That statement from the article is less than true, of course. But
Susan Estrich's article makes a case for Dean amid the Confederate flag flap and points out the importance of his foregoing matching funds:
Dean's inclination to opt out of federal financing adds to Republicans' problems and underscores his forward-looking approach. By foregoing federal matching dollars -- giving up about $19 million in federal funds -- Dean gets to spend as much as he wants between now and the national convention. He doesn't need to do that to beat his rivals. But the real ballgame begins the day the nomination is over, and you're raising and spending money against George W. Bush. That's when you want to be free of the limits. That's when you sit there, chomping at the bit to get started, stuck at the expenditure limit, looking for loopholes, with lots of new people who would be happy to give, needing to hire people, wanting to take aim at Bush and start the general election, and hamstrung by the limits.
It's possible that the field could muddle along through March and April. But don't bet on it. If Dean can pull an upset in Iowa, he could wrap the nomination up in Michigan and leave everyone else going into debt, a place politicians hate to be. Then watch out, George Bush.
FWIW, isn't Estrich often the Dem representative for Fox News?