Dean Of The Internet

Like no other political candidate, the former Vermont governor has used the grassroots power of the Internet to surge to the top tier of the Democratic presidential pack.

The Dean campaign's Internet fluency has enabled it to reach out to voters who feel disenfranchised, to persuade them to donate, and, perhaps most important, to encourage and co-opt independently organized projects by supporters like Stanley.

"On a scale of 1 to 10, I think even the most partisan Republican has to give Dean an 11," said Larry Purpuro, who coordinated the Republicans' e.GOP Project in 2000. "He's truly made it a platform for people to do a whole lot of things. It's not just a couple of gimmicks."