Keynote Address by Governor Howard Dean to European Progressive Party Leaders
December 11, 2006
Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean was invited to address the largest gathering of progressive party leaders in the European Union to discuss challenges facing progressive parties. Below is the text of his remarks as delivered:
"Thank you for that kind introduction. Thank you so much to everyone at PES for inviting me here today. It's an honor to be here. And thank you to our hosts - Portugal and this wonderful city of Porto.
"Being here, I'm reminded of Prince Henry the Navigator who was born in this city. As his name suggests, he was a great explorer. He encouraged and came up with innovative solutions - like ships that could sail against the wind and making cartography a cumulative science. He brought people together - at his school dedicated to navigators, map-makers, and sailors. He paid for the voyages of others and by doing so really ushered in the great age of European exploration.
"In some ways, Henry the Navigator's legacy can be ours, too. Progressive parties are the parties of innovative solutions. And we are the ones who bring people together.
"Someone once said to me, Progressives are the party of "we" vs. Conservatives who are the party of "me". PES is an organization that was literally created to bring people together, to work together to solve problems and proudly stand up and fight for what you believe in. I appreciate that deeply. I appreciate that because as simple as it sounds in principle, it is not always a given in practice.
"I hope and believe that our success in the recent midterm elections proved that the Democratic Party in the United States has learned that lesson. After too many years of far-right Republican rule, we stood up for what we believe in. We went to voters in all parts of the country - even the most conservative parts. We showed them the respect they deserve by asking for their votes.
"We realized that power does not come from the top and work its way down. We understood and appreciated that it grows from the grassroots up. We came together, united as a party. And we won.
"Now that we have earned people's votes, we know that we have to deliver on our promises. Democrats now have a majority in the House of Representatives and the Senate. We have a majority of the state legislative bodies and state governors. And that means once again, we do have a say.
"And one thing Democrats say -- loudly and clearly -- is this: It is time for the United States to renew our relationships around the world. It is time we treat our allies with respect and honesty. The Democratic Party is committed to consensus-building, bilateral and multilateral relationships built on mutual respect.
"That's the kind of governance that served us so well when Bill Clinton was President of the United States. That's the kind of dialogue described so forcefully and so persuasively in the initiative put forth by Prime Minister Antonio Guterres and Prime Minister Poul Rasmussen.
"Just this week, a key recommendation of the Iraq Study Group in the U.S. called for - among other things - a multi-lateral approach in Iraq. These findings also mirror what the American people said loud and clear in our elections last month - it is time for an immediate change in U.S. policy in Iraq.
"The report also moves towards the Democratic Party's position which is to begin a phased withdrawal of troops as soon as possible. Under the leadership of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, we will continue to work to ensure the U.S. changes its course in Iraq.
"Democrats also want to renew our relationships around the world and continue to fight for human rights and civil rights. This means supporting our shared belief that to be good citizens of the world community. We must be good stewards of the environment.
"We believe that American policy should no longer deny that global warming exists. The E.U. has led the way in understanding how dangerous global warming is and, America should be your partner.
"As progressives we share values - on both sides of the Atlantic. Values like creating good jobs with decent wages. Values like providing quality education and health care. And we believe that a life of hard work should lead to a retirement with dignity.
"On trade, we believe that globalization must not be a race to the bottom, it must become a race to the top. And, while Democrats will not be protectionist on trade issues, we also believe that enforceable labor standards with our trading partners in the developing world are essential to preserving both globalization and democracy.
"There are other essential values we share that we must fight for, not just talk about. It is critical that we stand together and support emerging democracies. And we must vigorously stand up to the forces that threaten those emerging democracies.
"Furthermore, despite the many near term difficulties in engaging the Muslim world, progressive democracies must take a long term view. No matter how long the timetable must be, we cannot fail in our attempt to build a permanent bridge to nations in the Muslim world which strive toward democratic reform.
"And as we strive toward democratic reform, our politics must match our policies. It is not enough to say that you believe in being inclusive and support policies that say so...if you then ignore people in the political process.
"To be blunt, that's what happened to Democrats in my country. Some thought the path to electoral success was imitating the Republicans, and focusing only on parts of our country where people thought we had the best chance of winning. And the result was that we only really focused our campaigns on a few states.
"My party took a major step in this election towards our goal of being a national party again. We won in places that some thought we couldn't. And we earned the votes of people who have not voted for a Democrat in a very long time. We even earned some votes from people who hadn't even seen a Democrat in quite some time.
"But most of all, we showed up in every state in the country and reached out to all of our citizens, regardless of party or religious affiliation. We did it by being inclusive. In essence, that's what the rebuilding of the Democratic Party is all about. And I think there is a lesson here for progressives everywhere.
"Because power resides with the people; it is only loaned to us. As I said it does not work its way from the top down. It grows from the grassroots up. And yes, it grows everywhere, not just in the areas that have traditionally supported you.
"Whether it is one of your parties or the Democratic Party, we should never cede a single region, never cede a single state or city. Nor should we ever cede a single voter. Not a single one. It is a mark of respect for the voters that we ask each one for their vote-regardless of the likelihood of getting it. This is what we call the 50-state strategy.
"It says we as a Party should communicate with our supporters and with all of our citizens --in the traditional ways-- but also in new ways. By using the power and potential of technology as part of an aggressive outreach to meet and include voters and to get our message out. Technology is an important tool that can be used to engage and involve ordinary people in the political process, but only if we have a strong message. Because the Internet is not just a tool, it's a community that we ought to reach out to and listen to what they have to say.
"Whether we're talking about the United States or the European Union -- it's pretty simple. Show up everywhere. Knock on doors everywhere. Make the calls everywhere. Shake hands everywhere. Do the hard work everywhere. And keep doing it because that's what running a permanent campaign requires.
"And make no mistake, all of us have to run permanent campaigns. If we bring people together and talk with them about our values and the beliefs we share. Then we can win at any level, anywhere.
"I said at the beginning of my remarks that progressive parties are the parties of innovative solutions. Solving problems. Moving forward. And we, the progressive parties of the United States and Europe, can usher in a new age and a new direction.
"An age of mutual respect and honesty. An age of partnership and consensus-building. An age of inclusiveness, in our policies and our politics. And ultimately, an age in which we all explore and discover the full potential of our parties. But more importantly, we discover the full potential of our people.
"Thank you."
