NYT- In Democratic Pack, the Race Is on for No. 3 and Maybe No. 4

[maddezmom]

January 6, 2004
In Democratic Pack, the Race Is on for No. 3 and Maybe No. 4
By ADAM NAGOURNEY

ES MOINES, Jan. 5 — Almost from the moment Senator John Edwards finished his unusually spirited debate on Sunday, his aides were saying he would follow it up by campaigning almost nonstop in Iowa right through the caucuses in two weeks.

True to their word, Mr. Edwards was here Monday morning, to give a big campaign speech.

Another Democratic candidate, Senator John Kerry, also turned up in Des Moines on Monday morning, offering his own speech and a piercing attack on Howard Dean. Mr. Kerry, from Massachusetts, described Dr. Dean's Iraq policy as "duplicitous" and warned that Dr. Dean would raise taxes, offering a taste of what his aides said Mr. Kerry would be doing in the state over the next two weeks.

Truth be told, for all this display of time, force and money on campaign commercials, not even the biggest boosters of Mr. Edwards or Mr. Kerry are saying the two have much of a chance of winning the caucuses here, given the overwhelming organizational strength of both Dr. Dean and Representative Richard A. Gephardt.

But for Mr. Edwards and Mr. Kerry, winning is not everything. Second or third will do. And the bankshot strategies they have adopted here to advance their campaigns somewhere down the road, assuming there is a down the road for Mr. Kerry or Mr. Edwards, have entangled an already complicated competition here. As a result, contests within contests are being created and a whole new debate is being set up over how to define what a victory is.

~snip~

more:http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/06/politics/campaigns/06CAMP.html?pagewanted=print&position=

[goodhue]

1. Nagourney

continues his longstanding pattern of never ever writing the name Kucinich in any of his many stories establishing the historical record. He is the worst of the lot in terms of the DK blackout.

[janx]

2. This article is hilarious. Total chaos.

Nobody knows what's going on.