Is there any legal way of actually finding out the demographics of who
is supporting Howard Dean? Specifically, is there a significant
percentage of Republicans sending money to his campaign? There are
concerns going around that the Republican sites are encouraging their
readers to put money toward Dean because they feel he would be easy
for Bush to beat, and it seems that the GOP did the same with Nader in
2000.

Republicans initially saw Dean as a candidate who would be easy to
beat, but I don't think they feel that way about him now. Contrast
these two articles, both of which mention Bush's political adviser
Karl Rove. Last July, there was an article entitled "Karl Rove Wants
Dean Against Bush for 2004." But in November, another article is
headlined "Why Karl Rove Fears Howard Dean."

"Talk about lining up the competition. President Bush's chief
political adviser has seen the possible presidential candidates among
the Democrats and has found one he apparently thinks his man can beat:
former Vermont governor Howard Dean.

Karl Rove tried to stir up enthusiasm for Dean marchers yesterday at
the 37th annual Palisades Citizens' Association Fourth of July parade
along the District's MacArthur Boulevard, which always attracts plenty
of politicians."

San Francisco IMC: Karl Rove Wants Dean Against Bush for 2004
http://www.sf.indymedia.org/news/2003/07/1624957.php

"All the top-tier Democratic challengers can beat Bush, but Dean poses
the biggest threat. Republicans once hoped Dean would get the
nomination to run against Bush. No longer. As Dean continues to gain
support and break fund-raising records by drawing on 100,000s of
supporters, the Bush brain-trust (Karl Rove) and the pro-Bush media
have changed their minds.

Republicans want two things: first, a long and bitter Democratic
primary fight leaving the party split and the activists exhausted and
second, a weak candidate they can trounce. If Dr. Howard Dean wraps up
the nomination early, that would frustrate both Republican aims. The
Republicans no longer see Dean as the weakest of the top Democrats.

How do I know? Because if they really thought Dean would be easy for
Bush to beat, they'd build him up to make sure he'd win the Democratic
nomination. They were doing that last summer, but no longer. They now
fear Governor Dean most of all. That explains why Republicans bash
Dean constantly. On right-wing hate radio and on the talking head
shows. On the editorial pages and in the 'news' sections. As these
tactics fail, Republican fear grows."

American Politics Journal: Why Karl Rove Fears Howard Dean
http://www.americanpolitics.com/20031114Hersh.html

I have not found any formal demographic profile of Dean's supporters.
Dean has been courting labor union members with some success, but it
would be my guess that most of his support comes from young, fairly
affluent white liberals.

"Heretofore, Dean rallies have had the demographic of a Phish concert:
young, white liberals. It has made for a certain callow feel to Dean's
candidacy: Ben & Jerry are mad, and they're not going to take it
anymore! The crowd in the hall of New York's local SEIU 32BJ skews
older, and black and Hispanic. On this day, Dean himself is diverse by
proxy."

National Review: Maestro of Anti-Bushism
http://www.nationalreview.com/lowry/lowry200311260933.asp

I hope someone can find the demographic profile you seek. I'm not a
Dean supporter, but I am curious.

Here's an interesting article about Dean's supporters:

Salon: Dean's Army Goes Offline
http://salon.com/tech/feature/2003/09/09/dean_outreach/index_np.html

In theory, you could determine whether Dean's contributors are
Democrats or Republicans. Donations are public record, as is party
affiliation. However, Dean has received donations from tens of
thousands of contributors. Going through each one and matching them
with voter-registration records would take ages.

According to opensecrets.org, the leading PAC contributors to Dean's
campaign are AOL Time Warner, University of California, Microsoft, IBM
and Harvard University. Somehow I doubt Berkeley and Harvard employees
are funding Dean as a back-door way to help Bush. In addition, if you
look at the professions of Dean donors
(http://www.opensecrets.org/presidential/indus.asp?id=N00025663&cycle=2004),
the top ones are retirees, lawyers and teachers -- traditionally
Democratic groups. (The entertainment industry comes in fifth.)