Reply #19: I can see why they would be nervous about Dean

[Tom Rinaldo]

For the reasons you mention. Since Dean was the front runner for so long and was constantly being attacked by other Democratic candidates, the Republicans were able to sit back and let it happen. The media painted Dean as some kind of radical leftist and that is what the Republicans were planning to pick up on had they run against Dean I am sure.

AS to some other comments on this thread. Well yeah, sure, the Republicans planned a custom line of attack against each likely contender. They always do, that's just a given. Some Democrats still make better candidates than others. That is also a given.

On another matter raised on this thread by someone: You know, this isn't the time for "circular firing squad" remarks. Not yet anyway. We strongly united behind Kerry. I personally put a lot of time into his campaign and I know many Clarkies and Deanies who did the same. Trying to figure out what it will take to win is a productive use of time, at least as productive as anything else that gets written about on an Internet chat board.