Prime Quality Democrats Want - A Winner

"People are asking whether they'd rather be with the candidate they think is right, or the one who can win," said Del Ali, president of Research 2000, which does polling in Iowa.

The criteria for who can win are considerably more intangible and unpredictable than simply agreeing or disagreeing with a candidate's positions on specific issues. It's a difficult race for candidates to run, requiring constant reassessments that have the potential to confuse voters.

Instead, candidates in these closing days are furiously retooling their messages to address voters' concerns, and voters in turn are examining all the pitches. Many are waiting until voting day to make up their minds.

That's why there's a four-way traffic jam in Iowa among Dean, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, North Carolina Sen. John Edwards and Missouri Rep. Dick Gephardt, and the makings of a traffic jam a week later in New Hampshire that also includes retired Gen. Wesley Clark and Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, who chose to skip Iowa.

Voters will make up their minds by weighing three broad kinds of concerns: personal, philosophical and political. But each will have the common undercurrent of a fear about what's coming next.

It's not unusual to hear concerns about what people perceive as Lieberman's too-hawkish approach, Edwards' preparation for the job, Dean's temperament, Kerry's long-windedness and Clark's grasp of issues.

But they're willing to overlook a flaw or two if they think someone can stand up to Bush. That's why Kerry is doing better, said Ali; people see him as presidential. It's why Edwards has gotten a boost; voters praise his positive approach.

"I want a Democrat who can mobilize voters and beat Bush."