17 Things You Don't Know About Howard Dean

People.com ^ | January 14, 2004 | JD HEYMAN and JANE SIMS PODESTA

[billorites]

He's a hardheaded penny-pincher, she's a publicity-shy doctor. PEOPLE magazine sat down with Democratic Presidential candidate Howard Dean, 55, and his wife, Judy, 50, for their first joint interview. Read 17 things we learned about him, then peruse the exclusive transcript.

1. He calls his wife "sweetie"; she calls him "Howie."

2. He wore his prom tuxedo to one of President Clinton's White House state dinners to save money, but coughed and split his pants and had to be escorted home by state troopers covering his posterior.

3. His staff forced him to buy a new suit at Paul Stuart in New York for the campaign (it cost $800). "It nearly killed me."

4. He always turns off the lights when he walks out of a room. He used to get into fights with his wife about turning up the heat in the winter, so now she pays the bill so he doesn't have to see it.

5. The last sitcom he watched was All in the Family in its original run.

6. He is compulsive about recycling. Once he picked up every newspaper off an airplane at the end of a flight and hauled them to a recycling center. He also does recycling inspections of his staffer's bins.

7. He insists that paper in his office be printed on both sides.

8. He likes Outkast and Wyclef Jean (his son's music) as well as Bob Dylan, Peter, Paul and Mary, Led Zeppelin and the Grateful Dead.

9. He fixes the toilet at home; plumbing is his "therapy."

10. He never takes taxis or limos. In New York City he takes the subway.

11. Asked his favorite food indulgence, he responds: fish. (He later amends this to chocolate chip cookies.)

12. He drinks generic ginger ale and snacks to save money.

13. He plays the guitar and harmonica. He sings '60s folk tunes (see: Peter, Paul and Mary above.)

14. Despite his reservations about cost, he was finally persuaded to take his shirts to the dry cleaner last year. He used to just throw them in the wash.

15. As the governor of Vermont, he drove himself and pumped his own gas.

16. He has been known to tape his shoes together.

17. He wears '70s-style gold-rimmed glasses that he won't update; his wife carries a purse covered in pen marks. They are both devoted discount shoppers ...

[NathanR]

How on earth can someone walk if their shoes are taped together?

Good question.

However, I expect he actually mends his shoes with tape. Like mending eyeglasses with tape.

[T Minus Four]

He sounds like the guy in the Progressive commercial who shoves his kid out of the way so he can dive in the pool and retrieve the quarter.

[DCPatriot]

Sadly, this guy has a better chance of shaking hands with Jesus than becoming the nominee. He's going down in flames fast.

Hillary Clinton will be drafted...especially if we suffer another 9-11 or deadly mass attack in Iraq before the election.

Dean will become Gore-like by July...in terms of making the news. He's history, IMO.

[xrp]

For someone so willing to spend other peoples' money he sure is personally fiscal conservative.

[EllaMinnow]

Your mom sounds just like my oldest brother's wife...is that you, Wade?

[Question_Assumptions]

Sounds like he could do a guest spot on Monk.

[JimVT]

15. As the governor of Vermont, he drove himself and pumped his own gas.

Pardon the vulgarity but that is total BULLSHIT.

This dwarf had a trooper hauling him around while he was Gov. AND WHILE HE WAS CAMPAIGNING FOR PRES. WHILE STILL GOV.

I'll try to find a reference,

[Tijeras_Slim]

You can't make this stuff up ping.

[UNGN]

6. .... He also does recycling inspections of his staffer's bins.

Just what we need... another "small picture" micromanager in the White House.

Three words: "Seek Professional Help"

[IYAS9YAS]

2. He wore his prom tuxedo to one of President Clinton's White House state dinners to save money, but coughed and split his pants and had to be escorted home by state troopers covering his posterior.

There's a good use of taxpayer money. Covering his @ss instead of ours.

[clintonh8r]

I think I'm going to vomit....

[NathanR]

He also does recycling inspections of his staffer's bins.

"Can you even imagine working for a micro-managing buttwipe like that?"

The thing is: If you were working for him, you could always quit or, if you were lucky, transfer. If he ever becomes president, we would not have those options.

He reminds me of Carter, but without Carter's good points.

[clintonh8r]

19. He only wipes twice

But does he look at the paper. That's the kind of stuff we need to know...

[T Minus Four]

LOL!!!

[Tijeras_Slim]

He reminds me of Carter, but without Carter's good points.

Enlighten me as to these... :)

[billorites]

"This dwarf had a trooper hauling him around while he was Gov."

Yeah, but the trooper was busy slapping around his missus.

[billorites]

"Enlighten me as to these... :) "

Well, Jimmy lusted in his heart. I always respected him for that.

His brother was a hoot.

[EllaMinnow]

And each one of the 17 is solid grounds for divorce.

[Mustang]

He still picks his nose...and eats it.

(sort'a fits in w/his current statement).

[Hon]

Does Paul Stewart have a "short and fat guy" section?

(Dean is under 5' 6" you know.)