[winner3000]

I don't want Gephardt to be the Dem nominee. He's a southener and considered to be a moderate (everything is relative of course). He's also got the unions behind him. This would make it a very close election and Bush wouldn't have nearly the amount of coattails as with a Dean blowout...unless the Dean supporters stay home.

[EarlyBird]

...unless the Dean supporters stay home.

That's the key. If the Dem primary remains as vitriolic as it is now, and goes on for much longer than expected, then it won't matter who wins. A large splinter of the party will stay home come November 2 because of the rancor left by the primary -- no matter which Dem finally wins.

Personally, I expect the pundits to be just as surprised at the depth of the Pubbie win in 2004, if not more so, as they were in 2002.

[MEG33]

In a recent national poll,Gebphart was closest to beating Bush.He was within 7 points.

It's early days and I take nothing for granted.The rest I believe were 12 points to more behind,Dean would be a disaster according to this poll for the dems(keep it under your hat!)

[txrangerette]

Gephardt hails from St. Louis MO,
which might seem southern to some,
but it's midwestern heartland not
far from border-state territory.

He isn't a centrist at all, and
he sounds mean & is known just to
make stuff up. At times, tho, he
can appear to be Tom Sawyer & a
Boy Scout combined. A mixed bag.

Boring as can be, a has-been, not
a compelling national leader, and
a union/party hack.

GWB can take him in the South. And
the MW would be tougher but a win.