The Clark-Dean-Kerry Chess Game

Here's how I see it playing it out. Everyone plays nice for a week or so. Clark tries to pull close to Dean's positions on just about everything while presenting himself as more electable. However, rather than draw down Dean's support, Clark draws from Kerry's numbers, and Kerry decides he needs to take out Clark to have any chance of staying in. Kerry's campaign starts to feed the media stories from Clark's many critics in the Pentagon and takes some direct shots at Clark, questioning how such a controversial general could be fit to be commander in chief. Clark responds in kind, and the battle sinks both Clark and Kerry. Dean stands above the fray.