Common Wisdom in Washington D.C.

I was flipping through the channels tonight and caught a bit of Hardball. They were doing a round-up on WMD and the Democratic campaign. The usual suspects were Mathews, Fineman, John Fund, and some Democratic consultant (didn't catch his name). All of them, except for Fund, were effusive in their comments about Dean. They said that he is, so far, the only interesting story to report in this race and they were all talking about the energy behind his campaign. And yet, and yet, at the very moment they were saying this they all, to a one, caveated their comment with a reflexive, "but of course he can't win". It's almost as if none of them are willing to risk the laughter of their colleagues if they were to suggest that Dean might just beat Bush. Yet I could tell in the manner of their speaking that deep in their hearts they are starting to think just that. The "but of course he can't win" is almost spat out as a kind of mantra to ward off the scary demons that might attack them if they suggest that Bush might lose to a previously unknown Northeastern Democratic. We know the tied will really start to turn when one of them gets the courage, or perhaps just lets down his guard, and admits that yes, maybe, just maybe, Dean can win!