After war-gaming for Dean, Bush strategist now looking at others
Bill Sammons:
"President Bush's political strategists, who have been 'war-gaming' against Howard Dean for weeks, have begun to prepare for the growing possibility that Mr. Dean might not win the Democratic nomination.
"Although Bush officials still regard the former Vermont governor as the likely nominee, the race has become tight in Iowa and New Hampshire. That has led them to spend more time on contingency plans for the emergence of an alternative to Mr. Dean.
"Those alternatives include Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts; Rep. Richard A. Gephardt of Missouri; Wesley Clark, the retired general from Arkansas; and to a lesser extent, Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina. The Bush campaign is not devoting significant energy to preparing for the nomination of Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich of Ohio, or the Rev. Al Sharpton, the Pentecostal pastor from Harlem.
...
"Christine Iverson, spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee, said although the Bush team must prepare for a variety of possible foes, Mr. Dean's leftward pull on the field has simplified the task.
...
"Mr. Dean's gaffes are viewed as the main reason for his slide in the polls in recent weeks. As a result, Bush strategists disagree with pundits who say the person best positioned to emerge as the Dean alternative is Mr. Clark.
"Campaign officials reason that if the Democratic Party balks at nominating Mr. Dean because of his propensity for gaffes, it will be loath to embrace Mr. Clark, whom Miss Iverson called 'every bit as gaffe-prone as Howard Dean.' "
Bill Sammons:
"President Bush's political strategists, who have been 'war-gaming' against Howard Dean for weeks, have begun to prepare for the growing possibility that Mr. Dean might not win the Democratic nomination.
"Although Bush officials still regard the former Vermont governor as the likely nominee, the race has become tight in Iowa and New Hampshire. That has led them to spend more time on contingency plans for the emergence of an alternative to Mr. Dean.
"Those alternatives include Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts; Rep. Richard A. Gephardt of Missouri; Wesley Clark, the retired general from Arkansas; and to a lesser extent, Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina. The Bush campaign is not devoting significant energy to preparing for the nomination of Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich of Ohio, or the Rev. Al Sharpton, the Pentecostal pastor from Harlem.
...
"Christine Iverson, spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee, said although the Bush team must prepare for a variety of possible foes, Mr. Dean's leftward pull on the field has simplified the task.
...
"Mr. Dean's gaffes are viewed as the main reason for his slide in the polls in recent weeks. As a result, Bush strategists disagree with pundits who say the person best positioned to emerge as the Dean alternative is Mr. Clark.
"Campaign officials reason that if the Democratic Party balks at nominating Mr. Dean because of his propensity for gaffes, it will be loath to embrace Mr. Clark, whom Miss Iverson called 'every bit as gaffe-prone as Howard Dean.' "
Comments
Post a Comment