WASHINGTON - It's not surprising that John Edwards says he would be a tougher opponent for President Bush than Democratic front-runner John Kerry. It raises eyebrows when Howard Dean says the same thing.
With the race's fourth major candidate, Wesley Clark, out of the race, Edwards and Dean are ganging up on Kerry, winner of 12 of the 14 nominating contests so far.
Dean said he believes Edwards would be the better candidate in the general election, even though Kerry has the advantage right now.
My fear is that he actually won't be the strongest Democratic candidate
Dean said.
Asked about Dean's comment, Edwards told reporters: I agree with that. I think that he is a very wise man. ... The truth is that this campaign to bring about change is working with independents and voters that we will have to get in order to win the general election.
In his exit from the race yesterday in his hometown of Little Rock, Ark., Clark called on Democrats to continue fighting against Bush's fatally flawed foreign policy.
We must challenge George W. Bush on that foreign policy Clark said.
Kerry is speeding toward the nomination, and Dean and Edwards are hoping to stop him after a showdown in Wisconsin on Tuesday.
Dean urged voters in Wisconsin's primary to stand up against Kerry and other Washington insiders who he said are trying to derail his candidacy. He said he would support the Democratic nominee, but Kerry would be the lesser of two evils in a race against President Bush.
Dean, once the race's high-flying front-runner, has gone winless while Kerry has captured 12 victories, including Virginia and Tennessee on Tuesday. Clark decided to quit the race after dismal third-place showings, while runner-up Edwards forged ahead with a busy campaign day in Wisconsin.
Edwards said he has not entertained the thought of dropping out and not one Democratic official has asked him to. He is planning to focus his campaign on trade and job losses in Wisconsin, hoping the contest will force Dean from the race and leave him as the alternative to Kerry.
I'm going to be the nominee Edwards said. I'm definitely staying in.
Edwards' advisers also said he would remain positive and refused to criticize Kerry. Dean, on the other hand, sought to portray Kerry as part of the Washington machine working against him.
What we now see is that John Kerry is part of the corrupt political culture in Washington
Dean said. He said he came to that conclusion after learning that former New Jersey Sen. Robert Torricelli contributed to an independent group that ran ads that used images of Osama bin Laden to question Dean's ability to combat terrorism if elected president.
Torricelli, who was forced out of office over ethical lapses, is now raising money for Kerry's presidential campaign. Dean said disclosures that money also was raised by backers of Dick Gephardt show Washington insiders are trying to derail his candidacy.
Dean finished in single digits in Virginia and Tennessee, having skipped both states to campaign in Wisconsin. He is hoping to revive his candidacy there, but some of his supporters have been questioning whether it is possible.
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