Democrats Chase Dean in 2004 Stretch Run

[Cheswick2.0]

And in case anyone tries to paint this as a conservative source, my opinion is...........

Dean is going to be very difficult to beat in both the primaries and the general election because he has the right combination of guts, organization and ideas. Yes, even conservatives are impressed with how he has come so far.


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=584&e=2&u=/nm/20040101/pl_nm/campaign_dc


By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - After more than a year of campaigning, fund raising and debating, the Democrats vying for the right to challenge President Bush (news - web sites) in 2004 enter the race's climactic stretch in frantic and increasingly heated pursuit of front-runner Howard Dean (news - web sites).

<snip>

"In the race against George Bush, our party cannot afford a nominee who makes reckless, inaccurate statements," U.S. Rep. Richard Gephardt of Missouri said this week, hammering Dean for what he said was a series of "embarrassing gaffes."


The charges by Gephardt, locked in a must-win battle with Dean in Iowa, have been echoed by Sens. John Kerry (news - web sites) of Massachusetts and Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut as they try to capitalize on lingering doubts about Dean's ability to unite the party in November and expand his appeal beyond his fervent grass-roots support.


Those three, along with Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina and retired Gen. Wesley Clark (news - web sites), are looking for breakthrough showings in either Iowa, the Jan. 27 New Hampshire primary or nominating contests in seven states in the South and West on Feb. 3.


"It's getting to be pretty hard to see how you stop Howard Dean," said pollster John Zogby, who said the attacks so far were not having the desired effect. "His supporters seem to rally around him the more he's in crisis."


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[Kolesar]

1. I hated those Winnie the Pooh cartoons

sorry to sidetrack your discussion.

[Democrats unite]

2. agreed!

eom

[Cheswick2.0]

7. thanks for kicking the thread

!

[janx]

10. That cartoon perfectly depicts some of the doom-and-gloomers

who are on DU sometimes.

I think that's why Cheswick originally posted it.

[Cheswick2.0]

12. I got rid of the catoon for a Dean quote

Next week I will have something else.... maybe another Cartoon.

But yes you are right, I was sick of reading about how we can't beat the republicans unless we agree with them.

[jpgpenn]

3. "stretch run"?

not 1 vote has been cast yet.

[Democrats unite]

4. Please don't take the bait.

You will feel better later.

[Cheswick2.0]

9. what bait?

You mean having one or two positive threads about Dean on the board seems like bait to you?

[Capn Sunshine]

5. I guess you didn't get the memo

the DNC front loaded all the primaries to minimize demo bashing demo and establish a clear front runner early.

Of course the press then has to move the cycle out 12 months because they think the dem eating dem stuff is the best part of the electoral process.:nuke:

[Kolesar]

6. I am sure that by the time I vote in March, it will be "over"

Dick Gephardt has an outside chance of slowing Dean if Gep takes the lead in Iowa. Then it will be a race. However, I just don't see how Dick can do it. Furthermore, I hope Dick doesn't. Dick does not have the charisma or the fight in him. I find that really hard to say because Dick has a great record fighting against (un)free trade.

[Cheswick2.0]

8. hey argue with them not me

It's just words. Other than the words "stretch run", what do you think of anyone's chances of beating Dean?

[GOPBasher]

11. My opinion on the primaries

I think the only way Dean will be defeated is if it becomes a 2-man race between Dean and someone else. In other words, if most of the supporters of the other candidates rally behind one candidate, it will become a race between Dean and the "Anyone But Dean" crowd. That would be the only way to beat Dean at this point. He has all the momentum. I'm personally supporting Clark in the primaries, so I'd like to see him become the "anyone but Dean" candidate.