Shop Talk

Dean is going to have trouble squaring this 1995 letter to President Clinton. . .

“I have reluctantly concluded that the efforts of the United States and NATO in Bosnia are a complete failure,” he wrote, citing reports of genocide during the Bosnian civil war. “If we ignore these behaviors … our moral fiber as a people becomes weakened. … We must take unilateral action.”

. . .with his current position on Iraq.

On a personal note, I almost completely failed to talk politics when I was back in St. Louis last month. Almost completely. Talking to an old family friend, and a lifelong, dedicated, “establishment” Democrat, the name Howard Dean popped up briefly. Then just as quickly, the subject was dropped. My dear friend got a look on his face that said, “Let’s please not talk about him.”

So we talked about the old times and had a drink.

Anecdotal? Of course — it’s an anecdote. But it might just be indicative, too.