Transcript of Howard Dean on Paula Zahn

FYI, I found myself entirely incapable of writing this up without inserting the occasional snarky commentary, which is in italics throughout this transcript...

Paula Zahn: So, the polls would indicate that the American public overwhelmingly supports the idea of rebuilding New Orleans. The president expected to lay out a specific plan tonight. What kind of a bounce do you think he'll get in the polls?

My gosh--what a mind numbingly stupid question to ask!

Howard Dean: I can't say that, but I can tell you what better be in the plan. Good! You don't have to answer stupid questions--answer the question *you* want to answer. Fellow Democrats, kindly take note, and remember this the next time someone asks you a question about Howard that is entirely based on right wing talking points.

First of all, FEMA needs to become an independent agency again as it was under President Clinton. Second of all, the bankruptcy bill needs to be put off. It takes effect in about a month. There are going to be hundreds of thousands of people from Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana who are going to be in hock for the rest of their lives if that bankruptcy bill isn't put off. And that needs to be done. It needs to be put off either for a year, for everybody in America, or give a special exemption for people from those states. Thirdly, we cannot pass an extension of the estate tax. Sooner or later people in this country are going to wake up and understand that if you have 750 billion dollars around to give to 25,000 American families, you'd do much better rebuilding New Orleans, rebuilding Mississippi, rebuilding Alabama, and then having some left over to start paying down the deficit and start investing in American jobs again.

Paula: Governor, you've said "the ugly truth that skin color, age, and economics played a significant role in who survived and who did not." Are you suggesting that the president doesn't like Black people? Jeez! That's the most simplistic wording I've heard for that lame question all week!

Howard: The Republican National Committee is trying to say that. Most of the controversial things I've supposedly said in the last year or so have been spin-machined by the Republican National Committee who reworks them and sends them out to enterprising reporters, hoping that one of them will pick it up.

Paula: Do you think that this president looks at all Americans equally?
In the background, I could hear Demetrius quip, "I don't think this president looks at all Americans!"

Howard: I don't think this president is a racist. His policies have had the effect of harming some people more than others. For example, 80% of Americans, White, Black, or Brown, have seen their income drop by $1700 on average under this president. That hurts everybody. Cutting Medicare, cutting Medicaid, trying to privatize Social Security--that disporportionately hurts people in the lower income brackets, White, Black, or Brown, because they rely on those programs.

Paula: So if you use your math, you're saying this president only cares about the 20% of Americans that are rich? Terse little "bite" in Paula's voice at the end of that question.

Howard: If you look at his policies, that's true. The president has been good for the 20% of the people--one of which includes me--who are at the top, and not so great for the 80% who aren't at the top.

Paula: What about the folks in New Orleans? We know that 3/4 of that population was African American, and by and large, poor.

Howard: That's right. And I've said before, we still have a race problem in this country. Most people don't want to know about that.

Paula: But *isn't* it true, Governor, that the same people you're talking about in New Orleans that are homeless today, were *poor* under Bill Clinton's leadership?

Howard: Yeah, but Bill Clinton didn't try to cut Medicare, Medicaid and privatize Social Security. At least he had the temerity to understand that it *was* a problem and we ought to do something about it.

Paula: Appreciate your dropping by tonight. Thank you.

After she finished playing that pre-recorded interview, Paula felt compelled to say, "Well, that's one opinion, and probably a predictable one at that" before going on to interview James Glassman and Joe Klein. Bitch.