This is GOOD for Howard Dean

[srpantalonas]

They made some mistakes, clearly (tactical, mostly). But this bumps Dean down a peg and gives him the opportunity to come in 2nd in New Hampshire and claim comeback status. Dean has the most gas and the biggest engine--you can not write him off by any means.

The REAL election happens on Super Tuesday. And that will leave us with 2 candidates, in all likelihood--Kerry and Dean.

Dean supporters--keep the faith. Kerry supporters, take heed--this is going to be a long road.

[jeter]

1. 2nd would be a disaster in New Hampshire

He has to win it. But if he does, it will be a whole new election again - I agree.

[srpantalonas]

2. close 2nd is good enough

I really think this is going to stretch out until at least March 2nd. Maybe even to the April 27th PA primary. Keep in mind he has a huge warchest, meaning he can continue to campaign in ALL primary states.

[jeter]

8. Close 2nd isn't good enough

He has to win. A win is a win is a win is a win. He has to win.

[IronLionZion]

3. right on Charlie!

Dean's supporters are hard-core and are going to work double-time to ensure wins in the other states. Iowa is just the first step in a long and good fight to beat the Bush regime.

[srpantalonas]

4. Iowa is more conservative, too...

NH is more our speed. Again, the centrist states go to bat on Super Tuesday. Have faith--we'll make a strong showing in NH and SC and move on to the real meat of the election. This is not going to bve anyone's blowout.

[ButterflyBlood]

21. more conservative?

Iowa's a Gore state and even voted for Dukakis in 1988. NH's a Bush state and has one of the most solidly Republican legislatures in the country, and in 1988 was Bush I's second best state after Utah.

[Wapsie B]

27. More conservative in the fact

that even though this state voted for President Gore and has Vilsack for Governor, it's gonna be a cold day in hades before we see and actual Liberal in the Governor's mansion. The last dem before Tom V. was Harold Hughes, another middle to conervative Dem.

[mike1963]

5. I'm not a committed Kerry supporter (undecided), but I can't see how

tonight's results are positive for Dean...especially after his goofy
sounding/looking comments after. I suppose people in NH have televisions...and seeing Howard acting like a nutball surely will have some effect.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

6. Yep, this third place finish is just what Dean wanted.

And look at the polls in New Hampshire -- Dean has a commanding lead. Kerry, still the underdog, but now with the glow of a winner. Can he pull through with his scrappy band of supporters and beat the Big Dean Machine? America will be pulling for him.

[beaconess]

17. Funny - that's not what Dean was saying this afternoon

when he was caught on tape telling a supporter that if he came in first in Iowa, he could not be stopped.

Perhaps he should have added "but even though I can lock up the nomination tonight, I'm not ready yet, so I hope I come in third instead."

[Wonco_the_Sane]

7. I'm voting Dean...so far

While I don't agree this is "good" I fully expect Dean to be alive and kicking when I vote on Super Tuesday (Ohio). He still has to prove he can unite us Dems. with the swing voters. Edwards surprised me, what about a Dean/Edwards ticket???

[michaelbmoore]

9. What!

Are you daft, man!

[demdave]

10. I really don't see how it is GOOD for Dean.

BTW, I had that exact same attitude in my stock portfolio and lost my shirt.

I don't, however, think this is a huge blow for the Dean campaign.

[whirlygigspin]

15. good in one way...

the "front runner" heat is off him

Now the press can dig at Kerry and Edwards

giving Dean a needed break

[ochazuke]

11. Like that iceburg was for the Titanic

Dean is going down by the head, and though his campaign will not founder by morning, this is more than a setback. A comback is next to impossible at this point. Voters will turn to the other three major candidates in the upcoming primaries. Kerry and Edwards have Big MO, and Clark has yet to get his shot. Media spinners will not make a favorable story for Dean. To them, he's yesterday's news.

[TLM]

14. Clinton got 3% in Iowa

You were saying?

[ochazuke]

18. Clinton was not way in the lead two weeks before the caucuses.

So the comparison holds no water. Besides, Clinton was the only great campaigner in 1992. This time, the race is much more competitive.

[Clark Can WIN]

22. And that 3% was against HARKIN! In IOWA!

Nobody even bothered to run against Harkin in Iowa. :silly:

[Blitz]

20. Did Clinton campaign in Iowa?

I was under the impression that he more or less skipped it, like Clark and Lieberman did.

Also, was Lieberman the concensus favorite a month prior to the caucus, like Dean was? Dean's Iowa finish was very bad news. However, his post-caucus speech, which is being replayed over and over and over again as we speak, was a bonafide disaster. I think that you are going to see a lot of people start to back slowly away from the scary man.

[maddezmom]

36. thought Clinton skipped it, too

[WillyBrandt]

12. This is not good for Dean, but not that bad

This is not good for Dean. It can't be spun that way and still be plausible.

But it's FAR from over, and Dean has a lot more left in him.

[imhotep]

13. I urge everyone

to look at things without emotional attachments.
3rd place is a disaster, however, Iowa winners usually lose the nomination.
Nobody should consider jumping ship until New Hampshire is over.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

16. Surely you're not urging everyone

to jump ship once New Hampshire is over?

[Melodybe]

19. If I can actually get Joe Trippi on the DAMN phone it would be a good

thing! I am about to give the people over at Dean Headquarters a yellin' at for being so bad at running our PR! Dean PR has been a damn nightmare, he has been spending why too much time on CNN and Fow than on real shows like Letterman and the Daily Show! That is why we lost this state, our PR is stupid!

[Blitz]

23. You think that more appearances with Jon Stewart

would have made up a 19 point gap?

This isn't Trippi's fault and it isn't Fox's fault and it isn't the Iowa voters' fault. This is Dean's fault. He yelled at an Iowa voter. Do you think that helped? He lashed out at the press on the day of the caucuses, so that people went to caucus having just seen that on the evening news. He made dozens of other mistakes that turned people off to him. And now, after having gotten the clearest possible message from the voters that they didn't appreciate how he has been acting, he throws it in their face and turns it up a few notches.

I think that Dean is done. I just wonder what his supporters will do.

[Melodybe]

24. This is our last chance! we have one week of PR before NH

we have to ignore CNN and Fox and talk to the people that get 35 million voters every single night. Man I could scream! Everyone talks about our great organization but there is a real disconnect between the leaves and the roots.

[tritsofme]

28. Dean is his own PR nightmare,

for Chissakes, did you see him tonight at his quasi concession speech?

I thought he was going to blow a gasket, definitely not positive.

[Philosophy]

25. At least now all the right-wing radio talk shows

will have to focus on someone else for awhile. They spent so much time focusing on everything they hated about Dean and totally ignoring everyone else that they're probably going to run out of material.

[Tinoire]

26. It's only the first shot of the race- NOTHING for anyone to get

discouraged about.

Just pretend you're at the Preakness!

[srpantalonas]

29. They know their mistakes--he'll bounce back.

Look, the establishment totally went after Dean and tore him down. He could have done a much better job in standing up to it, but thebottom line is that now expectations are lower, which improves his position. Kerry MUST win NH to survive. Dean doesn't have to because he can make it through Super Tuesday. This is oging to be a long fight-I think theloss will kick the campaign core in the ass and they will adjust.

[DoveTurnedHawk]

30. Come On, There Is No Way This Is Good for Dean

Not in any permutation whatsoever.

DTH

[srpantalonas]

31. sure it is--it validates the argument that he peaked too soon

and gives him some cover. Kerry and Clark are the frontrunner targets now. Dean lost big. If he comes in a close second people will view him as tenacious, resilient, and on the way to a comeback.

[DoveTurnedHawk]

32. Oooh-kay

I suppose we'll have to agree to disagree.

DTH

[srpantalonas]

33. Dean warchest & platform vs. Clark's...

I just don't see how the johnny-come-lately is going to make it through Super Tuesday as anything other than a novelty.

[DoveTurnedHawk]

34. Oooh-kay

I suppose we'll have to agree to disagree.

DTH

[jcgadfly]

35. Agree

Remember when all the Kerry people were saying, "This is a marathon, not a sprint."?

They're the ones saying, "Dean is toast now. He has no chance."

Remember your words, Kerry people.