Will the Dean-iacs back Kerry?

By Kevin Anderson
BBC News Online in Washington

Just months ago, Howard Dean and John Kerry were fierce opponents

The sight would have been unthinkable just a few months ago, energetic young voters waving signs that read: "I'm a Dean Democratic voting for John Kerry."

At the beginning of the year, Howard Dean was the frontrunner in the race to become the Democrat to challenge Republican George W Bush for the White House.

But after a shock defeat in Iowa, John Kerry, not Howard Dean, rolled to victory.

Today, Howard Dean - by far Mr Kerry's fiercest critic among his opponents - enthusiastically endorsed his former opponent.

Many in the Democratic Party credit Mr Dean with re-energising its ranks, breaking new ground in the use of the internet and attracting new voters to the party.

But the question has always been how the sometimes fractious Democratic Party would unify behind its nominee after the fiercely fought primary battle.

And many wondered whether Howard Dean's fervent supporters - aka Dean-iacs - would back the eventual nominee if their man lost.

The Dean-iacs may not have got their man nominated, but they agree with fellow Democrats on one important issue: George W Bush must be defeated.

Unified behind Kerry

Max Kanin stood at the back of the Dean-Kerry rally still proudly wearing his Generation Dean T-shirt.

Generation Dean was a group that organised university students to rally to the Dean cause and sent them to knock on voters' doors in key battleground states like Iowa and New Hampshire.

Max was one of the true believers, one of the young energetic voters who fuelled Howard Dean's insurgency.

I really believe that Bush is a terrible President, and frankly, I would vote for my dog over Bush Max Kanin, former Dean supporter

He liked Mr Dean's moderate position on the economy and the war, but moreover, "I like that he was an enraged moderate."

John Kerry was always seen as the solid candidate to Howard Dean's electric but - to his critics - undisciplined candidacy.

And the rally showed the two candidates' differences.

In his introduction and endorsement, Howard Dean, his voice cracking with intensity, told the crowd, "In the end, it will be Generation Dean voting for John Kerry that will send George Bush back to Crawford Texas where he belongs!"

But when John Kerry took the microphone, he delivered Howard Dean's signature line, "You have the power", and it fell flat.

For Howard Dean, it was the battle cry of a campaign that he truly felt was a grassroots, bottom-up revolution.

The "people-powered" Howard Dean used to shout the line at the end of campaign events whipping the crowd into frenzy.

For Max, John Kerry may not be as exciting as Howard Dean: "he's a little stiff, but the point is we're not electing a party guy. We are electing a president."

But charisma be damned, Max - along with many others at the rally - has switched from Generation Dean to Students for Kerry.

"I'm a big Kerry supporter now. When I get some allowance money, I will be donating some to him," he said.

The real point for Max and other former Dean supporters at the rally was to defeat George Bush.

Max said, "I really believe that Bush is a terrible President, and frankly, I would vote for my dog over Bush."