Posted on 06/24/2003 11:01:34 PM PDT by LdSentinal
BURLINGTON, Vt. - Presidential candidate Howard Dean is berating himself for saying he wanted to break into the country club of Democratic Party insiders.
The remark to Vermont reporters Monday came several days after Dean's 17-year-old son, Paul, was charged with aiding in a burglary at the Burlington Country Club.
Vermont's former governor cut short a campaign swing on Friday to return home after his son was picked up by police along with a group of his friends.
Dean made the country club comment Monday just before formally kicking off his campaign for the presidency.
Dean was asked how he would win support of Democratic Party leaders given his frequent criticism of them and he responded that the leaders would come around once they got to know him.
"It is a bit of a club down there," he said. "The Democratic Party, all the candidates from Washington, they all know each other, they all move in the same circles, and what I'm doing is breaking into the country club."
Paul Dean is accused of driving the car while three friends broke into an outbuilding at the country club to steal beer.
On Monday, Dean winced when he heard his own words.
"That was an incredibly unfortunate phrase," he said.
"Why do I say these things?" Dean asked a press aide.
Paul Dean did not appear at his father's campaign kickoff with his mother and sister.
Dean said his son was working at a soccer camp and had never intended to appear at Monday's campaign event.
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