In GOP Ratings Game, Dean Runs 2nd to Nobody

Washington Post ^ | November 30, 2003 | Dana Milbank

[nwrep]

Sunday, November 30, 2003; Page A04

The voters have spoken, the polls are unanimous, and the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination is . . . Mr. Other?

That, at least, was the conclusion of a mischievous analysis last week by the Republican National Committee of recent polling of Democratic voters. It shows that, 60 days from the first primaries, large numbers of the Democratic faithful still have only a vague idea of who their candidates are and would prefer somebody else.

The party cited a CBS News poll earlier this month that found that when Democrats were asked which candidate they would prefer, Mr. Other led all candidates with 15 percent, followed by former Vermont governor Howard Dean with 14 percent.

The RNC also pointed to a Fox News poll finding Mr. Not Sure with a 4-percentage-point lead over Dean, a Los Angeles Times poll showing Mr. Don't Know at 37 percent, more than tripling Dean's 12 percent, and a CNN/Time poll putting Mr. Not Sure/Other's support at 32 percent to Dean's 14 percent.

The questions remain: Will Mr. Other run if nominated? Will Mr. Don't Know serve if elected?

[Always Right]

The Dems best option is to run the 'yet to be named' candidate, but I am not sure that is allowed.

[RogueIsland]

The Dems best option is to run the 'yet to be named' candidate, but I am not sure that is allowed.

Can they trade their presidential candidate slate for a celebrity VP and a president to be named later? Sure, they'd take a hit on Dean's cap, but...

[Mulder]

The Dems best option is to run the 'yet to be named' candidate, but I am not sure that is allowed.

Sure it is. It's called Hitlery.

[Always Right]

Sure it is. It's called Hitlery.

Unfortunately for the Dems, the anti-war wing of the party would throw a revolt if that happened. I think Gore would be the only one who has a chance to keep the Dem party united.

[upchuck]

You linked to the "printer friendly" page! Those of us who are DSL/cablemodem impaired say, "Thank You!!!!"

[E. Pluribus Unum]

The GOP is going to nominate Dean for the DEMO(N)cRATS, just as the DEMO(N)cRATS nominated Dole in 1996.

I love it.

[Wild Irish Rogue]

Don't know if any of you remember The Unknown Comic-his schtick was that he would appear with a paper bag over his head and no one ever knew his identity. Perhaps the Democrats could run the Unknown Candidate,complete with bag over their head,never revealing his/her identity.Gotta be better than what they have now.

[Cicero]

My money is on Hillary, by acclamation at the convention in July. Dean is threatening to break away from the pack of midgets, but she'll find some way to cripple his numbers if necessary. Maybe a dead cat on his front porch.

[tjwmason]

I think Gore would be the only one who has a chance to keep the Dem party united.

Speaking as an ignorant Englishman who watches from afar, is another Gore candidacy a possibility? I would just love to watch that, it would be hilarious to see him trying to run Florida 2000 again, and getting beaten right down to the ground (and no doubt loosing his home state again) with Bush getting over 300 college votes. Surely too good to be true.