There has been much discussion on the blog the last couple of days about Dean's stepped up attacks on Clark. In particular the media has focused on the Dean campaign distributing flyers at NH events that claim Clark is not enough of a Democrat and did not oppose the Iraq war.
The problem is NOT that Dean was somehow unethical in the manner in which the flyers were distributed (which was distinctly impolite for trying to rain on Clark's parade) nor is it that the flyers distort Clark's record on the war (althought they do distort Clark's record). A certain nastiness and willingness to not play fair is a good thing in a campaign--ask James Carville--particularly for a Democrat.
The problem is...
The problem is that Dean's attacks on Clark are attacks from the left--Clark is not Democratic enough and not antiwar enough. I would feel better about Dean if he were to find ways to attack Clark from the center (how about coming out for serious tort reform and accusing Clark of being in the pocket of trial attorneys?)because in so doing he would better position himself for a run against Bush in the fall. Dean's poll numbers are solid and he needs to start taking his left for granted and trying to expand beyond that base. The fact that he doesn't feel he can take that base for granted yet or that he cannot compete for the centrists shows his weakness not just in the primaries but, more importantly, in the general election as well. While Dean moves to the left, Bush is moving to the center first with medicare reform and now with immigration. Dean's strategy for winning the primaries is going to kill him in the general election if he is nominated.