Statement Regarding His Victory in the Moveon.org Primary

San Diego, CA, June 27, 2003

On Monday, I stood in Burlington, Vermont and said that my campaign-our campaign-was built on 'mouse pads, shoe leather, and hope.' Today, we see just how far that combination can go: We have won the Moveon.org primary by a landslide.

We want to thank everyone who helped make this victory possible. To the volunteers and Dean supporters across the country, thanks for all of your work. To the 139,360 who supported me, thanks for casting the first votes to take our country back. You have demonstrated that you really do have the power.

This primary was participatory democracy at its finest. This week's vote was not about money-other campaigns devoted far more resources to this primary than ours did-and it was not about special interest groups buying access to government. This primary, the first online primary of the modern age, was about individual Americans influencing the process directly. Hundreds of thousands of ordinary Americans researched this race, voted, and told their friends to vote.

This is a milestone that will be remembered. It is moments like this that will help restore American democracy to the ideals upon which it was founded-ones that make the processes of government accessible to every American.

We are excited to move on bolstered by the many thousands this process has brought to our campaign. We are taking the country back-one voter at a time.

--- End ---

.

.

Back to Dean Speeches


Or else I'm just a Luddite