The flap about Dean saying we are not safer with the capture of Saddam is much ado about nothing. It is simply a matter of horse race politics and in a month it will be irrelevant. In fact, in light of raising the terror color to orange again, and continued attacks in Iraq I would argue that the issue is already dead, as the daily kos correctly points out. In campaigns sometimes we get caught up so much in the latest news or flap or comment, that we forget the bigger picture. After seeing Dean on C-Span last week, I am more than convinced that he can beat Bush. Once people see Dean, they will realize that, though he is frank and not touchy feely, by no means is he an angry guy up there. He tells it to you straight with no bullshit. He speaks intelligently and is quick on his feet. He is prone to overreaching once in a while, but Bush will fuck up worse in the upcoming campaign. People don't necessarily prefer the loveable buffoon, sometimes all it takes is for someone to look you in the eye and shake your hand with a firm grip and tell it like it is. I'm telling you, the election parallel is not '72 or '84, but '48 (except that Truman was the incumbent). Mark my words, Dean will win in '04 unless Bush catches Osama the day before the election.