GO DEAN GO!

Howard Dean just outfundraised VP Cheney without even leaving his Vermont home:

Vice President Dick Cheney got up yesterday morning, boarded Air Force Two and flew to Columbia, S.C., where he rode in a motorcade to a private home, shook hands, and posed for pictures with 150 donors at a luncheon. There he raised $300,000 for the Bush-Cheney reelection committee before flying home.

Over four days ending last night, Howard Dean outdid the vice president — without leaving his campaign headquarters in Burlington, Vt.

In a testament to the power of Internet fund-raising, and the intensity of the Democratic presidential contender’s support, Dean raised $344,000 for his campaign by the time of the Cheney lunch. All Dean’s staff did was tell their supporters about Cheney’s event via the Internet and challenge them to surpass the vice president’s total.

You know, it has come to my attention that Republicans should do everything in their power to make sure that we participate in the “open primary” that will inevitably arise during the Democratic 2004 primary. In an effort to emphasize the need for party registration, how does a “Republicans for Howard Dean” group sound to you? Hmm. . .

UPDATE x2: DAMMIT! Got beat to the punch again! No wait. . . this site is actually serious. . . oh yeah. . .

UPDATE x3: Wait a second, all that cash that Dean just fundraised may be part of a concerted effort by Republicans to push money Dean’s way. Whatever is happening with the Dean campaign, it sure is getting the Dems worried. And that I am all for.