Howard Dean

For decades, political campaign art had more in common with Menard’s than Milton Glaser: the graphic designer — whose job was to sell candidates through an expected visual language of flag-toned stars and/or bars — took the back seat, while the well-funded media buyer got the front. Then came Barack Obama. His campaign, lead by design director Scott Thomas, enlisted designer Sol Sender to both create a memorable identity and advance the lessons of Howard Dean’s surprise “netroots” surge of 2004. On May 12, Thomas and Sender will discuss the development of the Obama campaign in a panel called, “Designing Obama” — and Minnesota Independent editor Paul Schmelzer will be moderating the evening.

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean delivered a 20-minute, meat-and-potatoes speech to the state DFL convention in Rochester this afternoon, vowing to win back the White House and increase the party’s margins in Congress.

“Our goal is to end the Bush administration and not allow a third term for George W. Bush,” Dean said to thunderous [...]