TALKING POLITICS R.I. supporters press the case for Dean BY IAN DONNIS

With former Vermont governor Howard Dean making a spirited chase for the Democratic presidential nomination, supporters cite his ability to energize the body politic in rapturously describing Dean as the candidate best suited to challenge George W. Bush.

Bryan Macedo, a 25-year-old member of the volunteer group Rhode Island for Dean, is a case in point. "He [Dean] just energizes me, and I’ve never felt that way before," says Macedo, a first-time political volunteer. "It feels like I can trust him. I just feel like he’s sweeping up these people who are not [usually] interested in voting."

Whether Dean’s insurgent-style campaign will be enough to win the Democratic nomination remains to be seen. Best known for taking a strong stand against the Bush administration’s war with Iraq, Dean is also seen as being considerably less liberal than this one issue would suggest. There’s also the question of whether the progressive orientation of his campaign, although red meat for the more active elements of the Democratic Party, will be sufficiently attractive to topple Bush, or even Dean’s Democratic rivals. At any rate, a poll this week of likely Democratic voters by the Concord Monitor showed Massachusetts Senator John F. Kerry with a nine-point lead over Dean.

Macedo, a Providence resident who works as an analyst at Citizens Bank, likens Kerry to Al Gore as a candidate with less than stellar magnetism. "I think personality plays a lot in politics," he says, "and that’s why Bush won." (With a little help from the Supreme Court, of course.) Macedo, who was first impressed by Dean’s decision to support civil unions in Vermont shortly before an election, cites him as a man of conviction.

With Bush on a record-breaking campaign fundraising pace, money will be vital for any Democratic challenger. And although Dean can be expected to make a strong showing in next year’s New Hampshire primary, second quarter fundraising this year could be an indicator of the ultimate stamina of his campaign.

In Rhode Island, Dean’s supporters will hold their first fundraiser this Friday, June 27, at 7:30 p.m., at a private home in Cumberland. The candidate is slated to place a conference call to the event. (Donation levels range from $35 for college students to $150 for VIPs; Information about the event and Dean’s campaign can be found by visiting www.rifordean.org.)

The local volunteer organization for Dean was formed in March with seven people. But after organizing work via the Web site www.meetup.com and visibility efforts during WaterFires, the number of volunteers has climbed to 70, doubling in the last week, Macedo says.