The Democrats need to present an alternative...

Jeff Jacoby shows just how lost the Democrats are.....they need to show a clear alternative vision (and specifics) to Bush.

And so far, as Howard Dean demonstrated on ''Meet the Press" the other day, the Democrats' ''vision thing" is a whole lot of nothing.

Why, the Democratic Party chairman was asked, do 52 percent of independent voters believe the Democrats have no clear message? Why do one in four Democrats believe that?

Tim Russert: For example, what is the Democratic position on Iraq? Should we withdraw troops now? What do the Democrats stand for?

Dean: Tim, first of all, we don't control the House, the Senate, or the White House. We have plenty of time to show Americans what our agenda is and we will, long before the '06 elections.

Russert: But there's no Democratic plan on Social Security. There's no Democratic plan on the deficit problem. There's no specifics.

Dean: Right now it's not our job to give out specifics. We have no control in the House. We have no control in the Senate. It's our job to stop this administration, this corrupt and incompetent administration, from doing more damage to America. And that's what we're going to do.

Russert: But is it enough for you to say to the country, ''Trust us, the other guy's no good. We'll do better, but we're not going to tell you specifically how."

Dean: We will. When the time comes, we will do that.

Russert: When's the time going to come?

Dean: The time is fast approaching.

Russert: This year?

Dean: In 2006.

Now there's a slogan to wow the voters: We'll get back to you in '06! Say what you will about George W. Bush, he is not afraid to take a stand, or to say something that may may hurt him in the next Gallup poll. This White House is not known for its pussyfooting aversion to controversy.