Fournier, in a decent article (by current journalist standards, which admittedly doesn't say a whole lot) on a New Hampshire resident's reaction to Dean in the debate:

Dean, trying to persuade New Hampshire voters he is the one candidate in the race who has produced reforms and not just talked about them, was speaking more than ever about his record of balancing budgets and expanding health care in Vermont.

There were signs that the message had hit home with people in the crowd. One of them, Larry O'Sullivan, 50, a salesman from Londonderry, said he wasn't considering Dean until he saw Dean in the debate Thursday night.

"But here I am because of the impression he gave in the debate, despite the fact that he looked like a yahoo a couple days before in Iowa. I think he made up for it," O'Sullivan said.

Early, early on, I was attracted to Dean when I found out he was Governor of Vermont. I told everyone who'd listen: "New Englanders talk sense!" (I now realize, observing Kerrberman, that northern New England (ME-VT-NH) may be what I was thinking of.) Now, here's hoping that the common sense of the people of New Hampshire will overcome the media hysteria and enable them to do the right thing.