I agree with Thomas when he says that "Dean has shown his capability to access what is actually do-able, and has spoken of it often... he seems to be aware of the realities of legislative workings... while at the same time standing sure and fast for what he believes in."

One thing that bugs me is that people talk a lot about "foreign policy experience" (which in the Senators' case means sitting on a committee) but no one talks about "executive branch experience." Dean knows what powers the executive branch has and what powers it doesn't have, and he knows how to work with legislators from the other party as Chief Executive. Surely this is as important as experience in this or that area of policy!

Example: In the last debate, when Kucinich questioned Dean on Health Care, Dean pointed out that his plan has the virtue of actually being able to get through Congress. Kucinich said, "but don't you think that as President you would have the leadership and natural authority to get a single-payer system passed?" This of course was like saying "but don't you think you'll be godlike and invincible, as I will be if elected?"

Dean said, "look, Clinton tried that and failed, as have several other presidents. I tried it and failed in Vermont. I am tired of having millions of Americans with no health coverage. So I will try to get this plan passed, which will cover 99% of us by expanding the systems that Congress is already familiar and comfortable with, and THEN we can worry about replacing it with a more efficient system."

THIS is the kind of thing that convinces me Dean is the right candidate. Kerry and Edwards and Kucinich have some great and noble ideas, but they want us to believe that we can have it all: tax Breaks, Deficit reduction AND expensive new programs. (Except for Kucinich, who wants us to believe he can single-handedly push a left-wing agenda through a right-wing congress). Dean won't lie like that, which is why he hasn't yet detailed what his new tax fairness plan will be, and why he won't pander to the left with a single-payer medical proposal which has no hope of ever being enacted.