The American Spectator

p> ANOTHER WOMAN NOT AT DEAN’S SIDE br> If former Vermont Gov. Howie Dean thinks he’s somehow on target to compete in Michigan, he may be in for a surprise as rude as what awaited him in Iowa and New Hampshire. /p>

Dean has made clear the past couple of days that he is looking past the February 3rd primaries and caucuses, and focusing on events like the Michigan presidential caucuses four days later. Deaniacs believe that Michigan is prime Dean country given the backing the candidate has received from organized labor.

But according to sources in the campaign of Sen. John Kerry, the Massachsetts Miracleman and his strategists have nicely pulled an end around Dean and have sealed the endorsement of popular Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm. It could be announced as early as next Monday, if not earlier.

“Dean isn’t going to know what hit him,” says a Kerry staffer crowing from South Carolina. “He thinks he can win Michigan? He’s already lost Michigan. He just doesn’t know it.”

As well, according to Kerry sources, the candidate will not only bask in the endorsement from Granholm, but on the same day he’s also expected to receive backing from the Sheet Metal Workers’ International Association, which boasts 150,000 members nationally. This would be the largest labor group to sign on with Kerry since he received the early backing from the International Association of Firefighters.

“The sheet metal folks, along with Granholm, give us the edge in Michigan and elsewhere in the rust belt,” says the Kerry staffer. “We think we’ve effectively cut off any future Dean momentum that he hasn’t already cut off himself.”

p> TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW br> On Thursday, former Democratic presidential candidate, Rep. Dick Gephardt