More, Post-N.H. Jon Chait, who has been writing the "Dean-o-Phobe" column at TNR, has retired. Why? "My work is done here," says Chait.

Dean is finished as a potential nominee. He's blown all his money, his campaign is in disarray, and he's turned to an inside-the-Beltway Democrat to run his campaign. Dean may well play a potent spoiler role, but it's almost impossible to see him winning. Even if he somehow pulls out a majority of delegates and goes to a brokered nomination, the other candidates will pool their delegates and select a non-Dean.

A decent point, it seems. Those who enjoyed the column, fear not: Chait is already working up a lather about the new status quo:

Indeed, if there's anybody who could make Dean attractive, it's Kerry. Kerry is a miserable candidate, bereft of political skills, and possessing of a record and a persona tailor-made for Karl Rove. The Republicans will merely have to say about Kerry what they said about Gore--that he wants to be on every side of every issue, that he's culturally out of touch with mainstream America, that he's a pompous bore--and this time the sale will be easier, because all these things are far more true of Kerry than of Gore.

Perhaps the Kerryphobe will debut next.