Reply #4: Because he's demonstrated an openness to changing his mind [View All]

[deutsey]

when a convincing case can be made.

The IWR issue is a case in point: Dean's position as far back as at least September 2002 was that the Bush junta (my phrase) had not made a convincing argument that Hussein posed an immediate threat to us or the world. He felt such a case had to made in order to rally the world to our support, or, if the world community refused, we would at least have a legitimate reason for invasion. He would have supported an invasion if that had happened (I knew many anti-war activists who felt likewise).

And regarding Dean's siding with Clinton's policies and even being to the right of them: Bobby Kennedy worked with Joe McCarthy at one point but by 1968 he was seen by many as the liberal hope of the Democratic party (PS: I do not believe Dean is the next RFK, by the way).

People can and often do change.