While Deanites go through their grief work, I'll take the liberty of spamming the item I posted on WesleyClarkWeblog, as a starting point for discussion among (mainly, I hope) Clark supporters here:
A new day, a new race, and a new
round of polls. Clark leads in one AZ poll, is a strong 2nd in another, and continues to lead in OK. In SC he is 2nd after Edwards, or competitive for 2nd. No polls yet for NM, but since Clark is strong in AZ he is probably strong there as well. I've seen rumors that ND might also work out for Clark.
Kerry is unlikely to get much additional bounce out of NH, partly because his Iowa bounce was so huge, and partly he was up primarily against an already-sinking Dean. Dean is done, but the news coverage hasn't been as fascinated by a sinking ship since the Titanic. The foundering of Dean's wreckage over the next few days may actually work indirectly to Clark's benefit, taking up air time that would otherwise go to Kerry.
Sure, Kerry is soaring high right now, but it is all bounce - meaning that there is not much but air under him. Moreover, the race is heading south and west now, away from Kerry's home ground - and into states that were always the key to Clark's game plan. Clark is the underdog, but an underdog with teeth, and a good shot at three states on Feb 3, possibly even four.
Figuring that Edwards takes SC as his consolation prize, that could leave Kerry with nothing to show on Feb 3 but MO and DE. That wouldn't be much to show for the new prohibitive frontrunner, would it? In that scenario, Kerry could deflate as fast as he ballooned up. Granted that Clark taking four states is a best-case scenario, it is hardly wishful thinking. Two states, OK and AZ, are certainly in reach, with a shot at three and a possibility of four.
The fat lady hasn't even left her dressing room.
I want to say a word or two, though, about the silly Kerry-bashing going on around here. If I wanted to hear shrieks of outrage, I could go hang with all the Dean supporters on Daily Kos. Kerry is not a bad guy, nor a bad candidate - Clark is simply a better one, the guy who can really put the icy fear into Karl Rove. That is the message we should be carrying.
Why settle for anything but the best?
-- Rick Robinson