Who deserves the credit: Dean or Trippi?

[tobius]

Dean, ex-manager battle for constituency

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff, 2/27/2004

Is a movement about its leader or the person who put it together?
That question is fueling a behind-the-scenes struggle between Howard Dean and his former campaign manager, Joe Trippi, as they jockey for control of the campaign's bounty of grass-roots supporters and search for personal direction after the former Vermont governor's failed bid for the presidency. http://www.boston.com/news/politics/president/articles/2004/02/27/dean_ex_manager_battle_for_constituency/
"Howard Dean is a relative newcomer to this insurgent message," said Stuart Rothenberg, an independent political analyst in Washington. "He ended up running as this vehicle for change and a critic of the establishment, but I don't think in Vermont he was known as an outsider or a rabble-rouser, while Trippi always has. He often has worked for the outsider or long shot, so I wouldn't be surprised if Joe felt that he had been doing this his whole life, and he took Dean from nowhere to somewhere on his message, and he wants to institutionalize it in some fashion."
While Trippi has paid homage to Dean on his site and, in one case, posted a link urging his supporters to help retire his former boss's $400,000 campaign debt, their interests have already collided since Dean ended his formal candidacy. And Trippi's stature would only be enhanced if he -- not Dean, who sent out his own appeal this week to eliminate the debt -- was able to marshal the necessary donations.
<snip>
"Whether Howard Dean is elected president or not, there is one truth that will not be changed: He stood on the shoulders of his followers and gave voice to their desire for change, and their need to be involved in making that change -- and in the process he has made his followers into new leaders," Trippi wrote Feb. 14, four days before Dean quit the race. The day Dean quit, he posted another message: "I am a guest on the `Today' show tomorrow morning, so I hope you all watch and continue to spread the word about our new blog!"<snip>
"But the most moving moment was just before sunset, when Joe Trippi asked who would be willing to commit to sticking together, to continue to fight for the change that began with Howard Dean's campaign and that so many of us have worked for," one attendee, Mark Sundeen, said in a message posted to the weblog. "Every hand went up."

The compact declared that "Change for America will be a national organization that unites progressive communities and sets an agenda of meaningful reform. . . . We are committed far beyond a single election."

[patricia92243]

1. People will rally to Howard dean. Most people have not even heard of Tripp

[tobius]

3. Trippi has been appealing to contributors and early dean people that know

him.

[REP]

2. Both

There are things both could have done better, but it was a stunning combination of talents.

[w13rd0]

4. agreed...

...and we live in a time where the "cult of personality" needs to be replaced by committed communities.

[lurk_no_more]

5. So this is it?

While Trippi has paid homage to Dean on his site and, in one case, posted a link urging his supporters to help retire his former boss's $400,000 campaign debt, their interests have already collided since Dean ended his formal candidacy. And Trippi's stature would only be enhanced if he -- not Dean, who sent out his own appeal this week to eliminate the debt -- was able to marshal the necessary donations.

I stated earlier that it might not have been dean, but someone else within the campaign begging for money, now it turns out to be Trippi.

What he didn't get enough of the supporter pie while deans manager?

This is classic, the robber baron steps back in to continue to milk the cash cow after being relieved of duties and leaving the campaign before dean quit.

All you supporters that sent MORE money to Trippi.....How does it feel to know your support is now decidedly transferable whether you like it or not.

It's no longer the howard dean show, it's now the "Joe Trippi show" with references to howard dean and his money maker.

What a FUCKING slimeball!


And then there were none!
” JAFO”

[mmonk]

6. my thoughts as well

[retyred]

7. So if the cash flow to Trippi stops

Will it be Trippi that sells the supporters list?

Dean had great support, both financial and moral, Trippi sees this as a non-stop income, nothing more....nothing less, and just when did he suddenly come back into the picture to try and raise more money after deciding to leave the campaign? Raising money for whom?

This is indeed classic, but not surprising coming from Trippi.

On a side note: If Trippi turns this into his movement, it validates his assertion that he is the power that made Howard Dean and Dean becomes just another rung on Trippi's ladder to the top of political influence.


retyred in fla
“Good-Night Paul, Wherever You Are”
"The "ONLY" true Democrat from the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party"

So I read this book

[tobius]

19. Would Trippi try and make a go on his own?

It remains unclear whether Trippi's nascent group will eventually merge with the group that the former governor is putting together.
"We're committed to Gov. Dean and helping him," Trippi said in an interview. "Whether that turns out to be an official thing, I don't know."<snip>

"It is only creating more confusion," Isabel Bau Madden, a Dean backer and writer who lives in New York City, wrote in an e-mail in response to a reporter's query.

"For now, 'Change for America' looks like a temporary shelter for former Dean operatives and supporters eager for some cohesion and direction . . ."

Aziz Poonawalla, a graduate student in Houston who founded DeanNation.com, posted an open letter to Trippi's organization, asking for its members to provide more clarity about its intentions.
""The organization must open up a bit and show its hand, or the passionate support of the grass roots won't materialize," Poonawalla wrote.

Trippi dismissed any suggestions that ChangeForAmerica.com would undermine the organization Dean is putting together.







http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/8054948.htm

[BeyondGeography]

8. They both seem more concerned about themselves

than in winning this November.

If it's all about beating Bush, that e-mail list should be traded for immediate personal gain for Dean and immediate political gain for the Democratic Party. Joe Trippi is a consultant; he can always pick another candidate. Dean is the guy who stuck his neck out, not Trippi.

If it's all about Joe and Howard, they'll squabble over control and they'll put beating George Bush second. That'd be a big mistake. Outside of the true believers, Howard Dean will find a place on many shit lists if he doesn't put the same vitriol into fighting Bush this fall as he did when he thought he had a chance to be President.

[Larkspur]

9. There are flaws in your argument...

If it's all about beating Bush, that e-mail list should be traded for immediate personal gain for Dean and immediate political gain for the Democratic Party.

1) I, like many others on that list, are already on the DNC's list, and I won't be donating to Kerry's GE campaign fund. I don't want my funds paying for Kerry's mortgage on his mansion. I don't live in a mansion and I don't see whay I should help Kerry stay in his.

2) Dean has gone out of his way from day one of his campaign to say that he will support the Dem nominee, if it's not him and he'd urge his supporters to do likewise. So if Dean can't get his supporters to support Kerry in the Fall, what makes you think the DNC or Kerry could?

Joe Trippi is a consultant; he can always pick another candidate. Dean is the guy who stuck his neck out, not Trippi.
True, but Trippi and Dean are friends, so they can still work together.


If it's all about Joe and Howard, they'll squabble over control and they'll put beating George Bush second.
Dean is not the nominee and Dean and Trippi are friends, so this point is moot. Dean will have is own group and Trippi his, but they will share similar goals. My loyalty is with Dean, but I do like Trippi.


Outside of the true believers, Howard Dean will find a place on many shit lists if he doesn't put the same vitriol into fighting Bush this fall as he did when he thought he had a chance to be President
If it wasn't for Howard Dean's blistering attacks on Bush, the Democrats would be doomed this year. It was Dean, not Kerry, Edwards, the DNC or DLC, who re-energized the Democratic Party and made it OK to bash Bush. Also Dean said as recently as last night, that Bush was the worse president in his lifetime.

But Dean has also challenged the Dem nominee, who stole Dean's lines, that he will be held accountable for that theft. If Kerry decides to betray Democrats to get elected and assuming he gets elected to the White House, Dean will attack and we will support him. Dean wants Bush gone but also the Neo-conservative ideology, which will take a lot longer to oust.

[BeyondGeography]

10. So sit on your wallet with the rest of your friends

and, if we lose, you can take credit for the strength of your "movement."

"Regime change begins in the White House." - John Kerry, April, 2003

[Capn Sunshine]

12. If we lose, it will on be the strength of Kerry's

Campaign. If he can motivate me to open my wallet, I will. So far he's not even trying. Maybe he should realize that.

Where's the message?

[Larkspur]

13. My wallet will help MoveOn.org and Dean's new group

John Kerry can mortgage the rest of his property to pay for his campaign. He doesn't need my money.

And if those that voted for Kerry in the Primary don't donate to his campaign, then blame them, not me.

I voted and donated to the candidate who I thought was best for the job. Just because my candidate didn't win, doesn't mean that I have to donate to Kerry. He's gets my vote in November, that's it.

[KittyWampus]

11. Even Dean Was The One Who Put His Neck On The Line

Trippi was the one who set up the appearance of Grassroots and built the infrastructure for it to Materialize... Frankly, even though it was Dean at the center of that infrastructure... it probably have been either as successful or more successful with a number of other politicians.

Perhaps if it had been a politician without such a right leaning political career or more Inclusive manner it might have been more successful.

[Tim_in_HK]

14. This is bullshit

I didn't see one thing in the article that said these two would be working against each other . . . and if that's the case then why couldn't I support both?

As well as the swell org that Clark's gonna come up with . . . :D

[janx]

17. Exactly. This journalist is tripping.

There is no evidence of any "battle."

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

15. NEITHER: The Supporters deserve the credit

The supporters signed up at MeetUp and went to the meetings. The Dean fans filled the blogs. The Dean fans organized themselves.

Don't sell that out for nonsense about "Dean's charisma" or "Trippi's internet genius" - Dean fans did it, and they don't need Dean or Trippi to continue doing it.

[Larkspur]

16. Dean fans did it because Dean gave us a reason to and Trippi

developed the method that we used.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

18. fine, Dean's not campaigning and Trippi is now a media whore

now what? no sense wasting time of praising the "leaders" - hopefully everyone has a little piece of the mailing list, and can continue to organize!

[janx]

22. They may not--but Dean and Trippi are definitely not going

anywhere. They're both in it for the long haul.

[BradCKY]

20. Trippi Helped Dean

The whole internet donation revolution I believe was brought on by Trippi, Dean did make some mistakes, his bluntness which was a main draw to him by many ended up going over the top and hurting him in the long run.

However, I think that Dean's campaign over the internet will revolutionize the way campaigns are run from now on.

[Larkspur]

21. More importantly, Dean's Internet campaign shows that a politician

doesn't have to prostitute themselves to special interests. They can stand up for their Party's principles and get donations from average Americans.

[janx]

23. The greatest thing about all of this is that they will continue

to get contributions, too. People will want to keep this thing going.

[John_H]

24. I bet if we raised a mil or so in 20 buck donations

we could pay trippi to go away.