Non-pareils of the Frontrunner
Dr. Dean, er, Gov Dean has almost won the nomination - or has he? With past nominee AL Gore & former Senator Bradley among others packing top endorsements to him -- and they rank with major corporate & union endorsements -- he appears the certain nominee and is he polling front-runner .. or is he? There are still almost one half year of political voting primaries and conventions; which elect delegates and grant nominating votes at the national democratic party convention. Mr Dean may still falter -- the voters may react to an early pre-selection by the 'pols' .. so what then? Why endorse him now? Well, Mr. Dean and his endorsers face a colossus of an incumbency. The economy (Clinton's ace) may be turning in the incumbent's favor; he is a war-time president- always a popular factor - and already has a big GOP incumbent's political war chest. Hence - the Democrats want to get going -- to avert the costs of a fracas and fraticide of themselves and to coalesce early and save themselves and money for the big battle. No -- you'd say - that is the better approach -- he'll advantage the endorsements and seek the New Hampshire win - gain the 'mighty -mo' which the snowballing frontunner needs ..and then maybe sustain the election. But the Democratic Party? It will run forward with its historic first popular voting consultation of its adherents ... and if smart and effective, (and they are when they are their best), it can sustain differences and joint counter-Bush combat. If they remember that --and are not distracted from their pre-endorsement campaign, nor distracted from that pre-frontrunner collective debate against Bush style of theirs, then ... . And Dean? .. well I recollect last fall at the "Big E" in West Springfield, Ma - a great regional State Fair - they had a Dean for President table outside the Vermont exhibition building - coffee-klach ladies & gents .. who gave out literature at a table marked by a sign memorable for the Charles Schultz' philosophy: "The Doctor Is In !". That's his style it appears . So, let the campaign roll on -- he's had the lead a month now - still has it and isn't heady .. and has a solid phalanx of Democratic Party talent standing or contending -- that's American Presidential Politics ... no endorsement by me here - let's just see this again in August. |