Reply #62: Oh, geez...

[bain_sidhe]

I was about to congratulate you on an interesting analysis... and then read the hoary old "Clark as VP" claim and my head exploded again. I hate when that happens...

Ok, cleaned off the monitor enough to say: If you want Clark on the ticket, vote for Clark. You won't get him by voting for Dean.

But, having said that, even though I'm a Clark supporter, I don't buy into the "Dean is unelectable" stuff... ANY of our candidates are electable, IMHO, with the right strategy. I just think Clark would have an easier time getting elected. (Or, to put it another way, there are more stumbling blocks on the road to the White House for Dean than there are for Clark.) And, more importantly, I think Clark would be a better President.

But, hell, yeah, Dean can win. Your analysis is but one way that could happen. I've seen some others that might work, and my own pet theory is that he (and Trippi) have the skills to out-Bush Bush, in terms of the campaign. In my heart, I sometimes worry about that (i.e., must we become the enemy to defeat enemy and all that) ... but not much. As a country, we can't *afford* another 4 years of bush, and I'm not just talking about money. While Dean might be able to out-Bush Bush on the campaign trail, he can't BE Bush in the White House - if only because Democrats aren't as willing to march in lockstep on *anybody's* orders, not even the President's.

Bottom line, I agree, Dean *could* beat bush. And, if he's the nominee, I'll do all I can to make that happen. But, I'd rather see Clark as the nominee!