Listen. If Dean can't even win over Democrat/Independent voters...

[KFC]

How can you reasonably expect he would win the general election?

That is why we have primaries - to weed the weak candidates out.

And Dean has been weeded.

Kerry is our man.

[ibegurpard]

1. Dean hasn't been weeded.

When Dean says he's out and his supporters decide to move on, then he will have been weeded.

[Tweed]

3. Many of his supporters have....

Maybe you don't look at polls? Hell, even primary results, Dean has already been weakened a great deal.

[bowens43]

7. You base your beliefs on polls?

If so then Kerry was weeded out before Iowa and New Hampshire.....

[pacifictiger]

10. and you believe

infotainment polls? Look at iowa.
I think iowa said more about how easily people can be influenced by a caucus style face-to-face "lets-go-where-most-of-the-other-people-are" vote rather than secret ballot, than it does anything else.

[arewethereyet]

38. he's weeded, the people have spoken

he may coninue to enrich the media with his, actually your, last few million but he's very obviously weeded.

[quinnox]

2. True, and it is ironic that Trippi said this same thing...

That if they can't beat Dean, how can they beat Bush? Well, it seems Kerry is doing well so far on that score.

[krkaufman]

4. Logic is flawed

What it takes to win the Democratic Primary will not be the same as the General Election.

Totally different races.

[vi5]

5. Don't expect an answer on this one....I've asked already...

Several times. In as innocuous a manner as possible. I received the following responses more or less:

"The Iowa and NH primaries had more liberals voting"
"The Iowa and NH primaries didn't have enough liberals voting"
"It was Kerry's dirty tricks" (As though Bush won't use dirty tricks)
"He didn't spend enough money and/or time there"
"He spent too much money and/or time there"
"It was the media and their hatred of Dean" (Which I'm guessing are going to suddenly be PRO Dean if he wins the nomination?)

None of these point to how he would possibly overcome these in November against an even more ruthless opponent and with republicans, independents and swing voters as well as these very same democratic primary voters.

I'm not saying Dean is out. That would be stupid on my part. But I honestly have yet to see a realistic and well articulated answer to the basic question you asked.

[bowens43]

6. here's a news flash for you.

no one has won over the Democrat/Independent voters yet. The game isn't over and the only one weeded out is gephardt.

[ibegurpard]

9. "The game isn't over and the only one weeded out is gephardt."

There you have it.

[EXE619K]

8. Some hate Dean more than Bush....

For you "gentle" folks out there...

Dean(I) would make certain that Kerry is "your man".

[Auntie Bush]

28. Some hate Dean more than Bush.... NO we don't!!!

[Capn Sunshine]

11. Kerry was at 7% in the polls eight weeks ago

That apparently wasn't a "weeding" either.

[pacifictiger]

17. Remember

infotainment has 6 more months to sway the winds of opinion. It ain't over til the gavel comes down at the convention. Let the best candidate for the job win then, but not a moment before. To do so would be flauting democratic principles.
Besides, to give Bush 6 more months to bash any single candidate would be the ideal for Rove and company, and they are probably "praying" for an early selection. Keep the eye on the ball though - Bush is the target!! I say there is strength in numbers for us - keep their strategy jumping around as long as possible by forcing them in as many directions as possible. No one man can win in November against those devious creeps without the help of all the others.

[seaglass]

26. That would be before anyone voted. n/t

[Shanty Oilish]

31. And he could sink back to 7%

If anyone manages to lay a glove on him. (But he seems to be running against amateurs so far. Er, 'non-insiders.')

[frustrated_lefty]

12. No.

First off, Dean isn't out.

Second, this is another bs get behind the nominee post. There have been TWO Kerry supporters who have made an effort to get me to look at their man. I'm doing that and will continue to do that, but posts like yours make me think the lot of you are spoiled, snotty little kids who think it's their "turn" and so everyone should just shut up.

The nominee is NOT chosen.

And, I'll look at your guy, but you would serve your purpose a LOT better if you actually talked about what he's done.

[lastknowngood]

13. He actually believes in what he is saying

he didn't steal his talking points from other candidates. Truth will set us free, lame half-assed denouncing of things you vote for won't cut it.

[jsw_81]

14. Nonsense!

Dean will win a landslide! The people are flocking to his side because we want our country back, man! </sarcasm>

[Eloriel]

41. Actually, that's exactly what's happening

3,000 more contributors (a few days ago's total) since Iowa. Raising gobs of money. 5500 people turned out for him in Tuscon and Seattle today (combined).

New CEO-type Campaign Manager, Trippi still singing the Doc's praises, great new game plan, enthusiastic supporters, etc.

Lookin' good for me for someone who was pretty down and out after the media savaging over the non-issue "scream" speech which ABC finally had to apologize for (after the damage was done).

Yep, lookin' very good to me.

[NV1962]

15. Listen. If Kerry can't even win over Dean / Clark supporters...

How can you reasonably expect he would win the general election?

That is why we have primaries - to weed the weak candidates out.

And Kerry will be weeded.

Clark is our man.

[frustrated_lefty]

18. Clark would get my vote.

Kerry.....what a joke.

[Maddy McCall]

19. Speak for yourself!

I am a Clark supporter who would GLADLY support Kerry or Edwards. Dean is the candidate I would have trouble supporting.

But I have said from Day One that I would have no problem supporting Kerry or Edwards. And there are many other Clark supporters here who feel the same as I do.

[NV1962]

21. Huh?

To whom was that "speak for yourself" addressed? Sorry that I don't understand... Please clarify.

(And before you do, please note that I almost literally copied KFC's initial post here, with just a wee bit of change for chuckles...)

[Maddy McCall]

22. It is addressed to anyone who presumes to speak for me, a Clark supporter

who would have NO PROBLEM supporting Kerry.

[NV1962]

29. Wait a minute...

Forget second and third choices for a bit - this isn't about ABB, nor about the umpteenth cross-dressed call to party allegiance.

Do Clark supporters prefer Clark? Do Dean supporters prefer Dean? Moreover: is it an insult to supporters of other Democratic candidates in general to declare them "weeded out" before a more representative slice of voters has cast the verdict? Is it incorrect or even presumptuous to call a Kerry supporter on that conspicuous and sadly typical despondent trait in Kerry's campaign?

[bicentennial_baby]

23. And then there are those of us that don't

If I have to vote for Kerry, I'm gonna be pissed.

[polpilot]

16. The DLC and the repubs don't want Dean. Go to the pro-war DLC site

for their establishment pro-war candidate. A pro-war democrat can't beat a pro-war repub this year.

Dean '04...

[pacifictiger]

20. the military/industrial convoluted

trail of proponents have their finger woven into many threads of the washington way of life. The military is good for business and image! Dean is a threat because of his couragous straight talk and reluctance to pander to the fickleness of flavor-of-the-day opinion. He has ticked off the DNC panderers by calling a spade a spade when most others would not. Of course they're not behind him.

[polpilot]

27. Repubs and Demo career politicians are SCARED of Dean. They know

they'll be a long line at the U-Haul if he's elected.

Dean '04...

[Auntie Bush]

24. Don't be so hasty...Your man could get a good dose of Orthro too.

[HFishbine]

25. Total Number of Votes Received To Date

Kerry: About 130,000
Dean: About 100,000

[Shanty Oilish]

30. Not so fast

So far how many delegates have been at stake? Around 20. Next Tuesday another 200 something. A candidate needs over 2000 to be nominated. We're talking about a very small percentage so far, aren't we?

[HalfManHalfBiscuit]

32. Wait a minute. You mean that vote-getting is important?

I thought it was all about "passion", or losing your shit in public.

[pacifictiger]

33. its about carrying the voice

of the average person that otherwise cannot be heard above the roar of a gerrymandered microphone.

[mzmolly]

34. Actually the media has told America that Dean can't win...

they are like gullible children. They bought it, (for now)
40% of voters in Iowa said they voted for their SECOND choice. That's right Kerry is considered a *safe second*

No passion for Kerry on the part of voters, just a vote for a man who hasn't been slaughtered by the media or his fellow Democrats yet. I do hope he gets his comeuppance (sp) soon. ;)

However, children grow up, and I have faith that my fellow countrymen will wake up in time to chose a man of integrity to lead our nation. That man is Howard Dean.

[deutsey]

35. Listen:

Even the liberal "American Prospect" says:

"It's no secret that much of the Democratic establishment fears Howard Dean. For months, rumors have abounded that party insiders will mount some kind of last-ditch effort to deny him the nomination he seems ever closer to securing."

Yea, thanks, Democratic establishment! And you wonder why you idiots lose elections...Thankfully, you weren't around when FDR took control of the federal government...unfortunately for us, you're around now, preventing us from taking control of the federal government again with all your namby-pamby sellouts.

Thanks, morons.

[HalfManHalfBiscuit]

36. So we were DUPED! DUPED, I say!

Thank goodness the DLC is looking out for me.

[LuminousX]

37. Isn't that what the primaries are to help determine? Only 10% have spoken.

[MercutioATC]

39. After TWO primaries, you know that, huh?

Well, we'd better get your ass a 1-900 number if you can make predictions like this...

[MurikanDemocrat]

40. Too soon. There are still 48 other states