Former Vermont Governor Howard Dean, a recent candidate for the Democratic Party nomination for president, will visit Denison University as a guest of the Denison Democrats student organization. Dean will speak on "The Long-Term Implications of Presidential Election 2004" at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday (Sept. 5) in Mitchell Center. This talk is free and open to the public.

Following his speech, Dean will sign copies of his new Simon and Schuster release "You Have the Power" at a reception on the Campus Common.

Dean's speech will address what is at stake in the November election and the forces shaping the political landscape. He will also address youth involvement in the political process, healthcare issues, education, and the role of the United States abroad. Dean will take audience questions following his speech.

Known for his blunt speaking style and straight-forward criticisms of the Bush administration, Dean quickly rose from being a largely unknown govenor of a small state to the one-time front-runner of the Democratic primaries. Many political observers credit Dean with giving Democrats the resolve to firmly oppose the Bush administration's policies before he conceded the nomination to John Kerry.

Dean was successful in mobilizing voters who were typically apathetic toward the political process and he garnished grassroot support with a message of returning power to ordinary Americans. Additionally, he transformed the way the Internet is used in presidential campaigns by organizing supporters with a "blog" and an online fundraising site. He raised more than $41 million for his campaign.

Dean is a physician who previously shared a medical practice with his wife, Dr. Judith Steinberg Dean. He earned his bachelor's degree at Yale University in 1971 and his medical degree at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City in 1978. He had a practice in internal medicine in Shelburne, Vt., until he became governor. He served in the Vermont House of Representatives from 1983 to 1985 and was lieutenant governor from 1986 to 1990. Taking the governorship after the death of Gov. Richard Snelling, Dean was elected to five consecutive terms before leaving the position to run for president.

As governor, Dean is best known for delivering universal health care to Vermont's children, balancing the budget, and signing ground-breaking legislation that grants same sex couples access to the legal rights of marriage through civil unions. He has recently formed a new organization, Democracy for America, that will be committed to sustained grassroots involvement in the democratic process.

About Denison:

Denison University, founded in 1831, is an independent, residential liberal arts institution located in Granville, Ohio. A highly selective college enrolling 2,100 full-time undergraduate students from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries, Denison is a place where innovative faculty and motivated students collaborate in rigorous scholarship, civic engagement and the cultivation of independent thinking.

For press inquiries:

Name

Barbara Stambaugh

Position Title

Director, Media Relations

Primary Email

stambaughb@denison.edu

Business Phone

(740) 587-8575