On the way up, the Dean campaign personified (at least in the media) the Internet revolution. On the way down, the media compares it to the dot.com implosion.
Given the apparent lack of fiduciary responsibility at the campaign and the fact that the true believers are still shelling out their hard earned funds a better metaphor is that the Dean campaign is like one of those Nigeria 411 scam letters,
CONFIDENTIAL
Dear Sir,
Good day and compliments. This letter will definitely come to you as a huge surprise, but I implore you to take the time to go through it carefully as the decision you make will go off a long way to determine the future and continued existence of the entire members of my family.
Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Joe Trippi, the former campaign manager of Howard Dean.
My ordeal started immediately after the Bush v. Gore decision by the Supreme Court, and the subsequent take over of government by the last administration. The present democratic government is determined to portray all the good work of candidate in a bad light and have gone as far as ridiculing him on national TV. As I am writing this letter to you, the Right is stealing our government. All these measures taken by past/present government is just to gain international recognition.
It is in view of this I have mandated DeanforAmerica.Com, who has been assisting the candidate to run around on so many issues to act on behalf of the country concerning the substance of this letter. He has the full power to take our country back from the special interests and Right wingers.
To do so required millions of dollars to, among other things, make sure I got my standard percentage cut on any television ads. Millions more will be required to take back our country. It is this sum that I seek your assistance to get out of your pockets as soon as possible before the present civilian government finds out about it.
I implore you to please give consideration to my predicament and help a candidate in need.