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| Howard
Dean Ends His Campaign for President |
Posted:
02.18.04 | |
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Following disappointing losses in almost all of the state primaries thus far,
former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean bows out of the presidential race. Printer-friendly
versions: HTML / PDF | |
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 Former
Vermont Gov. Howard Dean ended his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination
on Wednesday -- one day after a disappointing third-place finish in the Wisconsin
primary.
Though he will no longer campaign, Dean's name will remain on
the ballot in states with scheduled primary elections. He also vowed to use his
political clout and support to campaign against President Bush and to help Democrats
take back control of Congress.
"I am no longer actively pursuing
the presidency," Dean told his supporters on Wednesday. "We will however
continue to build our grassroots network in order to continue to change the Democratic
Party and to change the country."
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| A
grassroots campaign | |
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Though Dean failed to
win a state primary or caucus, he has been credited with attracting more liberal
voters -- many of whom felt that Democrats had become too much like Republicans
in their beliefs. He also rallied more young voters and more money to the Democratic
Party. His grass roots Internet campaign broke fund-raising records and raised
more money than any other candidate.
On Wednesday, Massachusetts Sen.
John Kerry, who narrowly beat North Carolina Sen. John Edwards in Tuesday's Wisconsin
primary, applauded his former rival's efforts.
"[Dean] has done
an extraordinary job of invigorating a whole group of people who were divorced
from the political process," Kerry said. "Whatever happens, it's impossible
not to express general admiration and respect for the campaign he's put together."
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| Dean's
rise and fall | |
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In 2003 Dean stunned the Democratic political establishment by rocketing to
the top of public opinion polls nationwide with a message that was harshly critical
of President Bush for taking the nation to war in Iraq.
 His
campaign was fueled by an innovative grassroots fundraising and organizing effort
that effectively used the Internet to solidify what seemed to be broad, nationwide
support. Dean said 300,000 people gave small donations to his campaign and that
one-quarter of those who contributed were under 30 years of age.
Despite
his early strength, his support eroded due to several factors. When the media
began to describe Dean as the front-runner, his fellow candidates began to campaign
aggressively against him. In addition, once voters began to pay attention to the
former governor, many were put off by his hard-charging style. He was also criticized
for his reaction to the capture of Saddam Hussein in Iraq, which, he said, did
not make America any safer.
 He
attempted to re-energize supporters after a defeat in the Iowa primary with an
election night speech delivered in a fiery tone. The speech, which analysts called
"unpresidential," became a political joke and was lampooned by political
satirists and late night talk show hosts.
After Iowa, the campaign never
regained its footing, but instead fell into organizational turmoil when his campaign
manager resigned and Dean revealed that he had used up almost all of the $40 million
in campaign money he had raised and couldn't pay his staff. --
Online NewsHour | |
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