Dean's Appearance Has Media in a Sweat. - We all knew this was coming . . . .
It was a scalding day on Capitol Hill yesterday, and that includes tempers. Things got particularly hot during a photo op in the office of Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) after the minority leader and his Senate deputies completed a 17-minute meeting with the hot-tongued Howard Dean.
About 60 reporters and cameramen attempted to shove their way into an office equipped to handle about 20.
Reid thanked everyone for coming. He sat under a white chandelier, between Dean, the Democratic National Committee chairman, and Minority Whip Richard Durbin (D-Ill.). Reid emphasized that he and Dean meet every month.
In other words, the timing of the confab was not related to the string of controversial remarks Dean has uttered in recent weeks that many Republicans have been quick to condemn and many Democrats have been just as quick to disassociate themselves from. Among other things, Dean has said that he hates "Republicans and everything they stand for," that many of them "have never made an honest living in the lives," that House Majority Leader Tom DeLay "ought to go back to Houston where he can serve his jail sentence" and -- most recently -- that Republicans are "pretty much a white Christian party." Reid invited questions from reporters.
"Have you had advice for Governor Dean about his most recent comments, sir?"
Reid replied that there isn't anyone who hasn't "misspoken" and recited an on-message litany of "important issues" that Democrats are committed to addressing, including the escalating costs of gasoline, health care and college tuition. "We're here today to talk about the American people," he said. But practically everyone else in the room wanted to talk about Howard Dean.
"Senator Reid, you just used the word 'misspoke,' " yelled one reporter, out-shouting a half-dozen others. He asked if Reid thought that Dean had "misspoken."
"You know," Dean interjected, "I think a lot of this is exactly what Republicans want, and that's a diversion." He bemoaned the "media circus" of the last two weeks and said that he and Reid were not concerning themselves with that -- only with vital things like Social Security, national defense and jobs.
"And all this other stuff is all fine and good, and we understand how exciting it all is to you," Dean said, shaking his head.
The press chorus then devolved into a cacophony of competing screams. (And Dean knows screams!) After several seconds, a booming voice cut through the noise. It belonged to Brian Wilson, a Fox News correspondent who was standing in the middle of the crowd. He asked Dean "if people are focused on the other things that you've said about hating Republicans, about Republicans being dishonest and then this latest comment about the Republican Party is full of white Christians. You say you hate Republicans -- does that mean you also'' hate white Christians?
Dean didn't respond and Reid talked about having a "positive agenda." Wilson was so insistent that at one point, Durbin asked, "Does he run the press conference?"
Someone asked whether Dean would "change his ways," or if he planned to be "less confrontational in the future" or whether he "regrets" anything he has said. An aide to Reid announced that the photo op was over.
(6-10-05, The Washington Post.)
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We all knew this question was coming, and thus the question is, where was the damage control. When Dean could not stand to let Sen. Reid conduct the press conference, and "interjected," I assumed Dean was coming out with a response to the question that followed about Republicans being a bunch of white Christians.
My readers know how I felt about Dean getting the DNC Chair. My feelings about it now is and has been he got it, and thus he has 100% of my support. But he must allow us and the rest of the party to help. He needs to stick with his job description.
If he is unwilling to change his ways and do what he assured state party members who voted for him that he would do, a resignation -- voluntary or otherwise -- awaits him down the road.
Is this what I want? No. I am pulling for him because he the head of our party, but he must change his ways, and change them in a big, big hurry.
We lost 2004 because Just For Kerry was such a terrible candidate. We don't want Dean to even be an issue one way or the other for 2008. That is his job description. Please Gov. Dean, please pretty please.
About 60 reporters and cameramen attempted to shove their way into an office equipped to handle about 20.
Reid thanked everyone for coming. He sat under a white chandelier, between Dean, the Democratic National Committee chairman, and Minority Whip Richard Durbin (D-Ill.). Reid emphasized that he and Dean meet every month.
In other words, the timing of the confab was not related to the string of controversial remarks Dean has uttered in recent weeks that many Republicans have been quick to condemn and many Democrats have been just as quick to disassociate themselves from. Among other things, Dean has said that he hates "Republicans and everything they stand for," that many of them "have never made an honest living in the lives," that House Majority Leader Tom DeLay "ought to go back to Houston where he can serve his jail sentence" and -- most recently -- that Republicans are "pretty much a white Christian party." Reid invited questions from reporters.
"Have you had advice for Governor Dean about his most recent comments, sir?"
Reid replied that there isn't anyone who hasn't "misspoken" and recited an on-message litany of "important issues" that Democrats are committed to addressing, including the escalating costs of gasoline, health care and college tuition. "We're here today to talk about the American people," he said. But practically everyone else in the room wanted to talk about Howard Dean.
"Senator Reid, you just used the word 'misspoke,' " yelled one reporter, out-shouting a half-dozen others. He asked if Reid thought that Dean had "misspoken."
"You know," Dean interjected, "I think a lot of this is exactly what Republicans want, and that's a diversion." He bemoaned the "media circus" of the last two weeks and said that he and Reid were not concerning themselves with that -- only with vital things like Social Security, national defense and jobs.
"And all this other stuff is all fine and good, and we understand how exciting it all is to you," Dean said, shaking his head.
The press chorus then devolved into a cacophony of competing screams. (And Dean knows screams!) After several seconds, a booming voice cut through the noise. It belonged to Brian Wilson, a Fox News correspondent who was standing in the middle of the crowd. He asked Dean "if people are focused on the other things that you've said about hating Republicans, about Republicans being dishonest and then this latest comment about the Republican Party is full of white Christians. You say you hate Republicans -- does that mean you also'' hate white Christians?
Dean didn't respond and Reid talked about having a "positive agenda." Wilson was so insistent that at one point, Durbin asked, "Does he run the press conference?"
Someone asked whether Dean would "change his ways," or if he planned to be "less confrontational in the future" or whether he "regrets" anything he has said. An aide to Reid announced that the photo op was over.
(6-10-05, The Washington Post.)
_______________
We all knew this question was coming, and thus the question is, where was the damage control. When Dean could not stand to let Sen. Reid conduct the press conference, and "interjected," I assumed Dean was coming out with a response to the question that followed about Republicans being a bunch of white Christians.
My readers know how I felt about Dean getting the DNC Chair. My feelings about it now is and has been he got it, and thus he has 100% of my support. But he must allow us and the rest of the party to help. He needs to stick with his job description.
If he is unwilling to change his ways and do what he assured state party members who voted for him that he would do, a resignation -- voluntary or otherwise -- awaits him down the road.
Is this what I want? No. I am pulling for him because he the head of our party, but he must change his ways, and change them in a big, big hurry.
We lost 2004 because Just For Kerry was such a terrible candidate. We don't want Dean to even be an issue one way or the other for 2008. That is his job description. Please Gov. Dean, please pretty please.
posted by Sid Cottingham | 12:32 PM
1 Comments:
Sid, you know I couldn't agree more. You can read my views on Howard Dean here.
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