"What's the big deal?"

That's been the question posed by some of my Deaner aquaintances who are standing by their man and just don't understand the fuss and furor over the infamous yowl. They're convinced it's a story contrived by the same evil media cabal that gave their candidate months of uncritical coverage dominated by puff pieces on his growing collection of email addresses and bulging bank account.

Dean, who has completely retooled his approach to campaigning for the closing days in New Hampshire, seems to get it, but if his die-hards don't. A few more defections like Seattle area political science prof D.J. Wilson might drive the point home, though. Wilson states his case in the Seattle P-I. Here's a clip from his guest op-ed (emphasis mine):

"...I have joined tens of thousands of others in promoting Dean, and by so doing, have felt that I was part of something larger than myself. I am no one in particular, but I am just like everyone involved in Dean's campaign.

"The Yell" has changed everything for me. It has removed any veil of hope that Dean would evolve into the candidate I hoped. It has struck down the excuse that he speaks plainly and "like America." "The Yell" doesn't sound like America to me, nor did Dean at that moment sound like the presidential candidate I want to support.

I am embarrassed to ever have thought he should be president. "The Yell" made it evident that he never really could have been.

Lose in Iowa, Howard, and I will stand with you. Be more brazen than my taste in your attack on the war, and I still have your back. Scream like you are a 13-year-old girl at a Justin Timberlake concert, and you've lost me."

And when you lose supporters like D.J. Wilson, you lose elections.

That's the big deal.