People Powered Howard, beltway fans, and a belated celebration...

About a year and a half ago -- just after the Sleepless Summer Tour, I had a chance to see Howard Dean speak in person at a rally in College Park, Maryland. It was an amazing day -- more than 4,500 University of Maryland students, and other area supporters (like myself) sat at an outdoor amphitheater in perfect weather at the peak of the greatest grassroots campaign in generations, listening to a candidate finally stand on a national stage and ask the questions Democrats across the country had been asking in their communities.

The celebration would end a few months later in Iowa, and as it turned out, over the next year, Democrats would have very little to celebrate. But 2004 is over, and with the ascendency of Howard Dean as Party Chairman, the Democrats -- and particularly the people represented by those 4,500 in College Park -- finally have a new reason to celebrate. And so, when it was announced that Dean was set to speak this evening to a group of grassroots supporters at Capitol City Brewery in DC, I hopped on the Metro and headed down there.

I couldn't believe the sight when I got off the train at Union Station. I arrived almost half an hour before the event was to begin, and lines were already snaked around the block. Loudspeakers were set up outside the Brewery, and music blasted as the supporters waited in line. After waiting for about twenty minutes, I was finally able to enter the brewery, and was equally stunned by what I saw inside. The place was absolutely packed. Signs that hung down from the balcony read "You Have the Power," "The Doctor/Governor/Chairman is In," and "I Want My Country Back!" -- all slogans, or renditions of slogans from the '04 campaign. At the front of the brewery was a stage, and a Democracy for America sign behind it. Above the DFA sign was the familiar slogan "People Powered Howard."

The crowd was mostly young -- average age of 25, I would guess -- and extremely enthusiastic. People lined the balcony, trying to get a better view of the stage, and the people on the main floor angled for a spot close to the stage. After buying a beer, I managed to work my way up near the front of the brewery -- near the TV cameras and print reporters. I ended up standing directly behind AP reporter Will Lester (a pretty big guy, who blocked my line of sight for much of the event). Everywhere I looked were reminders of the Presidential campaign, and it was heartening to see that the supporters were still there, and willing to turn out to celebrate an incoming Party Chairman. Several people had "I See Dean People" T-shirts, and several others had the Sleepless Summer Tour shirts.

At about 7:20, Charles Allen, the Chair of Democracy for DC took the stage and introduced "the next Chairman of the Democratic Party." The room erupted as Dean took the stage (I made sure to cheer especially loudly throughout the event so Will Lester would be more likely to notice the "enthusiasm" of the supporters,) and the loudspeakers blasted "I Feel Good." Dean thanked the supporters and noted that more than 1,200 people were in attendance.

The speech itself was certainly celebratory, and there were many reminders of the campaign sprinkled throughout. Early on, Dean acknowledged that some in Washington were afraid he would be an "unorthodox" Chairman. "And I will," Dean promised. He said his first move as Chairman was to endorse someone who isn't even a Democrat, but someone who has displayed great courage in the past few years -- Vermont Senator, Jim Jeffords. Jeffords, who was in attendance, took to the stage, and over calls of "Thank you, Jim" from the crowd, said that his decision to leave the Republican Party in 2001 was in part due to the knowledge that Dean may seek the Presidency in '04. He called his Party switch a "hell of a good thing," and said that Democrats would take back the White House in 2008.

Dean spent most of the speech serving up the same red meat that has made him an all-star within the Party. He said that we would send Bill Frist back to performing heart surgery -- "but not on me" he quickly added -- and that Arnold Schwartzenegger would be Terminated. He praised the supporters who had traveled around the country to knock on doors for Kerry during the campaign, and vowed to get people around the country to knock on doors on behalf of Democrats in their own communities. At one point, a supporter shouted "Give 'em hell, Howard!" Dean laughed and said with a grin, "Come on, I'm trying to show some restraint in my new position. I may even have to go buy a three-piece suit." He paused, and laughed, "Fat chance."

He wrapped up his speech by delivering his familiar promise that together we are going to "take our country back!" The opening chords of U2's "Beautiful Day" blared through the hall, and Dean was immediately mobbed by supporters as he stepped off the stage. One man standing near me turned to his friend and said, "This is the first time since the election Democrats have had a reason to smile." After taking pictures and signing autographs for about 10 minutes, Dean moved outside, where hundreds of supporters who had been shut out of the capacity crowd indoors were gathered, listening to the speech on the loudspeakers. Dean was handed a microphone outside, and addressed the overflow group.

Recalling another line from his Presidential stump speech, Dean began naming countries that gave all their citizens health insurance: "the British, the French..." The crowd caught on immediately and started saying "even in Costa Rica..." the country Dean's list always ended with. Dean smiled and said quietly, "even in Costa Rica."

Dean, facing the capitol dome, concluded his remarks by asking the crowd to turn around. He pointed to the Capitol and, reflecting the political realities of the next campaign cycle, said "In 2006 Democrats will make great strides in taking control of that building and by 2008, we will be in control." Once again, as he handed his microphone to an aide, he was surrounded by supporters on the steps in front of the Brewery. I had the chance to meet him briefly -- just long enough to shake his hand, and thank him for all the good he has done for the Party. I headed back to the Metro and enjoyed the long overdue Democratic celebration.

**As a footnote, Will Lester's AP piece on the event is already up on the wires. He didn't use the word "enthusiastic," but he did refer to the "cheering supporters." I wonder if he meant the supporter clapping in his ear the whole night. Hmm....

**The photo at the top of the post was not taken by me. I didn't have a camera with me, and I found this picture online. But the picture is of Dean addressing the overflow crowd after the original speech.