Picking Up Where Dean Left Off

Covering the youth vote in the early days of Barack Obama's presidential run, I frequently came across comparisons to Howard Dean's 2004 primary campaign, both negative and positive. Dean's campaign is largely credited with pioneering the type of internet-based grassroots politics that that the Obama team virtually perfected. Like Obama's early campaign, Dean's was high on energy and youthfulness (prompting conservatives in the MSM to label Dean's supporters "orange-cap-wearing, twentysomething vegan Deaniacs" and Obama's "cult-worshippers").

The big difference, however, is that the youth vote didn't ultimately go for Dean. They voted for John Kerry, even in the earliest Iowa caucus. Obama, on the other hand, carried the youth vote almost without fail from day one.

Yet, a new memo from Obama and DNC pollster Cornell Belcher (via Future Majority) suggests that Dean's 50-State strategy during his tenure as chairman of the DNC expanded both the physical and demographic reach of the Democrats. In the 2006 and 2008 elections, Dean presided over a major increase in participation in young people and people of color, and in particular, young people of color, beyond the top-ticket presidential race. It attributes this both to Obama and, especially, to the far better ground organization by Democrats.

The memo concludes that youth and minority groups (keeping in mind that the youngest generation of Americans is growing increasingly diverse) are critical to the Democratic party's success and that the type of outreach begun by Dean and Obama should be made even more of a priority for the DNC. It points out that while youth participation increased greatly, 20 percent of young voters still "dropped off" the ballot-- didn't vote in races besides the presidential. In Belcher's words:

"These younger and browner surge voters are, by and large, Obama's right now, not necessarily the Democratic Party's...the time to let up on the 50 state strategy is not now. We must expand upon it with a particular youth and minority focus."

Youth advocates have great hope in the pick of Tim Kaine to lead the DNC-- his 2005 Virginia governor's race garnered much youth support and Young Democrats of America called him "a proven ally for young voters" in their press release on the appointment. Future Majority has urged Kaine to strengthen the Democrats' youth outreach beyond a "severely underfunded College Democrats operation," by creating more opportunities for youth involvement within state and local parties. What comes next could herald a new era of youth involvement that stretches far beyond Obama.

Comments (6)

1. the youth are lost to the republicans for a decade at least, depending on what happens with the obama administration.

   so...

   no matter how bad things seem, there IS the audacity of hope.

   ;)

   Posted by ibbleblibble at 01/12/2009 @ 4:28pm

2. Now, we'll get the usual attacks on Dean from the Right...which are interesting because these are usually the same folks who like Bush and...

   Dean became chairman of the DNC and won back Congress in 2006 and won more seats and the Presidency in 2008.

   Bush became President and lost the GOP Congress (after 12 years in power) and lost the Presidency for his party even to a "inexperienced empty suit black guy".

   So, just on tallies, which one seems the one more deserving of Right-wing insult???

   Posted by Mask at 01/12/2009 @ 4:29pm

3. Mask,

   I for one, am heading out to get a pizza.

   Much more interesting than another rehash of who will keep the Dems in power and who lost the Repubs...

   more interesting might who could cost the Dems power and who could give it back to repubs...

   thin crust, of course, washed down with a cheap red...

   Posted by YourJomamma at 01/12/2009 @ 6:01pm

4. are you afraid of letting the innocent ones go home?

   might they now be angry?

   Posted by frosty zoom at 01/12/2009 @ 10:27pm

5. Posted by comanchenation at 01/12/2009 @ 7:26pm

   What was McCain's position on Gitmo, RIO?

   Posted by Mask at 01/13/2009 @ 11:03am

6. Hope and Change = Suckers.

   Posted by apoorspic at 01/13/2009 @ 11:47pm