''Dean revitalizes Dems: Liberal icon provides resistence to Bush's agenda''

Another college newspaper ventures a commentary on Dean and his current spot in American politics. Here's a quote from the Manitou Messenger, from St. Olaf's College in Northfield, MN: "The gauntlet was thrown down almost immediately for Dean, as he stated in his acceptance speech, “The Republicans know the America they want and they are not afraid to use any means to get there. But there is something that this Administration and the Republican Party are very afraid of. It is that we may actually begin fighting for what we believe.” Perhaps this is the reason that those who admire Dean were so adamant about his ascension to party chair. Dean, as he had shown in the primaries, is a fighter.While the majority of the other candidates were competing to be “Republican-lite,” Dean openly opposed the War in Iraq, never changed a heartfelt position and refused to apologize for being himself. It still seems as though Dean is one of the only Democrats willing to stand up and resolutely say “no” to President George W. Bush’s agenda.All that is sure to change however, as the attacks that are undoubtedly coming begin to roll in. During the primaries, Republican spin masters painted Dean as “dovish,” “fiscally irresponsible” and “liberal.” In actuality, Dean is one of the most centrist Democrats in the party, certainly less liberal than a John Kerry or a Hillary Clinton.It may surprise even some Dean supporters to hear that Dean is staunchly in favor of gun-owners’ rights, and that he balanced the budget in his home state of Vermont more consistently than any Governor in its history."