On TV With His Wife, a Softer, Gentler Dean

NYTIMES ^ | 01/23/04 | JODI WILGOREN

[Pikamax]

January 23, 2004 On TV With His Wife, a Softer, Gentler Dean By JODI WILGOREN

ANCHESTER, N.H., Jan. 22 — Howard Dean said he is just another hockey dad. His wife of 23 years, Judith Steinberg Dean, said she cannot remember the last time he lost his temper. She said he's "a good dancer." He said "she's a lot smarter than I am."

Nestled on a formal sofa in a quaint Vermont inn, the couple appeared in their first nationally televised interview Thursday in an effort to save Dr. Dean's embattled presidential campaign by reassuring the public that his emotional outburst after a disappointing third-place finish in Iowa's caucuses was an anomaly. As Diane Sawyer of ABC News aired the screech heard 'round the political world for the umpteenth time, Mrs. Dean looked lovingly at her husband, and giggled.

"He just doesn't get that angry," Mrs. Dean, 50, told Ms. Sawyer in the segment scheduled for broadcast on "Primetime Thursday." "I mean, he doesn't. You know, he just, he's very kind, very considerate, and, it just doesn't happen."

Dr. Dean, the former governor of Vermont, acknowledged on the program that his performance Monday night was not "presidential," but shrugged it off as a passionate response to his fervent supporters.

"Last night, I went to a hockey game, my son got an assist on the first goal, I went `Yahoo,' and jumped up in the air," Dr. Dean told Ms. Sawyer. "That's presidential? Probably not. So, I'm a dad, I'm a human being, I'm going to keep being a dad and a human being."

[CARepubGal]

Barf. Poor Mrs Dean. The thought of dealing with Howie's myriad of problems is daunting.

[Riley]

"Last night, I went to a hockey game, my son got an assist on the first goal, I went `Yahoo,' Yeaaagh! and jumped up in the air," Dr. Dean told Ms. Sawyer.

[July 4th]

THE HOWARD DEAN REMIX

[joesnuffy]

Was he doing a Zoloft commercial?

[Riley]

Was he doing a Zoloft commercial?

If so, I have to prefer the old ones. I kind of like the happy little round guy, scoping out passing butterflies and whatnot.

I can't imagine wanting to take anything that makes me go 'Yeaagh!' at unpredictable moments.

[BlessedAmerican]

I thought she helped him. She was obviously out of her element but she came across honest, humble. I bet she's a good Doc. We are conditioned to see a candidates wife dressed and acting in a certain way. She was unique and herself. Given the same interview with Kerry and spouse, I don't believe Teresa is going to help John.....

[YaYa123]

Did any of you guys watch the interview? No joke, Diane Sawyer asked totally asinine questions, tried her best to rattle them, but the Deans' really came off well.

Judy Dean seems genuine, unaffected, and no, not normal in my book, because I love things...lots of things..and she's turned on by bike rides, and like rhododendrum plants for presents, and gasp!! she doesn't like television and they don't have cable. But she seemed so honest and really cute all gussied up.

I'm hoping the rehabilitation of Dean works. I thought he and Lieberman both did well in the debate.

[BlessedAmerican]

I agree and only hope that Judy has scored some points tonight with NH voters..Go Dean...

[Chad Fairbanks]

Yeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaa!

[NYCVirago]

I thought she helped him. She was obviously out of her element but she came across honest, humble. I bet she's a good Doc. We are conditioned to see a candidates wife dressed and acting in a certain way. She was unique and herself. Given the same interview with Kerry and spouse, I don't believe Teresa is going to help John.....

I thought so, too. She's definitely his biggest asset.

[NYCVirago]

This is how ABC captures Howardacytl's shriek:

From the transcript:
Howard Dean on Tape: (Inaudible) and Michigan. And, then we're going to Washington, D.C., to take back the White House. Eyyahh!

For some reason, that cracks me up!

[Riley]

'Howardactyl'?

ROFL!

[AZLiberty]

Having met Teresa Heinz, I have to say that she's an awesome woman, not least because of her physical similarity to Greta Garbo and Jill Clayburgh. She's highly intelligent, exceedingly humble, and very articulate about the reasons her husband should be president. Not to mention she has control of nearly a billion dollars.

The risk in them appearing together is that the Ketchup Girl would outshine the Ketchup Boy, making people wonder why (apart from her past as a Republican) she's not running herself.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I think Dean stepped in it, but I'd like to see him distract Kerry for a while.

[Chad Fairbanks]

That IS funny LOL

[Don Joe]

'Howardactyl'?

That's a Deanosaur. The kind that flies -- into a rage.

[Guillermo]

It's over for Mad How.

It's just not the speech either that did it.

[mtg]

Leave it to the Liberal media to perform damage control for their liberal friends.