Dean Looks Past S.Carolina to Delegate - Rich States

[papau]

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/politics/politics-campaign-dean.html

Dean Looks Past S.Carolina to Delegate - Rich States
By REUTERS


Filed at 12:29 p.m. ET
COLUMBIA, S.C. (Reuters) - Democrat Howard Dean made perfunctory campaign stops in South Carolina on Friday, all but dismissing the importance of the state's primary contest next week to his foundering presidential bid.

The former Vermont governor, the fallen front-runner who had hoped to go South and West with an aura of inevitability after big wins in Iowa and New Hampshire, is instead struggling to keep his White House campaign afloat, politically and financially.

<snip>"You have to look at the race now from New Hampshire through March 2," said Dean senior adviser Gina Glantz. "That's when most delegates will be selected."

<snip>For Dean's reeling campaign, those choices include visits in the next few days to Michigan and Washington State, which hold their contests on Feb. 7, and Wisconsin, which votes on Feb. 17..Dean is looking down the road past Tuesday's contests in South Carolina, New Mexico, Delaware, Arizona, Missouri, Oklahoma and North Dakota for a lifeline.

<snip> "This race is about the next seven weeks, not the next seven states," Dean spokeswoman Tricia Enright said.

<snip>

[D G]

1. Oh dear... isn't this "ignoring the south"?

I thought that was anathema to a good Democratic candidate.

[LuminousX]

3. It is, but sometimes you have to make hard decisions

Just like why Clark didn't run in Iowa.

[D G]

5. Yeah, I'm still waiting to hear how skipping Iowa hurt Clark

Looking at the polls, I doubt it.

[newyawker99]

10. Hi D G!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[boxster]

2. What happened to the "50-state strategy" many Dean supporters

kept beating us over the head with?

Over and over, the response to many a Dean question was "he's the only one with a 50-state strategy."

[LuminousX]

4. He had to adapt his campaign to the new realities

He still has a 50-state strategy, a lot of the groundwork has already been laid and thanks to his broad grassroots support, even in states where he can't open an office now, he will still be represented by volunteers.

[boxster]

7. I disagree. I think the "50-state strategy" never existed.

You don't spend $40 million on two states if you have a 50-state strategy.

I think that the people who bought into this obvious falsity perpetuated by the Dean campaign were duped. His campaign was just like everyone else's - focus on Iowa (except for Clark/Lieberman, of course) and NH and hope that provides momentum for elsewhere.

[cthrumatrix]

6. he is.....he has people working in all states... go Dean

[markus]

8. "Foundering" Where do they get journalists and headwritesr these days?

foun·der1 ( P ) Pronunciation Key (foundr)
v. foun·dered, foun·der·ing, foun·ders
v. intr.
To sink below the surface of the water: The ship struck a reef and foundered.
To cave in; sink: The platform swayed and then foundered.
To fail utterly; collapse: a marriage that soon foundered.
To stumble, especially to stumble and go lame. Used of horses.

If you're down to the fourth definition, you have probably selected the wrong word.

If you want to get lost in nautical analogy land, I would agree that Dean is in among the rocks, but he has hardly foundered.

[D G]

9. Kick for "ignoring the south"

If anyone wants to use that against Kerry, please read this.