Toward's the future

Back last fall when the Dean campaign was riding high, the campaign directed its supporters to contribute money to the re-election campaign of Iowa Congressman Leonard Boswell. This call netted Boswell's campaign more than $50,000 in a 24 hour period and caught a lot of people's attention. It was meant to be an early demonstration of a "master plan" Joe Trippi was working on to not only win the White House but to also win back Congress as well.

Well, the plan for Dean to win the White House has pretty much collapsed, but the plan for Congress could still go forward and there are hints that this just may happen in this NY Time's article on Dean's course after Wisconsin:

Officials said they are discussing ways to use Dean's network to help elect Democrats to Congress, action that effectively, but not directly, support Kerry's agenda as president. Scores of campaigns aides were making plans to leave their jobs after Tuesday.

This might be a better strategy for Dean to follow than the simple "endorse Kerry and get out of the way" step that might piss off some of his more dedicated supporters. I've already heard ideas for something called the Dean's List, an organizational and fundraising apparatus to win back the congress for Democrats who are more interested in enacting real Democratic change.

I will mourn the passing of the Dean presidential campaign as much as anyone. But I remain stoked about the potential for the future despite the shattering of some of our grander dreams.