Here is a passage from
Stephan Crane's The Red Badge of Courage that perfectly relates how so many anti-Dean supporters feel about confronting Rove and the Republican smear machine in the upcoming general election.
Poor young Jim Conklin battling his own guilty cowardice in the midst of a mere waiting exercise:
He thought that he must break from the ranks and harangue his comrades. They must not all be killed like pigs; and he was sure it would come to pass unless they were informed of these dangers. The generals were idiots to send them marching into a regular pen. There was but one pair of eyes in the corps. He would step forth and make a speech. Shrill and passionate words came to his lips.
The line, broken into moving fragments by the ground, went calmly on through fields and woods. The youth looked at the men nearest him, and saw, for the most part, expressions of deep interest, as if they were investigating something that had fascinated them. One or two stepped with overvaliant airs as if they were already plunged into war. Others walked as upon thin ice. The greater part of the untested men appeared quiet and absorbed. They were going to look at war, the red animal--war, the blood-swollen god. And they were deeply engrossed in this march.
As he looked the youth gripped his outcry at his throat. He saw that even if the men were tottering with fear they would laugh at his warning. They would jeer him, and, if practicable, pelt him with missiles. Admitting that he might be wrong, a frenzied declamation of the kind would turn him into a worm.
He assumed, then, the demeanor of one who knows that he is doomed alone to unwritten responsibilities. He lagged, with tragic glances at the sky.
He was surprised presently by the young lieutenant of his company, who began heartily to beat him with a sword, calling out in a loud and insolent voice: "Come, young man, get up into ranks there. No skulking 'll do here." He mended his pace with suitable haste. And he hated the lieutenant, who had no appreciation of fine minds. He was a mere brute.
Shortly thereafter Jim Conklin discovers he was deathly afraid of a waiting exercise. Those who are shrilly decrying the slaughter Howard Dean and his supporters are leading us into are very reminiscent of poor Jim Conklin confronting his own fears of the red enemy.
Have a look at SlackerInc's comments and tell me they are not reminiscent.
I'm also expecting Dean supporters (if they don't slink away and disappear) to make excuses, the way Nader voters do. This time, of course, the excuses will be different (you can't blame the Democrat for running a bad campaign if you're the Democrat). If Nader runs, that will sure be part of it. But even if he does not, Deaniacs are likely to say "it just wasn't our year; any Democrat would have lost to Bush, probably worse."
SlackerInc is practically licking his wounds over a Dean loss in November. Preemptively blaming his dimwitted comrades. He hates Dean and his supporters who have no appreciation for his fine mind. They are mere brutes. They are going to get slaughtered like pigs. He must harangue his comrades and inform them away from this suicidal mission. Shrill and passionate words.