It had to happen. Someone was going to run for president in 2008 and, in their words and actions, conjure up memories of former Gov. Howard Dean's ill-fated 2004 bid for the White House. And some big-media entity was going to quickly label the dude the "Howard Dean of 2008."

This week, Time Magazine bestowed that honor on John Edwards, the former North Carolina Senator and 2004 Democratic vice presidential nominee.

Okay, in some ways, the shoe fits. Time points out that Edwards, now a Washington outsider, has worked to present himself as a "bold, straight-talking candidate, as Dean did in 2003." And Time notes that Edwards recently gave a fiery speech calling on elected Democrats to show more "courage" in questioning President Bush's troop surge plan for Iraq and has become a champion for universal health care. Sound familiar? For the full Time story, click HERE.

The story also notes that, like Dean, Edwards is drawing support from the blog world, noting that in an on-line "poll" conducted by the well-regarded lefty Daily Kos blog, Edwards was Numero Uno, garnering 26 percent support to Senator Barack Obama's 25 percent.

The magazine couldn't resist tossing in a few golden oldie zingers about Dean. "No, no, the former vice presidential nominee hasn't replaced his Southern drawl with a Northeastern screech," the article said while pointing out the similarities between the two men.

So does Edwards remind you of Dean? What do you think of the rest of the Democratic -- and Republican -- presidential field as we get ready for the 2008 presidential nomination dance?

-- Sam Hemingway