I admit to wondering if the "suspended" Dean campaign could be reactivated. There are sentimental reasons to think he might do better the second time around:
Enconiums from the other candidates and from numerous liberal and moderate columnists would make future attacks difficult
Representatives of the mainstream media have openly stated that they had been unfair to him (and you know how rare such apologies are)
DFA will have time to more thoroughly promote its issues rather than its process
and even a few structural reasons to believe that good things might happen:
No one is expending effort or money in 2/24 primaries
Edwards isn't on the 3/2 Vermont ballot
Dean is on ballots through early May
So here's a possible sequence of events. Remember, this is being written with tongue firmly in cheek.
Feb 22: Edwards- Dean meeting in New York ends inconclusively
Feb 22: Truth and Hope ads (Dean's 527/ PAC) go on the air in Idaho and Utah
Feb 24: Dean wins delegates in all three states, coming close to a win in Utah's primary
Feb 24: Kerry questioned about finishing 3rd in Utah behind Dean, says "sh** happens" on air
Feb 26: Edwards asks supporters to vote for Dean in Vermont to deny Kerry a win
Mar 2: Kerry wins MA, RI, MD, CT, MN narrowly, CA narrowly; Edwards wins GA, OH, NY and wins more overall delegates
Dean wins VT, reaches 15% in MA, RI, MN, congressional districts elsewhere (SF Bay area, LA, Atlanta, Baltimore)
Mar 9: Edwards sweeps the Southern states. Dean wins delegates in South Florida, New Orleans, Austin/ SA/ South Texas
Mar 12: Edwards reported within $1 million of federal spending limit. Kerry donations dry up after Southern losses
Mar 16: Edwards wins IL, in very low turnout. Dean cracks 15% again
Mar 17: FEC rules 527s limited as per Weintraub ruling
Mar 20: Bush making dramatic gains in polls against Kerry/ Edwards as ads dry up due to campaign hiatus, limited funds
Apr 1: In move initially believed to be April Fool's joke, Dean announces comeback
Apr 2: Dean travels to PR for caucuses
Apr 4: Dean wins PR due to absence of opposition
Apr 6: Dean hits third double Time/ Newsweek cover of campaign. Both use same joke in title- "Howard Dean, Reloaded"
Then the real fun starts...