Whether it was his angry personality, arrogant remarks, poor campaigning, liberal message or media portrayal, ISU students and political science professors said Howard Dean’s departure from the presidential race was inevitable.

“I think the writing was on the wall,” said Joshua Reicks, president of the ISU College Republicans.

Finishing only third in Iowa, second in New Hampshire and similarly in caucuses and primaries through early February, the former Vermont governor officially announced Wednesday he would no longer pursue the presidency.

“He got in a fight with the wrong people,” said Steffen Schmidt, university professor of political science, with regard to Dean’s attack on Democratic leadership for being too conservative.

“He was an enemy of the Democratic party establishment because he saw [John] Kerry and others as his enemy for following Clinton in taking the party in the wrong direction by bringing it to the middle.”

Schmidt said Dean’s attack against the party angered too many party leaders, such as Bill Clinton. Dean’s message was able to gain him support, but only from a minority, he said.

“His message wasn’t the message that traditional Democrats agreed with,” Schmidt said. “People were concerned that his message … was going to lead to a huge defeat because the message was too liberal, and he was never able to convince them that it wasn’t the case.”

He said Dean’s failing was his stubbornness in not changing his message.

“If you can’t get other Democrats to agree with you and support your message, then maybe you don’t have a good message,” Schmidt said.

Dean’s angry personality also made supporters and Democrats rethink their endorsement of him, he said.

“Even today he was fuming about the party establishment, special interests and the media,” Schmidt said.

Reicks said a big indicator Dean’s implosion came when his campaign chair, Steve Grossman, left to support Kerry.

“It was a combination of his own off-the-cuff arrogance and the media’s portrayal of him not being electable that disintegrated his support,” Reicks said.

He said Dean made a move signaling the beginning of the end by firing campaign manager Joe Trippi.

“It was a rash decision that disillusioned his supporters and staff. [To fire him] was ludicrous,” Reicks said. “It was a Hail Mary pass, and everyone saw it as a last desperate attempt to salvage his campaign.”

Drew Miller, senior in computer science, worked with Cyclones for Dean, a student organization supporting Dean.

Miller said he and many other people on the Dean campaign have come to terms with Dean’s departure.

He said the issue of Dean’s performance rose from the mainstream media’s coverage of the candidate.

“That was the allure of Howard Dean, though,” Miller said. “I don’t think that by giving [in to pressure] he would have been true to his campaign,” Miller said.

He said even though Dean is bowing out of the race, he has left an impression on the Democratic Party.

“Without Dean in the race, we’d have seen a much more timid campaign,” Miller said. “It hurts a little, but I think given the situation he’s making the right move. I think by bowing out now and focusing on his issues, and not his candidacy, when the election comes, those issues won’t be left by the wayside.”