I am going to propose that:
A) Rove is telling the truth when he says he wants to run against Dean
B) We should nominate Dean anyway
Here's the logic:
Tyrants and authoritarians can be stopped at two critical junctures. One is before their movement gains steam. The other is when they make a prideful move, based on the premise that no one can stop them.
AND HERE COMES THE STAR WARS METAPHOR
The Emperor is not stopped when he is still Chancellor, scheming his way to the top by orchestrating a galactic civil war.
He is stopped when, after scheming the Rebel Alliance into a potential trap on the moon of Endor and luring them to the Death Star II with false information, the Ewoks provide sufficient diversion to allow the Rebel Strike Team to dismantle the shield generator. He is so busy thinking about how to set up the opposition, and so busy luring the Young Jedi Skywalker to the Death Star ... that he fails to see the role that little annoying fuzzies can play in intergalactic politics (as well as the breaking point of his loyal henchman, Vader).
Rove thinks Dean is easily tarred with a broad brush, and in the politics of 1968-2004, heavily drawing upon TV, that is true.
But he underestimates the power of little fuzzies when given the chance (and a blog to organize themselves upon). Their low budget and low tech tricks will charm the people, and lull the enemy. Their homemade gadgets will stand strong against the slick production value of the Empire, and allow Dean enough breathing space to dismantle the Teflon around W and expose the half-baked Death Star II nature of his policies.
Then his Veep (in the Millenium Falcon) will blow the core out of that baby.
AND Rove underestimates the extent to which Reagan Democrats and Libertarians can be pushed. If they see the domestic policies of Bush as harmful to the next generation's liberty and financial security ... they'll throw him into the reactor core themselves.
And then (sniffle sniffle) they can finally look upon Generation X and Y Progressives with their own eyes, having stripped away their hatreds and fears ... before expiring completely and becoming one with the Force.
Okay, maybe the metaphor is strangling this argument now.