Dr. Dean, whose thousands of enthusiastic out-of-state volunteers initially seemed to make him a strong favorite in a caucus system that favors shoe leather and turnout, is far from politically dead. But Mr. Kerry's showing, and Mr. Edwards's rise, complicate Dr. Dean's job enormously and time is short. A campaign that began as a meandering marathon a year ago has been transformed into a mad eight-day dash to New Hampshire — and to the seven states, from South Carolina to Arizona, that vote on Feb. 3.
"New Hampshire is not going to be the end of this thing," said the New Hampshire Democratic chairwoman, Kathleen Sullivan. "New Hampshire is not last in the nation, we're first in the nation. It's not over in New Hampshire. It goes on."
Since 1972, no nominee has finished lower than second in New Hampshire, and only Bill Clinton has finished below third in Iowa; he did not compete here in 1992, because Senator Tom Harkin was running as a favorite son.
Judy Reardon, a senior adviser to Mr. Kerry in New Hampshire, could not hide her enthusiasm. "We're as ready as can be," she said in a telephone interview even before the results were in. "Starting tomorrow, our world here is going to be turned upside down."
Ms. Sullivan praised Mr. Kerry's effort. "He really rolled the dice by going to Iowa and fighting there. What a brilliant strategy. He's come roaring back so hard."
Mr. Edwards, too, vowed to fight on in New Hampshire, and told his supporters: "Tonight started a movement to change this country that will sweep across America."
Both Mr. Kerry, who has relied partly on his family's fortune, and Mr. Edwards, who is a millionaire former trial lawyer, will need to raise fresh cash quickly to stay competitive. But in the final days here, even their rivals conceded that Mr. Kerry and Mr. Edwards had the momentum.
For now, all that trumped Dr. Dean's organization. But New Hampshire's motto is "Live Free or Die," and its voters are famously independent.
"They're likely to notice Iowa, and then do what they want anyway," said Dudley Dudley, a longtime New Hampshire Democrat now backing General Clark. "It remains its own place."http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/20/politics/campaigns/20ASSE.html?hp |
