Dean Responds

See the previous post for some comments Lieberman made about Dean. Now Dean is firing back–by focusing on his own record and positions rather than attacking fellow-Democrats like Joe Lieberman. Here’s Dean:

“I am in the center. I balanced budgets. The president hasn’t done so. I believe that states have the right to make their own gun laws, after enforcing the federal laws vigorously. There’s nothing that’s not centrist about me…”

…Dean, who was Vermont’s lieutenant governor in 1991 when Gov. Richard Snelling died, balanced the state’s budget for 11 consecutive years — although Vermont is the only state in the union that does not require a balanced budget…

“…They all say, ‘He’s so liberal. Well, if liberal is balancing budgets, please do call me a liberal. … If you want jobs and investment in the country, you’re going to have to have a Democrat because the Republicans simply can’t handle money.”

More impressively, Dean also realizes that the next election is about much, much, more than who gets to be the nominee. Here’s more Dean:

“I will support the nominee. It is essential that George Bush not be re- elected for the future of this country. It is essential for our economy. It’s essential, so we can regain the respect we had around the world…

…Any one of [the Democratic candidates] would be better than the president they have now,” he said. “But what our party really has to have is some backbone.”

I’m starting to like this guy more and more, though it’s still far too early for the coveted AB-endorsement.

AB

UPDATE: In comments, Moebius reminds me of Reagan’s Eleventh Commandment: “Thou Shall Not Speak Ill of a Fellow Republican.” Reagan followed his own rule for the most part and now Republicans are trying to name everything in the country after him. Think about it.