Have gotten many e-mails (forgive the long post) along these lines in response to my limited Howard Dean defense from last week:
“Subject: Townhall Comment: Unmitigated Media Whore
Mr. Lowry, during a townhall column you said..
`Lord knows that Howard Dean deserves to be attacked. The Democratic front-runner has said — if not in so many words — that his first act as president would be to run to Paris to apologize for the fact that the United States toppled Saddam Hussein.’ Have you always been a partisan, lying whore? Please, tell us all, WHERE & WHEN did Dean ever say he would run to Paris to apologize? `If not in so many words,’ means you’re LYING.”
I’ve been sending this back to such e-mailers (note the source!): “Agence France Presse October 27, 2003 Monday
HEADLINE: Dean vows to heal Iraq wounds with allies
DATELINE: DES MOINES, Iowa, Oct 27
BODY:
Howard Dean’s longstanding opposition to the Iraq war has made him the candidate to beat among the Democratic pack seeking the nomination for next year’s presidential election.
He has declared that ending the rift with Europe over Iraq will be one of his top priorities if his campaign to replace George W. Bush is successful. Candidate Dean also has controversial ideas for North Korea and the Middle East.
`Before I am inaugurated I will go to Europe and begin the process of healing the wounds caused by this president’s ineptness and rudeness,’ Dean told AFP during a campaign swing through Iowa.
`We’re not going to have a healing of the trans-Atlantic alliance as long as this president is in office,’ the former Vermont governor said, adding that he would also go to “other key capitals around the world.’”