I'm surprised to find myself fairly sanguine about the Iowa results, especially after reading some of the reports from the ground. I feel good, and there are several reasons why, starting with "whatever makes us stronger makes it more likely that Bushco will get kicked out of DC":
- No matter what happens in this nomination fight, Dean's campaign has had a significant impact. Kerry, Edwards, Gephardt, Clark -- all have taken parts of Dean's successful message and incorporated them into their appeals. Edwards is talking more to his supporters about their power in the process; Kerry is talking about "taking the soul of our country back." Good for them. These are important messages and will help whoever is the nominee.
- Kerry has had to sharpen his message and get much tougher against the administration. Again, good! Once upon a time, that's how I thought his campaign would start and now, when I hear him use his considerable knowledge to rhetorically kick GWB's ass, I think, "It's about damn time!"
- Dean apparently (I didn't see the ads) went really negative in Iowa near the end and I just don't support that. I support him and the campaign, but I don't mind if they learn a lesson there. Yes, I'm infuriated at the unfairly weighted beating Dean took in the media, but I still think we shouldn't eat our own.
- I've always felt uncomfortable about General Clark and Kerry's win means that he will face a tough fight in NH which, if nothing else, will force him to face some scrutiny.
I continue to be a standard bearer for Dean and for this campaign. I support the man who has had the conviction, from the
beginning, to stand up to George Bush. I support the man who realized early
on what so many of us did -- that this President would be partisan and
ruthless about it. I support the man who recognized that No Child Left
Behind, the Iraq War, and the Patriot Act were not ever meant to be
cooperative bipartisan measures, but parts of a larger, specific agenda. I
support the man who reached out to people and showed them how to get
involved in the process. I support Howard Dean.
But Iowa showed me that I want George Bush gone and that I will work like crazy for the nominee, whoever it may be.