It may seem to be a greater risk now to nominate Dean, who lacks national security experience.  There is certainly risk involved in nominating Dean.

However, I see a far greater risk in ignoring the grassroots groundswell that already supports Dean.  If he does a better job of exciting our base and brings in more new and/or disaffected voters than Clark, then I believe we risk far more by ignoring that appeal.  Clark now has at his helm the same people who ran Gore's dreadful campaign.  I think there's terrible risk in trusting that team.

Also, while national security issues are more important today to more people than they have been in years, current polls continue to show that, for a clear plurality, concerns over the economy and jobs are paramount.  Dean is a proven fiscal conservative with an excellent record in Vermont.  Clark, though he taught economics, has zero governing experience to show us how he would handle the economy.  If he's the nominee, he'll be hit endlessly by claims that he knows nothing about governing or handling the economy.