Anti-Bush sentiment, belief in electability fueling Kerry bandwagon

[Feanorcurufinwe]

But with stunning swiftness, a consensus started to emerge in recent days among many Democrats that Kerry should and would win the nomination. Regardless of their passion for Kerry, they started to find unity in their passionate dislike for Bush and hunger for a champion to oppose him. "We want to get it over with early, get a nominee and go kick George Bush's ass," said Dick Harpootlian, a veteran Democratic strategist in South Carolina. "If he doesn't stumble, Kerry is likely to get the nomination," added Betty Glad, a political scientist and scholar of political psychology at the University of South Carolina.

"This bandwagon is starting much earlier than usual."

<snip>

And in South Carolina, site of the first primary in the South, Kerry pulled into a statistical dead heat with next-door neighbor Edwards. "He seems obviously to be the front-runner," said Benjamin Franklin, a retired English professor from Columbia who attended a Kerry campaign event Friday. "He seems the best chance that Democrats have. And probably as a result of that, in addition to what I saw today, I'll probably support and vote for him."

"Kerry is moving up in South Carolina," said Harpootlian, a former chairman of the state party. "If Kerry beats Edwards here, he's the presumptive nominee."

<snip>

Yet even in Michigan, where Kerry's push for greater fuel efficiency in cars makes him suspect to autoworkers, Democrats seem poised to rally around him. "Kerry has an edge here," said Bill Ballenger, editor of the Inside Michigan Politics newsletter. "We're following the pack. Dean led here until Iowa. Now Kerry is in the lead." Two events could further help Kerry in Michigan. One is the endorsement from popular Gov. Jennifer Granholm, rolled out Saturday. That could give Kerry another boost. The other is how well Kerry does Tuesday. Victories in a majority of states Tuesday could give the bandwagon more speed; unexpected losses could slow it and cause other Democrats to take a second look at Kerry. "The real question," said Ballenger, "is whether it's inexorably trending toward Kerry in a way that can't be stopped."


http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/7851179.htm

[oasis]

1. After Kerry gets up a full head of steam, they'll be no stopping him.

[NV1962]

2. Don't see the progression there

I mean, an airhead getting full of steam instead?

:evilgrin: