Nation-Building >> TNR's case for Howard Dean | return to front page

Note that while the editorial board at TNR did as expected and endorsed Joe Lieberman, the magazine does still retain a diverse set of viewpoints. Kos's and Atrios's accusations of irrelevance aside, Jonathan Cohn has his own dissenting view, in support of Dean:

Eventually I wrote a piece touting his strong record and provocative critique of President Bush. Then I predicted his lack of money and notoriety would doom him to obscurity.

OK, so I got that last part wrong. Did I also exaggerate his virtues? Every week seems to expose new political liabilities and gaps in Dean's resumé. At times, he has been more angry than funny, more messianic than inspiring--basically, as unrecognizable to me as he was to those Bostonians we passed on the streets. But Dean has also proved more resourceful than I ever imagined. And the fundamental rationales for his candidacy--his accomplishments in Vermont and proposals for the United States--are as compelling today as they were two years ago. They're just a lot harder to see. [...]
These successes are why no less an authority than Bill Clinton has said, "Nobody did a better job on health care than [Dean] did as governor of Vermont." Implicit in that quote is what really set Dean apart as a governor: Not only does he have the right priorities; he has the right character.

The rest of Cohn's piece is just as solid - highly recommended.