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Today at the Olmsted County Government Center, Terry McAuliffe, Chair of the Democratic National Committee, gave a press conference and answered questions from the crowd.

About one hundred people were there, and Mr. McAuliffe spoke briefly about overtime benefits, health care, and how the primary system has been working this year.

Afterwards I had a chance to shake his hand, and introduce myself. He asked if I was excited about the election and that he could see I was a Dean supporter (I had my button on). I said to him, “Dean has brought in a lot of new voters like myself to the party, don’t forget about it”.

Whoops, I felt like I was on the Daily Show. I meant to say, “Don’t forget about us!” “Don’t forget about it” sounds a little too combative. Terry if you’re out there, don’t forget about us!

As this picture was being taken, I believe he was talking about his lapel pin that said “ABB”

He also told the crowd that in 2000, Ralph Nader said that he ran because nobody in the Democratic Party reached out to him. Terry said this year would be different, and that they have already had meetings with Mr. Nader.

I voted for Nader in 2000 not because I’m a Green or because I necessarily agree with him or his policies. But I think our system is messed up, and it needs to be fixed. At the time, the choice between Gore and Bush looked to be no choice at all. Bush didn’t win the election, Gore lost it by not standing up for what he believes in. Gore gave a couple speeches in the past year that I thought were very good, and it put some faith of mine back into Al Gore. But it’s 2003, and it’s a bit late for that now. (Obviously in hindsight, I have no doubt Gore would have been the better option)

So hopefully all you long time democrats who are voting for Kerry know what you are doing. I want someone to get Bush out of there, and I hope that if Kerry is the nominee, he’ll have what it takes to stand up and fight for the next 8 months. Nader isn’t the problem. Providing a real alternative to Bush is the problem. And when the democrats figure that out, they’ll have found the solution.