Dean Says He Must Win Wisconsin or Be 'Out of Race'

[veganwitch]

FLINT, Mich. (Reuters) - Democrat Howard Dean (news - web sites) said on Thursday his once high-flying U.S. presidential bid would be over if he did not win the Wisconsin primary on Feb. 17, declaring "the entire race has come down to this."

"We must win Wisconsin," the former Vermont governor said in a memo to supporters. "A win there will carry us to the big states on March 2 -- and narrow the field to two candidates. Anything else will put us out of the race."

In a fund-raising plea, Dean, who spent $40 million on a gamble that he could wrap up the Democratic presidential nomination with early victories in Iowa and New Hampshire, asked supporters for $50 contributions so he could raise $700,000 by Sunday to pay for advertising in Wisconsin.

"We must launch our new television advertisement on Monday in the major markets in Wisconsin," he said. "To do that I need your help."


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&u=/nm/20040205/pl_nm/campaign_dean_dc_5

[truthisfreedom]

1. Dean's "realist" by-the-numbers approach is interesting

but apparently the country is far too affected by flouride to have an OUNCE of brains left. so, we'll rely on "anyone but bush."

[Ninga]

2. Dear truthisfreedom, have hope

I have spoken with 2 county chairs of Dean campaign in Mich, and record breaking crowds are attending Dean's speeches.

On the East side of Detroit, in Roseville, the police had to take one lane of a major highway, and rope it off for parking.

I know that one of the states this week-end will come through for Howard. Have faith.

[veganwitch]

3. thats fabulous about michigan

but dean is concerned about wisconsin.

[mopinko]

4. no

if he were to win mich, that would work as well. i think what he means is that he has to win "a" state. any state.

[cid]

6. If he does drop out, i think that is going to give Clarks campaign

a huge boost. They will go to clark before they go to edwards or kerry, dont you think?

[sybylla]

10. Since you brought it up, I would support Edwards over Clark

But I think you will find that the current Dean supporters have a variety of reason for supporting him that don't align them very precisely with a specific alternate candidate. Who ever it is, though, I doubt it will be a politics as usual candidate. They will have to have appeal as an outsider. Both Clark and Edwards fit that bill. You have reason to hope, imho.

[HereSince1628]

11. Michigan would be a better state to win because its sooner

and the sooner the Dean campaign demonstrates life the more likely it will survive.

[cjbuchanan]

12. Dean is not going to win Michigan

It is going to go for Kerry. However, if Dean could win Washington and come within 5 points in Michigan (something that I do not think is going to happen), he would have a little bit of Mo.

By the way, I say this as an undecided. I am looking at two things 1) the last polls done show Kerry with a big lead and 2) the fact that Kerry is not buying any ad time in Michigan shows that his campaign is not worried about the numbers (it is the same thing he did in Missouri).

My words to any Dean fans, go donate money and sign up to call folks in Washington (you can do that on his blog), because if Dean does not get a win soon, he is gone.

[sybylla]

5. Mopinko has it right, I think.

I'm in Wisconsin. At the meetup last night, a campaign worker said they want all of the next three states and that they are working hard on Michigan and Washington as well. I imagine after the weekend's primaries, Dean will have 8-9 days to totally canvass Wisconsin as we are the only primary on the 17th. He is expected to make many stops throughout the state.

Wisconsin's Dems are very progressive and as disgusted as the Greens with the direction of the national corporate party. Dean's "take back your party" message will really play here. Plus he is a very dynamic stump speaker so his presence will go along way towards gaining support. I think what Mopinko is observing in Michigan will be observed here as well.

[yellowcanine]

7. I wouldn't put too much on the observations of 2 county chairs.

First of all, "record breaking crowds" are in the eye of the beholder. Second, big crowds in 2 counties don't mean victory in those two counties let alone the state. The latest Zogby poll this morning is not very encouraging for Dean.

"The Michigan poll found Kerry with 47 percent, Dean with 10 percent, Edwards with 8 percent, Clark with 4 percent, civil rights activist Al Sharpton (news - web sites) with 2 percent and Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich (news - web sites) with 1 percent. Twenty-three percent of likely voters were undecided."

[Just Me]

8. I really, really do NOT want to lose the man that inspired "the people",..

He inspired me even though I had grown to despise politics and avoided politics at every turn. He inspired me to believe that change is possible and "the people" have far more power to influence change than many believe. I really, really do NOT want to lose this man. His influence is powerful.

[HalfManHalfBiscuit]

9. Wisconsin is his only "hope". Kerry leads by 30% in Michigan

This is absolute desperation.

[enki23]

13. i think dean's done

he's a popular guy, adopted by a lot of the mid-left activist crowd, but he seems more popular with the sort of people who would prefer to vote green (like myself) than with big "D" Democrats. that seems especially true with those big D's who vote in primaries, ones who tend to have more invested in their party machinery than the smaller d's.

ah well. i wish dean luck. it's kinda too bad. he's not perfect, but he had heart. same for dennis. the rest of the crowd's a pack of mannequin candidates, posing pretty while their clothiers dress them in the latest political fashions. even if one won, i can't imagine them being much more, or less, than a cut-rate bill clinton. cut-rate on the good stuff that is, still full price for the bad. and there's plenty of bad.

why bother?