Dean's Words Draw Democratic Rebukes. DNC Chief Stands by Barbs at GOP.

Howard Dean's recent spate of verbal zingers has fellow Democrats wringing their hands, while generating a big shrug from the Democratic National Committee chairman himself.

The latest flap came Monday when Dean said of the Republican Party, "It's pretty much a white, Christian party." The comment drew fire from Dean's GOP opponents, but it also rankled Democrats, who have been nervous ever since the outspoken former Vermont governor and presidential candidate won the DNC post.

Although many admire Dean's fundraising and party-building skills, they worry about his penchant for red-hot rhetoric. Last week, Dean said of Republicans, "A lot of them have never made an honest living in their lives." Earlier he suggested that House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (Tex.), now under an ethics cloud, ought to return to Houston to serve jail time.

But the "Christian party" comment has the potential of repelling millions of voters, and it had many Democrats running for cover.

(7-9-05, The Washington Post.)