"Dean Lays Into GOP"

"NEW HAVEN -- Democratic National Chairman Howard Dean delivered a pointed pep talk Sunday, telling Democrats they can win back Congress next year from a wounded, corrupt and racially divisive Republican Party.

With President Bush's approval rating sinking and former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay under indictment, Dean said, the mid-term congressional elections cannot come soon enough for Democrats.

Dean also tried to undercut plans by Ken Mehlman, the Republican national chairman, to address the NAACP in Waterbury Tuesday, suggesting that the Bush administration's response to Hurricane Katrina was evidence of insensitivity to blacks.

"I'm shocked that he would have the nerve to show his face in front of any African American organization after the way they treated those people in New Orleans," Dean said.

Aaron McLear, a spokesman for Mehlman, said Sunday night that Dean's comments were "race baiting."

"While the president is unifying the country to help with recovery efforts along the Gulf Coast, Democrats continue to shamelessly use this tragedy to tear the country apart," McLear said. "We are proud of our efforts to make the party of Lincoln stronger through its diversity and will not stoop to the race-baiting that now seems to guide the Democrats' agenda."

Dean also attacked the three Connecticut Republicans holding U.S. House seats for supporting what he called a corrupt GOP leadership that is sinking the nation in debt.

"Borrow and spend. Borrow and spend," Dean said. "Whoever thought that five years into a Republican administration America would be broke - the largest deficit in the history of the United States of America."

Dean's visit was billed as part of a national tour to rev up state party organizations, but his stop at a rally and fundraiser at a banquet hall was secondary to an event on the other side of the city: parents' weekend at Yale University, where Dean's son and daughter are students.

Told of Dean's availability three weeks ago, Democratic State Chairwoman Nancy DiNardo said the party quickly organized the event to give an early boost to the Democratic challengers for Congress.

Republicans hold three of the five congressional seats in Connecticut, an anomaly in a state where Democrats hold both U.S. Senate seats and comfortable majorities in the General Assembly.

Democrats have targeted U.S. Reps. Rob Simmons, R-2nd District, and Chris Shays, R-4th District, promising assistance to challengers Joseph Courtney and Diane Farrell. Dean said the party also had hopes of unseating the dean of the House delegation, U.S. Rep. Nancy Johnson, R-5th District.

He criticized all three Republican incumbents for voting with DeLay or taking campaign money from his political action committee.

"Nancy Johnson has taken $10,500 from Tom DeLay, who was just indicted. She votes with Tom DeLay about 80 percent of the time. Chris Shays votes with Tom DeLay about 92 percent of the time. Rob Simmons votes with Tom DeLay 95 percent of the time and has taken $40,000."

Courtney and Farrell stood behind Dean, occasionally smiling, as the former Vermont governor and presidential candidate attacked the Republican incumbents.

"His message is one that is starting to echo all over the country: The choice next year is change or more of the same," Courtney said.

Farrell, who lost to Shays last year, 52 percent to 48 percent, said the national party is eager for another shot at Simmons and Shays.

"The national party actually called and apologized, if you can believe, saying they were sorry they had not given greater focus on these races in Connecticut," she said.

Farrell said that Dean was laying the groundwork for a debate next year on the economy, jobs and balancing the budget."-from the story today in the