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McCain campaign hits Dean comment

Posted by Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor August 15, 2008 08:26 PM

John McCain's campaign is making noise tonight about comments that Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean made today about the differences between the two political parties.

With a new Census report out Thursday projecting that white people will no longer make up a majority of Americans by 2042, eight years sooner than prior predictions, Dean said on NPR that the Democratic Party is already a no-majority party that welcomes minorities and gives opportunity.

"If you look at folks of color, even women, they're more successful in the Democratic Party than they are in the white, uh, excuse me, in the Republican Party because we just give more opportunity to folks who are hardworking people who are immigrants and come from members of minority groups,” Dean said at one point.

Carly Fiorina, a McCain campaign co-chairwoman, responded in a statement: “It is disappointing to see Howard Dean trying to use gender and race to divide voters. His comments are insulting, inappropriate and have no place in this election.”

UPDATE: Stacie Paxton, a DNC spokeswoman, responded by saying of Dean, “He misspoke and corrected himself immediately.”

22 comments so far...
  1. I guess Dean hasn't heard of Condi Rice or Colin Powell. Remind me again how many black secretaries of state Clinton appointed....oh yeah it was zero.

    Once again liberals show their hypocrisy.

    Posted by Andy August 15, 08 09:13 PM
  1. Howard Dean is more worthless than an air horn on a one speed reel lawn mower.

    Posted by Bill Bussey August 15, 08 11:14 PM
  1. Oh, please listen to it. He said white, in a broken speech. Stopped said excuse me, republican party. Pleeeeeeeeeeeease.

    Posted by alan August 16, 08 12:35 AM

  1. What did he mean with his, “even women” remark?

    Is he saying women haven’t suffered through history? Women couldn’t vote until 50 years AFTER Black men.

    He’s just as loud and stupid as Jeremiah Wright and Father Pfleger.

    Posted by EAST COAST August 16, 08 08:01 AM
  1. I have been in Arizona 25 years and very closely follow its politics. Interestingly, what Mr. Dean says may not sound politically correct, but the fact is that here in Arizona, traditionally most minorities do belong to the Democratic Party or vote Democratic. This was particularly true when unions were still strong. The attitude among many members of minorities is that voting Republican is like a chicken voting for Colonel Sanders. Arizona is a Republican state in that most of the state's population is concentrated around Phoenix and Tucson and that population is largely transplants from the midwest. Most of them are Anglo. That is where the Republican vote is the strongest.

    Posted by walt mares August 16, 08 10:13 AM
  1. I guess Dean hasn't heard of Condi Rice or Colin Powell. Remind me again how many black secretary of states Clinton appointed....oh yeah it was zero.

    Once again liberals show their hypocrisy.

    Posted by Andy August 16, 08 11:11 AM
  1. Carly Fiorina is just another white man in a skirt. Who cares what she says?

    Posted by Dolores Blecher August 16, 08 11:32 AM
  1. Dean makes a statement that is hard to refute and Fiorina whines about dividing the electorate.. How pathetic. The RNC is backing a dirty biggoted campaign for McCain since he cannot win on his limited merits. Want proof - just look at who is running his campaign. Phil Gramm - now a sleazy lobbyist - is back together with McCain - he actually never left. Furthermore McCain's recent association with Jack Abramoff's pal, Ralph Reed- another corrupt bigot- also fits perfectly with his management by the Karl Rove team of the Big Lie and Smear. These handlers have muzzled McCain so he can no longer make a fool of himself in front of reporters on his bus. They have cut way back on his favorite platform, the Town Hall, because he can't answer the questions. Having Reed on board cements him with the religious right and provides another reactionary mouthpiece for his ugly campaign. Maverick? Straight-talker? - what a joke! He is nothing more than addled old hack who has turned over his campaign to the worst elements in US politics. Why? Because he is incompetent.

    Posted by jefflz August 16, 08 12:15 PM
  1. The way I look at it there seems to be more successful minorities in both Republican and Democrat Party.

    Posted by skmj August 16, 08 12:56 PM
  1. I wonder why no one is talking about McCain's cancer and the risk he is putting the country into. He could really be dead in a year or massive chemo. What is wrong about talking about this? After the 2000 drive toward the Whitehouse, he had a 5 hour surgery to stay alive.

    Posted by john August 16, 08 02:38 PM
  1. Misspoke? I don't think so.

    Posted by Bill Jenkins August 16, 08 05:17 PM
  1. And when, exactly, will the Globe scream RACISM as it so cheerfully does when a republican "misspeaks?" This was an obviously deliberate statement by Dean, but being a leftist dem (excuse the redundancy) he knows full well that the media will give him a pass. Racism simply doesn't exist in the dem party--at least, not so far as the public knows if it depends upon the mainstream media for its news!

    Posted by DOUGLAS BOOK August 16, 08 08:05 PM
  1. Howard Dean has made many rediculous statements prior to this statement that the republican is the white party,but this is over the top. It seems to me the democractic party could have chosen a more responsible and pragmatic chairman.He makes statements that makes the democrats look foolish.

    Posted by Bill Lewis August 16, 08 08:40 PM
  1. Funny how Dumbocrats make racist comments and then put it off as " He misspoke and corrected himself immediately.” We all know who the real racist party is now. Those lovable moron communist and traitors who call themselves democrats.

    Posted by Harry O in San Diego August 16, 08 10:39 PM
  1. Issues.. Issues...Issues... Enuf of this mudslinging...
    Everyone is running a dirty campaign rather than focus on main issues bothering this country..Economy, Jobs, Healthcare, Immigration...

    Focus!!!!

    Posted by Robbie August 17, 08 09:45 AM
  1. Howard Dean is a pig and typifies the Liberal-Socialist Partyy he belongs to.

    John F, Kennedy, Tip O'Neil, Hubert Humphrey, Adlai Stevenson and Scoop Jackson would turn-over in their graves if they saw what their party has turned into.


    Born in Massachusetts, by the grace of GOD a Georgian

    Posted by Charles Fishman August 17, 08 11:13 AM
  1. Dean just threw the election away, if it was not already thrown away, by his statement. Now, no matter who our nominee is it will be hard for democrats to win. Dean needs to go!!

    Posted by Nancy Krumrine August 18, 08 09:37 AM
  1. It's becoming more and more evident that Dean is just another Bill Ayers.

    Posted by chappy4 August 18, 08 09:58 AM
  1. the reference to white party was intentional..the message was planted and the polical promotion of women in the dem party is blatantly obvious and a symptom of what dem party portrays as success

    Posted by yyyyyyy August 18, 08 03:16 PM
  1. Hmm..what he said is not wrong. Republicans cannot prove it false, so they attack it.

    The self-haters, Condi and Clarence Thomas, don't count amongst their race.

    Posted by LM August 19, 08 12:07 PM
  1. Dear Wrinkly Grey Haired Dude,

    Please quit calling me your friend! It feels so fake. Friends are people you know who actually know your name. You don't know me or my name.

    Friends have affection for each other. I have no affection for a wrinkly grey haired old man that I have never met. Personally, I have a hard time liking a man who lies to his wife and cheats on her (several times).I have little respect for someone who still can't admit that he did some very slimy things to his wife and children. I just saw an interview with you and noticed that you evaded a rather difficult question when you could have given a humble answer. Do you really feel badly? By the way, where are your children? They don't seem to be campaigning for you. I wonder why. What about Nancy Reagan? Is she supporting you? I hear she really liked your first wife. You have now joined the ranks of President Bill Clinton, New Jersey Governor James McGreevey, Idaho Senator Larry Craig, Louisiana Senator David Vitter, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, Presidential candidate Wrinkly Grey Haired Dude.

    Friends have mutual interests. I know you are trying to tell me that you want the same things that I do so I will vote for you. However, I am not pro-life. I do not believe in your 100 year war plan and don't understand why you would ever say that! How could you possibly think that we are so inept that we could not find peace before 100 years. I don't understand why you hired several of Bush's cronies to run your campaign when you are trying to allienate yourself from Bush. Carl Rove? How could you? However, you are presuming first that I am your friend and then I am allowed to see if I like your point of view. I don't like your point of view. Quit calling me friend. You don't mind if I call you a name that is inappropriate like wrinkly grey haired dude? Actually, that name fits you better friend fits me.

    Friends give others their support. When was the last time you supported one of my causes? I happen to think the Bush administration lied about why we are at war. Have you ever mentioned that this war is longer than World War I or World War II? And you voted for it. Friends are on the same side. You aren't my friend grey haired dude.
    Calling me a friend is just wrong. Those of us who are trying to look at your policies get distracted by your presumption that we are friends. It feels and is demeaning. We actually are seriously considering what you are preaching but find the ironic reference to us as friends annoying.

    Quit it Grey Haired Dude!

    Posted by Sue Parzybok August 20, 08 02:54 PM
  1. Dear Wrinkly Grey Haired Dude,

    Please quit calling me your friend! It feels so fake. Friends are people you know who actually know your name. You don't know me or my name.

    Friends have affection for each other. I have no affection for a wrinkly grey haired old man that I have never met. Personally, I have a hard time liking a man who lies to his wife and cheats on her (several times).I have little respect for someone who still can't admit that he did some very slimy things to his wife and children. I just saw an interview with you and noticed that you evaded a rather difficult question when you could have given a humble answer. Do you really feel badly? By the way, where are your children? They don't seem to be campaigning for you. I wonder why. What about Nancy Reagan? Is she supporting you? I hear she really liked your first wife. You have now joined the ranks of President Bill Clinton, New Jersey Governor James McGreevey, Idaho Senator Larry Craig, Louisiana Senator David Vitter, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, Presidential candidate Wrinkly Grey Haired Dude.

    Friends have mutual interests. I know you are trying to tell me that you want the same things that I do so I will vote for you. However, I am not pro-life. I do not believe in your 100 year war plan and don't understand why you would ever say that! How could you possibly think that we are so inept that we could not find peace before 100 years. I don't understand why you hired several of Bush's cronies to run your campaign when you are trying to allienate yourself from Bush. Carl Rove? How could you? However, you are presuming first that I am your friend and then I am allowed to see if I like your point of view. I don't like your point of view. Quit calling me friend. You don't mind if I call you a name that is inappropriate like wrinkly grey haired dude? Actually, that name fits you better friend fits me.

    Friends give others their support. When was the last time you supported one of my causes? I happen to think the Bush administration lied about why we are at war. Have you ever mentioned that this war is longer than World War I or World War II? And you voted for it. Friends are on the same side. You aren't my friend grey haired dude.
    Calling me a friend is just wrong. Those of us who are trying to look at your policies get distracted by your presumption that we are friends. It feels and is demeaning. We actually are seriously considering what you are preaching but find the ironic reference to us as friends annoying.

    Quit it Grey Haired Dude!

    Posted by Sue Parzybok August 21, 08 02:31 PM
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About political intelligence Field reports from Boston Globe reporters and editors covering the 2008 presidential campaign and the national maneuvering of Bay State politicians.

Send your comments to masspolitics@globe.com

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