Dean in Good Shape as Rivals Seek Funds

By Paul Farhi and Thomas B. Edsall
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, January 21, 2004; Page A08

As Howard Dean struggles to regain momentum after his disappointing third-place finish in the Iowa caucuses Monday, he can take solace in the fact that he is still, by far, the best funded candidate among the seven contenders jockeying for the Democratic presidential nomination.

The former Vermont governor has raised $41 million, a record for a Democratic presidential candidate, over the past nine months, according to the nonpartisan Campaign Finance Institute in Washington. Sens. John F. Kerry (Mass.) and John Edwards (N.C.) -- Monday's big winners in Iowa -- trailed him with $26.1 million and $22.9 million, respectively.

It is not known how much each campaign has left after the unusually expensive Iowa contest, but Dean was far better positioned than his rivals going in, said Steve Weissman, associate director of the Campaign Finance Institute. Dean's huge bankroll assures that his campaign will be solvent through Tuesday's New Hampshire primary, and the multi-state contests on Feb. 3 and March 2, "Super Tuesday." The money picture for Kerry and Edwards is less certain. Both men are hoping that their first- and second-place finishes in Iowa will help them reverse the near collapse in fundraising they experienced at the end of last year.

Thrust abruptly into the top ranks of the race, Kerry and especially Edwards need a quick and large infusion of cash to take on Dean and retired Army Gen. Wesley K. Clark in New Hampshire and beyond. New Hampshire will also be the first contest for Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (Conn.), who joined Clark in sitting out Iowa.

more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33447-2004Jan20.html

The people who keep wanting to bury Dr. Dean just simply don't take into account his enormous finacial 'fortress'. dr. Dean could well hang on and win, simply by bankrupting the other candidates. I don't think people should discount this at all, yet they are.

good standing on issues...a good base...a record to stand on and the ability to bring in new voters..anything can happen.

And I say this as someone who is sympathetic to him, and who backs him. If he loses NH, then I'll make more firm predictions. But it's not looking good to my gut right now.

My big problem now is figuring out how I'm going to choke down working for a Kerry campaign, should he be the nominee. I'll do it, but I'll have to work harder at concealing my feelings.

It's not the number of wins that count, it's the number of delegates, of course. If the field stays crowded, we could have a nominee who has consistent top three finishes -- and that applies to any candidate who can hang in there for the long haul.

Winning a state gives a campaign positive press and momentum. Consistantly coming in 2nd and 3rd isn't going to cut.

Even if New Hampshire is a bust, his grassroots can carry on with little to no money in all the other states. Dean will go to the convention with a pocketful of delegates.