Sorry, but can't resist saying this again... Where's Cheney? Frist? Hastert? Other top Republicans, calling the Dems onto the carpet on their lies? I find THAT even more despicable.
There is a time to wait.
It is not that Bush cannot respond. He is choosing not to respond.
The one thing you do not want to do if you are Bush is make Howard Dean bigger than he already is. It does Bush no good if Dean is able to lock up the nomination too early without being bled. Elevating Dean by having all your people go after the Deanster serves no purpose.
Waiting until Dean has let it all hang out, then hammering him in the spring with commercial after commercial, driving up his negatives, now that is the acme of skill. Dean will overreach. He cannot but help himself. He is shrewd, but he must do certain things to nail down the base and make them loyal to him. One of the things he must do is cater to the base's hate for Bush and all he stands for.
There is a decided advantage in allowing Dean to do that while Bush secures his base and moves to the center.
Be Seeing You,
Chris