"The API community was one of the best-performing communities for John Kerry," Dean says. But one man complains that DNC members from Guam and American Samoa are granted only one-fourth of a vote in committee elections. Why shouldn't they get a full vote?
"That sounds like the fair thing to do," Dean says, adding that he'll look into this matter but promises nothing.
Howard Dean, expected to become chairman of the DNC today, tells an African American caucus, "We're gonna need lots of help from y'all."
(Robert A. Reeder -- The Washington Post)
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It's after 6 p.m. when Dean bounds into his last meeting, with the Hispanic Caucus. "This is my seventh meeting of the day," he declares to the crowd. "I think they only have one caucus in the Republican Party," which he calls "homogenous."
He deems the day's constituency hopscotch to be "kinda fun." Then he prostrates the party for suffering a loss of support from Hispanic voters.
He takes a question from a frustrated Latina who says the DNC needs to starts to hiring more Latino consultants and staffers, a point which elicits a roaring ovation.
Before Dean finishes, a poignant moment comes out of nowhere.
Gloria Nieto, vice chair of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Caucus, tearfully tells how she married her female partner in Massachusetts last year, and says she hopes that her community will always be respected within the Democratic Party.
To which Dean walks out from behind the podium and envelops the woman in a big hug. He is crying himself. "That's why I'm a Democrat," he says.
