Howard Dean called into a local talk radio station this morning...

[Rowdyboy]

I was driving, listening to the early morning right-wing chat when they announced a call from Howard Dean. It was the good doctor, himself. He said, again, that:

1. He was sorry if he hurt any minoroties, because he knew the flag was hurtful to those who were oppressed

2. He did not intend to stereotype southerners as gun-toting, truck driving redecks.

3. He felt that southern white voters need to be voting their pocketbooks, that Democrats were on our side economically (medical care and jobs)

For once, the local peanut gallery was respectful, though they did press him on a couple of points...Surprisingly, after he left, they didn't badmouth him.

He made his points well. For Christ's sake, they should let this "issue" go. He has explained himself sufficiently.

on edit: this was in Jackson, Mississippi. If he spends time talking to radio stations here, he IS serious about fighting for the south.

[Demobrat]

1. Where do you live?

?

[Rowdyboy]

3. Sorry, I updated the post to include the informatio...

Jackson, Mississippi

[LuminousX]

2. Didn't Clinton do this a lot

I seem to remember him calling into Tom Joyner a lot.

[Guaranteed]

4. Yup

Once people get their fricking heads straight, Dean's going to be in a great position. He's coming back into it already.
He's handled this very well, overall, I'd say.

[seaglass]

5. It would have been over if he had just addressed it

when given the opportunity at the debate. I'm glad he's seen the light and yes, it should be over now.

[helleborient]

6. Very very cool....

As a campaign strategy!!!

[AP]

7. He's apologizing to the right wingers. Is he calling into black radio...

...stations too?

I noticed he was on Fox apologizing too. And I just read in another thread that he didn't think of apologizing until he considered that he had insulted Edwards. What about Sharpton?

[NewYorkerfromMass]

8. Good. But for some reason he couldn't do it face to face Tuesday night

when there was flesh and blood before him expressing hurt. I have no doubt it's because he didn't have his internal polls yet on how to handle an apology, and he waited to consult with Carter, et al. on how to handle it. As Kerry said, we're electing a president not a staff.

[Rowdyboy]

9. I think he was stunned by the ferocity

and the unprofessionness of the attack. I was at a loss for words myself.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

10. A young man from the audience told him he was hurt

good god that was no attack. Dean had an opportunity right there with a national audience and he was TOO AFRAID to apologize.

[Rowdyboy]

12. I'm talking about Sharpton and Edwards...

Not the original questioner. I agree that he botched the original answer, and he should have been prepared, but when Sharpton and Edwards went off, he seemed stunned. He was unable to gather his thoughts enough to answer like he did today.

[Eloriel]

14. Yeah, I thought Edwards was way out of line

Waaaaay outta line.

So much so that while despite his IWR vote, I'd been thinking maybe he could be my #2 choice. Not now, brother. No way.

Eloriel

[robsul82]

15. Exactly my feelings...

...before that debate, you can read tons of Dean/Edwards posts by me. No more, Johnny.

Later.

RJS

[Guaranteed]

16. That was pure opportunism.

Totally insincere on Edward's part.

Edited for clarity.

[AP]

17. This I don't get. Dean says he's apologizing because he

offended Edwards and people like Edwards. He's admitting that Edwards was right about this.

(And, for the moment, we'll set aside the elephant over there in the corner: why doesn't he care that he offended Sharpton, whose criticism was based on race, rather than class?)

How could you be angry at Edwards? He has further helped Dean define himself as the candidate for the southern white male.

You should be happy that Edwards helped Dean refine his meta-message.

[realFedUp]

11. Dean bio

BigBear wanted his bio information...here it
is for anyone else interested:

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/president/dean/

[Eloriel]

13. You bet he's serious about working for the South --

and everywhere else as well. His mantra has been "We will concede no state."

That boy is SERIOUS.

Thanks for a really interesting bit of info.

Eloriel