The Dean campaign today offered a sneak peek of the candidate’s approach to swing voters in the general election:
Howard Dean has called on the Democratic Party to stand up and fight the Republicans, and yesterday he offered a firsthand demonstration.
The former Vermont governor, taking a question from the audience after his standard stump speech, found himself being criticized for condemning the policies of President Bush and, with the assistance of the press, showing no respect for authority.
“It just makes me furious when the political media and the columnists slam, bam, and bash Bush,” contended Dale Ungerer, 67, a registered Republican from Hawkeye.
“If you analyze it, how many times did you criticize Bush, but what’s the sense if you don’t actually say that `My plan involves this and this?'”
Ungerer called on the Democrats to heed the biblical maxim of “love thy neighbor,” adding: “Please tone down the garbage, the mean-mouthing, of tearing down your neighbor, and being so pompous.”
Dean, who listened quietly, immediately replied, “George Bush is not my neighbor.” When Ungerer tried to interrupt, the former governor shouted: “You sit down! You had your say, and now I’m going to have my say.”