The Myth Of Antiwar Democrats

"Since Dean has emphasized his early opposition to the war in Iraq as his calling card in the race, it is easy to assume that his antiwar stand and his criticism of Lieberman, Gephardt, Kerry and Edwards for supporting the resolution authorizing the use of force must account for his strong showing -- especially in New Hampshire.

"Wrong. When the Democracy Corps team asked whether voters in those three states wanted a Democratic nominee 'who opposed the Iraq war from the beginning' or one 'who supported military action against Saddam Hussein but was critical of Bush for failing to win international support for the war,' voters in all three states chose the second alternative. Dean's position was preferred by only 35 percent of the likely voters in the New Hampshire Democratic primary -- fewer than supported it in Iowa or South Carolina -- while 58 percent chose the alternative."