Will Saletan has a thoughtful piece on what Dean is doing (hes having fun at the expense of the Democratic Party) and why he had better stop. There are some good links along the way. Scott Lehigh in the Boston Globe considers the same problem: "Troubling as Deans regular stumbles are, whats even more disconcerting is the battle the former Vermont governor seems to want to wage with a winning Democratic philosophy." The winning philosophy is and has been represented by the Democratic Leadership Council and Clintons attempt to govern from the middle. There will be a cost to disowning whats left of the moderates within the Democrats. Maybe David E. Johnson goes to far in suggesting that a Dean candidacy will help nail down the illusive permanent GOP majority, but, again, maybe not. Robert Samuelson writes that the so-called Bush hatred that underlies much of Deans support is dangerous for many reasons, but, perhaps most of all because it reveals something about his opponents:
"His fiercest detractors dont loathe him merely because they think hes mediocre, hypocritical and simplistic. What they truly resent is that his popularity suggests that the country might be more like him than it is like them. They fear hes exiling them politically. On one level, their embrace of hatred aims to make others share their outrage; but on another level, its a self-indulgent declaration of moral superiority -- something that makes them feel better about themselves." In the meantime, Dean has "hosted" 1,300 "house parties" all around the country. But Bill Safire thinks that Dean will lose Iowa to Gephardt. Wouldnt that be fun! Im not predicting that yet, but it is by no means out of the question. Take a look at Safires other predictions, kind of fun.
I love seeing the numerous Dean posts day after day. True proof as to just how scared you guys are getting! If he was really as insignificant as you all claim, you wouldnt mention him at all!