Friday, June 13, 2003

Can we prove the CW wrong?

Today's Note writes:

[W]e don't rule out at all a close presidential election or a Democratic win.

Terry McAuliffe and the other DNC masterminds are working parallel to a growing coalition of "outside" groups to try to be ready for the day when a nominee emerges from the current chaos that is the nomination process.

But on the eve of the party's first (unsanctioned) straw poll, and the virtual eve of the kick-off of the president's fundraising juggernaut, there are likely to be many more days than not in 2003 in which Democrats (inside and outside the presidential campaign staffs) ask themselves:

"When are we going to be organized enough and effective enough to take on the president's weak record and right-wing agenda?" (Not, of course, our characterizations, but, rather, the way most Democrats think about this whole thing, and probably the best energy-builder the Democrats have going for them now.)

Let us be the first (we think) to say: the chances that there will be a true, growing-in-strength Democratic front-runner by the end of the year are very remote.

I have to say, I think Atrios has the right of it. It going to take money.