Would have been a runaway for Dean without Kuchinich in a liberal primary

Wash Post -- Together, Dean and Kucinich captured nearly 70 percent of the votes in a process that one practitioner of online politics called "the liberal primary." With a reported membership of some 1.5 million people, and a track record of raising millions for friendly candidates, Moveon.org is perhaps the most influential left-leaning group in cyberspace.

"I think it's safe to say if Dennis Kucinich was not in the race, Howard Dean would have gotten most of those votes," said Bob Fertik, a founder of Democrats.com, a liberal Web site that e-mailed its readers with pro-Kucinich messages and urged them to vote in the Moveon.org event. "Dean could have walked away with this thing."

Dean was an early favorite of progressive Democrats due to his support for same-sex civil unions in Vermont and his outspoken opposition to the war in Iraq. That plus his early and energetic start in Iowa have moved a little-known darkhorse into the front ranks of the nomination battle.

But in recent days he has taken fire from the left over his positions on the budget and defense spending. At a forum for candidates last week sponsored by Jesse L. Jackson's Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, Dean scolded Kucinich for advocating large cuts in defense spending when the nation is threatened by terrorists.

"I don't agree with Dennis about cutting the Pentagon budget when we're in the middle of a difficulty with terror attacks," Dean said -- a position that might resonate with many parts of the electorate but that sounded a sour note on the left.