As promised, I said I wouldn't mention Howard Dean until he dropped out.

He's dropping out.

Here's an excellent summary of the Dean campaign's effect, and why Dean shouldn't just bow his head and shuffle his feet out of the room:

I wouldn't go quietly at all; I'd raise hell! I would not pledge the Deaniacs to whoever this nominee is if it's not Howard Dean. Dean is the guy that made Kerry who he is! He's the only legitimate liberal in this race, the only guy that didn't lie about what he and liberals believe. For this, Dean has been savaged, mistreated and destroyed by his own party much like they would go after a Republican.

Believe it or not, that was written by Rush Limbaugh. He must have been high.

So what's going to happen now? With a database of rabid supporters proven to make tiny donations whenever asked, willing to plan and organize on their own, and confident that Bush can be defeated in November, Dean can't just drop out. He needs to give direction to those people.

And that direction seems to be John Edwards:

The former Vermont governor sought out rival John Edwards for a private meeting Sunday night in Milwaukee. After what Democratic sources described as a friendly but inconclusive conversation, Dean said the two men should talk again today. The implication was that there could be ways for Dean to help a candidate he has said he prefers over Sen. John F. Kerry.

I vastly prefer Edwards over Kerry, too, despite Edwards' lack of experience. The Deaniacs becoming Edwardsiacs is far more plausible than becoming Kerriacs. Bush and the Republicans should be far more scared of Edwards, too -- Edwards has a more populist message. He's Southern. He's more consistent. And he's far less boring on the stump. Edwards could be another Bill Clinton, and Edwards may not even need Perot to suck votes away from the incumbent. Edwards has a fighting chance, and if those of us who supported Dean get behind Edwards, we could bump boring old Kerry, who when the Republican fists start waving come October, won't stand a chance! Edwards! Edwards! Edwards!

Stop.

Here's some realism for you: Edwards has 171 delegates. Kerry as 494. (Actually, 494.5 -- I'm not sure how that works, but the source is Fox News.) Not counting delegates? Okay, how about Kerry has won all but two primaries so far?

And then there's the exit polling. I've boldfaced the deal breakers, the things that give Kerry the huge advantage over Edwards:

Kerry did slightly better among women than men, and led among blacks by 4-to-1. He tied Edwards among men and among whites. Kerry was more likely to get support from Democrats, those without college educations and with lower incomes. Kerry had a 50-point lead among voters who most wanted a candidate who could beat President Bush, and he led by 20 point among those who thought the economy was poor. He also had the advantage among voters who said health care and the war in Iraq were the top issues.

Don't get me wrong. Edwards has some advantages, but not much:

Edwards had more than a 10-point lead among independents and an even larger lead among Republicans, who made up a larger group than in any of the other primaries this year - more than one in 10 voters. Edwards held more than a 10-point lead among those who said the economy and jobs were the top issues. He had a 30-point lead among voters who said the most important quality was having a positive message, and more than a 10-point advantage among those voters who said it was most important to have a candidate who cares about people like them.

Anything is possible. Considering how the Dean machine imploded and how quickly it happened, Edwards stands a fighting chance. Does a close race help the ultimate candidate in November? I'm not sure. I just hope that come March 16, I still have a choice.

Howard Dean cannot and should not disappear. Can he translate his campaign into a MoveOn.org type of organization? Can he help shape the discourse and the agenda of the Democratic party? Can he host a talk show better than Alan Keyes? (Yes, but Dean really needs to learn to close his mouth when he's not speaking.) We'll see what he has to say this afternoon.

UPDATE: Wonkette takes a different, uh, take on Edwards.

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