For UW-Madison freshman and Students for Dean volunteer Brian Shactman, Howard Dean grabbed his attention as the only candidate speaking out against the war in Iraq.
Shactman was not alone in his passion for Dean. Other UW-Madison students who had never rallied around a political cause said they found Dean entrancing and supported him through the Wisconsin Democratic primary Feb. 17.
\When I heard him speak, he spoke to me, a student,"" Shactman said. ""People were screaming as Dean talked. They wanted to be part of the political process ... It was exciting to be part of this movement.""
Shactman said Dean ignited excitement on campus. He spoke with energy and passion, not in the monotone of former presidential candidate Al Gore. He made Democrats proud to be Democrats again, Shactman said.
Despite such efforts on campus, UW-Madison political science professor Charles Franklin said exit polls show Dean was not a particularly mobilizing candidate for college students nationwide.
And now with Dean dropping out of the race, Shactman said he is unsure how far his new political enthusiasm will carry him and feels an element is now missing from the presidential campaign.
""I don't have the feeling that if I speak, someone will listen in the same way,"" Shactman said.
However, Shactman said he plans to support whoever gets the Democratic presidential nomination under the presumption that voters must not re-elect President Bush and the Democratic party must unite to achieve this goal.
Additionally, Shactman said he hopes to continue pushing Dean's progressive platform, though he is unsure if others will accept it.
But other Students for Dean said they are hardly motivated to stay politically active if they cannot rally behind Dean.
""I'm left with whoever gets nominated,"" UW-Madison junior and Students for Dean volunteer Mitch Wallace said. ""I'm not sure if I'll work for the Democratic candidate.\
