History has something to teach us about what it means for DEM CANDIDATE HOWARD DEAN to place first, second, or third in Iowa and New Hampshire, so let us consider Democrats of recent years:
- --McGovern is DEM pick after coming second in Iowa and NH, loses to Nixon
- --IOWA: Muskie 35.5%, McGovern 22.6%
- --NEW HAMP: Muskie 46.4%, McGovern 37.1%
- --DEMOCRATIC PARTY PICK: McGovern
- --PRESIDENT: Nixon
- --Carter loses to Uncommitted in Iowa, barely wins in NH, then beats Ford
- --IOWA: Uncommitted 37.2%, Carter 27.6%
- --NEW HAMP: Carter 28.4%, Udall 22.7%, Bayh 15.2%
- --DEMOCRATIC PARTY PICK: Carter
- --PRESIDENT: Carter
- --Carter wallops Kennedy but not enough to win presidency
- --IOWA: Carter 59.1%, Kennedy 31.2%
- --NEW HAMP: Carter 47.1%, Kennedy 37.3%
- --DEMOCRATIC PARTY PICK: Carter
- --PRESIDENT: REAGAN
- --Hart squeaks out NH, but Mondale takes Iowa then loses to Reagan
- --IOWA: Mondale 48.9%, Hart 16.5%, McGovern 10.3%
- --NEW HAMP: Hart 37.3%, Mondale 27.9%, Glenn 12%
- --DEMOCRATIC PARTY PICK: Mondale
- --PRESIDENT: Reagan
- --Gephardt's last big win; then Dukakis edges NH but not Bush
- --IOWA: Gephardt 31.3%, Simon 26.7%, Dukakis 22.2%
- --NEW HAMP: Dukakis 36.4%, Gephardt 20.3%, Simon 17.4%
- --DEMOCRATIC PARTY PICK: Dukakis
- --PRESIDENT: Bush
- --Comeback Kid Clinton places fourth, then second, then beats Bush
- --IOWA: Harkin 76.4%, Uncom. 11.9%, Tsongas 4.1%, Clinton 2.8%
- --NEW HAMP: Tsongas 33.2%, Clinton 24.8%, Kerry 11.1%
- --DEMOCRATIC PICK: Clinton
- --PRESIDENT: Clinton
- --Clinton sails through primaries!
- --IOWA: Clinton
- --NEW HAMP: Clinton 84.4%, Paulsen 1.1%, Other 14.5%
- --DEMOCRATIC PICK: Clinton
- --PRESIDENT: Clinton
- --The year to remember when Gore trounces Bradley, then beats Bush, but is finally denied the Presidency
- --IOWA: Gore 64.44%, Bradley 34.92%, Uncommitted 1.6%
- --NEW HAMP: Gore 50.4%, Bradley 46.3%
- --DEMOCRATIC PICK: Gore
- --PRESIDENT: Disputed
- --Dean places third in Iowa, must fight in NH, but still ranks top in National Polls
- --IOWA: Kerry 38%, Edwards 32%, Dean 18%
- --NEW HAMP: ???
- --DEMOCRATIC PICK: ???
- --PRESIDENT: ???
CONCLUSION: We've only just begun. Dean is on his way. His is a voice of undeniable hope and vindication for us; a message of regaining national sanity and establishing direct democracy; a campaign of reason over symbolism, of reality over media illusions; and most importantly an organization of you and me, of eager hearts and souls for America, something I've never seen in my lifetime. Don't let the media or the cynics take away what is ours. Let's keep speaking out, standing up, and being heard. Because that is the only way Dean would have it.