Three things to look at in understanding what went right and what went wrong.
1) Trippi helped coax into existence a new thing - a thing that was gestating before him, a thing that was created by the action and effort of a large and diverse crowd...
Trippi was an important midwife.
But just because one is a good midwife does not mean that one can be a good parent.
To put it another way, I think Trippi helped build a machine that he did not know how to run, manage, or maintain.
2) Energy always needs a focus.
The Kerry and Edwards campaigns show focus, but not energy.
The Dean campaign shows energy, but no focus.
3) Dirty tricks, slimeball garbage, and cheating are the norm.
Dean seems to (and I do mean SEEMS to) have been really hammered by dirty tricks.
Club for Growth ad, Kerry push polling, stabs in the back from Edwards and Kucinich, really nasty ads from Gephardt and that 527, and apparently some even lower and slimier tactics that MAY have originated from Kerry.
Lots of supposition, some facts and evidence, but nothing concrete yet.
Dean should have been expecting this - he should have, in fact, prepared SPECIFICALLY for it - you can't go around truth-telling, mouthing off to the "establishment" calling spineless Dems a "bunch of cockroaches" and calling other Dems "The Republican Wing of the Democratic Party" without expecting some serious retaliatory nastiness.
I happen to agree with about 90% of the charges leveled by Dean at the DNC/DLC spineless pink tutu jellyfish we call "Democrats" .... but I find it hard to believe that he did not expect or prepare for the blast of nastiness he got in return...
So, where do we stand?
Dean is still viable - wounded and bleeding, to be sure, but viable nonetheless.
Trippi is out, and is now doing nice things in interviews....maybe a good thing...but I think it is clear that he could not control or direct the machine he helped build.
And the other Democrats are dirty dirty dirty...surprise.
Fight back - effectively.