Howard Dean: the unacknowledged pit bull of the Kerry campaign.

Dean’s eagerness to go on the attack was part of the draw for the Kerry campaign. The one-time candidate can criticize the president in tougher terms than Kerry, who is trying to appear presidential and above the fray.

Kerry generally avoids directly comparing his decorated Vietnam War service with the president’s lack of combat experience overseas, but Dean was quick to make the distinction in a conference call with reporters this week.