February 09, 2004
Kerry wins Washington, Michigan, and Maine caucuses, Dean a strong second
John Kerry won Washington, Michigan, and Maine caucuses over the weekend, adding more delegates to his campaign. But, at the same time, Howard Dean scored stong second place finishes in all three states, continuing to add delegates supporting him. In fact, Dean has decided that he will stay on in this race past Wisconsin, after seeing such support over the weeked. After a call for money to air ads in Wisconsin, his campaign has received over a million dollars from his supporters.
So has Kerry wrapped up the nomination, as has been reported since Kerry won New Hampshire? Will other candidates drop out soon, or is it likely they will go for the long haul? Remember that John Edwards and Wesley Clark are still in the running, in addition to Dean. Even Dennis Kucinich got a better-than-expected 15% in Maine yesterday. Maybe it will come down to who runs out of money first. Tennessee and Virginia's primaries tomorrow might make a difference, but who can be sure? All that is clear is that the entire Democratic party has not yet decided, and at least 50% of those voters do not support John Kerry. As more candidates start to drop out, it will be interesting to see who the delegates already won decide to realign with...
Posted by Anthony at February 9, 2004 05:30 PMAnthony, polls of registered Dem’s show Kerry has 50% of support and Dean coming in second at 14% and the rest of the candidates making up the other 36%.
Kerry was a steamroller coming out of N.H. and Iowa and for one primary reason, Dem’s were having trouble making up their mind and a frontrunner emerging was what they needed to make up their mind. As one news show said, this race is Kerry’s to lose, not for any other candidate’s to win.
That’s one way to look at it, but I’m wondering if this is going to lead to a split in the Democratic party over the party’s nominee. I hope this isn’t the case, but I’m beginning to see a strong division between the Washington establishment and the “outsider”, even within our own party. That’s something we need to fix.
Posted by: Anthony at February 9, 2004 10:47 PMAnthony, I appreciate your concern. It is real. But, it is temporary. Come the convention, the differences will fade and the overarching goal of unseating this most dangerous and out of balance President will unify all and act as a salve on the wounds of insider/outsider differences.
SuperOrdinate Goals have ‘magic’ in them, which is why they are rare. But, the Dem. Party, Green Party, and left leaning Independents have been handed a superordinate goal by Bush himself with the Iraq invasion, The misuse of the Patriot Act, and the enslavement of our children’s earning years to insuffrable taxation.
Posted by: David R. Remer at February 9, 2004 11:40 PMAppears voters will have a choice in November.
A Tax & Spend Democrat who will pay for the spending.
Or,
A Spend and Charge-it Republican who doesn’t believe the bill will ever come due.
Which would you choose?
i really wish there was a third party that would cater to those of us who can’t stand either side, yet aren’t crazy…..
i take ideas from both the right and the left, depending on the issue, and i think that makes my life more “fair and balanced”
this extreme right and left politics is way out of control.
Posted by: rob at February 10, 2004 07:52 PM
