Blue in the Face

Howard Dean addresses a "Paint the Nation Blue" rally at the Park Plaza Hotel, Boston

From the Boston Herald:

GOP, Dean trade barbs in Boston

A toned-down Howard Dean juiced up about 300 Democratic activists yesterday during his first party fund-raiser in Boston since taking over the Democratic National Committee helm, but took jabs at familiar targets, including Republican Gov. Mitt Romney.

"It's a delight to be in state with two Democratic senators, 10 Democratic representatives and a governor who's never here,'' Dean joked.

The GOP hit back, calling the Green Mountain doc and former Vermont governor "Dr. Mean'' for criticizing the GOP, when he said earlier this year, "I hate Republicans.''

Before Dean's "Paint the Nation Blue'' fund-raiser at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel last night, the Massachusetts Republican party issued a news release with the headline, "Sick of losing Gov's races, Dems turn to sworn Republican hater.''

Dean promised to escalate his attacks on the GOP despite the negative response to his controversial comments in recent weeks. His inflammatory statements have brought harsh rebukes from Republicans and generally tepid support if not outright criticism from fellow Democratic party leaders.

..."I don't care if Dick Cheney likes my mother or not, we are going to fight back," Dean said.

Cheney never said he didn't like Dean's mother. He said, "Maybe his mother loved him, but I've never met anybody who does."

..."They say they want small government, but their government is just big enough to fit inside Terri Schiavo's bed in the nursing home," Dean said.

Unbowed by the criticism, Dean added, "And as the head of the Democratic party, I will not be lectured about morals by (Texas Republican U.S. Rep.) Tom Delay and Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly."

I doubt that Dr. Dean's methods will successfully "Paint the Nation Blue."

If he plans to further ratchet up the rhetoric, the only things turning blue will be the faces of Dean and his Dems.