So, farewell then, Joe Trippi.

The darling of Dean's internet legions was the architect of a strategy that took a "no hoper from nowhere with no chance" to the verge of the big prize. That the candidate ultimately faltered was hardly Trippi's fault, although his replacement by seasoned Washington player Roy Neel dosen't seem to have come as a huge surprise.

Asked about the change, Dean said it would make the campaign "leaner and meaner". Perhaps he should avoid that word...

If this roll of the dice dosen't work, what will happen to the kids who had been energised by Dean's crusade? These first-time activists are a huge resource the party can scarce afford to squander heading into the national contest. Whether they stay engaged in the process depends very much on how the former Governor handles his eventual exit from the race.

As the candidates ready their regional messages for the raft of primaries next Tuesday, the Kerry campaign is hoping that the relative lack of negative ads against their man will continue, further emphasising his electability.

Even despite the renewed focus on the WMD issue prompted by David Kay's resignation, there are some suggestions that Iraq may be fading as a campaign issue among some voters, and that the economy will be key in next Tuesday's contests