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You are here: Home / Opinion / Columns / Dean changed politics

Dean changed politics

February 20, 2004 by Kyle Peveto

By Kyle Peveto, Opinion Editor

Vermont Gov. Howard Dean ended his campaign for presidency Wednesday. His campaign’s promising beginning slowly grew to an embarrassing end.

Through all the yelling and endless Bush bashing, Dean did accomplish a few things worthy of admonition.

Dean stirred up and dusted off the stodgy political scene. He invigorated and excited young voters like Bush, Gore or Clinton never could. Thousands of young students broke into politics through his Web-focused campaign, and they won’t just quit now that he bowed out.

Dean insists he will endorse the winner of the Democratic primary, and with his endorsement, votes will follow. These young, excited voters-though currently Democrats, liberals and leftists-mellow historically and become more mainstream as they age. In the future, someone will thank Dean for breaking these voters into the scene.

Over 640,000 people joined Dean’s campaign through his Web site-introducing the Web as a powerful recruiting and fund-raising tool that politicos had previously ignored. Supporters contributed $41 million to his campaign last year and millions more this year before his campaign began to founder in the primaries.

Blame the pro-wrestler concession speech or blame the media, but Dean didn’t quite succeed with the American public. I never planned to vote for him, but seeing my peers drive cars with Dean for America bumper stickers and wearing campaign T-shirts made me glad someone appealed to young people and did not just cast them aside because they do not vote in large numbers.

Dean may leave the national eye for a while, but his revolution was webcast and will affect every campaign in this young century.

Filed Under: Columns Tagged With: Politics

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About Kyle Peveto

You are here: Home / Opinion / Columns / Dean changed politics

Other Opinion:

  • Tariffs are the last thing struggling students need

  • Gen Z won the election for Donald Trump

  • A Swift rebuke: When it comes to politics, celebrities just do not get it

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