David Brooks in the NYTimes (reg. required) points to the cycles of the Democratic nomination process, and who's the Big Kahuna now (yet again)....

Positive feedback loops (like those driving the progression from Kerry to Dean to Clark to Dean to Kerry) always seem to end in chaos, but the resulting transformation into a new state can be a net positive. Governor Dean is back to his original position as outsider, critical of go-along-get-along leadership in Washington Dems, running on his record of success in VT, still outraising all but Kerry from the citizen patriots of the Dean Brigade.... This and yet: 1) he knows the lead position, 2) he's proven his mettle to come back from loss, and 3) he's still still standing. Pretty good selling points for electability, if you ask me....

The current Dean strategy is very "Revolutionary" indeed: snipe from behind the fences, trees and stone walls of Feb. 3 states at a well formed column of Kerry Regulars, picking off a few delegates here and there, taking a surprise finish here and there, and preparing for the longer more meaningful battles looming ahead (interesting that at the time of Lexington and Concord, only 1/3 of the population believed in breaking from Britain; coincidence that a Dean's portion of upstart Dems has been similar?)....Tested by the snows of Valley Forge, another leader and President made headway under difficult circumstances, too....

Despite the unheralded media pressure, despite losing the "mo" of IA and NH while swinging for the fences, despite rumors of push-polling by someone (foe or compatriot), despite the tendency in 2004 to "go with the flow of current electability"....the Governor continues to engender fortitude and courage within his base (to the tune of $1.35 million in just one week), while honing his depth of message to close the deal with the Great Democratic Unfaithful of this election season....

If the media does its "job", they'll be back....

That's about all I can say after last night's speech by Governor Dean to the ground troops in New Hamsphire.

Vision.
Emotion.
Belief.
Strength.
Character.

This is good. Very good.