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A Decade of Dean

Montpelier, Vermont - December 19, 2002

Governor Howard Dean has started to say goodbye to his supporters and staff.  On January 9th, he will become former Governor Howard Dean.  It will be a big change for a man who has dominated state politics since 1991. 

"He was different than I don't think he felt the need to have a lot of high powered staff and tell him what to do," says former advisor Bob Sherman.  "He was very much more I am going to be the Governor and staff will take direction from me."

In the early years Bill Sorrell was Dean's Administration Secretary.  He kept track of the money during the dark days of red ink in the early 90's.  Balancing the books meant slim budgets including saving tax dollars by reforming the welfare system. 

"You know there were some tough fights with same members of his party on that." Sorrell says Dean was accused of "not being sufficiently sensitive people who were lower income disadvantaged and I thought that was a bad rap, because he really wanted to give them a hand but then let them fend for themselves."

David Wolk is considered one of Howard Dean's closest friends. The two met when Dean was Lt. Governor and Wolk was a Senator from Rutland County.

"You could say he was a passionate moderate during his time," says Wolk.  "He spent a whole lot of time with his family and I think he will look back on his legacy and he did a lot of good things for the state of Vermont, and Vermont's family. He did a lot of wonderful things as a dad for his own family."

Dean and Wolk talk almost daily.  Wolk says he is the guy who can tell the Governor what he doesn't like to hear. 

"He is not someone who looks back with regret. He is kind of a fighter and he rolls with the punches."

Dean's sharp tongue was part of the weekly routine with reporters.  But sometimes Dean's shoot from the lip approach irritated the public and friends.

"I am uncomfortable when people in public life denegrate other people publically or question their motives," says Wolk. 

"I have blown up twice for people who work for me in eleven and a half years," confesses Dean.  "Never on anybody on the fifth floor, but once a year I really get mad.  I once threw Al Perry out of my office told him never to comeback because he had cut my budget."

For the past year, Dean's energy has focused on running for President, not running state government, but does Howard Dean have what it takes to make it on the national stage?  The Governor is convinced a message of insurance for all, balanced budgets, and education reform is the medecine the nation needs.  His friends say he has "the fire in the belly" to take a serious run at the White House.

"He has got more energy than five ever ready bunnies what ever they are," laughs Sorrell.  "He has got a motor that you would'nt believe.  He is just on the go, you know, like twenty hours a day, day in and day out, seven days a week.  But boy I don't write him off at all."

"Well I think everybody should chase their dream and I admire people who are passionate about their dream job, dream life," says Wolk.  "Everybody should chase their dreams."

It's a presidential dream Howard Dean is chasing after more than a decade as Vermont's Governor. 

"It's time. It's time," says Dean.  "The office is always more important than the person that is in it."

Dean is in Iowa this week campaigning for President.  Veteran Iowa activist Jeani Murray will run Dean's campaign in Iowa's 2004 precinct caucuses.  Murray has an impressive resume. She served as executive director of the Iowa Democratic Party and Chief of Staff for Iowa Congressman Leonard Boswell.

Anson Tebbetts - Channel 3 News