John Kerry came in 2nd in the Republican primary as a write in. Dean came in 3rd. The exciting news overall is that the Democratic candidates as a whole took 7.2% of the Republican vote as write-ins. This is very BAAAD news for GW Bush. The extremely high turnout in the Democratic primary is BAAAAD news for GW Bush. They expected 180,000 and got 213,000.
My personal feeling is that this is going to be a very BAAAAD year for George Bush with more BAAAAAD news in the papers every day, from the 9/11 hearings, to the mess in Iraq, to small job gains, and on and on. Any one of the Democratic candidates will beat George Bush.
What blows me away here is the sense of doom hovering over the heads of all the Deaniacs here at DK who think he's the only one who can rid us of the menace. This whole thing, once again, is about solidifying the base and seizing the center. You (We) are the base. While any of the above can seize the center when the opposition is a radical right winger, Dean is the candidate likely to beat Bush by the smallest margin.
You don't like Kerry, I don't like Kerry, but he is probably the strongest bet in November and, in fact, he is the only one leading Bush in the latest Newsweek poll. SO, enough with the histrionics and let's get on with the job of ridding the world of Bush and Cheney. Let's stick together in this.
You like Howard Dean, I like Howard Dean, though given a progressive alternative, I've occasionally voted against Howard Dean. He's a nice enough guy, lives about a mile away at the other end of Ward 5 in the South End of Burlington. I've flown on the same plane with him several times, chatted with him on the street. One of my best friends prides himself on being the appointment (legislative seat replacement) that Howard Dean most regretted. Our kids go to school together, but I've got enough sense (he doesn't) to not let my kid play hockey. Judy Dean is a customer of mine. It would be way cool to have a President from Burlington. But if it ain't gonna happen, so be it. HE ISN'T THE MESSIAH!!! He opposes single payer health care. He favored business interests over the environment god know how many times. HE'S A MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, CENTRIST, DLC DEMOCRAT, WHO GOT ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF ONE ISSUE BEFORE ANYONE ELSE DID. That doesn't make him God.
Get over him. We're in this together.
