"If South Carolina and Oklahoma and other states that looked like they were slanting toward Kerry five days ago get reversed, I think part of it is that we're not quite ready to coronate King Kerry," Copeland said. "Even if he would prove to be a good nominee in the long run, there are people who want to have him vetted a little longer. There are people who want to slow down, to have the campaign play out a tad longer."
That's exactly what Kerry doesn't want, of course, and it's exactly what Howard Dean needs. Although only about 10 percent of the delegates have now been selected, the fact remains that Dean is 0-9 in the first nine contests in the race. For Dean to have any hope of getting back into contention, he's needs time -- time an Edwards or Clark can provide by denying Kerry a lock on the lead. Dean was in Tacoma, Wash., Tuesday, campaigning before the Washington caucuses. He told supporters Tuesday would be a "tough night," but he said -- calmly, this time -- that he was "going to keep going and going and going and going and going, just like the Energizer Bunny."
Rep. Dennis Kucinich and the Rev. Al Sharpton also vowed to continue their campaigns Tuesday, despite the fact that neither broke into double digits anywhere. Kucinich drew more than two percent only in New Mexico and North Dakota; he couldn't even crack one percent in South Carolina or Oklahoma. Sharpton picked up just under 10 percent of the vote in South Carolina, where he made himself a fixture in black churches over the last several weeks, but he didn't do nearly as well anywhere else.More......Salon Day Pass.....if you don't have subscription.....
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2004/02/04/southcarolina/index1.htm