IOWA CAUCUS RESULTS
Dean Trips & Falls

Kerry 38%
Edwards 32%
Dean 18%
Gephardt 11%
Kucinich 1%

With Martin Luther King Day and the Iowa Caucus passed, it was a very interesting week to watch as the Democratic candidates fought to gain momentum going into New Hampshire's primary. I actually was surprised by Kerry's strong showing in the end, but not by Edwards. I guessed Dean's bitter and assine personality would eventually make him stumble on the campaign trail which he did, and Edwards' positive message would benefit. Dean's handling of that elderly Iowa man was probably the worst campaign move I've seen in a while. After the Iowa man criticized him for being negative on Bush, Dean gets upset and tells him, "You sit down!"

His angry tone doesn't come out in the news article, but it did for audiences in Iowa. Definitely a reason for his 18% showing after so much hype and hoopla. I can imagine his campaign staff warning him about such behavior, and Dean getting defensive saying that the man deserved such a response or something similar. Bitter, defiant, defensive... all poor qualities for any type of leader. Also for being so defiant and supposedly steadfast in his principles, he brings in his wife on the campaign trail after stating that his wife and family would not be "props" on the campaign trail. I guess he felt the pressure and the changing of the tide. Lastly, Dean's sound character led him to pay Carol Moseley Braun $20,000 per month for her endorsement of Dean (yesterday's Crossfire stated $25,000 per month). Braun's character is already proven to be corrupt and broken, but Dean's action on this brings new questions into his moral fiber and ability to lead a nation.

Outside of my Dean bashing, since I think he's the biggest dork in the field, I would objectively state that John Edwards has the best chance to defeat Bush. He's a little young and not as established as Kerry, but think he can generate the widest appeal. Plus James Carville made an interesting sidenote that Edwards was the best campaigner he's ever seen. Better than Clinton, which was interesting to hear, but I wasn't sure if it was the Ragin' Cajun's fly-by comments again or a thought he's had for a while. But alas, in the end, it doesn't matter because whoever the Dems field will face defeat in 2004 by Bush.