Howard Dean gave a great speech tonight.  Here are a few highlights:

*The grassroots is the way you win elections. People are tired of one-way campaigns, 30-second spots, they want to be able to "talk to us."

*The internet is a community.  If you don't think that's true, ask George Allen!

*Republicans put the interest of their party over the interest of the country.

*Arlington played a key role in the Kaine and Webb victories.

*Virginia might be in play in 2008, could have three Dem. governors in a row.

*"You can't trust Republicans with your money."  The only President who's balanced the federal budget in the past 40 years is Bill Clinton.  Democrats "pay as you go."

*It is the Democrats, not the Republicans, who are tough enough to defend America.  You can't trust Republicans with the security of America.

*You can't just cut turkey with the troops, you have to take CARE of the troops when they come home to Walter Reed.

*Democrats are working hard to change course in Iraq; we know we have to work harder.  We only have 49 Democrats in the Senate right now. 

*A simple solution to get us out of Iraq - elect a Democrat to the White House in 2008!

*Bush says he wants to keep our troops in Iraq for 50 years. The Republican Pres. candidates all support that, the Dems all oppose that.

*The Democrats advocate a tough, smart, sensible foreign policy.  The Republicans don't know what they're doing and the American people know it.

To be continued...

*People don't vote on programs, they vote on their values.  We need to run TOWARDS the values debate, not AWAY from it.

*Fairness is our #1 value.  That leads into health care, civil rights, stopping torture (applause), minimum wage, helping kids go to college, etc.  Americans know the Democrats are fair and the Republicans are not fair.

*Toughness and strength are important.  Americans won't vote for someone unless they believe that person will keep them safe.  So you have to be tough and smart, do things that are smart to make us secure. 

*Republicans don't care about port security, nuclear plant security because it will cost their friends money. 

*Where is Osama bin Laden?  We've lost 3,000 lives in Iraq, WHERE IS OSAMA BIN LADEN? (applause)

*You've got to be tough. The minute the Wfits Boat people rear their ugly head in 2008, they're gonna forget they HAVE a head! (applause)

*Personal responsbility is crucial as well.  Ethics legislation, how we treat the earth.

*Bush has embarassed us again in front of the G8 on global warming. 

*Bush has abdicated moral leadership, first on defense, now on the environment.

*We were hired to end the Iraq War.  We were hired to bring honesty back to Washington.  If we don't do these things, we could end up back in the minority, and "I'm not willing to do that."

*The best way to win elections is to do what's right, do a good job the whole time, not just in election years.

*50-state strategy, talk to everybody.  We only win because we show up and ask people for their vote. 

*Gains among young evangelicals.

*Precinct by precinct, vote by vote, we're gonna take this country back for the people who built it!

Tonight, a number of awards were given to many worthy Arlington Democratic volunteers.  The one that stood out the most, to me, was the first ACDC Netroots award, presented to Lowell, for his work last year during Jim Webb's campaign, and his continued netroots efforts to help turn VA blue.  Congratulations, Lowell!

I was also really glad to see my friend Kip Malinosky win the precinct captain of the year.  He richly deserves it as one of the best, most dedicated, hardest working Democrats in Virginia.

*Great rendition of the national anthem by John Alex Golden!

*Fantastic job by Eric Sildon and Kate Mesches in putting the dinner together.

*It was cool finally meeting Howard Dean.  He seems like a great guy.

*I very much enjoyed finally meeting Fall Church News-Press editor Nicholas Benton.  The News-Press is one of the best local papers around.

*Six words about Peter Rousellot:  Best Democratic Committte Chair in Virginia!

*Besides Kip Malinosky, who I already mentioned, congratulations to my friends Charlie Conrad, Greg Zimmerman, Mana Zarinejad, and Antonia Scatton on their volunteer awards.

*Go 21/51! 

*Bob James gave a rambling, somewhat bizarre, 10-minute speech at the very end of the evening, telling us why he should be a TV talk show host chief tax evader Treasurer of Arlington County.  Huh?

*Frank O'Leary followed with a speech that lasted at most 30 seconds, telling people that there was nothing else he could say at this point and urging people to visit his website.

That is why I continue to be a Deaniac. forever.
Nice to see Maureen M. next to Howard.