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Super Surprise for Dean

Burlington, Vermont - March 2, 2004

"What's this? Howard Dean has won Vermont," announced CBS News anchor Dan Rather Tuesday night.

Minutes after the polls closed pundits called Dean's victory in Vermont and supporters started celebrating.

"I heard the AP had called it and I yelled -- WOOO-HOO!" laughed one supporter.

Howard Dean, who suspended his campaign for the Democratic nomination two weeks ago managed to get a majority of the votes in the Green Mountain State.

"Vermont voters once again sent a message on Town Meeting Day," says Vermont's former Lt. Governor and Dean supporter, Doug Racine.

Deaniacs say the win shows that those who know Howard Dean best still support him, despite the fact that he didn't win any other states up to this point.

While his fans were at Nectar's the former candidate himself was at a high school basketball game. The news that he scored big at the polls was welcome: "It means a lot to me to have the people of this state do this for me. I appreciate it."

The results mean Dean delegates will still go to the Democratic Convention carrying his "you have the power" message with them.

"It's a big thank you to Howard Dean for representing the state well on a national level," says UVM Political Scientist Garrison Nelson.

Here in Burlington, Howard Dean is still the toast of the town.

Late Tuesday night after the basketball game, Dean stopped by Nectar's to celebrate with his supporters. And while Dean says he's pleased with his win in Vermont, he says he will support John Kerry and he urged his supporters to do the same.

"I'm going to support Kerry in the general election and I think it is important and I'm going to work for him because we have got to replace Bush and we can't be divided by 3rd party politics this time. But I'm also going to ask all our people to carry-on the mission to fundamentally change the country so that we stop all special interests that's going in Washington, D.C. and that we carry on to open this country back up to ordinary citizens so they can have their country back," says Dean.

Many people want to know what happens now. As for Dean's grassroots organization -- there are more meetups that start Wednesday. Organizers of the grassroots effort Dean is expected to start will hold the meetups to ask people about the issues they want to focus on. And Dean is supposed to have an announcement about that on March 18th.

Caroline Allen - Channel 3 News