Dean visits Democratic Party in Virgin Islands today. Pictures.

[madfloridian]

First time a party chairman has visited there. Here is the article ahead of the visit.
http://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/index.pl/article_home?id=17591738

"Howard Dean, a former governor of Vermont and a 2004 presidential candidate, will be the special guest at a "Unity Luncheon" to raise money for the territory's Democrats at noon Friday at Marriott's Frenchman's Reef and Morningstar Beach Resort.

Democratic Party state chair Cecil Benjamin said Friday's luncheon is another step in the party's effort to politically integrate with the rest of the United States. Bringing a nationally recognized figure such as Dean to the territory increases links between the Virgin Islands and the rest of the nation, he said.

"We focus on making the Virgin Islands more inclusive and distinctly recognized in the mainstream of American politics because I feel we have been in the fringes for a number of years," Benjamin said. "It's like we're on the outside looking in."



Howard Dean , the Chairman of the US Democratic National Committee , right, looks over a local newspaper, while Lt. Governor of the Virgin Islands Vargrave Richards, looks on, after Dean spoke at a U.S. Virgin Islands Democratic luncheon, in Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands, Friday, June 9, 2006. Dean, a 2004 U.S. presidential candidate, lashed out at Republican leaders and the White House Friday, saying they were preying on Americans' fears. (AP Photo/Hillary Hodge)



Howard Dean, the Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, center, talks with U.S. Virgin Island Lt. Gov. Vargrave Richards, left, and Cecil Benjamin, State Chairman of the Virgin Islands Democratic Party,right, after speaking at a U.S. Virgin Islands Democratic luncheon, in Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands, Friday, June 9, 2006. (AP Photo/Hillary Hodge)

Will speak at 8:00 Saturday morning at Yearly Kos. C-Span not covering that early in the day. Should be up at AAR Yearly Kos video stream.

[Cha]

1. Dean looks so cute

between those two good looking Virgin Islanders! I know that's shallow but I feel like being shallow tonight :)

After 5 long years of bushit.. Democrats look so good to me!

[madfloridian]

2. It has been a long 5 years.

It really has gotten to me lately, how far back our country has gone under this administration.

It has been so tiring.

[Cha]

3. It's so surreal to

think about..like George Orwell's "1984" has come alive just for us. But, even Orwell couldn't make up some of these Dr Evil cast of characters.

We all need a day or two Or a week or two at the spa!

[madfloridian]

4. Well, believe it or not....

I did that yesterday, and hairdresser today. It did sort of help. Trouble is the talk in the hairdressers reminded me where I live, and that is an area that is so foreign to me now.

I grew up where the talk is so conservative and fundamentalist, I should not be surprised. But today it just was depressing to be reminded of it.

I grew up knowing these folks, and they seem like such strangers now. There is just no common ground for us since Bush came into power. Even the ones who are disgusted with him are not willing to look for the truth about things.

[MissWaverly]

5. madfloridian, you have an uphill struggle

I see small steps up here in Maryland. People are saying that they will vote every incumbent
out that refuses to deal with our utility 76% rate hike. Since this is an election year,
the powers that be are nervous. Also, I have not had to endure a sermon by Rush coming from
a dittohead supporter lately, and no one has been lamenting how I ignore the "good news" from Iraq. I have said all along that my heart goes out to the troops, but I do not believe in pre-emptive wars and that we need the money right here at home & that we are spending over there so we don't have to spend it here at home.

:-)

[madfloridian]

6. There are small steps...but no bridging the gap with many people.

There is just no way to get through all the bitterness and things they said when we opposed the war. We had neighbors with pro-war signs in their yards, given out by their churches. We were actually pariahs for a while...not exactly part of things now either.

I had to unsubscribe from the mailing list we kept for our high school reunions. I never realized how totally in lock-step they were. I know I never noticed it before Bush came into office/power....so I often wonder if I were just like that.

I prefer not to think so, but why didn't I see the narrowmindedness before? Why it take a war to show some up for what they had become without knowing it?

We are having only baby steps with our family also. They are sort of trying to make up, while not admitted their hero lied to them. I am trying not to let it bother me that they are unable to say they were wrong...but it does. I guess I lost some of the ability to forgive when we were actually looked down upon for opposing a war. Trying to get it back, keeping conversation light....small steps.

[MissWaverly]

7. In a way, we are the lucky ones

My friends who were total 100% behind Bush, have fallen hard with a bump, this winter was really
hard for them when they saw the aftermath of Katrina, they now realize that Bush is not their
friend. They thought that he might have made some mistakes but he was going to "get" it and
come back to champion small town America. I feel sorry for them because they have driven
out all the help we could have had and are left with an empty marquee. I think they are scared
and depressed because they see hard times up ahead with the driver asleep at the wheel and
they are the ones that arm wrestled everyone else off the bus. At least we have our pals here
but they have friends like "Rush" and "Sean" that would not lift a finger to help anybody
but themselves.

[madfloridian]

8. My uncle is trying....

to come around, as is another relative and his wife. Their problem is that they knew all along something was seriously wrong with this man they say they trusted. They will make moves toward us, like they want to just talk about everyday things, but they don't want to take responsibility for the blame they put on us. They can't accept they really hurt us with the Ann Coulter/Rush Limbaugh type talk. They did not even realize they were doing it...these are educated people, too. They were brainwashed.

I can only go so far right now with the happy everything is all right talk. Things are not ok at all in this country, they know it and won't admit it.

I can't be warm and cozy with them yet, but I try. I don't know how it ends.

[MissWaverly]

9. I think things will be better

I think what happened is that people got sucked in, they were made to feel that they had an
emotional stake in George Bush, they felt empowered, I think that they will realize that is
hype. It's like finding out that the kid that put in the fabulous goal that won the championship just robbed a bank. People don't like their beliefs shaken & that's what they
did. They hid themselves in the flag, blue skies and apple pie and they were con men and
rascals.

[madfloridian]

10. Good write-up from the news there.

http://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/index.pl/article_home?id=17591901

ST. THOMAS - "Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean pledged to continue the fight for residents of the Virgin Islands to be able to vote for president and have voting Congressional representation.

"This party is committed to equal justice under the law, which means equal voting under the law," Dean said at a fundraiser Friday afternoon. "Until the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, Samoa and D.C. have that representation, in this country we have citizens who are not equal under the law. We're going to change that."

Dean, former governor of Vermont and a 2004 presidential candidate, made history on Friday as the first national chairman of the Democratic Party to make an official visit to the Virgin Islands. V.I. Democratic Party State Chair Cecil Benjamin said Dean promised to visit the territory and speak at a fundraiser when he was running for the party chairmanship last year.

True to his word, Dean was the main attraction at the territorial party's "Unity Recognition and Awards Luncheon" on Friday at Marriott's Frenchman's Reef and Morningstar Beach Resort. Hundreds of Democrats, ranging from current and former government officials to ordinary Virgin Islanders, filled a ballroom to listen to Dean and honor five of the territory's Democrats. Money from the fundraiser will go toward establishing party headquarters on St. Thomas and helping candidates."