Howard Dean, vindicated

D.C. Dems and DLCers will be making a huge mistake if they do not, now, recognize what many of us already know; Howard Dean represents the future of the Democratic Party more than any other single Democratic party official, including the Clintons.

Slick just doesn't get it any more. Neither does Bubba good-old boy.

What does Howard have that many of the Dems don't? Authenticity, that's what.

Howard is Howard. We don't have to spend a lot of time wondering who the guy really is and, no, Howard doesn't do spin all that well. Thanks be to God!

If there is one single thing America needs now it is authenticity. Unfortunately, for professional spinners, authenticity cannot be faked, by its very definition, but it is the only thing that will save this country from itself.

Howard Dean, vindicated Salon.com:

Nov. 10, 2006 Only weeks after the Democratic National Committee chose Howard Dean as its chairman last year, the nasty whispers began to circulate around Washington and among longtime party donors and activists in cities from New York to Los Angeles. 'He's going to be a disaster,' they muttered. 'He can't raise any money. He doesn't know what he's doing. And what does he mean by this crazy 50-state strategy?'

Those early days must have been painful for the former Vermont governor -- still smarting back then from his presidential primary defeat and that endlessly looped 'scream' video -- and he endured a barrage of snarks and snipes from the Democratic congressional leadership as well. Unfortunately for Dean, he doesn't play the Washington press corps nearly as well as do rivals like Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., who ran the House Democrats' campaign committee, or Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who performed the same role in the Senate.

But this week, he is enjoying vindication far earlier than he ever expected.