Just caught a segment of an interview on CNN where Wolf Blitzer asked Dean (with Judy at his side) if he thought the media was being fair to him in the wake of the Iowa speech. Dean responded to this on-its-face ridiculous question with the same mix of honesty, toughness, responsibility, and humility that won me over to him in the first place.
I wish I could quote it verbatim, and to paraphrase it wouldn't do it justice. But Dean told Wolf that, yes, he was being treated unfairly by having the tape shown hundreds of times in the past week, and yes, he understands that the news media is more about entertainment than it is about reporting, and yes, he understands that this is the reality he is facing and is not blaming the media for anything.
The best part was Wolf's reaction when Dean called the news media "entertainment." Blitzer feigned surprise that Dean would state such an obviously obvious fact.
I hate to remind Wolf and CNN of the dozens of times Bush has referred to the news media as an irrelevant, biased "filter" that keeps the administration's message from getting to the public in tact -- as an impediment to the work of government, instead of a vital part of it. Where Dean would love nothing more than to have a vigorous, relevant, responsible, and free press in this country, it usually seems that Bush would rather not have the press around at all.
Apparently, Blitzer thinks its OK for Bush to bash the "librul" media, to say he doesn't read newspapers or watch cable news, but it's high treason for Howard Dean to state the obvious truth: that 24-hour cable news is mainly entertainment.
But that's besides the point I'm trying to make.
What I saw in this interview was the Howard Dean who "gets it," who understands, understandably detests, and is willing to speak to the realities of political life today, but at the same time, is willing to learn from his mistakes and takes full responsibility for his words, views, and actions. This Howard Dean stands a chance versus Bush. This Howard Dean would have my vote.