Why Didn't I Think of That?

Howard Dean was on the hot seat yesterday, during a chaotic press availability after his meeting with Senate minority leader Harry Reid. The best question? From Fox News' Brian Wilson (makes me think of the Barenaked Ladies, not the Beach Boy).

The press chorus then devolved into a cacophony of competing screams. (And Dean knows screams!) After several seconds, a booming voice cut through the noise. It belonged to Brian Wilson, a Fox News correspondent who was standing in the middle of the crowd. He asked Dean "if people are focused on the other things that you've said about hating Republicans, about Republicans being dishonest and then this latest comment about the Republican Party is full of white Christians. You say you hate Republicans -- does that mean you also'' hate white Christians?

Dean didn't respond and Reid talked about having a "positive agenda." Wilson was so insistent that at one point, Durbin asked, "Does he run the press conference?"

Yes, Mr. Durbin, he does run the press conference. I will tell you why. Because he asked the best question, because he's not afraid of your name-calling in an attempt to make him back down, because he's got something to talk about, because he believes in something rather than just attacking his opponents. Mr. Wilson's control of the press availability is a microcosm for the Republicans' control of politics right now--they have something to say. Meanwhile, Democrats like Dean and Durbin and Reid say nasty, irresponsible things and then complain of a "media circus" when they are held accountable.
This can't be good for Dean, that this was reported in the Washington Post Style section.
I wonder if Dean had made the connection between his "hate" comment and his "Christian" comment when Wilson asked the question. If he hadn't, I would have loved to see the look on his face when the question came.