Dean on Russert: Will be Muzzled or will it be Scream II

Robert Novak Sun Times article today discusses Howard Dean’s upcoming appearance on Meet the Press. There is much fear and trepidation that Russert will pick Dean apart and get him to expose himself on national TV as the radical he is. He has been saying inflammatory things around the country that the press has politely ignored. He is head of the democratic party and they do not have a replacement for him. The press can not tear him down until they get the okay from the proper folks, ya know.

Nudge, Nudge, Wink, Wink.

Some of Novak’s commentary:

After Howard Dean last weekend declared Tom DeLay ought to be in jail, a longtime Democratic operative told me the party’s national chairman had momentarily ripped off his muzzle but that it soon would be restored. My source erred, however, in believing that Dean ever had been muzzled. It’s just that nobody has paid much attention to his rants.

Since his election as chairman of the Democratic National Committee on Feb. 12, Dean has studiously avoided most national television exposure. But he has been talking to party gatherings across the country, and his intemperate language at these outings contradicts the notion that he has been kept under control. That he will leap onto the national stage Sunday on NBC’s ”Meet the Press” with Tim Russert raises concern among the Democratic political players whether he will contain himself.

Dr. Dean’s skill that he supposedly brought to the table was a money raiser, but Novak shows how this was all wrong.

Dean’s deficiencies as face and voice of the Democratic Party were supposed to be overcome by his legendary prowess, evident by his run for president, raising funds in small packages. That so far has proved a grievous disappointment. First-quarter figures show the DNC received only $13 million from individuals, compared with $32 million raised by the Republican National Committee. Overall figures were $34.2 million by the RNC, $16.7 million by the DNC.

Do you get the feeling that the good folks over at Democratic Underground are soon going to start wondering if Dean is a plant by Karl Rove?

BWAAHAAHAA!!!

Others Covering Dean and Russert:

Orrin Judd

Captains Quarters