Comments to & from those attending the DNC regional caucus meeting in Manhattan on Saturday.

Dean received loud applause Saturday from his fiery words denouncing the Republican Party and from his conviction to promoting grass roots work. These were familiar themes from his unsuccessful presidential race, and he made clear that if elected chairman, he won't temper that message.

"We cannot be Republican-light if we want to win elections," Dean said during his five-minute address to the 90 DNC members. "We need to be people of conviction."

Dean said Democrats should focus on winning local political races, such as county clerks, state assemblies, and secretaries of state, because "we are not going to win the presidency unless we can win local offices."

Dean's speech was enough to convince Michael Steed, a delegate from Maryland.

"His conviction, his ability to take hold of the Republicans by the throat and defeat them really came forward," Steed said after the forum, held at the Roosevelt Hotel in midtown Manhattan. It was the fifth and final regional meeting before the DNC holds its election on Feb. 12 in Washington, D.C.

While many candidates mentioned buzzwords like "grass roots," "message" and "Rush Limbaugh," the stage was far from a chorus of parroted views.

Roemer, a member of the 9/11 Commission, is the most conservative candidate and an opponent of abortion. He acknowledged he was a longshot and that appeared evident when the crowd hissed him as he discussed his abortion views.

Roemer tried to position himself as the anti-Dean, saying, "We need a chairman that doesn't just represent the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party, but the East, the West, the North, the South."

Frost, who lost re-election in 2004 after his Texas district lines were redrawn, said his experience fund-raising and fighting in red states makes him the best candidate.

"Grassroots politics has been my entire life," Frost said. If elected, he vowed, "In no election will they turn out people better than we do."

• Webb, the only black person in the race, said he has the necessary management experience from his years as mayor of Denver.

• Rosenberg called himself "the total package" because of his success raising money with the centrist New Democrat Network and his ability to counter the Republican's political machine.

• Fowler said he would reclaim the party from "the aristocracy of consultants in D.C." and appeal to a new electorate, while staying loyal to the base.

• Leland said he would empower the state parties and focus on local races.