The Dems divide
Donald Lambro:
"Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean's failure to capitalize on his front-runner status in last night's Iowa caucuses shows how divided and uncertain the Democrats are about who their candidate should be, setting the stage for a longer-than-expected nomination battle.
"Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry's stunning come-from-behind victory — after being given up for dead a few weeks ago — and North Carolina Sen. John Edwards' surprising second-place showing, turned the nominating contest into a three-way race with Mr. Dean, who two weeks ago led all Iowa polls.
...
"With Mr. Dean's declaring he will fight to the end, the Democratic contest could last well into February or March, a scenario a Bush campaign strategist says favors the president.
"A long, protracted fight for the nomination in which the Democrats beat up on each other only can work to the president's advantage, they think.
...
"All of the sound and fury in the Democratic nominating race has masked how splintered — and disinterested — the party's rank and file has remained for more than a year about its candidates. Various polls show that anywhere from one-third to nearly half have not made a decision or might change their mind.
"Throughout the past year, polls showed that nearly 50 percent of all Democrats could not name one of the candidates running for the nomination.
"A New York Times poll yesterday found that whatever Iowa's caucuses decided, the succeeding primaries dramatically could change the race — with 74 percent of voters saying that their minds still are not made up."
Donald Lambro:
"Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean's failure to capitalize on his front-runner status in last night's Iowa caucuses shows how divided and uncertain the Democrats are about who their candidate should be, setting the stage for a longer-than-expected nomination battle.
"Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry's stunning come-from-behind victory — after being given up for dead a few weeks ago — and North Carolina Sen. John Edwards' surprising second-place showing, turned the nominating contest into a three-way race with Mr. Dean, who two weeks ago led all Iowa polls.
...
"With Mr. Dean's declaring he will fight to the end, the Democratic contest could last well into February or March, a scenario a Bush campaign strategist says favors the president.
"A long, protracted fight for the nomination in which the Democrats beat up on each other only can work to the president's advantage, they think.
...
"All of the sound and fury in the Democratic nominating race has masked how splintered — and disinterested — the party's rank and file has remained for more than a year about its candidates. Various polls show that anywhere from one-third to nearly half have not made a decision or might change their mind.
"Throughout the past year, polls showed that nearly 50 percent of all Democrats could not name one of the candidates running for the nomination.
"A New York Times poll yesterday found that whatever Iowa's caucuses decided, the succeeding primaries dramatically could change the race — with 74 percent of voters saying that their minds still are not made up."
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