Why Dean Needs to Win

Part 4 of JUSIPER's four part series on how Dean can win is up. This part discusses the Dean organization and the impact it will have on the election as well as on what happens after Dean is elected.

These are both important points that I don't think gets near enough attention. Dean, as far as I know, is the only Democratic candidate that is likely to have a 50 state campaign organization up and running by the day of the Iowa caucus. The Bush campaign already plans to do this, but it will be a top-down, professional run organization. Dean's organization is bottom up and depends on the organizational skills of his volunteers.

Now, just to silence those who scoff about amateurs being able to compete with professionals, I give you the example of the recent Sleepless Summer Tour appearance in my hometown of Portland, OR. We put on a rally for 5000 Dean supporters that went off without incident and was generally praised pretty highly (the only grumbles originating from people having to stand around in near 90 degree heat for over an hour). But what was really impressive was that, after the rally, some of the local Portland police told us that we had put on the best organized rally of that size that they had ever seen.

But, the 2nd point from the JUSIPER piece is even more important than the 1st. You see, Democrats may manage to win in 2004. But if the fight will not end on election day. Dean will still have to govern in the face of a (likely) Republican lead congress and Republican dominated media that will be hostile to him from the first day. Dean will need the organization of grassroots supporters even more after the election. He will need them to rally around his efforts and put the heat on Congress when it comes time to pass some of the ambitious programs he will push.

What other Democratic candidate can boast a grassroots organization of that size solely devoted to them and their agenda?

The Dean Corps will be the key not just to victory in 2004 but also to restoring this country to what it should be.

That's why Dean needs to win more than any other candidate.