Dean, the former presidential candidate and governor of Vermont, came to Bloomington on Wednesday to deliver a campaign style stump speech not for himself but to endorse Democratic candidate John Hamilton for mayor of Bloomington.
Hamilton’s supporters gathered in a loosely defined semicircle on the grounds of the Monroe County Courthouse as they listened to a national liberal icon praise a local politician.
“This country is not going to be changed, as what is perfectly obvious by what’s going on in Washington,” Dean said. “This country is going to be changed by what’s going on in Bloomington, Ind., and you have a choice, and you have a guy who is really well qualified in John Hamilton to lead not just Bloomington but to send a message to Indiana and the rest of the country that we are not Mike Pence.”
News of Dean’s endorsement of Hamilton came after a local chapter of Dean’s political action committee (PAC), Democracy for America, endorsed Hamilton for mayor.
After the event, Hamilton spoke with reporters and said he had connected with Dean previously during his work for Gov. Frank O’Bannon and that his connection to the former Indiana governor and Dean’s PAC endorsement brought him to Bloomington.
Though Dean came to endorse Hamilton, he said there was a larger goal behind his visit.
“You have the power,” Dean said after first thanking the supporters. “And this is about using power wisely, so I’m here to obviously endorse John, but I’m also here because the way that power works in this country, for people who understand it. It’s from the bottom up.”
After serving as governor of Vermont, Dean ran for president in 2004, finishing third in the Democratic primary behind John Kerry and John Edwards. After his presidential run, Dean became chair of the Democratic National Committee from 2005 to 2009, where he helped Democrats win national elections in 2006 and 2008 — the most famous being that of Barack Obama.
Though there was much excitement Wednesday for Dean’s pending speech, on Monday evening one of Hamilton’s primary opponents, Darryl Neher, indirectly made comments critical of the endorsement in his own speech in which he was endorsed by former Bloomington City Council President Charlotte Zietlow, Judge Vi Taliaferro and former City Council Clerk Pat Williams.
Dressed in a dark blue suit with a beige sweater and a John Hamilton campaign button, Dean stood in front of Hamilton and some of his key supporters as he praised Hamilton and rallied support for the importance of grassroots politics.
Prior to Dean’s speech, notable local figures who have already endorsed Hamilton spoke, such as former Bloomington Mayor Tomi Allison, Democracy for Monroe County Chair Rob Deppert, IU law professor Dawn Johnsen, Bloomington firefighter Robert Loviscek and Hamilton’s wife.
Hamilton was last to speak, coming to the podium after Dean’s speech ended and urging supporters to volunteer and vote.
After Hamilton’s speech finished, Dean came together with Hamilton as the two raised their held hands together during an ovation. Promptly after the festivities, Hamilton was accompanied by a group of supporters to 401 W. Seventh St. to vote.
“So, in solidarity together, we have a bright future,” Hamilton said in his speech. “It’s not automatic, it is not easy, but it is ours to claim. Gov. Dean, we are going to roll up our sleeves and get to work. We have a future to build and an election to win.”
