Howard Dean Dodge: Howard the Coward?

Sunday's 'Meet the Press' on NBC carried both party chairman's on the Sunday morning political talk show.  Late Saturday, it was reported that Howard Dean might actually back off a face to face meeting with Ken Mehlman.

Republican vs. Democrat - face-to-face - what could be better?

Apparently for Howard Dean, a friendly chat with no tough questions from Democrat friendly host Tim Russert.  Matt Drudge originally carried the tease (original story here) that Dean might actually cower in the green room while Ken Mehlman did his interview, and Drudge was absolutely correct.  No face-to-face battle.

Is it now "Howard the Coward?"

Drudge dishes the inside the green room scoop:

Matt first reports that he has "learned from exclusive sources that Democrat Party Chair Howard Dean turned down Republican Party Chair Ken Mehlman’s last minute offer to appear together on NBC’s MEET THE PRESS this morning."

Continuing...

Moments before taping was to begin with host Tim Russert, Mehlman asked Dean outside the NBC studio’s green room: “There’s still time for us to go on together Governor.” Dean declined with a shrug of his shoulders and an uncomfortable cackle and then proceeded to walk away into the green room.

Drudge reports that he "learned Meet the Press producers have been working to get a head to head Dean/Mehlman appearance on the program since Dean was named chair back in February. Dean and his handlers have repeatedly turned down the request. The former Vermont governor only agreed to do this week’s program if they appeared in back-to-back interviews."

Mehlman brought up Dean’s unwillingness to appear alongside him during the show: “I was hoping that Chairman Dean would be on sitting next to me this morning. Maybe we can do that on a future program. Look, he's somebody I've enjoyed getting to know. We meet in a lot of green rooms….”

Tim Russert: “We invited him -- do you have a question for him?”

***

Good idea as Russert sure didn't ask any tough questions. Other than some benign mentions of Dean's abysmal fund raising, he allowed Dean to filibuster talking points before closing with:

"Dr. Howard Dean, thank you for your views."

And that's exactly what it was - no tough questions, no face to face match up with Mehlman just Howard Dean's "views."

Tim Russert should be ashamed.

--CK Rairden