Russert also nailed him on calling for a “reduction in the rate of growth,” pointing out that Democrats always call that a “cut.” He likewise pointed out that Dean told a story about a young girl whose father had impregnated her, even though he knew that wasn’t the case. All this was to make his case for parental notification on abortion. Dean has been hiding in blissful obscurity in Vermont. He’s never had to defend a thing he said, so he doesn’t have a prayer when faced with the facts – like his demand that we raise the Social Security retirement age to 70. Now he starts to sound foolish with things like saying his “I’m sorry” to John F. Kerry wasn’t an apology.
Dean’s political Hindenberg landing may have helped him with the far-out, wacko liberal base, but in terms of the mainstream population, it was a bomb of Dukakian proportions. He will suffer a McGovern-Mondale-scale loss if he faces Bush next year. These guys try to be Bill Clinton, but they can’t pull it off! Clinton would’ve bit his lower lip and called who ever reported this stuff a lying sack. Dean tried, and failed spectacularly. He may get the nomination based on performances like this, because he’s up with Sharpton as the only candidate with a pulse. We’ll wait and see.