Edwards seeks Dean's support

Presidential aspirant John Edwards often lauds labor unions, civil rights activists, and working class families during campaign speeches, but in recent days he has been lavishing praise on an unexpected party -- "my good friend, governor Howard Dean," as he told a Minnesota crowd over the weekend that responded with a standing ovation.

The North Carolina senator is desperate to gain traction in his uphill electoral battle against Senator John F. Kerry and has made an intense behind-the-scenes effort to woo the former Vermont governor and his mighty political machine featuring tens of thousands of activists seeking a new standard-bearer.

Edwards called Dean three times last week, according to Edwards's aides. In each case, Edwards was the suitor, seeking Dean's backing, according to a senior Dean adviser who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The discussions, said aides on both sides, have been preliminary and casual, with little talk of a possible endorsement.

Edwards, in an interview, said he told Dean: " `I want your help, I want your support.' He said in response: `I am very interested in your campaign, I think you'll be the best candidate against George Bush. But I need more time to think about it.' "

"Every time we talk it's been very positive," Edwards said. "But he says he just needs some more time."

Last week, Edwards began opening his speeches on the campaign trail with extensive praise of Dean, saying, "He has changed the face of American politics." Edwards lauded Dean in front of unusually robust crowds in Ohio and Minnesota over the weekend, where "Dean for America" and Dean buttons were plentiful.

During the campaign season, there was no indication Dean and Edwards were friendly. In fact, at a November debate in Boston, Edwards angrily confronted Dean over his comment about seeking to appeal to Southerners with Confederate flags on their pickups, saying the former Vermont governor had engaged in stereotyping. And earlier in the campaign, Dean apologized to Edwards for publicly mischarac-

terizing his position on Iraq. In the closing days of his candidacy, Dean gave Edwards as close to an endorsement as may have been possible, saying for public consumption that he thought the North Carolina senator would be a better Democratic nominee than Kerry.

Yet Dean has become wary of reiterating his support, in case Kerry wins the nomination, an outcome that might leave Dean in the political wilderness. In his departure speech, Dean vowed to support the eventual Democratic nominee. He also covets a prime role at the Democratic National Convention in Boston in July, an event whose agenda will be entirely controlled by the nominee.

"He's aware of the old saying, `If you're going to kill the king, make sure you kill the king,' " said the senior Dean adviser. "Otherwise, it puts him in a bad spot."

While Edwards has garnered media attention since placing second in Wisconsin last week, he trails far behind Kerry. Edwards has not won a primary or caucus since the Feb. 3 contest in his native South Carolina. Kerry, meanwhile, has an overall record of 15-2 and continues to wage a national campaign while Edwards targets Georgia, Minnesota, Maryland, New York, and Ohio.

The Dean adviser said Dean believes that for an endorsement to have maximum impact it must be made before next Tuesday's "Super Tuesday" voting in 10 states.

Since leaving the race, Dean has resumed a normal life, cleaning his garage and spending the weekend with his family, the adviser said. Dean has also been busy working on the structure of his new political action group, which will be rooted in his highly successful campaign website.

But some of Dean's followers do not share his hesitation to side with Edwards. Yesterday, Cornell Students for Dean became the first major student group to endorse the North Carolina senator.

"For an Ivy League university as liberal as Cornell to make this switch makes it safe for Deanheads across the country to switch to Edwards," said Peter S. Cohl, the group's president.

In addition, two cofounders of Generation Dean, his much-publicized youth outreach group, endorsed Edwards yesterday. And Eric Schmeltzer, deputy director of Dean's New York campaign, launched a website yesterday called DeaniacsForEdwards.com.

"We're pleased so many Dean supporters are deciding to support John Edwards," said Edwards's New York State campaign director, Terence Tolbert. "But we are not done reaching out to them, or any voter."

Edwards said this support, however limited, has already become apparent on the campaign trail.

"I just see a lot of, a lot of indication there are Dean people in the audience. So I think there's a great chance that they'll move in my direction," he said. "I think there's a lot of enthusiasm for the campaign in general. I think it helps."

Mishra reported from Albany, Ga., Johnson from Boston. Mishra can be reached at rmishra@globe.com