[Congressman Billybob]

Remember the story about Joe Trippi stealing the Iowa caucuses for Mondale away from Cranston, whse people had bought the tickets? Busloads of Trippi people showed up at the checkpoints with Cranston posters on their busses. They got the tickets handed to them. And Trippi is proud of that achievement.

In short, Dean will use dirty tricks, just as he has been accused of in the past. He will get at least a 5% bump over the last reputable pre-caucus polls. And then he will claim that he "did better than expected."

I think Noonan may be right, that the press which is mostly Democrats, doesn't like Dean because they realize he will pull a Dukakis in the general election. And the press wants a Democrat candidate who has a snowball's chance of success. But that will have no more effect on Dean's getting the nomination, than the same principles had on Dukakis' march to his nomination.

Congressman Billybob

Click here, then click the blue CFR button, to join the anti-CFR effort (or visit the "Hugh & Series, Critical & Pulled by JimRob" thread).

[hchutch]

The other thing to keep in mind is that some of the Deanies will, IMO, bolt to the Green Party if their guy is beaten. The chance increases if the eventual nominee voted to authorize the use of force against Iraq. It becomes a virtual certainty if the winner wins by what are seen as backroom tactics.

[twigs]

Peggy's article also makes me wonder if something else isn't also operating in the media. I've wondered the last several years how much backdoor influence Clinton has with them; I don't have an answer to that question. But they do like him and seem to support Hillary for president whenever she chooses to run. Dean would take over the leadership of the DNC and would help rout some of the Clinton influence there. It seems to me that they are lining up to help clear the way for Hillary's eventual trip to the WH.