Howard Dean Kicks Off Denver DNC Countdown

"The road to the White House goes through the west."--DNC Chair Howard Dean

At least we can agree on that.

Highlights of today's Democratic National Convention Countdown, including Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, Governor Bill Ritter and DNC Chair Howard Dean. Rep. Mark Udall was surprisingly not in attendance (nor even mentioned for that matter) and given that his high-profile race for Colorado's open Senate seat should garner him a key speaking role in next year's convention, his omission was surprising. Dean discusses potential seat pick-ups in the West, but Udall is never mentioned.

Drunkablog has an excellent photo roundup and some commentary on the Democrats as we stood, baking in the sun, waiting for Chairman Dean to arrive.

"Any Democrat is better than any Republican running," said Dean. Typical political boilerplate at events such as this--and when Dean started listing states that he believes are shifting to the left, once could feel a scream coming on. Too bad about those record low approval numbers for the Democratically controlled Congress.


Introductions from Leah Daughtry, CEO of the DNCC


Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper
--Democrats "pro-business, pro-environment", the most "green" convention


Governor Bill Ritter
--Highlights economic benefits of the convention, Democratic gubernatorial wins


Howard Dean, Part 1


Howard Dean, Part 2
--Democrats "cut-and-run" strategy, omits Democrats' own "culture of corruption", "act differently" than Republicans (not just talk about global warming, but act to end it--as long as that doesn't mean giving up the limousine liberal lifestyle, of course)