Dean marshaling backers for Florida convention

The presidential campaign of former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean is quietly mobilizing for a show of force at Florida's state Democratic Party convention in December, despite calls by national party leaders for a boycott if plans proceed for a presidential straw poll.

An e-mail sent to Florida supporters of Dean, the Democratic front-runner in fundraising and opinion polls in key primary states, walks recipients through the process of delegate registration and reminds them the state party's 1991 straw poll ignited the candidacy of a future president with some parallels to Dean.

''Bill Clinton in 1991, a governor from a small state, received a tremendous boost from Florida Democrats,'' the e-mail reads. ``With our convention coming only six weeks before the first caucus and seven weeks before the first primary, Florida again has the opportunity to show the way.''