MR. RUSSERT: But in order to have a civilized debate about these kinds of issues, a robust debate, can we be doing this to each other in the political process? Here's the Democratic National Committee Web site this morning. It is, in effect, a mug shot of Tom DeLay. You can see his height in the back with inches there, a serial number, 18821. Is that appropriate, a mug shot?
[Too bad Mr. Russert didn’t also ask why the Democratic National Committee never apologized for its sponsorship of a mock assassination of President Bush on Air America Radio, which the DNC funds.]
DR. DEAN: I don't think it's appropriate for Tom DeLay to be in Congress, Tim. I really don't. [And the DNC publicly insulting, mocking and condemning him for crimes for which he hasn’t been indicted – is the “ethical” solution?] Some of his own party has suggested he step aside while this ethics investigation is going on. [I bet 95% of them is from New England.] I think he ought to at least step aside while this ethics investigation is going on. [Innocent until proven guilty, remember? Why stop him from doing his job in the meantime? Talk about potential abuse of power! Have a problem? Just accuse someone you don’t like of something and demand (s)he sit down until you prove him or her guilty!] We didn't start this. [How can you say that with a straight face?] Look, we're not going to stoop to the kind of divisiveness that the Republicans are doing and we're not going to stoop to the kind of abuse of power, but we are going to be tough as nails. [You’re the one criticizing Republicans for ruling and ruining this country every other sentence. That’s being divisive. Ironically enough, your very statement about not being divisive – is divisive. (AKA, Republicans = Bad! Democrats = Good!)] This is a fight for the soul of America between the Republicans and Democrats.
[H.D., 5/22/05: “Look, we're not going to stoop to the kind of divisiveness that the Republicans are doing.”]
We have an agenda that calls for pension reform, it calls for leaving Social Security alone, except for the tweaks that may be needed to fix it. [Which are…? Still waiting to hear from your party.] It calls for real jobs. It calls for closing the deficit. The last president – the only president in the last 35 years to balance the budget [thanks to Republican control of Congress] was Bill Clinton, a Democrat. You can't trust Republicans with your money. [1) Bill Clinton did; and 2) Howard Dean, 5/22/05: “Look, we're not going to stoop to the kind of divisiveness that the Republicans are doing.”] The country is at a crossroads. Are we going to be ethical in government? [Not if you’re in charge!] Are we going to stand up for fiscal responsibility? Are we going to stand up for freedom and personal responsibility?
The president keeps talking about freedom for Iraqis. What about the freedom for Americans to decide their most personal dilemmas in that family? [What about them?] Speaking of Tom DeLay, 14 judges made decisions in the Terri Schiavo case to allow that family to work out their problems through the court system. Tom DeLay didn't like it. He talks about now impeaching judges and removing them if they disagree. We need to retain American democracy. [Which includes Checks & Balances, to which you alluded earlier.] That means everybody has to be part of that American democracy, and, yes, that even includes Democrats and Independents who may not agree with the president. [And Republicans in Congress, as elected by the citizens of this country.]
MR. RUSSERT: So you will not retract or apologize your comments about Tom DeLay?
DR. DEAN: Absolutely not.
MR. RUSSERT: This is what you told The Philadelphia Inquirer. "[Dean] said Democrats need `message discipline.' He said they should for the present forego the satisfaction of attacking House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's ethics problems ... and focus on attacking Bush's plan to create private Social Security accounts."
You're not taking your own advice.
DR. DEAN: Well, I am in this sense. That was a couple of months ago, and this has been an issue that's been in the news with the Jack Abramoff scandals [second time you’ve named-dropped to change the subject], and it's been so in the news that you can't not comment on it. Again, another scandal that's going on, the Republicans, Jack Abramoff, [OK, all Republicans or one guy?] one of the president's leading fund-raisers, now being investigated [not indicted or convicted] for essentially selling influence to get into the White House and a variety of things like that.
MR. RUSSERT: One of the president's leading fund-raisers...
DR. DEAN: Yeah.
MR. RUSSERT: ...or one of Congress' leading fund-raisers?
DR. DEAN: My understanding is that he was one of the pioneers for the Bush campaign, in addition to being one of Congress' leading fund-raisers.
[Let’s investigate this. So far I don’t put much stock in Mr. Dean’s understanding of facts.]
MR. RUSSERT: And close to Tom DeLay.
DR. DEAN: And close to Tom DeLay.
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