Candidates Ponder What the Good News (Saddam) Means for 2004 - NYT

[Wonk]

By ADAM NAGOURNEY
Published: December 15, 2003

WASHINGTON, Dec. 14 Ñ The capture of Saddam Hussein fulfills what many Americans have long viewed as a crucial test for measuring success in the war in Iraq and thus could rob Democrats of an issue they have increasingly challenged President Bush on, Democrats said on Sunday.

But its impact could fall particularly heavily on the candidacy of Howard Dean, the Democrat who most party leaders view as the leading contender for the nomination. It could force Dr. Dean, Democrats said, to deal with a stronger incumbent in next year's general election, should the capture prove the turning point Mr. Bush has sought in the war. It could also lead to challenges from newly emboldened Democratic candidates who supported the war, who see an opportunity to attack Dr. Dean on his antiwar stance, the issue on which he has built his candidacy.

Candidates who had supported the war to their detriment in early Democratic contest states like Iowa and New Hampshire wasted no time in trying to undercut Dr. Dean.

Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut, in a flurry of activity that included television appearances and a telephone news conference, said events in Iraq crystallized the differences between competing wings of the party and underlined the extent to which Dr. Dean would be a weak general election challenger.

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Up next, Iran.

[greatauntoftriplets]

1. Exactly, Wonk.

Iran next. Or will it be Syria? It will be some poor-ass nation, right in time for the 2004 election.

[LSparkle]

2. I agree

Yeah, Holy Joe sees this as an opporunity -- assuming we are a country of war-mongerers (which I pray we aren't). Whatever happened to diplomacy? (Oh yeah, that's a four-syllable word that some people can't pronounce or comprehend.)