Outside the Beltway

Dean Quitting Again

James Joyner · Sunday, February 15, 2004 · 3 comments

According to several sources, including AP

Howard Dean is preparing to abandon his race for the Democratic presidential nomination if he loses Wisconsin’s primary, several advisers said Sunday, despite the candidate’s assertions to the contrary.

Steve Grossman, national chairman of Dean’s campaign, said the former Vermont governor will seek to convert his grass-roots network into a movement that helps expand the party and elect the Democratic nominee — “and, obviously, that looks likely to be John Kerry.”

The sentiments were echoed by other high-ranking campaign officials, though they differed on how much — if any — direct help Dean would be willing to give Kerry. Polls show the Massachusetts senator, who has won 14 of 16 contests to date, holding a wide lead in Wisconsin, site of Tuesday’s contest.

The comments came as Dean struck a defiant tone hours before debating his rivals in Milwaukee. “We’re going to keep going, no matter what, because I think there are a lot of people all over this country who want to rebuild the party and rebuild America in a different way,” Dean said on “Fox News Sunday.”

I was perplexed as to why FNS even invited him. He’s only slightly more noteworthy than Dennis Kucinich at this point, and Kucinich is at least interesting–and employed.