" One of the leading Democratic candidates for President is making a foray into the heart of Gephardt Country.

Local supporters of the Howard Dean campaign will be at the Bevo Mill tonight for a phone-conference fundraiser with the former Vermont Governor on the line.

Is this a big deal?

'He's coming into Gephardt's turf, not physically, but by phone,' says St. Louis University Political Science Professor Ken Warren. 'That's somewhat embarassing for Gephardt.'

Warren says Gephardt is not doing as well as expected by now, and the political fact of life is he's lagging at number three in the Democratic pack behind Dean and Massachusetts Senator John Kerry.
'Dean doesn't have any chance of winning Missouri,' Warren says. 'But still, he will be able to raise some money here.'"