GOP Sees Gephardt as Toughest Rival for Bush (washingtonpost.com): "In interviews with nearly two dozen Republican strategists, lawmakers and state chairmen across the country, including several close to the White House, Gephardt was portrayed by a majority as the Democratic candidate best prepared and positioned to defeat President Bush in a head-to-head matchup next year. The reasons, they said: Gephardt consistently supported the Iraq war, enjoys unrivaled support among union leaders and hails from the Midwest, where many Republicans believe the presidential election will be decided. They also cited his health care plan, experience and discipline as key factors. "

I've been thinking this for a while, and I'm glad to hear it laid out so plainly. Were he to win the Democratic nomination, Gephardt might have the highest chance of beating Bush. We'll obviously have to wait for Iowa, New Hampshire, and the rest of the primaries, but at the moment I don't think he's poised to overtake Dean or Kerry. (I think Clark is a passing fad who will never win the nomination.) But, were he to come out on top, I think Bush will have his hands more full than he would with any other contender.

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