The Dean supporters stood on a low court-yard near the Peace Center,
and when the international and national press walked by in a line, I leaned over and
screamed "Howard Dean! Howard Dean!" in the manner which made clear that if any of them looked at me, I would then say, "Your ass, meet my boot." I don't think I won Howard Dean any media support yesterday. Sorry.
There was also a lone Republican outside the debate who held a sign that read, "Politics of hate: Adolf Hitler, John Kerry, John Edwards, Howard Dean, Wesley Clark." I felt he was a little misinformed, so I shouted, "How many people did Haliburton kill today?" The statement was not technically true, and the Republican didn't seem to appreciate my right to free speech. Eventually he turned around and retorted, "Socialism is Communism!" He was a little red in the face and agitated, but I smiled at him in an attempt to show him I was just having fun.
I really was a one-man army for Howard Dean. I know this for two reasons: I have no voice today and even the Dean organizers in South Carolina looked at me like I was a crazy nut. In between regular Howard Dean chants, I would shout: "If you want to take special interest money out of the government, vote for Howard Dean! If you want Haliburton out of government, vote for Howard Dean! If you want Karl Rove and Dick Cheney out of your government, vote for Howard Dean! If you want healthcare for your child, vote Howard Dean!"
I did, however, show one iota of restraint - I did not ask for a megaphone. I wanted to, but then I thought that might be pushing it, even for me.
Yes, I went down to Greenville, S.C. last night. To see the event, I rode with the Petrequins, whose son Paul works for the John Edwards campaign, and Ms. Fox, a member of Black Mountain's "Democrats on the Move" and a supporter of Howard Dean.
None of us had tickets to the debate, but we were all interested in seeing the grassroots supporters and possibly shaking the hand of a candidate at after-debate events.
The Peace Center, the auditorium where the debate took place, stood in the Center of Greenville, on the corner of South Main Street and Broad Street.
The Dean supporters were first to arrive, and they had taken over a large courtyard that gave them a slight balcony above the street. The approximately 100 supporters were the noisiest, with families, old ladies, college students, and the only group with about 40% African American supporters.
Next to the Dean supporters, on the stairs up to the courtyard, 30 large firefighters stood in yellow shirts supporting frontrunner John Kerry. Perhaps Kerry's comment that,
"Everybody makes the mistake of looking South," had depressed his grassroots support, and there were no families or other people in his crowd.
Across the street from them, the John Edwards supporters looked mainly in their 30's and 40's, well-to-do, with families and children in the group. The Edwards team had as many people as the Howard Dean group, perhaps more.
Next to the John Edwards supporters, the Dennis Kucinich supporters were probably the third largest group. Although Kucinich's campaign has not gained more than a couple percentage points in any poll, the group was enthusiastic. They carried large hand-painted signs, and they sang and shouted, creating a carnival atmosphere.
On the other two corners by the Peace Center, smaller organizations of about 20 Wesley Clark and 20 Joe Lieberman supporters held up their signs.
The grassroots groups cheered and chanted from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. while the candidates drove past to the Peace Center. Though one of the smaller organizations, the Kerry firefighters gained the most media attention, with national and international film crews setting up their shots directly before them. You could tell when a new crew was filming them, because the Howard Dean supporters would begin chanting their candidates name to drown out the Kerry firefighters.
The focus of the debates was to draw differences between the candidates, but out on the street the supporters were respectful of each other's opinions. The Edwards group started a chant, "Hey-ho, Bush must go!" And the Dean group joined in, and then the Kucinich team, until several hundred people along the street were smiling and waving and chanting together.
During the actual debate, as we know, the candidates mainly focused their criticism of the
Bush Administration. Every candidate seemed to do well, with Kerry looking confident
and composed. Wesley Clark appeared more presidential, Kucinich stated that we
should leave Iraq to the U.N., and Lieberman argued his centrist positions. With
Howard Dean and John Edwards best positioned to take the lead if John Kerry stumbles, both candidates seemed very careful, and did not have as much fire or fun as the Reverand Al Sharpton.
At the after events, Howard Dean seemed at home with his supporters at their packed bar. John Edwards' event was hosted at an upscale coffee shop, equally crowded, with more supporters out on the street. Like Dean, Edwards seemed very much in his element meeting people face-to-face and making the individual connections.
Kerry's firemen had chosen a smaller Irish bar where the national and international press crowded out the regular customers. Lieberman hosted a party at a coffee shop that had more signs than people. I couldn't find the Clark, Sharpton or Kucinich events.
If grassroots support alone wins primaries, I would predict that Edwards just beats Dean in South Carolina, with Kucinich in third place. But with the reporters and television crews swarming Kerry's firemen, Edwards is probably in a battle with Kerry, the frontrunner.
On the drive home, it was clear that the small Black Mountain group was energized, but the debate had not changed anyone's support. "I think the Democratic party should be indebted to Howard Dean for finding their voice," said Mr. Petraquin, "but I think Edwards' background as the child of a mill worker, lets him connect better with people. Whoever wins the nomination it will have to be someone who people are passionate about."