A lot of politicians in the past have said they will run a 50-State campaign - its never worked, but I guess the concept still holds a bit of magic, as Robert Novak points out:

HOWARD'S 50 STATES

Democratic National Chairman Howard Dean, unbowed by criticism of his 50-state strategy, sent supporters a June 20 e-mail boasting of how much money he has spent in Utah to build the party in a state with no competitive race for either house of Congress this year.

Dean has come under fire for spending all but $4.25 million of the $84.5 million the Democratic National Committee (DNC) has raised for this election cycle. Intraparty critics complain Dean is paying off promises to DNC members from Republican-majority states made in his campaign for chairman.

While admitting that Republican Utah is "not a place many would expect the national party to be focusing its resources," Dean's e-mail declared: "This is about getting the word out: The 50-state strategy is right for our party, and the people who support it will stand up and be counted. Make your donation to support the 50-state strategy now."

There is, I think, more here than meets the eye - this isn't entirely about 2006, but about 2008 and the future of the Democratic Party. Howard Dean is one of those who are convinced that the reasons the Democrats don't win is because they don't push a sufficiently left wing program. In this thinking, the American people are all ready for leftist governance, but until someone steps up to the plate and really offers it to them, they won't vote for it. Howard Dean, in this scenario, is only incidentally concerned with 2006 - he's not entirely dumb, and he realises that the chances of a Democratic victory are slim in 2006. For all the talk of Democrats winning Congressional majorities, most political observers have noted all along that just about everything would have to fall perfectly in place for the Democrats to even have a chance at it.

So, what does Dean do? Talks up 2006, and then works his 50 State strategy - not to win America, but to completely secure control of the Democratic Party by the left. By funneling money to these forlorn State Party's, like Utah's, Dean is building loyalty - loyalty to the left for the nominating process in 2008. It doesn't matter, you see, if Dean fails to elect a Democrat from Utah - what matters is that Utah swings behind the left for the Democratic convention in 2008.

This is why I believe that Al Gore will be the nominee in 2008 - Gore endorsed Dean early on in 2004, and endorsed Dean for DNC chairman. They have the same ultimate political goal - running a rip-roaring leftist campaign for the White House in 2008 as they are sure it will lead to victory. What Dean is doing in his 50 State strategy is paving the way for Gore - or whatever other leftwing Democrat emerges on top.

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