DISASTER FOR DEAN IN IOWA

New York Post ^ | 1/20/04 | DEBORAH ORIN, VINCENT MORRIS and BRIAN BLOMQUIST

[kattracks]

January 20, 2004 -- In an Iowa meltdown, Howard Dean got socked with a disastrous third-place finish last night, as John Kerry pulled off a stunning political comeback to win the first-in-the-nation Democratic contest for president.

Dean's collapse, combined with the combined surge of Sen. Kerry (Mass.) and Sen. John Edwards (N.C.), who finished second, threw the race wide open.

[el_texicano]

"I can't believe he even thinks he's Presidential material."

Nut cases always do.

[IndyTiger]

Yes, the immigration issue could be Bush's Achilles Heel, if the Democrats were to capitalize on it. But my guess is that their policies are even more whacked out than Bush's proposal.

Bush had a historic opportunity to change immigration policy after 9/11, and he let it slip away.

[smiley]

"This Dean guy is really creepy and scary...." That was a quote from a Democrat caller on Fox News this morning....was anyone else surprised to learn that Deanomacs on his staff all wear uniforms and have crisp and snappy "processing" skills? Not only is Dean creepy,...but he reminds me of another creep who energized the youths into a manic frenzy.....

[TheGeezer]

I think that it is likely that six months from now, Dean will be a candidate for President running as a third party.

I agree, and I hope he does. Dean's anger - and that of his hardcore supporters - likely will not permit remaining in the establishment DemocRat party. Fascinating...

Regards.

[glockmeister40]

Does anybody know how kerry feels about the klintons?

[randita]

Dean may have a touch of paranoia in his psyche. He tends to blame everyone and everything for his problems, except himself.

He has managed to develop a die hard group of supporters who live out their anger at Bush through him.

Dean has no loyalty to the Democrat establishment and if he believes the establishment (controlled by Clinton/McAuliffe) has orchestrated conditions so that he will lose (we're catching drifts of that now), Dean may just decide to punish them all by running third party. He'd have no trouble whatsoever getting the Green's nomination.

If Dean runs third party, the Clinton/McAuliffe machine remains intact and in control of the Democrats and they will have effectively gotten rid of most of the left wing nuts who are giving the party a bad name. Then they can start building a more centrist coalition via the DLC.

The battle for control of the Democrat Party wages on.

The Clinton presstitutes will start showing Howie the door and begin a whispering campaign about him running third party. Howie has to be gotten out of the Dem Party or he will continue to stir up trouble and dissension in the ranks.

[George W. Bush]

Does anyone know how much money he has left?

Reported as $20 million on hand. He'd been raising $1 million a week until yesterday. But that will dry up.

Even if he doesn't raise another dollar, he's got enough for the next two primaries. Actually, enough to really stick a knife in Kerry and Clark.

I hope Howie goes out like a mad dog. Or mad doc.

And Edwards sits waiting to pick up the pieces.

[Petronski]

"...in heinzsite..."

LOL Very clever.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

"He's crazy," said Republican pollster Frank Luntz after watching Dean's bizarre performance.

I was stunned by this comment by Luntz. Orin can call Luntz "a Republican" pollster, but he has become very mainstream, cautious and establishment. He is Dem Chris Matthews' favorite pollster, regularly running on-air focus groups for Matthews' show.

For Luntz to lable Dean "crazy," is a very strong condemnation indeed.

[TheGeezer]

Seems to me the big losers, besides the nutcase Dean, are labor and Al Gore, Jimmy Carter

Actually, Jimminy didn't endorse Howie. Howie invited himself doen to worship with Jimminy...little good that it did him!

I agree that labor lost big time here, since labor split support between Gephardt (his big loss REALLY surprised me!) and Howie. That the biggest government employee union, AFSCME, went down in flames with Howie is intriguing, too.

Man, it's fun to watch this stuff!

[biblewonk]

ping

[Fester Chugabrew]

". . . forced optimism and a pugilistic tone . . ."

At least he shows the face of liberal Democrats well.

[yoe]

I saw Dean raging and it was not a pretty sight. Something odd is going on here as Kerry isn't a leader nor is the trial lawyer Edwards...carefully laid plans for Ms. Clinton to be drafted?

[OldFriend]

OOOOHHHHHH how sweet.....The Little Engine That Could......

Somehow I can just see Edwards singing nursery rhimes to himself every night.

[Jimmyclyde]

"I toooold you they was trickseeee, I tooooold you they waaaas false..."

[backslacker]

What would be great is if Dean squeaks by with a win in the NH primary, then Sharpton or Edwards Wins SC. The Dems wouldn't know which way is up, and the battle would cost them millions extra.

I want this nomination to come down to a photo-finish. The more money these clowns spend, the less will be available after the primary season is over and the dems will have to fundraise for a 2nd time.

[wayoverontheright]

I agree that labor lost big time here, since labor split support between Gephardt (his big loss REALLY surprised me!) and Howie. That the biggest government employee union, AFSCME, went down in flames with Howie is intriguing, too.

Very interesting, yes. Also President Bartlett and Meathead are losers too.

[SamAdams76]

Three things I take from last night's caucuses...

The lunch pail "union" vote doesn't have much impact anymore.

The anti-war vote doesn't have much impact on the race at all.

That Howard Dean is one crazy bastard!

[cyncooper]

I was stunned by this comment by Luntz. Orin can call Luntz "a Republican" pollster, but he has become very mainstream, cautious and establishment. He is Dem Chris Matthews' favorite pollster, regularly running on-air focus groups for Matthews' show.

For Luntz to lable Dean "crazy," is a very strong condemnation indeed.

That is exactly what I was going to say. Luntz is not given to overstatement or exaggerated rhetoric.

In fact, it was his focus group the other day on Hardball that told me Kerry would likely win. He had a group of Caucus goers who all leaned to certain candidates, but ALL were very squishy. It was right as the "Kerry is surging" momemtum drum was starting to be beaten, and I posted that these folks would go with whoever was perceived as the frontrunner. And so it went.

[Godfollow]

There is a positive to this angry hulk-man the Dean... that is, his supporters may become so angry themselves, that many won't show up at the polls, especially if Kerry gets the nod. I imagine Dean probably hates Kerry more than he hates Bush... wadayathink?