I think Lieberman "gets it" right now and he is the one best positioned to make the "anti-Dean" argument for the part of the party that was and is pro-war. Dean made his campaign surge out of demonizing DLC, Centrists, moderates, establishment and other Democrats in the party and Lieberman is attemting to make his rise out of demonizing unelectable, angry, liberal, pro-dean, "soft of national security and terrorism" Democrats in the party. His recent upticks in the national polls suggests he is having some success.
From the AP:
NEWARK, Del. - Presidential hopeful Joe Lieberman (news - web sites) warned Friday against replacing "one divisive leader with another divisive leader," a swipe at both President Bush (news - web sites) and the front-runner for the Democratic Party's nomination, Howard Dean (news - web sites).
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=536&ncid=536&e=1&u=/ap/20031219/ap_o
n_el_pr/democrats_2004