Your reason for # 8 (?) Howard Dean surprises me.

At least on the House side, the credit goes to Rahm Emmanuel, a Dem Rep from Illinois and a former Clinton White House staffer. Emmanuel did the majority of the candidate recruting and a hell of a lot of fundraising for the Dem house candidates.

Frankly, Emmanuel kept Dean out of the process of candidate recruitment and campaign appearances.

Dean scares eople who are not on the left edge of the Dem party. And the Dems won this year by convincing the middle and independents. The Dem freshnman house lass is surprisingly conservative to main stream, and surprisingly not leftist.

Thats why they won.

Dean deserves no credit for the Dems 30 or so freshman house class.

On the Senate side, its the same story. Dean was not involved except in Connecticut. The attmpted purge of Lieberman by a Dean clone backfired: Lieberman is still the junior senator from Connecticut.

That's all interesting, but last time I checked, Howard's the chair of the party.

I think George W. Bush (you won't catch me calling him a monkey) deserves horrible mention for his assist to #8.

I think Bill got a bigger assist from the Dick Cheney hunting trip -- comedy platinum.

Dean was also the one saying the party needed to have a presence on the ground in all 50 states, up to and including bailing some states organizations out of bankruptcy and re-opening shuttered headquarters -- a strategy scoffed at and ridiculed by Congressional campaign leaders.

Suddenly, the Dems were being competitive in places they "should not" have been, and Congressional Dems ultimately, scarce on funds, went to Howard Dean for more -- and Dean took the DNC into debt, taking out loans so the Congressional campaign committees had more cash.

So, yeah, OK, Dean had nothing to do with it.

I appreciate your support for #1.

Without your help in bringing PDC actions to the public awareness, the Portland Saturday (Sunday too) Market would probably be in an even worse (if possible) location than they have planned for us.

We're short on At-Large Board Members. Any volunteers?

See you in March!

#8? Maybe it's my browser, but Dean is #9 when I look at the list. That aside, Dean's contribution was crucial to the Dem's success in the mid-terms. Emmanuel also did some good things to, but there's this ongoing internecine rivalry inside the Dem party and that’s very important to some … more important, often, than taking care of the people’s business at times.

No. 8 is Bill McDonald. Howard is no. 9.

I agree with Time magazine article being lame. But now, I have something in common with Adolph Hitler (Time man of the year - 1938?) It was a Trivial Pursuit question?

Would it be wrong of me to put "2006 - Time Man of the Year" on any future resume`s?

To think that anyone in prison who read that is also Time - Person of the year.

I am glad you saw fit to put me on your list, I might use that on resume`s and job apps, too. Can I use you as a reference?

I second your nomination of NASCAR Dad...

Aww.... thank you, Jack. For your support, this honor, and for the laugh on "You" at #1 being lame.

Thanks Jack, truly. I shoulda worn the tweed jacket.... might have made the difference.

"No. 8 is Bill McDonald. Howard is no. 9."

I was up too late.

Dean? roflmao

I don't think your hero Chimpy McFlightsuit is laughing too hard.

Excellent. All of it. Brought a smile to my face as I flashed by those memories.

I like the home-town focus -- our city, where so much life happens. Gotta love it -- with all its warts and imperfections. It's where we live.

For those of you who don't get Dean -- I'll give you a "Kerry for President" bumpersticker, and the Iraq war. Dead children, included.

Thanks again Jack for your support of us MARKETEERS! Most of all, I would like to thank you for making us (especially PSM members) more politically aware of what is going on locally .

Thank you for supporting the Saturday Market! Yes, we've dealt will road closures, loss of space, construction sites in our midst, and the challenge of having to move the Market in the coming year. It helps us keep going when we know that the public (and you) will continue to visit and support us.

My pleasure. Love the pierogis!

Boy, I'm a pretty sad geek that I just NOW found this post after seeing hits coming from that page. Man I'm slow...

Thanks for the honor, Jack.