Dean's small transformation may precede a much larger one, if he gets the nomination:

GRUNDY CENTER, Iowa - The tightening race in Iowa has turned the once-confident Howard Dean into an uncertain candidate.
He's changed his wardrobe (adding sweaters), revised his stump speech (it's shorter, sweeter) and started dodging the traveling press (which has been questioning his front-runner strategy).

As Dean slides in the polls, there's also been a noticeable lack of enthusiasm at some stops.

In Grinnell yesterday, Dean stopped into a fast-food restaurant when he ran into political-science professor Barb Trish.

"I hope you'll caucus for me," Dean said.

"I am a Gephardt supporter," Trish said apologetically, referring to Missouri Rep. Dick Gephardt.

When Dean suggested he might be her second choice, Trish shot him down again.

"Actually [North Carolina Sen.] John Edwards is my second choice," she said, thanking Dean for running nonetheless.

Why would anyone want to whore themselves around Iowa begging for every friggin' delegate.