"In His Face"

[Shadowen]

"Democrats are desperate to beat Bush and take back the White House. But is John Kerry reall the answer? asks PAUL WELLS."

*snip*

"Only a month ago, the runaway favourite was Howard Dean, the nondescript former Vermont governor who had almost magically transformed himself into a populist firebrand and Internet fundraising juggernaut. There was talk of Dean "running the table," picking up victory after victory in the rapid-fire succession of caucuses and primary elections the states use to pick delegates to the Democratic nominating convention in July. And if Dean stumbled, surely the party would coalesce around an anti-Dean: a southerner, a charmer, an establishment man to confront the starry-eyed, anti-establishment Dean mob. A war hero like retired Gen. Wesley Clark, for instance. Or a handsome, sunny fellow like John Edwards, the North Carolina trial lawyer turned rookie senator."

*snip*