I finally managed to watch this video. Quick comment:
In the light of the events in North Africa, the Middle East, Greece, Spain, the U.K., etc. I applaud her emphasis on the need for a *political party* in the U.S. -- a disciplined formation specifically devised of, by, and for the working people to conquer and manage political power. That is learning from older history and the recent past. This is something that has to be insisted on -- and the reactions in the audience indicate to me that there's confusion about the necessity (or lack thereof), structure(s), and role of this party.
Dean's argument needs significant sharpening. The most important thing that needs to be developed, collectively, is outlines of the process through which that political organization is to emerge. But the goal is clear. Diffuse energy doesn't even warm up the skin. Concentrated radiation cuts through steel. The social ferment generated by the crisis may wind up diverted in the form of riots and self-destruction, or it may gain organization and unity in action. We need to work on the latter.