Can Dean's strategy turn rural Oregon blue?

Western Democrat and MyDD both have some great coverage (here and here respectively) on the coverage of Howard Dean's tour in the West.  Of course, the DC-centrist media has chosen to ignore Dean's crowd drawing stops in states like Idaho, Montana and Utah, which is probably a good thing since the DC media crowd treats Dean with a certain amount of disdain.  Local media, on the other hand, along with those who get the chance to hear him speak experience the real Dean, as Montana's Democratic Chairman, Dennis McDonald did:

New Montana Democratic Party Chairman Dennis McDonald, of Melville, who had earlier expressed reservations about Dean and said he didn't want photograph taken with him, had a different view after hearing the DNC chairman's speech.

"I loved the positive speech, and I loved the positive message," McDonald said. He added that he told Dean he was honored to get his picture taken with him.

Those of us who have had the opportunity to hear Dean speak know exactly what McDonald is talking about.  You hear all the bogus punditry about Dean and wonder if he's hurting the party, but then you hear him speak and you know he's for real.  Dean appeals well to the value of rugged individualism that is so prevalent in the western states, but at the same time he doesn't abandon the notion that government can make a difference in people's lives, particularly local government.  I suppose one could call Dean a small government liberal. 

Just as Dean believes that liberals can take back the Democratic Party one city, one county, one state at a time, he transfers that value to the role of government and the party in general.  A good example of his philosophy on this came through during the Washington state recount on the gubernatorial race between Republican Dino Rossi and Democrat Christine Gregoire.  The state Dems needed money to challenge Rossi's razor thin margin of victory.  The Democratic National Committee (DNC) sent out e-mails and letters urging activists to donate to the DNC, but Dean called on people to donate their money directly to the Washington state Dems because he believed the state party knew better how to handle the money (local control.)  Moreover direct donations prevented the dilution of money through DNC middlemen. 

Westerners are also attracted to Dean's modest style, which contrasts sharply with the former DNC Chairman, Terry McAuliffe:

McAuliffe would limo around town, dropping in at the Palm to huddle with Washington big shots. The 2004 presidential hopeful, by contrast, takes the bus or subway, buying his own $1.35 ticket. Sometimes he bums rides from staffers or walks the four blocks to the Capitol for meetings. "Please Call Me Howard" never flies first class and always carries his own bags.

Other signs of the ex-guv's modest style: He eats at his desk, stays in a cheap D.C. hotel.... "His expertise is grass roots and his lifestyle is no different," says an associate.

While McAuliffe avoided the west like the plague, Dean thrives out here because people respond to his message:  local control of government, social libertarianism, fiscal and personal responsibility, and an economic populism that puts a check on the Wal-Martization of our communities.

What does all this have to do with rural Oregon?  Rural Oregonians are no different than rural Montanans who voted in Democratic Governor Brian Schweitzer last fall despite Bush's landslide in the state.  Schweitzer's message is no different than Dean's, even though Dean's first followers were anti-war urban liberals.  Now that the dust has settled both urban and rural dwellers in the West are appreciating Dean's grassroots work because his goals don't put rural residents in conflict with urbanites.  Instead, the western style that Dean seems to be so comfortable with is one that attempts to close the urban-rural divide. 

Although it felt really good to read Dan Savage's piece Better Dead than Red after the elections last fall, I disagree that urbanites should be writing off the red parts of our states.  Perhaps my fondness of my birthplace in the Black Hills of western South Dakota while George McGovern was one of the state's Senators keeps me from wanting to write off rural America.  I do believe that it's possible to win back rural voters in Oregon.  If people in Wyoming and Montana are voting in progressive, conservation minded governors and legislators so can rural Oregonians.

Comments

[Steve Bucknum]

Dean's "strategy" happens to coincide with a growing movement of rural folks to "take back our party" from what is perceived as far left extreme elements that offend rural sensibilities. In Oregon, the beginning efforts of the newly formed Rural Caucus within the Party happened at a meeting where we elected a new Dean supporting National Committeewoman (Jenny Greenleaf). Later Dean was elected Chair of the DNC, but by then the Rural Caucus already had draft bylaws and was engaged in the process of jumping through the hoops to become a caucus within the Party.

It is just time for a rural reconnect for the Democratic Party. As rural Democrats we know that much of the Republican propaganda directed to rural areas is false and misleading. This is what motived rural Democrats in Oregon to bring to the State Party the resolution that overwhelmingly passed at the July 16th Party meeting to support Second Amendment (gun) rights. (See discussion on Blue Oregon Blog.) Democrats are not "anti-gun" as falsely misleading Republican statements to rural folks would have you believe.

As much as Dean wants to reconnect, between him and those of us who are rural Democrats there is some crazyness we deal with. In my County, where we can't find enough people to run for all the offices whether they are Democratic, Republican, Independent, or just breathing - we are asked to make exhausive lists of each elected position so that later we can elect Democrats as a way to grow Party leadership in the future. Oddly, but then again they never asked for our feedback in an organized manner on this, the Party is skipping the appointed positions. From the standpoint of growing "leadership" it is far more important to have been on a Planning Commission or Youth/family Services Commission than it is to be on the Cemetery Board.

I'm sure we will get that sort of stuff worked out in the future, the point is we are on the same page, even if at different corners of it.

Rural Oregonians have had enough of the war now that they know they were lied to, they have had enough of the White House lying about Rove not being involved with any "leaks" about the CIA agent now that they know that in spite of statements to the contrary Rove did talk to the press, and they have had enough with deficits and cut budgets. Rural Oregonians have children in school, and they have had enough of Minnis sending the House of Representatives on vacation while she works on cutting the budget, laying off teachers, and reducing the school year. There is a great deal of frustration with Republicans at this time. There is still suspicion of Democrats, but if we keep up addressing the concerns of rural people we will make significant progress - probably much faster than we are currently given credit for.

In my County, Sen. Ron Wyden got more votes in his Senate race than did President Bush in his re-election race in over 25% of the precincts. Wyden, a Democrat, won his re-election here. It is possible for Democrats to win, and they do. The Mayor of Prineville and others on City Council are Democrats. One of our three County Commissioners (Court Members) is a Democrat. We are hardly a Democratic stronghold but we elect Democrats!

It is time for the Democrats to make progress in Rural American and Rural Oregon. Dean may be perceived as leading, so long as he doesn't get in our way!

[Sid]

Steve,

Your insight is appreciated. You're right about the gun issue. My mom is a farmer, a liberal and a gun owner. She needs it, among other things, to shoot the racoons that kill her chickens ;-)

[Kevin]

"You hear all the bogus punditry about Dean and wonder if he's hurting the party, but then you hear him speak and you know he's for real."

I absolutely agree with that sentiment. I'm not a Democrat, have never been a Democrat, and am not interested in becoming one. For me, a confirmed Independent, the appeal of Howard Dean has nothing whatever to do with the Democratic Party.

I've heard him speak three times. First at a book signing. Then at a Kerry Rally. The last time was when he debated Richard Perle at the Schnitz in Portland, shortly after he'd won the DNC chair position. And I got to speak with him briefly after the book signing. He is, as you say, most definitely for real.

He speaks the truth even when it makes people uncomfortable... even when it challenges their chosen fantasies, like when he announced after Saddam's capture that this capture hadn't made America any safer. He was roundly attacked from all sides for saying that. But, it was the damn truth!

That's what resonated with me.

[Sid]

Kevin-

Here here! Dean was on fire at the Dean-Perle debate. That debate exemplified the differences between the neo-cons and the emerging progressive movement.

Dean is on the Franken show right now making incredible sense, as usual.