In 1981, Howard married fellow doctor, Judith Steinberg. The couple opened a medical practice in Burlington, Vermont and soon thereafter, they welcomed the birth of their daughter, Anne, in 1984 and son, Paul, in 1986.
From 1982 to 1986, Howard served in the Vermont House of Representatives. He was elected lieutenant-governor of Vermont in 1986, and went on to serve as the state’s 79th governor from 1991 until 2003 – a run that made him Vermont’s second longest-serving governor in history. Howard passed up re-election for governor in 2002, announcing his decision to instead run for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination.
Howard’s Democratic campaign was distinguished by a strong presence on the Internet. He and his staff often posted updates along the campaign trial to his official website. The website also organized rallies, solicited online contributions, and engaged in communication with constituents. By 2003, Howard’s fund-raising campaign had broken the record previously held by Bill Clinton for most money raised in one quarter by a primary Democratic candidate. Howard’s campaign raised approximately $50 million, most of which was made up of small online donations averaging roughly $80 each.
One fateful incident on the night of the 2004 Iowa caucuses proved to become a much-parodied event in pop culture and damaging force to Howard’s campaign. After unexpectedly placing third to Democratic opponents John Kerry and John Edwards, Howard delivered an impassioned concession speech in which he shouted to be heard above the crowd. The televised version, which filtered the background noise of the crowd, left the impression of an obnoxious presidential candidate shouting in a manner more suited for a wrestling ring than the Oval Office. To make matters worse, the speech was punctuated by an exuberant howl at the end – the final "yeaaaaagggggh" took on iconic status on the Internet and was dubbed "the Dean Scream."
The media attention attracted by what has become known as the "I Have a Scream" speech became so intense that CNN issued a public apology in which they admitted to overplaying the incident. The exposure even prompted Howard’s wife, who had maintained a low-profile during the campaign trail, to deem the Dean Scream "silly" during a sit-down interview.
Other gaffes that paved the campaign trail for Howard included a series of controversial quotes, specifically: ""I hate the Republicans and everything they stand for" (Howard later clarified that he was referring to Republican leaders – not Republican voters). In another attempt to define the difference between Republicans and Democrats, Howard stated "This is a struggle of good and evil. And we're the good." Howard’s statements were often so self-damaging that they were encouraged by his rivals – Republican Senator John McCain declared at a Rock the Vote event that "Howard Dean is the gift that keeps on giving."
One month after the Iowa caucuses, Howard ended his campaign after finishing third to John Kerry and John Edwards in the Wisconsin primary. The following year, Howard was elected chairman of the party's guiding organization, the Democratic National Committee in February 2005.
YUDDY
