Howard Dean's Blog For America posed the question "Why are you sleepless" in connection with Dean's Sleepless Summer Tour. The gist of the question is "what is keeping you up at night?" Here is what I answered:

I am sleepless because I have a young son, and because that young son will someday be old enough to understand that this place and this time was a turning point in modern American history, and because when that beautiful boy asks me what I did to help shape the course of this magnificent country, I want to be worthy of his pride

I am sleepless because I am too disgusted to sleep. Too disgusted at what is being done in my name. Too disgusted at the contraditions that are passed off by our leaders as logical, even inevitable truths. Too disgusted at the divisiveness that has poisoned honest disagreements.

I am sleepless because I am too angry to sleep. Angry that my own party couldn't muster a loyal opposition. Angry that if you're not with us, you're against us. Angry that none of my own party's leaders had the courage to say that if you're not with us, perhaps we should listen to your reasons. Angry at the lost opportunities.

I am sleepless because I am too tired to sleep. Tired of being lied to. Tired of being treated like a child who can't be trusted with, and wouldn't understand, the truth. Tired of being belittled. Tired of having to defend myself from attacks by supposedly "moderate" Democrats.

But I am also sleepless because I am too excited to sleep. Excited that a group of people have risen up to say "Not in my name". Excited that a group of people have said "Stop lying to me". Excited that I am no longer shouting into the wind like a madman.

This -- all of this -- is why I am sleepless.