Howard Dean Knocks the Wind out of Wolf Blitzer

Here
is a partial transcript of Howard Dean’s appearance
on CNN’s Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer Sunday.  Click on the
video link that follows to experience for yourself  glazed-over
stares from Wolf, two awkward pauses, and
Wolf's final heavy sigh of frustration as Dean takes him from
stammering to speechless.  Notice  in his opening shot,
Wolf found a way to say not once but twice as if it were
fact,  “Democrats who took money…” [from
Jack Abramoff].  Dean sets the record straight.

BLITZER: Should Democrats who took money from Jack Abramoff,
who has now pleaded guilty to bribery charges, among other charges, a
Republican lobbyist in Washington,
should the Democrat who took money from him give that money to charity or give
it back?

DEAN: There are no Democrats who took money from Jack
Abramoff, not one, not one single Democrat. Every person named in this scandal
is a Republican. Every person under investigation is a Republican. Every person
indicted is a Republican. This is a Republican finance scandal. There is no
evidence that Jack Abramoff ever gave any Democrat any money. And we've looked
through all of those FEC reports to make sure that's true. 

BLITZER: But through various Abramoff-related organizations
and outfits, a bunch of Democrats did take money that presumably originated
with Jack Abramoff.

DEAN: That's not true either. There's no evidence for that
either. There is no evidence…

BLITZER: What about Senator Byron Dorgan?

DEAN: Senator Byron Dorgan and some others took money from
Indian tribes. They're not agents of Jack Abramoff. There's no evidence that
I've seen that Jack Abramoff directed any contributions to Democrats. I know
the Republican National Committee would like to get the Democrats involved in
this. They're scared. They should be scared. They haven't told the truth. They
have misled the American people. And now it appears they're stealing from
Indian tribes. The Democrats are not involved in this.

BLITZER: Unfortunately Mr. Chairman, we got to leave it
right there.

Howard Dean, the chairman of the Democratic Party, always
speaking out bluntly, candidly. 
Appreciate your joining us on “Late Edition.”

Link to the transcript

Link to the video (scroll down when you get there to “Dean Issues Smack-Down on Wolfie”)