Tim Bishop is a Freshman Representative, in what I would argue is a more competitive district. He beat out a Freshman Republican whose family business (a fireworks factory) polluted the area and who said some stupid things (and ran an ad, if I remember correctly) about campus rape victims (Bishop was a college administrator at the time).

Freshman Dem + win over a flawed freshman Republican=WAAY up on the GOP target list.

Boswell is a veteran campaigner at this point who wins close but is less vulnerable than Bishop.
East Bay Rockstar | Email | Homepage | 12.05.03 - 1:42 pm | #

one thing of note, the dean campaign did not approach these congressmen. they were picked by a committee, who then made the suggestion to the dean campaign. from there, they were turned down by bishop (who, i'd imagine, is kicking himself right now) so they went to boswell (who was the second committee suggestion).
anna | Email | Homepage | 12.05.03 - 2:45 pm | #

Something odd about this story--approached "last Fall?"
Alan Barbour | Email | Homepage | 12.05.03 - 3:35 pm | #

I think he approached Bishop first precisely because the tactical advantage of helping an Iowan is so obvious. It could've been spun as a self-serving ploy to get Boswell's endorsement.

Helping someone in a state that's overwhelmingly Dean anyway (as of the last NY poll I saw) would be a clearer message about throwing support to Dems in Congress.
Rebecca Wald | Email | Homepage | 12.05.03 - 4:44 pm | #

Sounds right, gang. Bishop was more vulnerable, and this idea was doubtless noodling around Joe Trippi's fertile brain for months.

Works better with Boswell....Bishop we'll get to after Dean clinches the nomination.
Dana Blankenhorn | Email | Homepage | 12.05.03 - 5:20 pm | #

Um, this whole (brilliant) idea was Zoe Lofgren's, and the choices were hers as well. The Des Moines Register article quotes Dean: "We did not pick Leonard. That was Zoe's idea."
Debra in SF | Email | Homepage | 12.05.03 - 6:59 pm | #

Another article yesterday reported that the first person to whom the assist was offered, refused because it sounded too "experimental". How visionless is that?

Zoe and the committee selection were covered in the piece but I can't find it now.
Deborah | Email | Homepage | 12.05.03 - 7:08 pm | #