Why Howard Dean could be the next President of the United States

Okay--it's a longshot. And while most Presidential bids against sitting Presidents are quixotic at best, I always remember Eugene McCarthy in 1968, who sent Lyndon Johnson packing. It can happen. The Democratic base has given up on Barack Obama. Wealthy donors are planning on withholding donations from Obama. Liberals and Progessives are itching for an intraparty fight for the soul of the party. If you think about it--especially with some of the names being bandied about to challenge Obama from the left (Grayson, Feingold--Liberal stalwarts, both, but neither with the slightest chance of upending Obama)--Howard Dean is the logical choice. Who has fought harder for Progessive values over the last several years than Howard Dean? From his Democracy for America political action committee, to his constant support for the Public Option, to his leadership at the DNC resulting in massive Democratic gains (okay, so the 50 state strategy didn't work out quite as planned--give me a little leeway here), to, hell, his speaking out today against Obama's tax cut capitulation, Howard Dean is the only Democrat with a chance to upend Obama. Is he as Progessive as Bernie Sanders? No. Is he a better option than President Obama? Good God, yes. And I'm telling you, all it takes is one victory--the Iowa caucus. It's not impossible--an engaged base could push him over the top. As to questions of his electability on the national level...I think Dean would face a much less hostile press, a much more invigorated base, and a much smarter blog field, as evidenced by this piece. But the real kicker is...Sarah Palin. Anybody who doesn't think Sarah Palin is going to run for President in 2012 is living in a fantasy. You don't announce on TV that you can beat the sitting President if you're not planning on running. You don't run off to Haiti to increase your compassionate conservative cred if you're not planning on running for President. And, mark my words, Sarah Palin will be the republican nominee in 2012. Romney and Huckabee couldn't even beat fucking Grandpa McCain in 2008, and I see no way they can match her fundraising or devoted following. Pence and Daniels might appeal to the base, but, again, zilch on the fundraising and both are so boring the national media would ignore them. Pawlenty is a joke. And even republicans aren't stupid enough to elect Newt Gingrich, who shares as much of a chance as I do of being the next President of the United States. Trust me, tea party nation and the base loves Ms. Palin, and they don't care if she can't win the national election--she toes the party line (see also, Ken Buck, Christine O'Donnell, Sharron Angle--the goofy bastards gave up control of the Senate on these losers, and they'll do it nationally, too). Frankly, I think the Obama administration knows this every bit as well as I do, and it's why they are not afraid to piss off the base and capitulate. Face it, no matter the disdain we currently have for President Obama, if Sarah Palin is the nominee, Liberals and Progressives will go into batshit overdrive to see that she is not the next President. And this, in a nutshell, is how Howard Dean becomes the next President: challenge Obama from the left based on his Liberal credentials, win in Iowa, face Sarah Palin for the Presidency, ride the coattails of a terrified base, and send Palin's ass back to Alaska between her legs (truthfully, Palin would probably carry North Carolina and Indiana, might carry Virginia and Florida, but those are about the only states that Obama won in 2008 that she could turn red, and that will still leave her far short of electoral votes to win). Ta-da! And happy days would be here again.... Peace, emaycee