Howard Dean's big endorsements

[NHPolitico]

Now Howie's got Harkin.  That probably secures Iowa for Dean.  I can't imagine that Gephardt will be able to come back now.  Polls were already showing him between five and ten points behind Dean.  Now, with Harkin throwing his support behind Dean, Gephardt doesn't have a chance.

I think endorsements do help because the candidate gets press coverage and it helps undecided people sort out who is supported by other elected officials that they may have voted for in the past.  I agree that Harkin is a big cahuna in a small pond, so his endorsement of Dean hurts Gephardt.  Also, Iowans aren't contrary like New Hampshire voters (who like to upset the apple cart).  BTW, no one really knows if endorsements truly help because its impossible to measure the effect.  

Iowa's caucuses are almost totally different from the NH primary. Iowa puts a huge premium on supporter intensity and only Democrats can vote. It's easy to vote in the NH primary-- you don't even have to register until the day of the election-- and undeclareds have their votes counted with equal weight as the Democrat voter's vote.  It'll be a very strong sign for Dean if he can win in both very different environments.

[NHPolitico]

As I've said before, this is the first primary season I've really paid any attention to (I'm only 20, so the last primary cycle, I didn't really care much), so bear with me if this is a completely stupid question.  Or feel free to smack me upside the head.  You're call.

It looks like Dean is going to win.  My question is, what do all his recent big name endorsements do?

Do Bill Bradley and Al Gore actually carry that much weight to ensure Dean a win in Iowa and elsewhere?

The big name endorsements is a statement of the establishment saying, "Fine, you're our nominee."  It's a statement of acceptance. They are resigned to the fact of it. They want to get on record as being on the bandwagon even if it's late in the game-- like becoming a Packers fan after they beat Philly today. : )

[NHPolitico]

Now Howie's got Harkin.  That probably secures Iowa for Dean.  I can't imagine that Gephardt will be able to come back now.  Polls were already showing him between five and ten points behind Dean.  Now, with Harkin throwing his support behind Dean, Gephardt doesn't have a chance.

Dean's List (ha, that's kind of punny) of endorsements is pretty long and getting longer.

Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley just was added-- and he's the likely nominee against Ehrlich in 2006.

Also Reps. Hilda L. Solis, Neil Abercrombie, Xavier Becerra, Elijah Cummings, Joseph Crowley, Bob Filner, Raúl Grijalva, Maurice Hinchey, Jesse Jackson, Jr., Sheila Jackson-Lee, Zoe Lofgren, Jim McDermott, Jim Moran, Jerrold Nadler, Major Owens, Frank Pallone, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Tim Ryan, Loretta Sanchez, Robert C. "Bobby" Scott, Nydia M. Velázquez and David Wu

Sens. Leahy joins Harkin on the list of Senate and Gov. McGreevey, who is the governor of the 4th largest state governed by a Democrat (a very significant endorsement because of the large number of Democrat electors that will come from NJ).

There are others I have forgotten or thought not that significant.

[NHPolitico]

NHPolitico can I get a E-A-G-L-E-S, EAGLES?

I'm not even a Packers fan. I'll give you your due. McNabb is a great quarterback. I think they said he's rushed the most in the playoffs since the Super Bowl system began. He's the NFL MVP. The Eagles stink without him.