Howard Dean To Announce Major New Campaign On Health Care Reform

[jefferson_dem]

Howard Dean To Announce Major New Campaign On Health Care Reform

Looks like Howard Dean is well on his way to finding a post-DNC niche, and he won’t be needing the Obama administration to find it for him.

On a conference call with supporters later today, Dean will make a surprise announcement, unveiling a major new health care campaign that will gear up his political operation to pressure the White House and Congress to preserve a public insurance option as part of health care reform, I’m told.

The campaign will be called “Stand With Dr. Dean,” and its immediate goal is to build up a membership of a quarter million in the next few months, relying on the million-strong email list of Democracy for America, Dean’s political operation. The eventual goal is to organize and door-knock to build support for the public insurance option in Congressional districts across the country, DFA executive director Arshad Hasan tells me.

Supporters of Dean — a former doctor who has been looking for a meaningful way of impacting the coming health care reform push — were furious with Obama aides for not giving Dean a health care-related spot in the administration. This new project to push Obama and Congress towards a public option is Dean’s post-DNC solution, and his political operation could have a real impact on the coming health care debate.

“We’re drawing a policy line in the sand,” Hasan says, adding that the goal is to get a quarter million signatures on a new petition insisting on the public option.

“We’re saying that if the public option is not included, it’s not real health care reform,” Hasan says. “DFA is the perfect vehicle for Governor Dean to do this.”

Today’s announcement is keyed to the fifth anniversary of Democracy for America, which debuted during Dean’s 2004 campaign. On the conference call with DFA supporters, Dean will thank everyone for their support, Hasan says, then launch into the surprise announcement about the new campaign.

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/president-obama/howard-dean-to-announce-major-campaign-on-health-care/

[Maat]

1. I'm on board!

Go, Dr. Dean!

[msongs]

2. dean is not a clinton/bush retread cause of the problem corporate owned "new democrat" thank gosh n

[lumberjack_jeff]

3. Count me in. n/t

[liskddksil]

4. Dr. Dean is one guy you don't want to mess with!

[Schema Thing]

5. K&R

Thank Dog for Dean.

[Lugnut]

6. I'll stand with Dr Dean. n/t

[subterranean]

7. I'm glad someone is doing this

So far, it seems like the "reform" debate is being dominated by industry lobbying groups who have a strong vested interest in killing the idea of an expanded public option.

[redqueen]

8. Why doesn't he specify HR 676?

Is there another public option in the works?

[cooolandrew]

12. I thnk he is in part but at the same time trying not to be too contrary to the administration.>

He wants to put his case for medicare for all but not be seen conflicting with the Whitehouse this is the genius of Dean. He's asying let's put both options on the table see which would prevail clealy the medicare for all.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

9. Great! Where can we sign up?

I would be thrilled to have Dr.Dean represent my interest in the healthcare debate. I predict a groundswell for him. He has the support and the street cred with MILLIONS of Americans.

[acmavm]

10. And yet once again it's Howard Dean to the rescue.

I'll tell you what. When the Obama Admin couldn't find a place for the guy that put it in the White House, I decided that maybe Obama wasn't all that he was cracked up to be. He feels no sense of loyalty that is for damn sure. He shit on Dr. Dean and he's letting Wall Street shit on the American people.

[cooolandrew]

11. Good to see Dr. Dean still on the case. This is the moment that will>

put Howard Dean in the history books. Like I've said previous in the end in the same way Gore has he's probably more of use to the people working to change Washington from the outside. Great work Dr. Dean. Just how I've said this will can get done, with the momentum of public will.

[Adelante]

13. Excellent

:thumbsup:

[Salviati]

14. Here's the website with the petition:

http://standwithdrdean.com/

[Luminous Animal]

15. Thanks for the link.

I just signed the petition and offered to volunteer. I've always been a single payer advocate and this is a step in the right direction.

[blaze]

16. Thank you!

So glad to see Dr. Dean doing this!