Democracy for New Mexico

DNC Chair Developments

A hyped up story is all over the media describing how the executive committee of the Association of State Democratic Chairs (ASDC) endorsed Donnie Fowler for DNC Chair. In truth, Fowler's margin was only 8-6 over Dean. The executive committee's decision was merely a recommendation to the full membership of the organization. The really important news, however, is that the ASDC membership as a whole has endorsed Dean by a margin of almost 3-1, in opposition to their executive committee's suggestion.

The membership of the ASDC voted this morning by phone. Here are the results, as reported by Jerome Armstrong on MyDD:

Update: The Chairs and Vice Chairs rejected the recommendation of the Executive Committee to back Fowler. They then did a roll-call vote, which Dean won:

             The ASDC ballot                    Endorsements
             (state chairs-vice chairs)     (public DNC members)

Dean         56                                 49
Fowler       21                                  9
Frost         5                                 15
Roemer        3                                  4
Rosenberg     3                                  4
Webb          3                                 10
Leyland       0                                  2
Abstain       5 

That's 58% for Dean on the first ballot among the 96 ASDC Chairs and Vice Chairs that voted (Hotline); alongside Dean's continued backing within the DNC At-Large Members (and Labor is rumored to be next on board), Dean's in the homestrech and leading all alone.
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The lastest progressive organization to join the Dean for DNC Chair effort is Ben (of Ben & Jerry's icecream) Cohen's True Majority. Go to their website to sign a petition backing Dean for the job. And pass on the link to others who support Howard Dean for DNC Chair.

Update: According to an article in the , Former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb has just dropped out of the DNC Chair race and endorsed Dean.

BIG NEWS: Ex-Clinton Aide Ickes Backs Dean for DNC

Excerpts from an Associated Press article just released:

Harold Ickes, a leading Democratic activist and former aide to President Clinton, said Friday he is backing Howard Dean to be chairman of the Democratic National Committee -- giving a powerful boost to the front-runner.

"I think all the candidates who are running have strong attributes, but Dean has more of the attributes than the others," said Ickes, who considered running for chairman himself before dropping out in early January. "Many people say Howard Dean is a northeastern liberal, he is progressive, but his tenure as governor of Vermont was that of a real moderate."

Ickes, who is chairman of the political action committee of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., said the endorsement was his alone and "does not reflect Sen. Clinton's opinion."

While Ickes would not comment on the Clintons' preferences, he is a close ally and would not be endorsing Dean against their strong objections.
[. . .]
Ickes' endorsement comes at a critical time in the chairman's race and gives Dean almost 50 of the more than 215 votes he would need to win the post. The field could be narrowed in the next few days, as state party chairs and organized labor offer their views on the race.

(Click the link at the top of this post for the entire article.)

Here's a link to a summary of endorsements made so far supporting Dean for DNC Chair.

Another ABQ DeanCorps Event: Barrett House Attic This Saturday

From Nance Crow:
We need about a half-dozen DeanCorps volunteers to go to Barrett House Attic on Saturday, Janurary 15, from 10 AM  to 2 PM to help them sort donations -- primarily clothes and house wares. (If they can use us a bit longer, some might stay). At year's end they get so much stuff they can't get it all done.

Barrett House is the homeless Women and Children's shelter; the "Attic,' at 4308 Lomas NE west of Washington, supports the shelter. The Attic is in a tiny strip mall west of Washington on the south side of the street. I'll meet folks outside the store and have DeanCorps t-shirts for volunteers.

I hope volunteers might enjoy having lunch together afterward at Hurricane's, a community contributing local restaurant next to the strip mall. Parking is limited so I suggest parking on Montclaire Dr., south of Lomas and west of the stores.

Any questions, my # is below. See you there!
(505) 265-8113
NLCorvus@att.net

Editor's Note: You may recall that DeanCorps is an action arm of Democracy for America - Democracy for New Mexico. Howard Dean's governorship was marked by support for families and children and DeanCorps celebrates this crucial emphasis by offering service to our communities. DeanCorps was very active across the country during the primaries, and is now being reactivated. Last month, DeanCorps groups in 50 states donated long distance phone cards for distribution to vets in VA Hospitals. About 100,000 minutes from DFA supporters was matched 100%  by DFA, resulting in more than 200,000 donated minutes. DFNM groups donated more than 4500 minutes to the effort.

Zephyr Teachout: Wings on the Donkey

Old Deaners will no doubt remember the infamous Zephyr Teachout, who made the DFA blog a fun place back in the primary days as his Internet Outreach Director. And what a name! She also visited DFA folks here in Albuquerque during her cross-country trip to meet the roots, starting out in a very used Airstream trailer that experienced so many mechanical problems she finally had to abandon it mid-stream (no pun intended).

After Dean lost in the primaries, she went on to ply her trade at America Coming Together. Today, she's back at school and endorsing Dean for DNC Chair. Excerpts:

This moment in the history of our country is so much bigger than unanswerable speculation about who will hire the best ad company. Its our first act, collectively, as democrats to say what we believe in after last November's election.

We must choose a person that represents our strongly held, unambiguous beliefs about the rights and responsibilities of American citizens. We must elect someone who we can all look to articulate some of our hopes at a time we can feel strangled.
[. . .]
We use political parties to aggregate our hopes and dreams. The point of the Democratic party is not to win for its own sake, but to win because we represent some of the best traditions of civic life in human history. One of my hopes is to always be courageous in political life.  As a party, we need courage at the core - and the ability to inspire it in others. Just today I got an email from someone whose uncle decided to run for a rural texas local board spot because he got the email from Dean today.

Dean speaks in a blunt, straight way - he's funny, and he has a remarkable ability to listen, directly, to the people speaking to him. He's absolutely clearheaded about the fact that no political act has no cost. Every funding decision we make means there's another we can't - every choice is tied to every other choice. He's also very clearheaded about the difference between being a leader and demanding absolute fealty. He's happy to welcome right to lifers into the party, but that doesn't mean he's about to tone down his own strong views on family planning and a woman's freedom.
[. . .]
Lets get some wings on that donkey.

Dean to Announce Formal Entry Into Race for DNC Chair?

That's 1:00 PM Eastern, or 11:00 AM Mountain.

Click https://blogforamerica.com/

Attend a DFA Meetup Tomorrow

Democracy for America - Democracy for New Mexico Meetups will take place in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Cruces and Socorro on Wednesday, January 5th at 7:00 PM. Check the Upcoming Events sidebar on the right-hand side of this page and click on a Meetup to find out more or to sign up if you haven't already done so.

There will be reports and action items on a variety of issues including the recount situation in New Mexico, election reform bills at the upcoming Legislative Session, what you can do to get involved in the Democratic Party at the precinct and ward levels, how we can form a steering committee for each Meetup group, information on Governor Dean's possible run for the DNC Chair position, as well as other matters depending on your Meetup locale.

We'll also be contemplating plans for a possible Meetup devoted to viewing a DVD provided to all Meetup hosts by DFA about George Lakoff's framing concepts and how Democrats can start winning again. DFA and Lakoff's Rockridge Institute have also provided exercise materials that help to explain what framing is and how we can use it.

Also, here's an article on a recent Alternet interview with Howard Dean that discusses his views on the future of the Democratic Party and how Meetups can be an important element in reenergizing the Party.

DFA Donates 200,000 LD Phone Minutes to Vets

From Democracy for America:
Last week, Arianna Huffington touched on the subject of wounded soldiers who are unable to call home during the holidays because the government will not pay for their long-distance calls.

Feel like talking to your loved ones while you recover from a wound you received fighting for your country? Not unless you can get someone to give you a handout.... Yet here was Rummy claiming: "We're focused on the power of saying 'thank you' to people. And not just 'thank you' to the troops, but also their families." As long as it's a local call.

In November, we asked the DFA community to step forward and revitalize the service aspect of Democracy for America with a call for phone cards for those men and women who are spending the holidays in veteran's hospitals. In response to that call, you have generously contributed over 100,000 calling card minutes!

Democracy for America is matching your outstanding efforts with our own contribution of 100,000 minutes. This means hundreds of veterans across the country will be able to connect to their home for free. We are sending the cards to nine veterans hospitals in seven different states this week. Every hospital we spoke to was thrilled to receive the minutes—most know this will be the only way for their patients to make a long-distance call home this holiday season.

Governor Dean was also impressed by the DFA community's effort, "There is more to Democracy for America than just politics and campaigning. Our supporters want to personally make a difference in people's lives. These phone cards are just one small way to tell our troops thank you for keeping our country safe and secure."

Congratulations on a successful inaugural DFACorps effort—we hope that this is becomes the first step of many. Together, we can make changes happen!

Editor's Note: DFA-Democracy for New Mexico groups in Albuquerque and Santa Fe donated more almost 4,500 minutes to this project. Thanks to all who participated!

UPDATE: AQB DeanCorps Caroling Monday Evening

Dean Singers Update from Nance Crow:

In order to best serve the folks we'll sing to, change is in order for our DeanCorps event on Monday, December 20th:

5:15-5:30: Meet at Albuquerque Rescue Mission Parking Lot, Third and Iron SW. Streets go in both directions in downtown now. Iron is one block south of Coal Ave. We'll pick what we sing and I'll pass out bags of Hershey's Kisses to hand out. They feed as many as 500 in shifts of 80 people!

Please wear festive gear if you can: Santa Hats and Reindeer Antlers work as do seasonal colored sweaters and scarves. If you have any Dean or DFA pins or shirts, you're encouraged to wear those too.

6:00: Go to Dismas House, (a halfway house for guys and gals re-integrating from 'corrections'), 701 Candelaria NW.

6:45: Go to Barrett House, (shelter for homeless women and children), 905 13th St. NW

Choose one:
When we're done we can:

a) go eat somewhere
b) return to Nance Crow's for posole and vegetarian tamales
c) go home and frantically attack holiday to do list

Invite your friends and please email or call me if you are planning to participate:

Bill Sullivan and Nance Crow
324 Hermosa SE
Albuquerque, NM 87108
(505) 265-8113
NLCorvus@att.net

Note: Original post about this event can be found here.

Video on Dean's Meet the Press Appearance

From DFA's :

Governor Dean's Sunday appearance on Meet the Press is now available on video via the MSNBC website. Click below to go to the MSNBC home page—look for the box below to start the clip.

ABQ DeanCorps Caroling and More

From Nance Crow:

The ABQ Dean Singers will go caroling on Monday night, Dec. 20th. Posole and all the fixins at my house, 324 Hermosa Dr. SE, 5:30 - 6:30 PM; caroling at a selection of shelters and half-way houses 7:00 - 8:30 PM. (I'll have the details by Mon night.) Will provide cider, cocoa, some (but not all) flashlights and sheet music for popular carols. Would like at least 10 people, the more, quite literally, the merrier! Call me at 265-8113, cell 401-2365.

For January, I'd like about 6 Dean Corps volunteers to go to Barrett House Attic on Saturday, Janurary 15, 10 AM - 2 PM to help them sort donations (primarily clothes and house wares. Lunch following at Hurricane's. At year's end they get so much stuff they can't get it all done.  Barrett House is the homeless Women and Children's shelter; the "Attic,' at 4308 Lomas NE west of Washington, supports the shelter.

love and peace, Nance

Editor's Note: DeanCorps is an action arm of Democracy for America - Democracy for New Mexico. Howard Dean's governorship was marked by support for families and children and DeanCorps celebrates this crucial emphasis by offering service to our communities. DeanCorps was very active across the country during the primaries, and is now being reactivated. This month, DeanCorps groups in 50 states donated long distance phone cards for distribution to vets in VA Hospitals. You can read about New Mexico's participation in this project here.

The Dean Singers were created to sing at various functions to spread the word about Dean's candidacy. Last year, this included caroling in Old Town during the luminaria and tree lighting ceremony, while passing out bumperstickers and more. Much fun. This year, the emphasis is on reaching out to folks in our community with holiday cheer. Anyone can be a Dean Singer. Attitude is everything! Even I can participate, by singing very, very softly and using percussion to cover up my singing voice. If I can do it, so can you! (Antlers and jingle bells optional.) --B.W.