I'm shocked that Dean would dump Trippi

[ShaneGR]

Trippi, mostly responsible for Dean's internet rise, gets the boot.

Wuzzup with that?

[JohnKleeb]

1. I thought it was a strange move too

because IMO Trippi has helped make Dean's campaign big.

[Bucky]

2. When the bubble bursts, do you blame the water or the soap?

Of course if you're a Republican, you blame it on Clinton's Mighty Penis. All hail Clinton's Mighty Penis.

[PurityOfEssence]

19. What about expanding gas and surface tension?

When volatility is the product, it's mighty tricky to keep it together some times...

[mouse7]

3. Trippi said he was responsible for Dean's rise, nobody else did.

You've been listening to Trippi patting himself on the back for the work and ideas others did.

[buff2]

4. Dean didn't dump Trippi

He left on his own because he was de-moated.

[Clark Can WIN]

7. De-moated

Is that like when they drain all the water from aound the castle?


Suddenly, a heated exchange took place between the king and the moat contractor.

[buff2]

9. LOL

Demoted....My spelling error....

[KaraokeKarlton]

5. It's looking like Trippi wasted millions of dollars

Dean is thrifty and frugal and he seriously can't stand wasting money. If it's true that Trippi squandered money so irresponsibly, Dean would definitely replace him over that. He'd be furious over that. Dean has no patience for wastefulness whatsoever. He ran a tight ship in Vermont and in the Vermont tradition, is going to take real issue with the senseless squandering of contributions. He doesn't see that money as "his", he sees it as "ours"...for "OUR" campaign, which is just as much about us as it is about Dean, if not moreso. Dean isn't going to tolerate anyone letting his supporters down in this fashion. He just won't have it.

[maggrwaggr]

11. and your evidence for this is .....?

Drudge? Wall Street Journal ....?

It would be nice if Democrats would quit spreading rumors without having at least a TINY bit of evidence to back up what they're saying.

[pacifictiger]

6. this isn't about any one person

this is about teamwork. And Dean, if he want's to get the "ready for prime time" image, needs to bring another perspective to the table. The statement I read was that Trippi although no longer up front and center, was still behind the campaign, at least in spirit. Hang on team, its just the next crew watch coming on duty for the storm. Don't abandon ship yet.

[janx]

8. I'm shocked that Kerry would dump Lehane! Wuzzup with that?

?

[bitchkitty]

14. C'mon now, get with the program.

You know that if Dean does it, it's a thousand times worse. Stop being negative about Kerry, or I'll tell! ;)

[TexasPatriot]

10. well... someone had to take the hit

The Dean campaign bet the farm on Iowa, then went double or nothing on NH... after burning $20m and getting 18% and 26% in his 2 best states, the campaign now faces the problem of trying to make the case against the New England patrician who wins the first two and tries to parlay that into an unstoppable force - rather than being that unstoppable force. Doing that as someone who spent 2 years competing in those retail campaigns - and lost badly - is going to be an impossible case to make.

At this point Dean's getting flack from all those insiders that he successfully courted (they went out on a limb for him.. dont think that Kerry wont remember). I feel bad for Trippi, and I feel bad for the Dean Nation.

Clark's strategy was always to run against the NE patrician coming out with big wins in the first 2 states. He just expected that guy to be Dean.

Clark's positioning should give him a shot at it - unlike anyone else to be honest. Either we see Clark emerge as the big alternative to Kerry on Feb 3 (the internet candidate running against the war supporting beltway insider), or we'll see the entire Dem establishment roll up under Kerry and it'll be over.

Supporters of other candidates need to consider who they want to face off against Bush.

[Bucky]

12. I wish you were right TexPat. But Edwards is almost as viable

...and a better campaigner--at least among the Democratic base--than Clark is. I think Clark would be stronger in the general election and I know he'd be the best possible president among all those running. But if I were a betting man, I'd put my money on Edwards being the guy to be going one one one with Kerry once Super Tuesday is here.

I'm still working for Clark, but like Pete Rose, I'm willing to place smart bets on the game I play.

[TexasPatriot]

15. the issue with edwards is

money. with a 4th place finish, he wont pull the money to run in lots of feb 3 states - so he's forced to stay in SC and maybe OK. If he'd taken Clark out in NH - if Clark had finished 5th... then he'd have a shot - but with the insider support lining up with Kerry, there wont be time for Edwards to catch fire before the party heavies come in and say 'ok - enough of this... Kerry's the guy'

That has to happen feb 3. If we dont have a 2 man race after feb 3, we wont have a race.

[DjTj]

18. Edwards has raised a lot of money...

...since Iowa. I think $1 million at least.

I agree that it needs to get down to 2 after Feb.3 unless Kerry is limited to winning only 1 state.

[Julien Sorel]

13. But..but...but Trippi is a genius, and all the

other candidates are running top-down campaigns, while Trippi and Dean soar above the fray with their internet-driven, people-powered machine! None of that stodgy old Gore-type stuff for Dean -- no-siree! This campaign is about the relationship between Dean and his supporters, and that top-down, cumbersome Gore approach is so 2000. What's that you say? Dean fired Trippi and hired a former Gore guy to run his campaign? But Gore's 2000 campaign was awful, horrible, wretched, terrible! Why would someone do that? There must be some brilliant reason behind it that Dean will reveal when the time is right.

[rumguy]

16. Deep in your heart I know you're in love with Dean

[srpantalonas]

17. Trippi changed the world

Joe's a great guy whose vision changed the world. He should be revered as a true populist who helped the country find its political guts again. The Internet is merely a tool; the brains behind the movement was Trippi. I know--he advised me throughout my own campaign.