"Which Howard Dean are Iowans going to vote for -- the one who insults them, or the one who will be soon releasing yet another clarifying statement?"
DES MOINES, Iowa ? Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean, trying to limit the fallout from negative comments he made four years ago, said Friday he "really didn't understand the Iowa caucuses" when he said they were dominated by extremist special interests.
...On the program, Dean said: "If you look at the caucuses system, they are dominated by the special interests, in both sides, in both parties. The special interests don't represent the centrist tendencies of the American people. They represent the extremes."
Gephardt called an airport news conference where he labeled the comments "unbelievable" and said Iowa Democrats deserve an explanation.
"I can't understand his comments about special interests dominating the caucuses," Gephardt said. "Who are these special interests?"
He said he sees only "ordinary people" as he campaigns for the caucuses and that Dean should address the issue.
"He should certainly give them an explanation of what he meant when he said these things," Gephardt said.Iowans deserve an explanation."
Kerry spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter quipped that Dean "is going to extremes of his own to win over Iowa voters."
Howard Dean are Iowans going to vote for -- the one who insults them, or the one who will be soon releasing yet another clarifying statement?"
Dean made the comments on "The Editors," which covered U.S. and Canadian politics and was filmed in Montreal, not far north of Vermont. NBC News reviewed 90 of Dean's appearances on the show since 1996 and first reported his comments about the caucuses Thursday night.
The Dean campaign Thursday was forced to fire two low-level volunteers who went into Kerry's campaign offices posing as average voters. Kerry's campaign reacted with outrage. Dean aides said the campaign adheres to strict ethical codes and that the two volunteers were dismissed. [/quote]
DES MOINES, Iowa ? Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean, trying to limit the fallout from negative comments he made four years ago, said Friday he "really didn't understand the Iowa caucuses" when he said they were dominated by extremist special interests.
...On the program, Dean said: "If you look at the caucuses system, they are dominated by the special interests, in both sides, in both parties. The special interests don't represent the centrist tendencies of the American people. They represent the extremes."
Gephardt called an airport news conference where he labeled the comments "unbelievable" and said Iowa Democrats deserve an explanation.
"I can't understand his comments about special interests dominating the caucuses," Gephardt said. "Who are these special interests?"
He said he sees only "ordinary people" as he campaigns for the caucuses and that Dean should address the issue.
"He should certainly give them an explanation of what he meant when he said these things," Gephardt said.Iowans deserve an explanation."
Kerry spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter quipped that Dean "is going to extremes of his own to win over Iowa voters."
Howard Dean are Iowans going to vote for -- the one who insults them, or the one who will be soon releasing yet another clarifying statement?"
Dean made the comments on "The Editors," which covered U.S. and Canadian politics and was filmed in Montreal, not far north of Vermont. NBC News reviewed 90 of Dean's appearances on the show since 1996 and first reported his comments about the caucuses Thursday night.
The Dean campaign Thursday was forced to fire two low-level volunteers who went into Kerry's campaign offices posing as average voters. Kerry's campaign reacted with outrage. Dean aides said the campaign adheres to strict ethical codes and that the two volunteers were dismissed. [/quote]
Facebook
Twitter