WASHINGTON, Jan. 19 (UPI) -- President Bush's political strategists are no longer sure Howard Dean will be his main election opponent, the Washington Times reported Monday.
The paper said White House strategists had been "war gaming " for the November election in the expectation Dean would be the Democratic candidate. But with the former Vermont governor recently losing ground in Iowa and New Hampshire opinion polls, they were now also preparing contingency plans in case retired Gen. Wesley Clark, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry or Rep. Dick Gephardt of Missouri won.
The paper said North Carolina Sen. John Edwards was the only other Democratic candidate seen as a possible contender. White House planners did not see Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, the Rev. Al Sharpton of New York or Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio as possible opponents.
