DNC Chair Rallies Support
Volume 49, Issue 6
By Mike Lavers and Nicole Pressly

In what has become an annual pilgrimage to the beach, Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman and former Presidential candidate Howard Dean spoke to more than 100 enthusiastic supporters at a fundraiser at Brandon Fradd’s bay front home in the Fire Island Pines on July 10.

Dean, who was elected chair of the DNC in February, touched upon access to affordable health care, immigration and a number of other hot-topic issues of the day. But it was the apparent lack of cohesion among Democrats across the country, made evident following last year’s Presidential and Congressional elections, that dominated most of the former Vermont governor’s thoughts.

He said last November’s election results show how the DNC needs to formulate a solid strategy if it hopes to regain control of the White House, Capitol Hill and the country. Dean further added that the party needs to do a better job reaching out to people of color and others, including those living in red states, who have historically comprised the DNC’s base of support.

“We lost the race in 2004 because we didn’t stand up for what we believe in,” he said. “We don’t need to change what we believe in but we need to fight for it. We will fight in 50 states [and] if we don’t fight in Mississippi, we are not going to win in 2006 and 2008.”

Dean told The News in a brief interview earlier this month that he is spearheading an effort to rally Democrats across the country now as opposed to waiting until the last months (or even weeks) before an election. He said he remains hopeful that he and the DNC can rally Democrats together under one message that reflects what he described as its core constituency.

“We need to develop a national message [because] we don’t have one,” Dean said as he referred to civil rights, balancing the federal budget and environmental stewardship. “Social and economic justice is what drives people to the Democratic Party and we are in the process of doing that right now.”

Long History in the Pines

Dean’s appearance at Fradd’s home is the fourth time he has visited the Pines in recent years. The former governor first came to the community in 2002 shortly after he formally declared his Presidential candidacy in Burlington, Vermont. In 2003, he returned to the Pines ahead of the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary and last year, he returned to Fradd’s home to raise money for his Democracy for America political action committee.

The former governor was quick to thank Pines residents for their generous and enthusiastic support over the years and said that he continues to push the same agenda every time he comes to the community.

“We just need a fundamental change and the [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender] LGBT community has been at the forefront of demanding changes,” Dean said. “We need to be organized and disciplined. The Republicans are dividing the country [and] that’s one of the reasons I’m here.”

Dean further added that LGBT Americans are an essential part of the Democratic Party. Yet, he insisted, that the contentious issue of marriage for same-sex couples should be decided at the state level.

Voters in 11 states approved Constitutional amendments last November that bar gays and lesbians from marrying. Dean acknowledged that many of these voters were simply afraid of the idea of seeing same-sex couples walking down the aisle and he blamed President George W. Bush and in particular advisor Karl Rove for exploiting this anxiety during the 2004 election. But in the end, however, Dean concluded that LGBT Democrats (and Fire Island residents) can help turn the tide by simply sharing their stories with others.

“The most difficult act for LGBT people is to come out and say who they are,” he said. “But person to person is the best way.”

DNC Treasurer and Pines resident Andrew Tobias, who proudly proclaimed himself “neutral no more” before Dean delivered his remarks, said that the former governor’s message of unity and government reform is more important than ever. And he added that the DNC under Dean’s leadership would help lay the groundwork to successfully combat the GOP and the Bush administration’s agenda.

Fradd agreed and praised Dean for bringing LGBT people into the Democratic fold.

“Everyone is part of society and he believes in that,” Fradd said. “His willingness to come to a place known for its gay population reflects his willingness to reach out to all segments of the community.”

Brad Harwell, a resident of Houston, Texas, joked that he came to the Pines “to escape George Bush” as well as to support Dean and the DNC, which, in his words, supports diversity and openness. And Pines resident William Tyler thanked Dean for “stepping outside of the mainstream and supporting gay rights.”

“I appreciate him for being visible in our community and with a grassroots approach,” Tyler said.

Dean himself, who is no stranger to shooting from the hip, made it clear that he too would support a “regime change” here at home.

“We are at war,” he said. “Perhaps we will win this war.”

But on a much lighter note, however, he declined to answer the question perhaps on the mind of every Fire Islander–whether (or not) he would take part in next year’s 31st annual Invasion.

“I would rather not answer that question, if that’s okay,” Dean told The News. “But I am sure that the [Republican National Convention] RNC would have a lot of fun with that.”