A political law: Amount of abuse proportional to time as frontrunner

[andym]

A political law: Amount of abuse is proportional to time as frontrunner.

Law requies existence of political adversaries and their proxies to deliver the attack.

Look at the primary season with regards to leaders in IA and NH:

1st Kerry (early front runner) ridiculed for IWR vote
result knocked down
2nd Dean (spring, summer 2003) continually criticized
maintained lead in NH
3rd Clark (in Sept--never led NH or IA, but led national poll):
attacked at high intensity for several weeks: then forgotten
4th Dean (attacked right into Iowa) Had tremendous lead up to the last week or so and faced blithering attacks
5th Kerry (post Iowa)-- first few weeks were fairly quiet (weakened competitors and Edwards refuses to attack), but it appears the battle is now joined by GOP.