The Dean Scream: What Really Happened

Twelve years ago, just after the 2004 Iowa caucuses, Democratic candidate Howard Dean raised his voice, balled his fist and entered political history as a man whose immoderate speaking style cost him a career. That’s the accepted narrative, at least, of what happened in that year’s presidential race. But the truth is not always what the crowd remembers. In this short film, produced by FiveThirtyEight and ESPN Films and directed by Bryan Storkel, Dean and others who know the race well recall what really happened. It’s the first film in this year’s FiveThirtyEight Elections series. And be sure to listen to the companion podcast documentary about why the Dean Scream sounded so different on TV.