another day...another duty to defend Dean''

From Upper Left, a local blog: "Political Wire points to an item by Robert Novak which says......Democrats "are concerned about the massive negative research" about Howard Dean "stockpiled by President Bush's political operatives." The Dean file was compiled by Bush's re-election campaign when it appeared that the former Vermont governor was going to be nominated for president. It is a carefully researched compendium of Dean's often bizarre utterances." Democrats are concerned, huh? OK, Bob, name one. After all, naming names seemed easy enough when you wanted to out a CIA agent. Surely you have a source for your veiled slander against our presumptive Chair. But you don't, do you. Your kind never do. In fact, I think you'll find that in general, Democrats aren't the least bit worried about the oppo file on Dean, because we know that no matter who leads us, they'll get smeared by the Republican slime machine and their lapdogs in the media echo chamber. And it doesn't matter, really, because we're right, you're wrong and, as pal 'o Upper Left Cereffusion so eloquently puts it, it's clobberin' time!"

''Celebrate Victory with the Blues!!!!''

Many of you will remember Nancie Kosnoff as the first face you saw at the Washington for Dean headquarters on Westlake, during Howard Dean's presidential campaign. She sends along this party announcement: "Howard Dean is going to be the next DNC Chairperson!!!! – Saturday evening, February 12. Celebrate our BIG (better late than never) VICTORY with all your true blue friends! 6pm - Highway 99 Blues Club and all details: here.

Roemer's Still Making Noise--MyDD Is Popping Corks

Roemer is not going quietly, here and here. MyDD 's Chris Bowers wants to start the party.

''Roemer withdraws from DNC chair race''

The first hint of Roemer's withdrawal was early this Monday morning, when he cancelled as a guest on the Air America show, "Morning Sedition", which airs in Seattle from 3-6am on AM 1090, the local affiliate. With no opponents left, you'd have to say it's time to put your liquid refreshments on ice, for consumption this weekend. Here's the AP story with the following quote from Roemer: "I got into this race five weeks ago to talk about the devastating loss we experienced in November," Roemer said in an interview. "It was not about 60,000 votes in Ohio. It was about losing 97 of the 100 fastest growing counties in the country. If that's a trend in business or politics you're in trouble." This week's column from Howard Dean: "Middle Class Hurt by Bush’s Values."

''Donna Brazile to Dean: It's Healing Time''

Before it looked like Dean was a sure bet to overcome the "anybody but Dean" sentiment about his candidacy for DNC chair, the former Gore 2000 campaign manager wrote this "open letter" about the Democrats and the party's response to Dean.

"Fowler Showed Southern Roots in DNC Run"

Donnie is getting some press, even though he lost, badly.

''Dean bid brightens a party's outlook''

This AP story is running all over the place. It's supposed to be a news article, but sounds more like a political commentary to me. I guess this is Dean's second political honeymoon with most of the press. "Can Dean revive the Democrats?" is an editorial in Newsday (NY) that presents the contrarian view to this sentiment. Of course, Dean has given George Will an opportunity to rant, but that was to be expected, and perhaps, celebrated. Chris Bowers on MyDD takes the time to rebut Will. This analysis from UPI commentator Martin Sieff, "How Dean may transform Democrats" is from, unexpectedly (again) that Moonie, right-wing rag known as the Washington Times. Nostalgia/history: Kos has this account of the "first Dean Meetup ever."

''From Ashes of '04 Effort, Dean Reinvents Himself''

Actually, this New York Times story has it backwards: it's the media that is doing the reinventing. But what the hell, their story line works, this time.

''Dean for Change! Thoughts on Exiting from Donnie Fowler''

Donnie sees the light: "Fortunately, the Democratic National Committee will get the kind of change it needs. With Howard Dean as its next chair, the Party will have someone who not only understands change, but knows how to make it happen. Importantly, Governor Dean has committed to implement many of the changes that I advocated during my chair's race:* Moving Regional Press and Political Organizing Operations Out of DC and Into the States.* Assigning an Executive in the Office of the Chair as Liaison to State Parties.* Achieving Record Diversity Among DNC Staff and Consultants.As a presidential candidate and as a candidate for Chair, Governor Dean has brought with him a grassroots movement that will reinvigorate the Democrats with new activism and new voters. As a former governor and former Chair of the Democratic Governors Association, Governor Dean also knows the value of respecting and including those who are most loyal to the Party. It's the best of the new and the traditional. And the Democratic Party will be better for it. It's why I endorse Governor Dean for DNC Chair and hope to contribute to his and the new DNC's successes."

''Dean confident he has lock on DNC chair''

A variety of Democrats pat Dean on the back, as he plans to move into the DNC offices, in this story from the Chicago Tribune. NPR has two pundits talking about Dean's prospects of retaining his fiery demeanor once he gets into the DNC Chair job. But first, they talk about Bush's agenda and other assorted Beltway stuff. It makes for good background noise for your web surfing.

Two About Dean and the Dems

Jerome Armstrong, on MyDD, surveys the Democratic landscape, including the DLC. CNN declares,"Dean virtually locks up DNC chairmanship."

Wenatchee Judge: ''No Revote''

That's about all the two sides agree on, concerning the ruling. The P-I spins it blue and the Times spins it red.

It's Down to Roemer

Donnie Fowler has done the math. A blogger on MyDD, who opposed Dean for the presidential nomination tells us, "Why I support Howard Dean for DNC head."

''Congratulations to Dean''

Kos warns us not to celebrate too early. If you want comments there are 172, so far.

Bulgegate: The Final Word

Just in case you forgot how the Rovians don't play fair: "On Thursday, just three days after that first exposé, the paper was set to run a second, perhaps more explosive piece, exposing how George W. Bush had worn an electronic cueing device in his ear and probably cheated during the presidential debates. That the story hadn’t gotten more serious treatment in the mainstream press was largely thanks to a well-organized media effort by the Bush White House and the Bush/Cheney campaign to label those who attempted to investigate the bulge as "conspiracy buffs."-from the story on the Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting site.

Let's Make It Unanimous (UPDATED)

Simon says he's out: "Activist Simon Rosenberg abandoned his bid for Democratic National Committee chairman on Friday and backed front-runner Howard Dean, moving the former presidential candidate closer to capturing the party title."-from the AP story in the Washington Post. Reuters has this roundup on the race, "Dean Poised to Be New Democratic Party Chief": "The resurgence of Dean, an early and fierce critic of President Bush during the Democratic primary campaign, comes three months after many Democrats said the November results showed the party needed a more moderate approach that could broaden its appeal in the South, Midwest and Mountain States. But Dean wooed party insiders with an aggressive campaign that promised to pump up state-based operations, energize the party's grass roots and build an army of small donors similar to the one that aided his presidential bid. "He just ran a great campaign," Rosenberg said. "They won this thing. It was not in any way handed to him." As for Fowler, "He says he will stay in the race until the Feb. 12 vote, although many Democrats expect him to call it quits before then. "We are still committed to staying in the race, we are getting a lot of private commitments," said Jamal Simmons, a Fowler spokesman. "For now, our supporters still want him in."

''It's Over: Dean has the Votes''

According to a post on MyDD. They have names. Lots of comments, too.

''The Outsiders''

"The DNC chair race has exposed deep fissures within the Democratic Party. Some of these are ideological, but the real story of the race is the diffusion of power away from Washington and to new people and entities that have rushed to fill the power vacuum at the top of the party."-from the periodical I try to ignore, The New Republic. But this commentary by Ryan Lizza is worth a read for its skewed description of the changing of the guard at the DNC and what this tells us about the current state of the Democratic Party.