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Howard Dean Scores on Meet the Press

By Jeralyn, Section Media
Posted on Sun May 22, 2005 at 12:41:24 PM EST
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Howard Dean was on Meet the Press today with Tim Russert. Russert brought up a Pew survey allegedly showing that Dean supporters went to church less than other Democrats. Via Suburban Guerilla:

Howard said the methodology was in question, because it was an internet survey. And then he started swinging: “I’m a committed Christian, and I’m not going to have other people tell me how I should or shouldn’t be a Christian. That’s my personal business, and I’m not going to have these Pharisees tell me what to do.” (He also referred to those who were pointing out the mote in his eye instead of taking it out of their own.)

The transcript is here. Crooks and Liars has a video clip. [hat tip Avedon at Atrios.]

Here's the exact exchange:

You said that the issue is are we going to live in a theocracy where the highest powers tell us what to do? And I was reading the Pew Research Center where they went out and surveyed 11,000 of your closest advisers...

DR. DEAN: Right.

MR. RUSSERT: ...contributors, activists, volunteers. It was quite striking. Dean activists vs. all Democrats--attend attend church seldom or never, 59 percent of Dean activists seldom or never as opposed to 25 percent of all Democrats; 92 percent white, 82 percent liberal, 45 percent over 75,000. Is your base secular, affluent, white and liberal?

DR. DEAN: I think not quite as much as the Pew folks. That was a very fascinating study. The only methodological problem is they only went on the Internet, and, therefore, you could answer or could not. But I think it's a great piece.

Look, I fit into some of those categories. I don't go to church all that much. I consider myself a deeply religious person. I consider myself a Christian. And I don't--you know, some of the other Christians would dare to say that I'm not a Christian. Frankly, it's what gets my ire up. We get back to the Rush Limbaugh stuff. I am sick of being told what I and what I'm not by other people. I'll tell you what I am. I'm a committed Christian. And the fact of whether I go to church or not, people can say whether I should or shouldn't, I worship in my own way. It came out in the campaign that I pray every night. That's my business. That's not the business of the pharisees who are going to preach to me about what I do and then do something else.

You know, I care about values a lot. And one of the reasons that I care a lot is because of my upbringing. And it was a--I grew up in a Christian household. Now, because I grew up--I'm a congregationalist. People say, "Well, those are liberals." Well, since when do Christians get tagged liberal or conservative? You either believe in the teachings of Jesus or you don't. I do. And I'm not ashamed to admit it. But I don't go around wearing it on my sleeve. And I think that's a private matter. And I'm happy to talk about it. I've been through a political campaign. There are a lot of folks to whom, you know, that's very important. I respect that. But I'm not going to be lectured to about my own private morality and my own private business by people who don't have the moat taken out of their own eye.

Update: Dembloggers has the video of the entire Dean interview.

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    Howard Dean Scores on Meet the Press | 4 comments (4 topical)
    Re: Howard Dean Scores on Meet the Press (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:55:39 PM EST
    I thought he did alright. Still not convinced about him, though. He just doesn't come across to me as being what he says he is(tries to be folksy), and he seems too impulsive(Using Terry Schiavo). Wobbled a bit on the Bernie Sanders issue; I mean, didn't he think the question was going to come up??

    Re: Howard Dean Scores on Meet the Press (none / 0) (#4)
    by Dadler on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:55:40 PM EST
    He'd have been better to call them Saducees. Pharisees were reformers at the time of Jesus, and got a relative bum rap by the writer's, most of whom knew little about Judaism. Paul himself bragged of being from Pharisaic blood. The Saducees were the old school, sacrifice a sheep kind of Jewish leaders, the Pharisees were trying to open up and "modernize" the faith.

    Re: Howard Dean Scores on Meet the Press (none / 0) (#1)
    by Randinho on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:11 PM EST
    But I'm not going to be lectured to about my own private morality and my own private business by people who don't have the moat taken out of their own eye. Amen!

    Re: Howard Dean Scores on Meet the Press (none / 0) (#2)
    by The Heretik on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:17 PM EST
    I don't go around wearing it on my sleeve. And I think that's a private matter. What people wear on their sleeves is so often a cover for what they would like to do in their hearts.

    Howard Dean Scores on Meet the Press | 4 comments (4 topical)