Whatever the 'protest primary' in Washington DC hoped to achieve, the 45,000 or so people who showed up on Wednesday, about 15 per cent of eleigible voters, gave the "win" to Howard Dean. The district's 16 convention delegates will be assigned at a caucus on Feb 14th.

Al Sharpton came second - quite possibly the last time you'll see those words in the same sentence for the rest of the campaign.

The Dean campaign's latest ad, highlighting where the other Democrats stood on the war in Iraq, gives a free ride to Gen Wesley Clark, who's sitting out Iowa - where as many as 18 per cent of potential voters may be still undecided - but is closing on Dean in New Hampshire.

Dick Gephardt, meanwhile, was presenting the 'Top Ten Signs You've Been on the Campaign Trail Too Long' on The Late Show With David Letterman.