I posted these ideas in someone else's diary entry that was nearing the end of its run earlier, and they seemed to get a good response, so I have repackaged them as my first diary entry (complete with poll!)
I think Dean should stop the central promotion of his campaign as a movement. Middle America hears this from the canvasser on the front porch and thinks that person has come unmoored.
Likewise I don't think this new campaign finance proposal is too helpful either. Campaign finance is important, but as an issue its 2 or 3 degrees of separation from what people actually care about.
I think Dean should direct his passion into conveying what has been the central driving force of his career: children. He has the best record in the campaign for children, and he should run on it.
Providing health care for children. Reducing child abuse. Getting our country's finances in order so that our children inherit a prosperous country. Not sending our children to useless wars.
Because right now Dean needs to get back the parents. They want to be able to entrust the country and their children's future to Dean. Parent voters care about one thing more than anything else, their children.
And the Dean campaign needs to convince their young canvassers to wear decent clothes (a sport coat and tie is best) and groom themselves before knocking on doors. What happened in Iowa is that a lot of scroungy looking kids were on the front porches talking about 'the corporate media' and 'starting a movement' when they should have had the self-possession to dress nicely and talk about making the country respond to the needs of children.