Edited by author 06-24-2003 10:13 AM
This weekend I was with a delegation of about 12 who went up to Burlington, VT from New Jersey to see Howard Dean's official announcement speech. We spent the entire weekend up in Manchester, NH, going door to door and helping out the New Hampshire effort. I had an amazing weekend, bonding with my fellow New Jerseyians and bringing the Dean message to the people of Manchester. I was impressed with the Meet The Press appearance, but the Declaration Speech was amazing and full of passion. It was this sort of passion that first attracted me to the Dean campaign, and Monday really got me fired up. I was fortunate enough to get a moment of face-to-face time with Howard as he was leaving the stage. I told him about our weekend campaign and gave him a flyer that I made with my own money, that I have been passing out at various music festivals that I've been to in the past month (Bonnaroo in Tennesse, & The Adirondak Music Festival in New York). Dean seemed really thrilled with my efforts, and that expression of praise from him just fuels my efforts... next time I'll get 5000 flyers printed. My NJ delegation was also lucky enough to get interviewed by VPR (NPR) and by ABC World News Tonight, and although I didn't get to see the program, I am told that the "Dean Machine," which was a van decorated by 4 members of our delegation, got on the evening news along with some short sound bites that we gave. All in all it was an amazing experience, and I can't wait to go back for the acceptance speech of the nonination.

-- Mitch
http://mcmanzi.tripod.com