Howard Dean Has a Big Mouth

Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean is just an embarrassment but the problem is that he doesn't recognize it. He first came to attention during his short lived presidential campaign when he went from high flying candidate to a joke to an afterthought.

His most recent commentary is shameful.

"...on Wednesday defended his recent harsh criticism of Republicans, including his observation that they are "pretty much a white, Christian party."

Dean noted that he, too, is a white Christian. But he said the GOP is too narrow in its scope and the Democratic Party is far more diverse.

While even prominent Democrats in recent days have distanced themselves from some of his comments, the outspoken Dean, appearing on NBC"s "Today" show, said criticism of him is meant by Republicans to divert attention from the country's problems and make him the issue instead.

Dean told a forum of journalists and minority leaders Monday that Republicans are "not very friendly to different kinds of people, they are a pretty monolithic party ... it's pretty much a white, Christian party."

Challenged on that during the NBC interview, Dean said "unfortunately, by and large it is. And they have the agenda of the conservative Christians."

"This is a diversion from the issues that really matter:Social Security,and adequate job opportunity, strong public schools, a strong defense," Dean said."

This is wrong. There is no place for this kind of talk. What would have happened if someone referred to the Democrats as being the party of Jews, Blacks and Hispanics. I am willing to bet that there would be hell to pay.

But let us ignore that for a moment and focus on Dean's comment that the response he received is a diversionary tactic. Does he not understand that he created this environment, that without his commentary this would not exist.

Does he not recognize that he could have said that Republicans are not focusing on the real issues without having to include any of the other remarks. All he does is make himself the issue and if you don't think that is accurate look at these comments:

Last weekend, Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., and 2004 vice presidential candidate John Edwardscriticized Dean for his recent remarks, saying he doesn't speak for them.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, talking with reporters Wednesday, said she did not agree with the statement Dean made about the Republican Party.

"The role of the chair of the Democratic National Committee is one that is different than the role of the Democratic leader of the House or in the Senate," the California congresswoman said, "and sometimes the exhuberance of that position results in statements that neither of us would make."

"I don't think that the statement the governor (Dean) made was a helpful statement," she said. But Pelosi said she thought that Dean was "doing a good job."