Reply #16: No, not 'quietly' [View All]

[Tim_in_HK]

He shifted the vast majority of his resources away from NH towards IA in a strategy to head of Dean's campaign there, and part of this was bringing in some very good strategy and organizers into IA. I would say he hit some very good luck in IA and was there when (a) Dean and Gephardt practiced MAD and (b) the unravelling of Dean after massive amounts of media scrutiny finally occurred.

Not saying that Kerry didn't deserve to win IA, but a couple of things broke his way, some of which he ultimately didn't have control but from which he greatly benefited.

Kerry's win in IA proves that winning is the best way to prove electability, which propelled him into NH (and Dean's 'scream' didn't hurt either, btw), and the combination of missteps by Clark and the marginalization of Clark's campaign in NH helped Kerry as well.

Kerry's 'strategy' paid off in spades, no doubt. But in IA it was a strategy of desperation and to a large degree he is where he is today because of plain old luck.

Now, Edwards (who, btw, is not my guy), had been following a quiet, stealth strategy.