Bob Herbert, in Friday's Times:

The Dems may indeed sink like the Titanic next year. But I don't think Dr. Dean is the problem -- at least, not yet. The problem is the party itself. God and the Republicans have blessed the Democrats with the high ground on one important issue after another, from the war in Iraq to national economic policy to health care to education to the environment.

But like the Union general George McClellan, the Democrats have been too timid to take full advantage. It's a party for the faint of heart. The Republicans are hijacking elections and redistricting the country and looting the Treasury and ignoring the Constitution and embittering our allies, while the Democrats are -- let's see, fumbling their way through an incoherent primary season and freaking out over Al Gore's endorsement of Howard Dean.