Vermont: Howard Dean

Chances are we'll all be seeing more of former Gov. Howard Dean around town now than we might have thought -- and he might have wished.

Huffington Post's Ben Stein is reporting that Dean, who recently stepped down as chairman of the Democratic National Committee, plans to be an active part of the Democracy For America grassroots activist organization based in South Burlington that evolved out of his Dean For America presidential campaign in 2004.

"I'll be most interested in their health care stuff," the physician-turned-politician told Stein. "Not only pushing for a health care bill but for one with meaningful reform." For a full read of the HP item, click

Howard Dean might not be welcome in the Obama administration, but he is apparently welcome back home in Burlington. Which probably means, welcome back and help us raise some more money.

His friends back here are holding a welcome back party for him Feb. 21 at the Burlington home of Liz & Eric Miller.

The event is billed as a reception honoring Dean and the success of his 50-state strategy as chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

- Terri Hallenbeck

As we reported on the print side this morning, the chances that Howard Dean is nominated to be Health and Human Services Secretary in the aftermath of the Tom Daschle debacle aren't great, but that isn't stopping some for promoting him for the job.

The latest sign-up? Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, who backed Dean during Dean's meteoric 2004 run for president and who was on the stage in Des Moines the night Dean went down in the Iowa caucuses and uttered his infamous "scream" heard round the political world.

Huffington Post's Sam Stein and Ryan Grim are reporting today that Harkin thinks Dean's the one.

Here's a little statistic that may keep Vermont Republican Party Chairman Rob Roper awake at night.

According to a just-released poll by the Gallup Co., Democratic leaning Vermonters outnumber Republican leaning Vermonters by 33 percentage points. Gallup says that makes the state the fourth bluest state in the country, behind only Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Hawaii. The District of Columbia is even more pro-Democratic, but of course it's not a state.

For a peak at the Gallup findings, click HERE.

The 33 percentage point gap, at first glance, is a jaw-dropper. Most polls I've seen over the years have the Ds five or 10 percentage points up on the Rs.